Government flags will fly at half-mast in Anguilla on Friday and Saturday in honour of the late public servant and historian Colville Petty OBE.
Petty, whose career spanned roles across government, media and heritage preservation, died on 14 September, aged 84.
A formal remembrance will take place at 9.30am on 31 October, ahead of his funeral at 10am at St Augustine’s Anglican Church in East End. He will be buried at Sandy Hill Cemetery.
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A University of the West Indies graduate, Petty was among the first three Anguillians awarded academic scholarships after the 1967 Anguilla Revolution.
He returned to the island after graduating and went on to serve in several senior government roles, including administrative secretary to the Executive Council and permanent secretary.
Petty later took on the roles of labour commissioner, supervisor of elections, and director of the Anguilla Social Security Board.
He also played an important role in the media as a writing consultant for The Anguillian newspaper from its inception in 1998.
Beyond public service, he devoted himself to preserving Anguilla’s history through his research, writings, and collection of historical artefacts.
His commitment was most notably reflected in the founding of the Heritage Museum, which preserves records and artefacts dating back to Anguilla’s earliest inhabitants.
Marisa Harding-Hodge, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, spoke of his legacy in a government circular on 29 October.
“Through this work, he left an enduring record of our people, our struggles and our achievements, inspiring future generations to preserve our history, honour our heritage, and carry forward the stories that define our nation,” she said.
In recognition of his contributions to the social development of Anguilla, Petty was awarded the Anguilla Badge of Honour and Queen’s Certificate on Anguilla Day in 2009.
