A “significant” amount of money from the Anguilla Summer Festival budget has had to be used on security expenditure.
That’s according to social development minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers who was speaking during a government press conference on Monday, 29 July.
“So while we would have anticipated more of the funding going to our activities or participants, we would have had to reprioritise specifically for security purposes,” she said.
“This is not ideal, but we are faced with a particular reality, and we have to respond accordingly, and we will not make any excuses for responding as we need to.”
Four people were killed and numerous more injured in gun-related incidents across Anguilla this July.
Since then, the Royal Anguilla Police Force, the government and the Governor’s Office have put numerous security measures in place to enhance public safety.
They include new CCTV cameras, new scanning equipment at the ferry port, armed guards at the Anguilla Courthouse, additional patrols and vehicle checks.
“I do want to put on record my thanks to the Royal Anguilla Police Force and the security services for their presence around the island,” Kentish-Rogers said.
“For their presence at these events, for ensuring the safety of persons who are coming on island, and we hope to ensure that this maintains and remains the same.”
Anyone with information on any incident can call 911, (264) 497-2333 or 497-5333, or leave an anonymous message on the confidential website at www.gov.ai/911
Information from the website is stored in a secure location in California and access to it is tightly controlled.
