On 4th February 2023, the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACOCI) hosted the seventh annual Starry Night which incorporated the first, eagerly anticipated, Business Awards at the Ballroom at Aurora Anguilla Resort. This sold-out event celebrated business excellence and was a huge success.
Starry Night was officially opened by Mrs. Vida Lloyd-Richardson, President of ACOCI’s Board of Directors. Other board members present were Ms. Simone Connor, Mr. Daryl Thompson, and Mr. Donald Curtis. A warm welcome was extended to The Governor, Her Excellency, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and the Honourable Premier Dr. Ellis L. Webster by Mrs. Vida Lloyd-Richardson. She also welcomed Mr. Michel Thomas, Special Guest from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS). These agencies funded ACOCI’s flagship Backing Winners Programme.
Backing Winners is a twelve-month programme which offers free business advice and free training to small businesses. Words of welcome were also extended to the members of ACOCI’s Board of Directors who all volunteer their time and service to the organisation. Special welcome and applause were given to members of ACOCI’s staff, Susan Longster and Karen Piña and other volunteer and support staff for their hard work and dedication. Recognition was also given to Ken Longster for his tremendous work alongside the staff for the Backing Winners Programme. Businesses, supporters and other guests were also welcomed to the beautiful event. Mrs. Lloyd-Richardson also thanked all local, regional and global partners and noted that the Starry Night event ‘will highlight the power of partnership, collaboration and transformation.’
In her remarks, she further shared that, “The Anguilla Chamber remains committed to supporting our community, strengthening economic development, providing a hub for our members, in terms of information, strategic awareness, innovative business training, networking and marketing.” Mrs. Lloyd-Richardson acknowledged God’s grace and goodness for ACOCI’s journey, growth and impact on the Anguillian business community over the past years.
Reverend Lindsay Richardson gave the opening prayer after which the microphone was passed to the capable and entertaining Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Vanburn Brookes, who kept the first part of the evening flowing smoothly.
Guests were delighted by the numerous door prizes. These prizes were sponsored by:
- ANGLEC
- J.W. Proctors
- The Big store
- Moke Anguilla
- Nikhil Fashion
- Four Seasons Hotel
- Zemi Beach Hotel
- Belmond Cap Juluca
The winners of the highly anticipated ACOCI Raffle were:
- Grand Prize – Quentin Meilhac who received a two-night stay at Belmond La Samanna St. Martin and roundtrip tickets via Calypso Boat Charters.
- 2nd Prize Winner – Ms. Trudy Nixon who won a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Phone & Fit Bit Watch From FLOW.
- 3rd Prize winner – Mrs. Lily Moses who was the recipient of a GL Dryer From Expan Co. Ltd.
- 4th Prize – Mrs. Kendra Gajadhar who received a Zemi Spa Package inclusive of a massage, facial and manicure.
The Business Awards chaired by Mrs. Vida Lloyd-Richardson were the highlight of the second part of the evening. Mrs. Lloyd Richardson shared, “These awards will highlight and celebrate Anguilla’s business excellence. The Award Ceremony recognizes businesses who are members of the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry that are inspirational and impactful in their own way.” Excited winners were invited to the stage to receive their award, certificate and to give brief remarks. The nominees for each category were also given framed certificates to recognize their business achievement.
The winners of the business awards were:
- The Anguilla Innovative Award 2023 – Axcess AI, Wilson Jno Baptiste (Sponsored by Digicel)
- The Backing Winners Awards 2023 – Cari Bella Handmade Bath & Body, Christobel Daniel (Sponsored by NCDS)
- The Delivering Excellence Award 2023 – UWI Anguilla accepted by the Manager, Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks (Sponsored by Anguilla Tourist Board)
- The most Promising Business New Business Award 2023 – Barrel Stay Restaurant, Anette Hibbert (Sponsored by NCBA).
The evening culminated with the announcement of the Enterprise of the Year Award and Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The Enterprise of the Year Award was awarded to University of the West Indies (UWI) -The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was awarded to Axcess AI – Mr. Wilson Jno Baptiste.
Congratulations to the nominees and winners of the first ACOCI Business Awards. Guests enjoyed a complimentary glass of wine and a scrumptious three course meal during the event. The final part of the evening was musical entertainment and dancing to the beats of DJ Bless. ACOCI takes this opportunity to say thank you to all the persons who assisted with the planning and execution of Starry Night Awards and Gala Dinner in any way. They look forward to continuing to support the Business Community in Anguilla.
Businesses are invited to become members of ACOCI and to participate in all events and training that will be held throughout 2023. For more information about ACOCI, contact ACOCI at 497-2839/235-2839 or via email at info@anguillachamber.com or visit their website www.anguillachamber.com.
