Dear Chief Minister,
There is increasing concern by the people of Anguilla regarding your proposed sale of the Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC). While your administration's proposal in 2017 was to sell the 40 per cent of ANGLEC shares owned by the Govt. of Anguilla, effectively the people of Anguilla, to raise EC $26 million to support the 2018 Budget, it is a widely held view that you intend to divest completely out of ANGLEC, thus making it fully private.
A majority of Anguillians are opposed to the sale of ANGLEC because ANGLEC is a vital asset to Anguilla, and full privatization is not in the national best interest. The general view is that we must preserve this asset for the people of Anguilla, and maintain ownership.
The Government of Anguilla controls not only the 40 per cent of shares owned by the Government of Anguilla, but also controls 16 per cent owned by the Anguilla Social Security Board, 12 per cent which was owned by NBA and 11 per cent owned by CCB (now collectively under NCBA) thus controlling 79 per cent of ANGLEC shares.
While you stated that the sale is open to the citizens and belongers of Anguilla, it is unrealistic to expect that Anguillians can afford to buy a significant percentage of shares in this depressed economy. Therefore, it is apparent that your administration intends to sell ANGLEC to one or more foreign entities. This would be a travesty, and a betrayal of the trust placed in you by the people of Anguilla.
ANGLEC continues to serve a vital role in Anguilla as a good corporate citizen, contributing millions of dollars to health care, education, sports, culture and community development.
Foreign ownership of ANGLEC would subject the company to a purely profit-driven model, thus reducing its commitment to developing Anguilla and its people. Jobs would be cut to decrease expenses, and management positions would be given to non-Anguillians. This would negatively impact many Anguillians, who would be unable to pay their mortgages or pay for their children's education, and in some cases, feed their families.
Also, the electricity rates could rise significantly since ANGLEC has a monopoly to provide electricity in Anguilla, and would be beholden only to its foreign shareholders. The recent increase in the fuel surcharge shows how severely people and businesses are affected by higher electricity bills. Also, a foreign-owned private ANGLEC may not be willing to extend credit to the Govt. of Anguilla, which historically has been unable to keep payment for its electricity consumption current, owing ANGLEC millions of dollars.
I propose that ANGLEC can be more efficient and ensure that it meets its obligations to its current shareholders. As a monopoly, there is potential for significant financial upside for ANGLEC in a growing economy, therefore, measures to improve the economy would have a more lasting positive impact than disposing of this vital asset. I am sure that the Govt. of Anguilla, along with the Board of Directors, can use its ownership in ANGLEC to find more creative ways to supplement the budget and service the debt, rather than this proposed sale.
ANGLEC owned and controlled by Anguilla is better for the people of Anguilla, now and in the future. Furthermore, I am convinced that public consultation and a referendum should precede any plan to sell part or all of ANGLEC.
Thank you for your attention and kind cooperation.
Sincerely,
Ellis Lorenzo Webster
Leader, Anguilla United Movement
It seem dat those politicians
In Great Bay
Love Andrew Dick
Late nite tricks
Becauz all of them
Now running after Dick
Is it because they like Andrew?
Or, are they just afraid of the
Size of his stick
Cauz he coming with a real
Big, big stick
And he calling for justice
From them
Ministers
So for the Prime Minister
To save the day
She went after Mr. Andrew
on meet the press day
And she hold on real tight
With all she might
Te Mr. Dick
Preventing a big brawl
Right there in the conference
Hall
Between the honorable
Minister
And Mr. Andrew Dick
And by that she
Saved
Mr. Andrew Dick
From getting lick
By ah minister
With his judicial stick
Mr. Andrew Dick
You think yeh slick
But always remember
You could get away with
A political trick
But tez very hard
For you to kick
Against ah political prick
Even though your
Name is Mr. Dick
Raymond Helligar aka “Big Ray”
Dear Editor,
I would like to extend my congratulations to the residents of Dutch Quarter with the upgrading of their district and the official start of the “DQ Sewerage Upgrading Works”.
This project has been in the making for a while and I am proud to have contributed as former Prime Minister in making this a reality in Brussels on December 5, 2013, when the Financing Agreement for securing the funds was signed between the European Commission and the Government of St. Maarten in my capacity as Territorial Authorizing Officer (TAO) for St. Maarten.
The main focus is to improve the living conditions of the residents of Dutch Quarter by eliminating running sewerage water that is currently present on the roads and side roads. The following will be dealt with in improving the living conditions of the residents; sewerage lines will be installed, streetlights will be placed, all overhead cabling will be placed underground, sidewalks will be installed and the side roads will be paved.
President of Parliament,
MP Sarah Wescot-Williams
Sometimes things happen in politics that trigger me to question. The media brought the issue regarding the island of St. Eustatius taking Holland to court. As a result, St. Eustatius decided to start legal proceedings against the Dutch government, after the Netherlands removed the legally elected Members of the Island and Executive Councils of Statia from office.
Based on their argument for their decision, I had expected Holland to take legal action against one or more of these government officials in St. Eustatius and charge them with wrongdoing or neglect of duties; however, this did not happen.
So, I would like to know if Members of the Island Councils who were duly elected by the people of St. Eustatius can be taken to court for wrongdoing or neglect of duty.
When the Lt. Governor and the Commissioners were put out of office, the salaries for those functions were also stopped, and according to information, those persons are not receiving a salary.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four countries, namely Aruba, Curaçao, Holland and St. Maarten. Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire have been embedded in Holland, and even though this has happened, it was always the case that the six islands of the former Netherlands Antilles would always have the right to determine their constitutional future.
Recent news reminds us that Holland cannot pull out of this relationship and leave the islands by themselves. In other words, Holland cannot put any of the islands out of the Kingdom without the permission of other countries.
In the past, the Kingdom government and or Holland would levy higher supervision on an island. This would happen together with a plan of action, which would contain a budget and a timeframe.
Can we say that Members of the Island Council are hired and/or elected by the people?
Can Members of the Island Council be put aside and be replaced by persons who were not elected by the people?
Now that this has happened on St. Eustatius, can it also be repeated on another island?
Can this be done on Aruba, Curaçao or St. Maarten? Is this article 43 at work?
Those questions I can ask to Members of Parliament, but. I would like to hear the opinion of our legal minds as it pertains to this issue. St. Maarten consists of so many law firms and/or lawyers, and I am sure there must have been someone thinking of this, while paying close attention to the situation.
Do we have to wait until a professor emerges from across the Atlantic and he/she writes an opinion, after which we comment, or do we have enough legal minds of our own to have a healthy exchange?
Your input/opinion is important.
Rodolphe Samuel
Dear Editor,
We have taken note of the announcement by VROMI Minister Giterson to re-evaluate the daytime road work schedule after bringing the country to its knees for 2 days. Literally to a crawling standstill with hours of lost time to countless citizens and businesses; simply to save on night-time differential wage tariffs.
It is high time the powers that be learn from past experience, as this is not the first time such an attempt at savings has occurred with exactly the same results. Government should understand the value of productivity and take into consideration the irreparable cost of lost productivity in any cost analysis. In infrastructure, it is never as simple as how many bills do I have to pay now; there is always the coefficient of how much improvement do I get over how long and when do I regain the cost of my investment.
It would be even better if the various ministries cease operating as independent silos and start working together on planning and coordinating, so that before a decision like this is taken consultation should be held among VROMI and TEATT and determine the economic and social impact of such decision, for example.
If our government does not begin to appreciate that the citizens of this country also have value, that their time is money and that we as a country need to put our best foot forward to our visitors if we want to regain any market share in our ever-shrinking economic condition, we fear they will find they are only in control of a welfare state without any possibility of economic prosperity.
St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA)
