National Caribbean Insurance (NCI), which was formerly located in the Herbert’s Commercial Complex, has moved to a larger, more efficient facility in the Emmanuel Webster’s Grace Complex across from the General Post Office in The Valley. On Monday, September 3rd, its new doors were opened and the offices were dedicated by the renowned Pastor Iton Connor.
Among his prayers of thanksgiving were prayers in which the Pastor asked that the staff be unified and protected as they work daily to produce satisfactory outcomes for those who rely on them. He then took special time out to counsel the manager and staff, placing great emphasis on the need to work together as a team. “Team-work produces dream-work”, he admonished, encouraging them to work together as a united group to produce the best results for both the client and the company.
The Pastor then proceeded to anoint every area of the edifice with olive oil, as he invoked God’s continued presence in the offices. “There is nothing magical about this oil,” he advised, “but it just a symbolic representation of the presence of God through His Holy Spirit.” He also took the opportunity to use the oil to anoint the hands of each staff member as he prayed for their continued productivity and success in their tasks.
Mrs. Vernice Richardson is the local Branch Manager of NCI with which she is virtually synonymous. She has been very dedicated to her work at NCI, over the years, and says that much effort was made to secure their new office location. “I am very excited about our new office space,” she claimed. “It was not easy to achieve this. For a whole year, almost every month, we had experienced setbacks and challenges, but thanks to God’s grace, and our faith, we are here today.”
The Anguillian took the opportunity to speak with Vernice regarding the history of NCI in Anguilla as well as her tenure with the company. She recounted:
“National Caribbean Insurance’s Head Office is located in Basseterre, St. Kitts, with another branch office located in Charlestown, Nevis. St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla are the only three islands in the Caribbean that have an NCI presence. The company was incorporated in Anguilla as far back as 1979 under an agency then operated by Mr. Marcel Fahie. For a short time, Mr. Quincy Gumbs also managed the company. In 1981 NCI was incorporated as a local branch office, under St. Kitts, and Mr. Michael Martin was Branch Manager designate.
“Later, Mr. Vernon Rogers was appointed as Branch Manager, and he worked with the company for several years before being succeeded by Mr. Cedric Jeffers of St. Kitts. When Mr. Jeffers returned to his homeland in 1990, I had been appointed Acting Branch Manager from 1990 to 1992. Then, in 1992 Mr. Rogers returned to NCI and resumed his position as Branch Manager until he eventually resigned in 2001. Since then, I had been re-appointed as Acting Branch Manager for four years, and had been ultimately promoted to the post of Branch Manager in 2005.”
When asked how business was at NCI, Mrs. Richardson readily replied: “Business is quite good! We are thriving to do our best and we are succeeding at it. Hurricane Irma did put a damper on us; however, we are surviving and thriving. Due to the hurricane all insurance companies were heavily affected, but now that we have come to this stage here we are striving to be as productive as possible for the satisfaction of our valued NCI clients.”
It is almost thirty years that Vernice Richardson has been part of the National Caribbean Insurance family, starting out as an ordinary Clerk. The Anguillian congratulates her and her staff on the opening of their new offices. As Vernice puts it, “We’ve come this far by faith.”
