Telecommunications officials in Anguilla and neighbouring French and Dutch territories, began a three-day meeting on Wednesday, June 8, in Anguilla, to discuss frequency coordination involving four administrations.
The meeting, at La Vue Conference Centre, involved the participation of the Government of Anguilla, the French Administration, representing St. Martin and St. Barths; the Dutch St. Maarten Administration; and the Netherlands Administration representing Statia and Saba. The aim is to have four administrations – and one people – sharing in one telecommunications spectrum resource free of frequency interference by proper allocations and controls.
Mr. Larry Franklin, Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry of Infrastructure, called the meeting to order and welcomed the various representatives.
Mr. Curtis Richardson, Minister of Infrastructure and Communications, responsible for telecommunications, said in part: “The unique geographical location of our islands, along with the constitutional arrangements, historical and family heritage, pose unique challenges to the growth and operations of information and communication technologies and services. We each have to address the challenges of aligning our preferences with our actions due to relations with European forces trying to dictate life in our respective islands by rules and regulations that are contrary to the realities we live each day as neighbours, family and friends. However, we are wise enough to see the need for regular bilateral and tripartite meetings, such as this meeting, for the telecommunications administrations.”
The Anguillian Minister said there was a need for the four administrations “to continue to work to resolve issues and challenges amicably in a just and fair manner to ensure that our region and people do not get less.” He stressed that “each territory cannot do it alone and that protectionism will betray our common and shared history, family and economic ties.”
Mr. Ken Banks, Executive Director with the Public Utilities Commission in Anguilla, made the point that despite that several administrations and islands were involved in frequency coordination there was still one spectrum resource to deal with. He noted that over the years there were two changes in the regulatory framework affecting t
he radio spectrum use in Anguilla. One was the relaxation of the requirements for establishing FM Radio Stations. The second change was the liberalization of the telecommunications sector.
“Both of these changes saw a large increase in the demand for radio spectrum in Anguilla,” Mr. Banks reported. “As these changes had been implemented in St. Maarten/St. Martin a few years earlier, there was now an increased usage of spectrum resource by the many operators who were now joining the rapidly expanding sectors in the two territories. The authorities in the three territories [including Anguilla] were soon dealing with frequency complaints of cross-border interference from their neighbours.”
He spoke about how this difficulty was addressed and the new agreements now in effect between the four administrations – Anguilla, the French Administration, Dutch Administration and the Netherlands Administration – as stated earlier.
This week’s meeting involves a number of high-level telecommunications officials from the above administrations.
