The Honourable Minster of Infrastructure Communications Utilities and Housing, IT and E-Government Services Jose Vanterpool, who has responsibility for the Anguilla Electricity Company ANGLEC, says Anguillians interest in the company will be protected.
The Minister was a guest on an interview over Radio Anguilla with host Keith “Stone” Greaves on Friday, April 11th. He said he is determined that Anguillians best interests for ANGLEC would be protected and preserved.
To make his point, Minister Vanterpool said that ANGLEC’s current Board of Directors went against Government’s directives not to make any major decisions pending the appointment of a new Board, which is to be made at a special meeting of shareholders later this month.
It is reported that on March 12th the new Anguilla United Front Government met with ANGLEC’s Chairman, Jibri Lewis-Klaren; Acting CEO, Steve Hodge; as well as several directors to discuss the company’s current challenges and on-going legal matters with government. Government also requested the Board to refrain from making any substantive decisions until further discussions could take place. That request to ANGLEC’s Board was delivered the same day – March 12th and it was acknowledged.
Despite this, the Board of Directors proceeded to internally advertise the CEO’s position, and further amended the job requirement to include seven years of engineering experience. But, Minister Vanterpool has pledged to do everything within his power to ensure that the best interests of the Company and Anguillians are protected.
The Minister pointed out that with ANGLEC’s Board recruiting a CEO only internally, it is excluding national talent and expertise that might be found throughout Anguilla or within the region. “This goes against our requests as well as against the national interest,” he said, “and against the best interest of the Company.”
“I sent out letters to the Chairman recently expressing my concerns. A letter was also sent to ANGLEC’s Secretary as well. The said letter was also sent to the Deputy Chairman and each of the Board members. These letters came from me directly. They were signed and stamped by me. This letter asked the Board once again to refrain from making such decisions as they would negatively impact ANGLEC.”
He noted that he has tried the easy approach, the amicable approach.
“But if the ANGLEC Board is adamant in saying that they do not want to comply with Government’s directives,” he said, “and if they do not want the best interest of the people of Anguilla, then they would appear willing to violate the promises that they had made both in writing and orally.
“As the Minister, the person given the mandate by the people of Anguilla in this administration, therefore, it is incumbent on me to do everything within my power and within the full remit of the law to ensure that the best interest of the company, the best interests of the Government and the best interests of Anguilla are protected and preserved, and I fully intend to do just that.”
Meanwhile, Government has already begun conversations with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to move forward with plans for ANGLEC’s renewable energy transition. Under the previous Anguilla Progressive Movement administration, this plan of going the CDB route was squashed in favour of an unpopular potential Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Minister Vanterpool said: “Now that there is a change of administration with a change in ideals, CDB is already energized and looking forward to a potential engagement with us.”
“But, that is not the only route that we are going to explore,” he noted. “From May 6th to May 10th, I will be traveling to Miami to attend the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum. I will get to network with persons and companies whose interests are in the area of renewable energy, and so you will never know what opportunities may be presented to us for grant funding.”
During the biweekly Government Press Conference on Monday, April 14th, 2025, a question from the media was asked as to whether a local bank can be considered to source a loan for ANGLEC’S development of renewable energy, instead of the CDB. Premier Cora Richardson-Hodge indicated that while the CDB offers concessionary loan rates, the Government can still research the possibility of accessing funding through the local financial institution, the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla (NCBA).
