Digicel has been awarded the government contract to establish and operate Anguilla’s first island-wide CCTV network.
The telecommunications company will be tasked with installing high-tech cameras in 30 locations throughout the island as part of the project to combat illegal activity.
Infrastructure and IT minister Jose Vanterpool, made the announcement during a government press conference on 23 March, but did not provide a timeline or budget for the project’s completion.
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He said various stakeholders had engaged in a meeting that morning, including representatives from government ministries and departments, the Royal Anguilla Police Force and Digicel.
Vanterpool said discussions were “highly technical” and focused on ensuring the specifications for project’s final delivery are acceptable to everyone involved.
Topics included camera locations, capabilities of the cameras such as automatic number plate recognition and pattern tracking, requirements for data storage, back-up power, and capabilities for AI analytics.
Public protection
Vanterpool said the government stressed the importance of timely delivery of the project, bearing in mind recent crimes and the need to strengthen security ahead of the Anguilla Summer Festival.
“So work continues to take place and discussions will continue to go on, but we continue to push forward for project delivery,” he said.
Vanterpool added that the government has began consulting with the Attorney General’s Chambers to create legislation that governs who can access the CCTV information and how it can be used.
“That’s to ensure data privacy and to ensure that person’s private rights aren’t being used and abused,” he said.
“But one of the things to note is that these cameras are largely for the protection of the public and will be deployed in public areas, and so it’s not for invasion of privacy.”
Years in the making
An island-wide CCTV network was one of the recommendations that came from the Gun Crime and Violence Committee’s report that was presented in the Anguilla House of Assembly in April 2024.
In a past press conference, Vanterpool said that EC$1 million had been allocated for the system in the government’s 2024 budget, through the Governor’s Office which oversees internal security.
The procurement documents were sent out in October 2024 with a deadline of 4 December, but were later withdrawn after bidders requested clarifications.
Some of the funds allocated for the system were redirected to complete and open the Joint Emergency Services Control Room.
The process began again in 2025, leading to Digicel being awarded the contract in September 2025, according to a notice on the government’s procurement portal.
Anguilla Focus has reached out to Digicel for a comment and is awaiting a response.
