Three interim directors will temporarily oversee the operations of the Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC) following the resignation of five of its six board members.
The departures followed a lengthy dispute between the board chair Jibri Klaren and utilities minister José Vanterpool over the advertisement of the chief executive officer position.
The minister had requested the job advert be withdrawn ahead of the imminent appointment of a new board, but the chair refused, prompting Vanterpool to initiate legal action.
Before the matter reached court, the board agreed to retract the advert and appointed Stanley Reid, Sharon Hunte and David Carty as interim directors.
Five members of the board – Klaren, Courtney Morton, Alkin Rogers, Cassila Bernia-Hull and Geraldine James – then resigned.
A full slate of board directors will be elected at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting on 24 April.
A new direction
During a government press conference on Monday, 14 April, the utilities minister explained why he had requested the withdrawal of the CEO job advert.
After being elected in February, one of his first tasks was to visit the chair of the ANGLEC board and and outline his commitment to transitioning to renewable energy, he said.
Vanterpool said the aim is to bring relief to the business sector and every household in Anguilla, strengthen the island’s resilience, and minimise its risk to rising oil prices.
“In that conversation, I would have asked him that while government and the company currently goes through this transition period, that no major decisions be made,” he said.
Following this, an advert was circulated internally for the role, with a closing date of 17 April. This later made its way to the public domain.
The minister asked for it to be retracted, and gave a deadline of 11 April.
A refusal
When the day arrived, the chair spoke to Vanterpool, saying that he would push back the deadline for applications to the position to 30 May, after the date of the shareholders’ meeting.
However, the minister told him anything short of a full withdrawal or a commitment in writing that the board would not proceed with any decisions would not be satisfactory.
During an interview with Abner Brooks, also known as DJ Hammer, on Klass FM on Wednesday, 16 April, Vanterpool explained that an injunction had been filed with the court on 14 April.
The hearing date was set for the morning of 16 April, however before it took place both sides came to an agreement, the minister said.
The posting for the CEO of ANGLEC was formally withdrawn and five members of the board signed a consent order bringing an end to the court proceedings.
The sixth member, Nigel Chinnapoo, had been unreachable.
Resignation
The board members appointed interim directors to fill three of the nine allowed seats before tendering their resignations.
The interim board members will “maintain the status quo” until the shareholders meeting when the full slate of board members will be officially appointed, the minister said.
He thanked the previous board of directors for serving on the board and for enabling an “amicable resolution”.
Vanterpool said while he wished that they did not have to go through the process, which he called “a bit unnecessary”, he is committed to protecting the interests of the people and Anguilla.
He added that he looks forward to working with the incoming board to further the work in progress of ANGLEC and the transition towards renewable energy.
ANGLEC is a publicly traded company in which the government holds the majority of the shares, with the remaining shares owned by private investors and members of the public.
