CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – LEGAL representatives of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Caribbean Cable Communications (CCC) Nevis Limited and the Attorney-General appeared Wednesday (Dec. 9) before His Lordship Justice Francis Belle at the Nevis Circuit Court over the acquisition of CCC’s assets and business operations.
Following their discussion in Chambers, an agreement was arrived at, declaring that CCC would reopen for business on the following day, but under a two-man joint management team comprising the company’s Director of Franchise Operations, Damien Hughes, and representative of the NIA Carlene Lawrence, Manager Nevis Solid Waste Company.
It was also disclosed that this decision would be enforced until today (Dec. 11) when counsels for the respective parties would meet with Justice Belle at the High Court in Basseterre for further hearing on the matter.
The NIA is being represented by Dr. Henry Browne, while the Hon. Mark Brantley is representing CCC and Sylvester Anthony for the Attorney-General.
On Tuesday (Dec. 8), Hughes reported that Nevis Communications Minister Hon. Robelto Hector led a squad of police officers to the offices occupied by his employees and demanded their keys and cars and to vacate the building.
“This morning, Tuesday, December 8, 2009, a delegation led personally by Minister Robelto Hector, Nevis Minister of Communications, along with several high-ranking police officers, came to CCC’s offices in a very high-handed manner and demanded the staff turn over their keys and cars and leave the building. Minister Hector also informed CCC that government had, through legislation, taken over CCC Nevis Ltd. This was done even though not a penny of compensation has been paid,” Hughes said in a release to the media.
Hughes pointed out that the Nevis Island Assembly passed the Nevis Communications Bill 2009 on Monday (Dec. 7) which cleared the way for the acquisition of the cable communications system operated by CCC. He however noted that the Bill had its first, second and third reading in a single sitting, but no notice of its existence was given to CCC or the Opposition, whose members were only aware of it at the start of the sitting.
He further stated that “these actions of the Nevis Island Administration have far-reaching geo-political and legal implications which we at CCC have every intention to highlighting over the course of time”.
However, according to a release from the NIA Public Relations Unit, Hector said the NIA’s actions were in the best interest of the people of Nevis as it was duty bound to do. He said after 26 years he believes that any corporate body that had benefitted from high levels of concession would have benefitted tremendously and it was time for Nevisians to partake in that industry.
“The Bill, in my mind, is one of empowerment. The Bill, in my mind, is one that gives Nevisians an opportunity to have a stake and an economic future in cable,” he said.
