New Board of Directors of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Company Limited
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 22, 2015 (SKNIS): At the Extraordinary General Meeting of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Company Limited held on Tuesday (April 21) at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, the only item on the agenda was the election of a new Board of Directors for the Bank.
There were about 16 nominations made for nine (9) Director positions. The nomination process was assisted by the Eastern Caribbean Stock Exchange (ECSE) through its General Manager Trevor Blake who acted as Supervisor of the Election Process.
The Government of St. Kitts & Nevis, which is the Bank’s majority shareholder, nominated nine persons from various backgrounds to the Board. Following an election, the nine individuals nominated by the Government were elected to the Board of Directors. The names of two of those nine individuals, Mr. Analdo Bailey and Mr Wallis Wilkin, had also been separately put up for election by minority shareholders.
The new Board of Directors reflects diversity and competence, with what is already being heralded as an excellent mix of astute young professionals and seasoned business people, all with the required acumen to tackle the challenges of the Bank.
The new Directors are:
1. Mr. Howard McEchrane (Certified Accountant and Former Director of TDC)
2. Mr. Analdo Bailey (General Manager, Eastern Caribbean Home Mortgage/Banker/Pastor)
3. Mr. Alexis Nisbett (General Manager, St. Kitts Biomedical Research Institute)
4. Mr. Theodore Hobson QC (Lawyer)
5. Dr. Cardell Rawlins (Medical Doctor/Surgeon)
6. Mr. Wallis Wilkin (Business Executive/Marketing Manager –S. L. Horsfords Group of Companies )
7. Mr. Lionel “Benjax” Benjamin (Businessman)
8. Ms. Talibah Byron (Lawyer/Youth Activist)
9. Mrs. Elrether Simpson-Browne (Customer Service Manager, NHC)
The new National Bank Board reflects the template of representation that will likely be used for all Boards in which the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has a majority share or controlling interest and ownership.
The guidelines for the nomination of Board members by the new Government focus on the inclusion of: the Clergy/Christian Council representation, an accountant, an attorney-at-law, youth representation, women representation, ordinary folk representation, business community/Chamber of Industry & Commerce representation, and someone highly experienced in the specific area of the institution or company, for example a banker for the Board of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Company Limited.
The new Board held its first meeting immediately following the election, in order to elect the leadership of the Board. Mr. Howard McEchrane was elected as Chairman of the Board. Mr Analdo Bailey was elected as 1st Vice Chair, and Mr. Alexis Nisbett was elected as 2nd Vice Chair.
The Board then dealt with the installation of new Directors for the National Bank Trust Company, in which the Bank is the sole shareholder. The National Bank Trust Company’s Board now comprises the following Directors: Mr. Vernon Harris, Economist, as Chairperson, Ms. Cyndie Demming, Human Resources Professional, as Vice Chairperson and Dr. Patricia Bartlette as Secretary. Other members of that Board include young Attorney Mr. O’Grenvile Browne, Ms. Shirley Julius and Ms. Grace Lewis.
The National Bank Trust Company is the founder of the SIDF. The Founder has replaced the remaining members of the SIDF who did not resign as per the new Government’s request. A new Secretary of the SIDF has been appointed and within a week the full Board of Councillors of the SIDF will be appointed.
New Boards of Directors have also been installed at the National Housing Corporation, the Urban Development Corporation and the St. Christopher Air & Sea Port Authority (SCASPA). Details will be revealed in a press statement in the near future.
The new Government has determined that it will need the committed support of several capable citizens to pursue its mandate. These citizens shall serve at the pleasure of the new Administration and form part of the “political establishment” with an impermanent tenure. The names and roles of these persons will also be revealed shortly.
The transition from the 20 year former government has been deliberately methodical over the last 60 days, as the Government of National UNITY seeks to ensure the process is fair, transparent and that every aspect of the government is working for the people.