The 33rd Annual General Meeting commenced at 1.30pm.

Transcription

1 Draft Minutes of 33rd Annual General Meeting Tuesday 31 st January, 2017 Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino Co-hosted by: United Telecommunication Services & Bureau of Telecommunicatie & Post The 33rd Annual General Meeting commenced at 1.30pm. In Attendance were: Directors Mr. Julian Wilkins - Chairman - Digicel, Trinidad & Tobago Mrs. Helma Etnel - Treasurer -Telem Group, St. Maarten Mr. Charles Carter - Director -TSTT, Trinidad & Tobago Ms. Opal Neil - Director - Cable & Wireless Communications Ms. Melesia Sutherland - Director- Cable & Wireless Antigua & Barbuda Ltd. Ms. Rochelle Cameron - Director - Cable & Wireless Grenada Ltd. Mrs. Corinne Philip - Director - Digicel, Turks & Caicos Ltd. Mrs. Teresa Wankin - Secretary General - CANTO Excused Mr. Leon Williams - Vice Chairman -The Bahamas Telecommunications Co. Ltd. Full Members Present There were fourteen (14) members present: 1. Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) 2. Bahamas Telecommunications Company 3. Belize Telemedia Ltd. 4. C&W Antigua & Barbuda 5. C&W Communications, USA 6. C&W Grenada 7. Digicel, Trinidad & Tobago 8. Digicel, Turks & Caicos 9. GT&T, Guyana 10. SETAR, Aruba 11. TELEM, St. Maarten 12. TELESUR, Suriname 13. TSTT, Trinidad & Tobago 14. UTS, Curacao 1 Page

2 Members Represented by Proxy Holders There were twenty-six (26) members represented by proxy: 1) Aliv Limited 2) Cable Bahamas 3) C&W, Anguilla 4) C&W, Barbados 5) C&W, Dominica 6) C&W, Jamaica 7) C&W, St. Kitts & Nevis 8) C&W, St. Lucia 9) C&W, Turks & Caicos 10) C&W, St. Vincent 11) Digicel, Anguilla 12) Digicel, Aruba 13) Digicel, Bermuda 14) Digicel, Bonaire 15) Digicel, BVI 16) Digicel, Cayman Islands 17) Digicel, Dominica 18) Digicel,Jamaica 19) Digicel, Haiti 20) Digicel, St. Kitts & Nevis 21) Digicel, St Lucia 22) Digicel, St. Vincent & The Grenadines 23) ETECSA, Cuba 24) Guyana Telephone & Telegraph 25) Speednet Belize 26) Innovative Telephone Company, BVI Call to Order & Welcome The Chairman, Mr. Julian Wilkins welcomed all present to the 33rd Annual General Meeting on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Secretariat. The Chairman reported that the Notice of the 33rd Annual General Meeting was circulated on 14th December 2016 and proposed such as being read by all members in attendance. Members in attendance were reminded that only Full Members were entitled to vote and hold office in the Association. Any member in arrears for more than six months was not financial and the directors may order the name be struck off the list of members whereupon that member shall cease to be a member of the Association. The Secretariat had informed the members whose subscription payments were not up to date, however, the Chairman advised that these members will be entitled to vote as the Board of Directors had not struck any organizations off the list of membership. 2 Page

3 He noted that several Directors were present at the AGM meeting and introduced each to the membership. Introduction of Directors Directors at the Head Table: Mr. Julian Wilkins, Chairman (Digicel Trinidad & Tobago); Mrs. Helma Etnel, Treasurer (Telem Group) was asked to sit as Vice Chair in the absence of Mr. Leon Williams and Mrs. Teresa Wankin, Secretary General of CANTO. Present at the Meeting: Mr. Charles Carter, Director, (TSTT), Mr. Lyrio Gomez (UTS), Ms. Melesia Sutherland, Director (C&W Antigua & Barbuda); Ms. Opal Neil, Director (C&W Communications Ltd); Mrs. Corinne Philip, Director (Digicel Turks & Caicos) and Ms. Rochelle Cameron, Director Cable & Wireless Grenada. Meeting Quorum In accordance with the By-laws a quorum was established for the commencement of the meeting. The Secretary General announced that there were fourteen (14) full members present and twentysix (26) full members were represented by proxy amounting to a total of forty (40) members representing 93% of the membership. ITEM 1: Confirmation of Minutes The Chairman advised all present that they would have received the minutes of the 32nd Annual General Meeting and as such it was taken as being read. He then asked if there were any suggested changes to the text. With there being none, he moved a motion to confirm the minutes of the 32 nd AGM. On a motion moved by C&W Grenada and seconded by Guyana Telephone & Telegraph, the minutes were approved as presented. ITEM 2: Matters Arising from the Minutes The Chairman opened the floor to members for questions and matters arising. There being no questions or matters arising, this Agenda item was closed. ITEM 3: Presentation of Committee Reports 1. Disaster Risk Management Committee The Committee Chair, Ms. Heather Wallen-Bryan outlined the committee s achievements in 2016 and activities planned for 2017 as follows: Activities for 2016 o Changed the name of the committee from Disaster Preparedness Committee to Disaster Risk Management Committee To reflect the management of disaster risk instead of merely preparations o Developed DRM policy o Developed and implemented Disaster Response Form and Protocol to be used by CANTO member organizations on disasters 3 Page

4 o Completed Hurricane Simulation on November 29, 2016 with 16 organizations participation o Engaged the expertise of CDEMA to committee o Monitored the impact of Hurricane Mathew in the Bahamas Activities for 2017 o Host BCM certification course in Jamaica on March o Digitize the Disaster Response form to enable easy access and accessibility to CANTO members o Develop a CANTO Disaster Plan o Facilitate the recommendations of the ECLAC study to ensure: Integration of Disaster Plans with National Disaster Agency Plan Continued data collection on GIS mapping data Hurricane Simulation in November Financial Advisory Committee The Chairman, Mr. Denelle Richards reported that the committee is looking at possibilities to re-engage investments in member countries for short-term investments. In addition to assisting the Secretariat with the finalization of the budget for 2016/17 and ongoing reviews of the monthly financials of the association, he indicated that the Committee will focus on the following initiatives for 2017: Activities for 2017 Identifying Investment Opportunities o Revisiting the policies and procedures related to investment o Reviewing the current investment portfolio o Exploring investment options within member companies countries Debt Management o Development of a comprehensive collections strategy o Compilation of and review of accounts in arrears New Sources of Funding o Brainstorm with members for new revenue streams ideas o Seek ways of increasing revenue from members o Recommend New Sources of Funding 4 Page 3. Marketing and Communications Committee The Committee Chair, Mr Joseph Samuel outlined the committee s achievements in 2016 and activities planned for 2017 as follows: Activities completed in 2016 Third Annual Marketing Forum Developed new theme for Curacao AGM and Dominican Republic Conference Reimagining ICT as a Tool for National Growth and Development

5 Developed revenue generation initiatives Restructuring the CANTO WTISD Competition Activities for 2017 Develop and Deliver the fourth Marketing forum in the Dominican Republic Drive more traffic to our Social Media Interfaces Focusing on specific revenue generation solutions: o Silent Auction o Inaugural CANTO Innovation Awards o Generate increased interest in the CANTO Hackathon and WTISD Competitions o Increasing Conference participation by appealing to other industry stakeholders Upgrade of the CANTO website to make it more user friendly 4. Human Resource Committee Mr. Linus Rogers, Committee Chair, commended the Directors for instilling a Board Champion Director Corrine Philip. He outlined the committee s successes in 2016 and gave an overview of the actions the committee has planned for 2017 as follows: Major Success in 2016 Successful collaboration with the DRM Committee to plan and host a workshop; Finalization of the Effective Business Continuity Management Workshop Delivered the 10 th Annual HR Forum Activities for 2017 Host BCP Training program in Jamaica 11 th HR Forum 2017 in person and via Web-Ex HR Best Practitioner of the Year Award Produce at least two (2) HR Papers Training initiatives to include: o Cyber Security o LTE o Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities o Whitespace Technology 5. Regulations Committee The Committee Chair, Ms. Melesia Sutherland, reported on the committee s activities for 2016 and outlined the planned activities for 2017 as follows: CANTO Code of Practice on Safeguarding the Open Internet published May o Based on the principles of self-regulation, the Code promotes constant dialogue with all stakeholders and encourages good business practices o General principle that legal content, applications and services, should not be blocked 5 Page

6 o Balances the needs and freedoms of end users and content providers with the requirement of Operators to run their networks. Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee o Committee Discussion Paper on OTT Services: Balancing Innovation, Investment and Competition published at the 2014 Conference & Trade Show has informed creation and work of Converged Environment Sub- Committee. o Government and Industry seeking to arrive at common positions together rather than adversarial positions apart. o Opportunity to build trust and rapport. o Regulatory Committee Chair member of CICC and Converged Environment Sub-Committee Activities for 2017 Monitor and influence legislation; educate members about legal and regulatory issues pertaining to all ICT entities, consultants and other ancillary organizations Promote CANTO s role in protecting ICT system and industry to policy makers and decision makers Position CANTO as go to source. Review legislation, government regulations, court actions, etc. and determine which CANTO will support or oppose, or report to membership. Provide routine reporting methodology for all government affairs, issues and updates. Develop and distribute updates to policy and decision makers across CANTO s communications platform - especially social media. Explore and develop a proposal for a regional content conference. 6. Corporate Social Responsibility Committee The Committee Vice Chair, Mr. Gervon Abraham, outlined the committee s achievement in 2016 and activities planned for 2017 as follows: Major Success in 2016/2017 Established Plan for CSR Activity/Competition on Conference Agenda Established Plan /Project for persons with disabilities HUAWEI Smart Cities (Regional) Project Planned ICT in Schools Tech Expo- Trinidad Activities for 2017 Video relay Project with CTU September 2017 Widen membership on CSR Committee Establish Baseline Data on Environmental Quality Standards Establish TOR for Take Back/recycling Programme Deliver Secondary Schools in Tech Expo April 26 th 2017 Getting regional buy in for CSR Committee Projects Engage Chairs of other committees for more collaboration on projects 6 Page

7 7. Vendor/Suppliers Committee Committee Chair, Bill Brown outlined the committee s achievements in 2016 and activities planned for 2017 as follows: Major Success in 2017 Came up with format and categories of Vendor/Supplier Members Directory Activities for 2017 Determine the procurement process of CANTO member organizations and individual countries. List the process to becoming a certified supplier to members. Create a Preferred Supplier/Member directory to be placed and accessed on first page of Canto s website. Get the C-level Officers to trickle done the info of the Supplier member directory to the Procurement departments, network engineers, Managers and VPs 8. Technology Trends The committee Chair, Mr. Shurmel Elias outlined the committee s achievements in 2016 and activities planned for 2017 as follows: Activities in 2016 Drafted white paper on Fiber vs Wireless (layer) Drafted white paper on the Cloud Drafted white paper on Pure Internet Activities for 2017 Complete the following white papers Internet of Things White paper Fiber vs Wireless Develop Action Plan 2017 ITEM 4: Secretariat Report 2016 The Secretary General, Mrs. Teresa Wankin, in commencing her Secretariat Report remarked that the Committee Chairs had made her day, noting that their achievements are because of their commitment to CANTO. She indicated that the Association had implemented all recommendations from members from surveys such as "Tell us what you think". Mrs. Wankin presented the Secretariat Report and highlighted the Association's achievements as follows: 1) Membership Growth Four (4) new full members were recruited - Digicel Grenada, Digicel St. Lucia, Newco Bahamas (Aliv), and Cable and Wireless Turks and Caicos. Eleven (11) Affiliate Members - Amdocs (USA), Subex (USA), 2Operate (Denmark), Metaswitch (USA), Ciena 7 Page

8 (USA), Apple (USA), Cirrus Core Networks (USA), Circle GX (USA), Fleet Fare (USA). The total number of members is 134 comprising of 40 full members and 94 affiliate members in 35 countries. 2) Stakeholders Satisfaction 2016 resulted in Stakeholder Satisfaction of a high average score of 84.5%. This indicated that the Secretariat is meeting its objectives from this perspective. 3) Service to Members Engagement In 2016, the Secretariat embarked on a drive to improve its value proposition and re-engage the members to be more active in the work of the Association through liaising and visits to members, conducting surveys, evaluating events and writing the CEOs of the member companies, highlighting the achievements of the Association. Youth engagement - continued the Regional Hackathon and social media activities. The 3rd Annual Hackathon held in Puerto Rico enjoyed 15 participants from 3 countries. The competition was won by the Team 404 from Suriname. In 2017, the Secretariat will deliver the 4 th Annual Hackathon amidst the conference and trade exhibition in July in the Dominican Republic. 4) Leadership The Association continued to be the leading authority in shaping Information and Communication Technologies in the Region. Our Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition continued to attract all stakeholders from technology experts, policy makers, regulators, academia, and service providers. The Secretary General interjected, We are leaders in putting out the best Telecom Conferences in the Region which brings all stakeholders together Highlights: Improved public relations and social media presence; the Secretariat continues to enjoy better communications with all stakeholders. Media/press/information kits have been updated to include a Membership Benefits Document, Current Publications, Overview and event information. Position Papers and project proposals are also included. Continued to engage the youths in developing our social media platform and have completed a series of short videos for uploading on our website and other social media platforms. The CANTO Connect e-newsletter was launched on the 15 th of February and is issued every six weeks. The Business News Americas news capsule continued to be delivered each week to members inboxes and is well received by the membership. 5) Advocacy In 2016, CANTO continued to advocate on behalf of the industry. CANTO developed and signed a voluntary Code of Practice on Safeguarding the Open Internet signaling the membership s intention to work with policy makers and regulators on issues facing the Region. In May 2016, the code of practice was launched. CANTO will continue to promote this Code of Practice on 8 Page

9 Safeguarding the Open Internet which has been the subject of discussion on several forums highlighting the role CANTO plays in influencing policy. 6) Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee After dialogue with ICT Ministers and Regulators, the Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee was established under the ambit of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union with a mandate to make recommendations to Caribbean Governments on key ICT issues affecting the Region. The committee comprises representatives from industry, governments and regulators. CANTO Chairman, Julian Wilkins was elected Vice Chair of the Committee. CANTO Directors, Rochelle Cameron, Melesia Sutherland and Charles Carter are also members of the Committee. 7) National Secondary School ICT Exposition The Secretariat in collaboration with TSTT, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the University of Trinidad and Tobago will deliver a National Secondary School ICT Exposition in the first quarter of The event will serve as a platform for the engagement of young students towards a career in ICT and build awareness amongst the student population of the numerous ICT opportunities and its importance in all industries. The ICT exposition will be delivered to coincide with the 'Girls in ICT' Day celebrated throughout the world. 8) Collaboration with COPA Airlines The Secretariat will partner with COPA Airlines for sponsorship/partnership for the CANTO 2017 event in the Dominican Republic. This collaboration will offer delegates to CANTO 2017 up to 20% discount on COPA airline tickets. 9) Introduction of Training as a Revenue stream The Secretariat is in negotiations with Informa Telecoms and Media to reintroduce the Telecoms MBA in the Region. UTS and BTP in Curaçao have expressed interest and it is envisaged that the session will be held in Curaçao. The Secretariat is also collaborating with the International Institute of Business Continuity to deliver certification courses in BCP Planning. This is a joint effort between the HR and DRM committees. 10) Strategic Partnerships and Alliances In 2016, CANTO continued to work closely with Internet Society; ICANN, LACNIC, ECLAC and CDEMA to promote and increase awareness on common projects and continued the educational partnership with LAUREATE, to provide members with educational opportunities from more than 70 accredited universities at discounted rates. 11) Broadband Infrastructure Inventory and Public Awareness in the Caribbean (BIIPAC) Project CANTO continues to promote the reports from the Broadband Infrastructure and Public Awareness in the Caribbean (BIIPAC) Project which was completed in May, The BIIPAC project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and executed by CANTO was conducted in Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. The BIIPAC objective was to support the design of national broadband strategies in the Caribbean and identify the regional aspects that need to be incorporated into these strategies to support the 9 Page

10 Caribbean, as it evolves towards universality in Broadband access and service, regardless of the location (ubiquity) or the social strata (equity) of its citizenry. For more information on the project and reports please visit 12) 32nd Annual General Meeting co-hosted by Digicel, Haiti CANTO and Digicel Haiti, successfully co-hosted CANTO s 32 nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Mini Expo at the Marriott Hotel, Port au Prince, Haiti. The event was held under the theme Inspiring ICT Innovations Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem through Sustainable Strategic Partnerships, from the 25th - 28th January, The four- day event focused on the AGM proceedings of CANTO and included sessions such as: Technology Trends and its Impact on Caribbean Operators Caribbean Youth Forum A look into the Future of CANTO Eighty-five delegates attended the Meeting and gave the event a rating of 84%; sanctioning the Secretariat's efforts to increase stakeholder satisfaction and enhance the Association s products and services.. The Mini Exhibition was well received by both the members and exhibitors who had the opportunity to engage the operators in an open and informal setting. 13) 32nd Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition, Puerto Rico CANTO held its 32nd Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition (CANTO 2016) from the 31st July to 3rd August, 2016 at the Sheraton Hotel, Puerto Rico. Delegates at this year s conference experienced and interacted with some of the Region s leading thought drivers and policy makers where ICT is concerned. Of equal value was the high powered and influential global leaders who also weighed in on where ICT can take the Region and some of the issues we will continue to grapple with in the present and immediate future. Ministerial Panel This permanent feature of the Conference Schedule was attended by the Caribbean ICT Ministers, and provided important information for participants in respect to various activities related to broadband development in the Caribbean. In 2016 the Conference Schedule will facilitate this engagement with the ICT Ministers dialoguing equally interesting issues. In addition, the Conference Schedule in 2016 will facilitate a Regulatory Forum which will act as a platform for regulatory issues impacting the Region. Ministerial Breakfast The Ministerial Breakfast Sessions, held on mornings of Monday and Tuesday of the Conference provided an opportunity for Ministers to be intimately apprised of the latest developments in Broadband within the Region and CANTO s efforts in this regard. Issues discussed included Net Neutrality,The need for greater investments in network as well as The need for the Caribbean to become producers of technology rather than just consumers. CANTO/Domus Semo Sancus/Piedata Hackathon launch CANTO s Hackathon The CANTO C.O.D.E.2.0 Software Developer, Design and Entrepreneur Competition for Caribbean nationals was hosted for the third time. Taking place under the theme Inspiring ICT Innovation, C.O.D.E. 2.0 entailed 48 hours of non-stop coding by teams of 10 Page

11 programmers, who battled to create the most innovative ICT technology. Developers were given the opportunity to utilize GENBAND s Kandy.io a state- of- the- art, cloud- based, real-time communications software development platform to develop next generation integrated communications apps. Four teams, representing the Caribbean countries of Suriname, Bahamas, Belize and Trinidad & Tobago were given a specific task to create an app using the Kandy Platform. The second C.O.D.E. Hackathon was sponsored by DSS and Kandy. Caribbean Women in ICTs (CWIC) Empowering Women through ICTs This session comprised mainly women involved in the entrepreneurial, political and socioeconomic aspects of the ICT arena and examined how ICTs may be used as a tool for empowerment, the history of CWIC and progress CANTO has made thus far with initiatives under its framework. 10 th Annual HR Forum & 3 rd Annual Marketing Forum 2016 The final two events of CANTO 2016 included the 10th Annual Caribbean Human Resource Forum and the 3rd Annual Marketing Forum, both being held on the 4 th & 5 th August, The Human Resource forum centred on the theme: Building a High-Profile HR Executive. The Marketing Forum dealt with new marketing trends and technology in the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region. 14) 33rd Annual General Meeting co-hosted by United Telecommunications Service and Bureau Telecommunicatie and Post, Curacao. This 33rd Annual General Meeting and Mini Exhibition was held from the 29 th to the 31 st January 2017, at the Renaissance Hotel, Curacao. The event focused on the theme Reimagining ICT as a Tool for National Growth and Development and addressed key issues including new and existing services to better serve the membership, identified training needs and strategic partnerships that support the goals of CANTO and created a working plan for the year The Programme of activities for the AGM included the Smart City Sessions, Working Committees of the Board Meetings and was followed by a tour of Curacao s Datacenter. Working Committees of the Board The eight(8) Working Committees continued to provide added benefits to the membership of CANTO. With two face- to- face meetings per year, the committees continue to hold conference calls on a regular basis. The following outlines the highlights of the committees in Regulations and Emerging Technologies Committee Chaired by: Melesia Sutherland, LIME Jamaica; Vice Chair: Delreo Newman, ATNI Guyana. The papers produced by the Regulatory and Emerging Committee continue to add value to governments and regulators. To date, the paper on OTT has been requested by the governments of Barbados, Guyana and the regulator in Trinidad & Tobago. Communication and Marketing Committee Chair - Joseph Samuel, APUA, Antigua; Vice Chair - Wendy McDonald, Columbus Communications, Trinidad & Tobago 11 Page

12 The Marketing Committee has assisted in the development of the Theme for 2016/17 and has completed a Marketing Plan with the Service Development Manager. In addition, this committee is assisting the Secretariat with the redesign of the CANTO website. CSR Committee Chair - Julian Wilkins, Digicel, Trinidad and Tobago; Vice Chair- Gervon Abraham, TSTT, Trinidad and Tobago The Corporate Social Responsibility Committee has developed a second paper for Board approval entitled Best Practices for the Establishment of Take Back systems. In closing the Secretary General urged members to join the Committees and to reimagine what they want the Secretariat to do for them. Ms. Rochelle Cameron conveyed thanks for the success of 2016/2017 and looked forward to Lead Advocate and Engage. She commended the small Secretariat for a tremendous year. Following the presentation of the report, the Chairman then put the following resolution to the meeting: Be it resolved that the Secretary General s Report for the year ended 30 th September, 2016 be received and adopted. The report was accepted on a motion moved by UTS and seconded by C&W Antigua & Barbuda which was carried unanimously. ITEM 5: CHAIRMAN S REPORT 2016 The Chairman handed over to Mrs. Helma Etnel who, acting as Vice Chairman, took control of this segment of the meeting and introduced the Chairman and invited him to present his report. The Chairman reported that during the year, he saw improved performances in the association s advocacy role and in it providing industry led regulations. He reported that three (3) new full members were introduced. The Code of Practice for Safeguarding the Open Internet was established and several industry leaders featured as speakers at its annual conference. CANTO s focus was also to improve in the area of public relations and to this end, CANTO created a new Connect Newsletter. Additionally, the CANTO Chairman was elected as Vice Chair of the new Regional body, The Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee with a mandate to make recommendations to Caribbean Governments on key ICT issues affecting the Region. He also reported that there were 500 plus delegates at the 2016 Conference in Puerto Rico, which indicated that CANTO maintained its position as the number one ICT/Telecom event in the Caribbean. However, the year 2015/16 ended with a deficit mainly due to falling advertising revenues and low exhibition sales. He added that he continues to be optimistic that, with the implementation of a number of new strategies, the Organization can produce a surplus for the financial year 2016/ Page

13 Changes to the Board At the 32 nd AGM in Haiti, January 2016, the following Directors were re-elected: Rochelle Cameron, Cable & Wireless Grenada; Charles Carter, TSTT;Opal Neil, Cable & Wireless Communications and Corinne Philip,who replaced Gail Moss-Solomon,Digicel Turks & Caicos Islands. Corporate Governance During the year 2016 the Board of Directors held four meetings where discussions were held on the business of the organisation, focusing on the performance of the Secretariat. Their continued focus throughout the year has been to bring more value to our membership. They have employed external consultants from Capitol Hill Management Services, Inc. to chart a new strategic direction for the Organization. Improving the Corporate Governance forms part of our strategic plan. The main goals are to Engage improve the value proposition; Lead - improve CANTO leadership. Appointment of The New Secretary General On 1 st April 2016, Mrs. Teresa Wankin was appointed Secretary General of Canto. CANTO s role on the newly formed Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee is a major milestone and demonstrates how Governments, Regulators and Network Operators value the Organization for its contribution in the ICT arena. This new regional body would facilitate the making of key ICT recommendations to regional Governments, thereby raising CANTO s profile within the region. The new strategic direction for the period 2017 through 2019 will enable CANTO to achieve its vision and mission statements and assist the Organization in embracing the converged environment which the industry now faces. In concluding, the Chairman stated that in 2017 they will continue to work to seek innovative ways of providing more value to the membership. They intend to create further opportunities to represent the members on issues where there is a common understanding. They can explore options to provide leadership concerning Industry- led regulations with the aim of assisting Network Operators and Regulators. The Chairman then invited comments and question on his report, there being no comments or questions, the Acting Vice Chairman handed back the Chairmanship to the Chairman. ITEM 6: Review of By-Laws of CANTO The Chairman invited Director Charles Carter to present on the proposed changes to the By-Laws. He stated that he assumed members have diligently read the document which they would have received in their registration packages. He indicated that the Board of Directors of CANTO have recognized the changes which have occurred within the changing telecommunications 13 Page

14 environment since the establishment of CANTO and were of the view that there are now many articles in the By-Laws of CANTO which needed to be reviewed to keep abreast with the changes in the industry. The amendments are to add clarity and capture all elements and place them under one section to align with the Articles of Incorporation. The proposed amendments to the By- Laws as outlined in the document issued to members were: 1) Organisation Name 2) Table of Contents 3) Interpretation 4) Members 5) Annual Subscription 6) Cessation of Membership 7) Officers 8) Board of Directors 9) Meeting of Members After a lengthy and detailed explanation on this item, Director Charles enquired whether there were any questions from the membership. There being no further comments or questions, the By- Laws as presented will be amended and sent to the Register General. The Secretary General then read the following resolution to receive and adopt the By- Laws. Be it resolved that the proposed changes to the By- Laws of CANTO be accepted and amendments made with immediate effect. C&W Grenada moved that the resolution be accepted and was seconded by C&W Business. The motion was carried unanimously. ITEM 7: Presentation of Audited Financial Statements - 30 th September, 2016 Mrs. Helma Etnel, Treasurer, was invited to present the Audited Financial Statements as reported in the Annual Report. She reported: Balance Sheet Current Assets decreased due to the use of funds to pay for the conference, there was also a small decrease in noncurrent assets due to write off and disposals. There was a decrease in reserves of $59k as compared to the previous year which was due to the deficit in Income Statement Total income in 2016 was US$1,231k, a decrease of US$73k. The main reasons for the income decrease are Membership Fees due to withdrawals and cancellations and shortfall in advertisements. Additionally, there were un-forecasted shortfalls in the Conference income, including registrations and exhibitions. 14 Page

15 The Treasurer urged members to advertise noting that they would get visibility in the Region and persuaded members to be creative and influence people to attend the conference. Administrative Expenditure and Operating expenses resulted in a saving, as no Operations Manager was hired. However, there was a small savings on conference expenditure of US$15k, which as a standalone event yielded a net surplus of US$179k. The Treasurer noted overall that expenditure is being managed, generally there is a stable outlook, cost is under control, but revenue generating strategies needs to be developed, emphasizing that the conference is our main revenue. In closing she reported to the members that the new figures for 2017 is good and requested members to support CANTO. The Secretary General then read the following resolution to receive and adopt the Financial Statements. Be it resolved that the Audited Financial Statements for the year ending September 30 th 2016 be received and adopted. Guyana Telephone & Telegraph moved that the resolution be accepted and was seconded by Digicel Turks & Caicos. The motion was carried unanimously. ITEM 8: Auditors Report for the year ended 30 th September 2016 The Chairman invited Mr. Jimmy Rodrigues, Financial Manager of CANTO; in the absence of a representative from the audit firm, PKF to read the Auditors Report. The Secretary General then read the following resolution to receive and adopt the Financial Statements. Be it resolved that the report of the Directors and Audited Financial Statements for the year ending September, 30 th 2016 be received and adopted. UTS, Curacao moved that the resolution be accepted and was seconded by C&W Antigua & Barbuda. The motion was carried unanimously. ITEM 9: Resolution to Appoint Auditors 2016/2017 The Chairman invited the Secretary General to read the resolution to appoint PKF as Auditors for the year ending 30 th September, Be it resolved that PKF be reappointed as the Auditors and that the Directors be authorized to fix their remuneration for the ensuing year.the Chairman then invited a proposer and a seconder to the resolution. C&W Business moved that the resolution be accepted and Digicel Turks & Caicos seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously. ITEM 10: Presentation of the 2016/2017 Budget Mrs. Helma Etnel presented the 2016/2017 Budget to the members and reported on the following: 2017 Focus Areas Reinvigorate the Sales & Marketing Plans 15 Page

16 Improve CANTO s visibility by attending and presenting at trade shows/conferences Strengthen Relationships with Members, including more visits. Leading to: A $91k turnaround in the net surplus Annual Conf. Net - $161k Advertising - $20k Employee cost - $62k Income Key Points Membership Growth (add 3 full & 8 Affiliate members) Annual Conference to held in Punta Cana (no Co-host) AGM in Curaçao (hosted by UTS & BTP) Sales & Marketing Push into areas that fell behind in 2016 Expense Key Points Annual Conference to be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana all inclusive resort translating to F&B savings Employee costs reflecting full year of contracts in 2017 ( month interim) AGM in Curacao Other costs stable The Chairman proposed the resolution that the Budget estimates for the year 2016/2017 as approved by the Board of Directors and presented by the Treasurer, Mrs. Helma Etnel be received and adopted. SETAR, Aruba moved that the resolution be accepted and the motion was seconded by TSTT, Trinidad & Tobago. The motion was carried unanimously. ITEM 11: Tell us what you think The Chairman invited the session participants to complete the online surveys in order to tell us what they think to improve the work of the Association. ITEM 12: Election of Directors The Chairman then handed over the proceedings to the Presiding Officer, Mr. Linus Rogers, Chairman of the HR Committee to conduct the election of Officers. He informed the members that there are five vacancies. He explained the election process to the members and advised that in the event the elections need to proceed via secret ballots, he appointed two observers to ensure that the process is fair. There will be five ballot papers which will allow members to put the name of the company they would like to appoint. He informed the members that the number of proxies received is 26 and 14 members were present. 16 Page

17 The Presiding Officer reported that he is in possession of a letter from Mr. Leon Williams which he was asked to read to the meeting, the following is the text: My dear fellow CANTO Delegates. I was first elected to the Board of CANTO in Casa De Campo in 1998 as Treasurer. I was re- elected as a Director in Havana Cuba in In Kingston Jamaica I was elected Vice Chairman in In Port of Spain Trinidad I was elected Chairman in 2006 and again in Paramaribo Suriname in 2008, I was elected Chairman. In Trinidad in 2009, I was made an Honorary Member of CANTO. In 2014 I was elected Vice Chairman for the second time. CANTO is in my DNA. I am sorry I am unable to be present for the Elections this afternoon and to let you know that I am not offering myself for re-election to the post of Vice Chairman or as a Director.. I support Julian Wilkins as Chairman and the present incumbent Directors 100%. I will also support the newly elected Directors. Stepping down from the Board does not diminish my involvement in CANTO. As promised this morning, I will personally sponsor one Secretariat Staff to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this year. May God continue to bless CANTO is my prayer. The Presiding Officer declared that the following positions are to be filled: 1. Chairman 2. Vice Chairman 3. Treasurer 4. Director 5. Director The Chairman and Treasurer were asked to vacate the Chair and become members, Sherry Rolle of BTC and Heather Bryan-Wallen, C&W Business were appointed as Observers. The Presiding Officer announced that the Chairman, Mr. Julian Wilkins has completed his 1st twoyear term in office and in accordance to by-law 7.1 is eligible for re-election for another term. 17 Page

18 He then gave members instructions to make nominations for the position of Chairman. Election of Chairman o Digicel Trinidad proposed,seconded by UTS, Curacao. Mr. Julian Wilkins was appointed as Chairman unopposed. Nominations were invited for the position of Vice Chairman. Election of Vice Chairman o Cable & Wireless Grenada proposed by TSTT,Trinidad & Tobago, seconded by Guyana Telephone & Telegraph - Ms. Rochelle Cameron was elected as Vice Chairman unopposed. Nominations were invited for the position of Treasurer. Election of Treasurer o TELEM St Maarten proposed by UTS, Curacao and seconded Digicel Trinidad & Tobago - Mrs. Helma Etnel was elected as Treasurer unopposed. Nominations were invited for the position of Director Election of Director o C&W Antigua & Barbuda proposed by TSTT, Trinidad & Tobago and seconded by C&W Communications. - Ms. Melesia Sutherland was elected as Director unopposed. Nominations were invited for the position of Director: Election of Director o UTS, Curacao proposed by SETAR, Aruba and seconded by Digicel Trinidad & Tobago - Mr. Lyrio Gomez was elected as Director unopposed. The Presiding Officer informed the meeting that there is an additional position for Director and invited nominations for this position. Election of Director o Guyana Telephone & Telegraph proposed by Digicel Turks & Caicos Aruba and seconded by TELEM, St. Maarten-. Mr. Delreo Newman was elected as Director unopposed. The Chairman noted that he thanked God for being given the opportunity to continue as Chair and looks forward to working with the members, exhibitors and other stakeholders. 18 Page

19 ITEM 13: Presentation of New Board and Photo Session The new Board Members were presented to the members: Mr. Julian Wilkins, Chairman Digicel Trinidad & Tobago Ms. Rochelle Cameron, Vice Chair, C&W Grenada Mrs. Helma Etnel, Treasurer TELEM, St. Maarten; Ms. Melesia Sutherland, Director, - C&W Antigua & Barbuda Mr. Lyrio Gomez, Director - UTS Curacao Mr. Delreo Newman, Director Guyana Telephone & Telegraph The new Board of Directors were called to be presented to the members and a group photo was taken. Mr. Guy Malone of BVI commended Mr. Leon Williams for his contribution to the Association and requested that the Board give him Honorary Membership for his support of CANTO. Mr. Charles Carter acknowledged his sentiments and said he will address this with his Board. ANNOUNCEMENT Transportation for the NAAP Data Centre tour is available at the lobby CONCLUSION In closing the Chairman thanked all and hoped to maintain good relations, he then declared the Annual General Meeting officially closed. 19 Page