Mount Fortune resident, Emmanuel Webster, has been a hardworking entrepreneur in Anguilla trying his fortunes at various enterprises but this time, with the help of his family and others working with him, he has finally made a tangible business mark on the landscape of his island home.

The Gas Station, Section A of the Grace Complex

Now to his credit, is Grace Complex, a three-building project comprising a showpiece edifice to serve as rented accommodation for the Immigration Department on the ground floor and the Labour Department on the top floor; a fuel station in association with Delta Petroleum and a block of office rental space under construction. The buildings are all located in The Valley and fit in well with a range of public and private sector offices in the area. Not only are Mr. Webster’s buildings a sterling contribution to national development, but each of them, and the complex in general, bears the name of members of his family thus giving them a stake in their country.

The opening ceremony of Grace Complex was on May 2. Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Webster and their family for their major step and said that his Government had created an opportunity and an atmosphere of confidence for Anguillians and others to invest in the island. He also congratulated Vernon Lake, whose grandfather was from Sandy Hill, for his investment role in a number of fuel stations in Anguilla, the latest being that of Emmanuel Webster as well as others outside the island. “A company that has no competition is not good for a country,” Mr. Fleming commented in reflecting on the additional fuel service being provided in Anguilla by Delta Petroleum.

Mr. Fleming hoped that one day there would be oil finds in other regions to ease the dependence of Caribbean islands on the OPEC nations. He was of the view that the fuel station was a great need to help supply petrol products for the growing number of vehicles in Anguilla.

Mr and Mrs Webster with children and grand children

“It takes a man [Emmanuel Webster] of courage and confidence in the Government to engage in a project of this kind,” the Chief Minister went on. “We will support him in his investments and to that end we have demonstrated our encouragement and support for this project by having Mr. and Mrs. Webster not looking around for tenants. Before the building was finished we thought it was a good idea to give this man some assistance. Accordingly, this building will house the Immigration Department downstairs and the Labour Department upstairs.” He explained that the Government had decided to rent the building to put an end to Caribbean and other nationals having to stand in long lines outside in the sun as they could not be properly accommodated particularly inside the Immigration Department.

Bevis Sylvester, Regional General Manager of Delta Petroleum, and Vernon Lake, Managing Director of the company, were the two speakers who preceded the Chief Minister’s address. Mr. Sylvester said “Delta Petroleum and Anguilla Petroleum will grow on the island. Watering this seed that has been planted will be our customers coming into this beautiful station and enjoying the service we are offering them. Our stations are very well coloured and there are instructions throughout them. The Delta brand will stand because it comes from a vision of Mr. Vernon Lake in BWI in 1984.” As a result there are now stations in Anguilla, St. Kitts-Nevis and Montserrat, all offering quality fuel products to customers.

Mr. Vernon Lake, Mr. Webster and CM Fleming at the cutting of ribbon

Mr. Lake congratulated the Webster family not just for the gas station but for the entire complex which he said had overwhelmed him. He made the point that wherever Delta Petroleum set up a business it was done in partnership with the indigenous people. “We came in and are associated with Mr. Webster, a prominent indigenous Anguillian entrepreneur and we are in a volatile business,” he stated. He noted that oil prices were continuing to go up, but companies “like Delta has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with prices but it is embarrassing for us when we have to change the prices at the pumps.”

The oil company’s Managing Director said he was looking forward to the growth of the Delta business which now operates at several locations on the island. “Mr. Webster has started this station in the Valley and if I know him, before you go round the block he will have two or three more,” he added.

Grace Complex was dedicated by Pastor Danny Phillip, the resident Seventh-day Minister in Anguilla.

Mr. Webster gave the Vote of Thanks in which he expressed gratitude to the Government, Delta Petroleum, the construction workers and his family for their support and involvement.

In chairing the ceremony, Wycliffe Richardson informed the audience that Grace Complex was named after Webster’s grandmother Grace Ann Rebecca Harrigan, his mother Alexandrine Webster, his brother Alfred Webster (all deceased) and his sister Mildred Vanterpool-Hodge. The ALM Building which is rented by Government is named after his grandchildren Aaliyah, Laila and Mariella. The RWJ Building, which houses the Delta Petroleum products, has been named after his grandson, Randy Jr. The block of offices, currently under construction, will be named The CC Building, after his son, Cassius, who died in 1997.

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