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The New Jessups Community Centre

Charlestown,Nevis
February 29, 2012

The village of Jessups welcomed its first ever community centre in a concert-like atmosphere on February 27, 2012, when the keys to the state of the art facility were handed over to Premier of Nevis and Area Representative Hon. Joseph Parry by Contractor Rudolph Nisbett amid song, dance, poetry, drama and outpourings of joy.

Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Social Development in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel, in brief remarks at the official opening ceremony held under the patronage of Ms. Anita Byron, told those present now that the million dollar facility was officially opened the time had come for the commencement of community development programmes that had already began in other areas.

“The programmes that we are going to do here at Jessups have already been started. Wednesday evening in Bath we are completing a Basic Plumbing Installation course and that can be moved to Jessups at your request. So we are having the graduation ceremony for that at Bath on Wednesday.

“In the first week of March, we are starting Reading Starts with Us in Cotton Ground. Next week here in Jessups, we are beginning the Computer Literacy Programme for the students who have benefitted from the Government’s One to One Laptop Programme and other High School and Sixth Form students to enable them to use the internet as a form of research… So when we put down the buildings that’s stagee one. Stage two is the programmes that will make the difference here in the community centres” he said.

The workshops would be held on Saturdays at the Jessups Community Centre, the fifth such centre to be officially opened by the Nevis Island Administration in the past two months.

Mr. Daniel also said that the Centres were put to use for the benefit of the community and pointed to some of the community oriented events that had already taken place in them.

“We had a major concert in Fountain a few weeks ago to raise funds for a cancer survivor. Someone told me just yesterday, that activity went down well they raised some $4000 in one concert in the new community centre in Fountain.

“In Cotton Ground we held the first Sports Awards Ceremony under the Government two Thursdays ago at the community centre. At Barnes Ghaut there is an exhibition on Black History going on now and finishing on Wednesday and in Combermere yesterday, Methodist men from all over the island had a special service at the brand new community centre in Combermere. So ladies and gentlemen you in Jessups with this kind of tempo, this kind of excitement you will determine which programme starts very shortly,” he said.

The Social Development Minister also responsible for Culture said the NIA was minded to put to use the talents of the local people and believed in them, hence the reason why all community oriented programmes were encouraged at the Centres.

Mr. Daniel also disclosed that the NIA had been in discussions with a corporate citizen who had expressed interest in assisting with computers for the community centre. He also said Mr. Eugene Stapleton from Barnes Ghaut had been recruited to conduct the Computer Education Programme throughout the island.

The Minister stated that all the community centres could facilitate computer training and in Jessups, there would be continued training in the Performing Arts, music, dance and drama at the centre there.

Notwithstanding, the Social Development Minister reminded those present that the construction of a computer centre was costly and urged them to care for the new facility.

“The building cost a lot of money and I would expect the people of Jessups to make sure that you take care of the building. Make sure that vandalism is kept to a minimum and ensure that you put the building to its best use.

“We want to ensure that this society makes the best use of all the resources human and technical and this centre will become the focal point of life in Jessups. I look forward to working with you our staff is ready the people are ready and I suppose all we could say now is action!” he said.

Meantime, Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Mr. Alsted Pemberton in his overview of the project said construction began three weeks after a contract was signed with Mr. Rudolph Nisbett of Jessups Village and Best Deal Construction Services to construct the facility.

The contract covered labour and machinery while the NIA through the Public Works Department (PWD), provided materials labour. The building was designed and drawn by the PWD with assistance from Michael Dore of Dore’s Architectural Services. The Project Management was done by the PWD to reduce cost to the NIA.

The estimated $1.3million Jessups Community Centre consists of two floors. The ground floor is approximately 3600sq ft. and contains an auditorium of about 1560 feet with a stage and adjoining costume room.

Adjacent to the auditorium is a ticket booth and a large kitchen measuring 275 square feet. It will be used for training purposes and is strategically placed to serve the attendees in the event of a function.

Mr. Pemberton explained that provisions were made for a large extractor fan for the kitchen to keep it cool and control the fumes. Also on the ground floor is a laundry, male and female washroom facilities with two toilets specifically for the handicapped. An internal staircase leads to the first floor with a ramp for the handicapped on the external eastern side of the building which also leads to the top.

The first floor measures 1680 sq ft. and contains  a computer room for at least 15 persons at a time, a training room, reading room, library, server room and male and female restrooms with toilets and lavatories.

It is an air-conditioned building and provisions have been made for internet, telephone, cable services and a stand by generator. There is also a cistern with the capacity of 20,000 gallons of water. The facility will not only be used for community activities but will also be used as a hurricane shelter.

The main parking is located at the front of the building towards the public road to facilitate easy entry and exit. The property would be eventually fenced and paved.

Among those present at the ceremony were Premier of Nevis and Area Representative Hon. Joseph Parry, Minister of Trade Mr. Dwight Cozier, Minister of Agriculture Hon. Robelto Hector, Communications and Works Minister Hon. Carlisle Powell, President of the Nevis Island Administration Mrs. Christine Springett, Attorney General Hon. Patrice Nisbett Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Ministry Mrs. Joslyn Liburd, Patron Ms. Anita Byron and Tony Nisbett who dedicated the building.

Related posts:

1. Jessups Village Nevis To Have New Community Center
2. Nevis Community Centre Contractors Praised For Work
3. Combermere Community Centre Construction Well Under Way
4. Fountain Community Centre In Nevis Opens
5. Challengers Multi-Purpose Centre Opens

Geothermal Energy Drill Site

Charlestown, Nevis
June 20, 2011

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry responsible for Public Utilities and Renewable Energy in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Mr. Ernie Stapleton, described geothermal energy as a resource that stood to revolutionise Nevis.
 
He made the comment at a recent press conference hosted by Minister responsible for Public Utilities and Renewable Energy on Nevis Hon. Carlisle Powell when a public awareness campaign about geothermal and its benefits to the island was launched.
 
“One of the things that people have to understand is that geothermal is a revolutionary resource… We can build an economy using geothermal energy. If you believe that Four Seasons had a positive impact on Nevis, geothermal energy has a much greater impact on the economy of Nevis and people must understand that.
 
“It is a natural resource and it means that we own it so we will get the royalty. Monies will be paid to the government as long as geothermal power is being produced on Nevis. It is our resource and the royalty is being paid because it is the resource of the people of Nevis,” he said while noting that his statement was based on his own knowledge from reading and from what he had seen the resource do in other countries.
 
Mr. Stapleton, who also has a background in Finance, likened the geothermal resource on Nevis to the oil found in Trinidad and pointed to the fact that that island had built its economy on that natural resource which was also extracted from the ground.
 
However, he also pointed out while oil and geothermal were both natural resources, geothermal was there forever because of volcanic generated heat unlike oil deposits which would eventually be depleted.
 
The Permanent Secretary reiterated that the opportunity existed for Nevis to benefit financially from geothermal development, in particular when one considered the export component of the Nevis Geothermal Project.
 
“We have not approached the US Government, we have not approached Puerto Rico in terms of this export, they have approached us and they are saying that they have an interest in what is happening on Nevis.
 
“The potential is there for Nevis to make money because when we export the energy royalties will be paid to Nevis because the energy is being exported from Nevis and that again is added income,” he said.
 
Regarding the national debt, Mr. Stapleton said it was possible that it could be serviced with the financial benefits derived from the export of geothermal energy.
 
“We talk about a national debt in the country? The country can serve its national debt, I believe, using the geothermal energy because what we can do is to develop the economy around the energy. Once you are getting your revenue and you manage your revenue and expenditure, you can reduce the national debt of the country,” he explained.
 
Meantime, Mr. Stapleton used the opportunity to tell residents on Nevis that they should not be fearful of geothermal development. He noted that the NIA had scientists and companies who continued to provide advice on the various stages and processes that will be made with regard to the development of energy.

Related posts:

1. Geothermal Energy To Revolutionize Nevis Economy
2. Nevis Island’s Geothermal Energy Program Doing Well
3. Leaflet Simplifies Geothermal Energy Project on Nevis
4. Nevis’ Geothermal Energy Estimated At Hundreds of Megawatts
5. Nevis Launches Geothermal Energy Public Awareness Campaign

Kerry McDonald – West Indies Power

Charlestown, Nevis
February 01, 2011

The public on Nevis will be given an opportunity to register their concerns with regard to the geothermal project on Nevis. Word of this came from West Indies Power’s Chief Executive Officer on Nevis Mr. Kerry McDonald when he spoke to the Department of Information at his company’s office on Tuesday.

“[I would like] to give notice to the people of Nevis about the hearings on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), for the development of the geothermal power plant at Spring Hill and the substation and power lines that would be put into Prospect from the geothermal power plant.  That will be discussed at two public consultations this coming week.

“There will be a public consultation on Monday February 7th at 7:00 PM at the Red Cross Building in Charlestown and there will be a public consultation on Tuesday February 8th at the Methodist Church School in Fountain. There will also be a call in radio programme at 7:00 pm on Wednesday February 9th on Choice FM,” he said.

Mr. McDonald explained that the public forums were a requirement in both the Geothermal Contract with the Nevis Island Administration, the Geothermal Ordinance and also for the funding agency the Export Import Bank (EXIM) in the United States of America. The requirement would facilitate the further development of the geothermal power project on Nevis.

The consultation will take a formal format on the EIA that was filed in December with Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry and the EXIM Bank.  Copies of the document have since been made available for public viewing at the Charlestown Public Library, the Department of Planning and it has also been posted on the bank’s website.

Mr. McDonald said there would be a full complement of persons on hand to answer questions from the public.  He noted that he would be joined by Mr. Stewart Russell who compiled and wrote the EIA, a representative from the manufacturers of the power plant who will address the plant and its operations and a representative from the drilling company who will speak to the effects of the drilling.

At the conclusion of the consultations, Mr. Kerry said the transcriptions would be presented as part of records to the Export Import Bank, in furtherance of the loan qualification by West Indies Power for the project.

The EIA is filed by West Indies Power but also has to be approved by the NIA and the Bank after which physical operations at the Spring Hill site could continue.

“Once we start the plant will be installed by the end of this year and will be in operation by the first quarter of next year.

“Once the EIA is approved, as is or with modification it is then presented to the Board of Directors of the Export Import Bank for their final approval and that’s the final action to occur. The Export Import Bank’s next Board meeting is the end of March but once the approval is given, that then allows us to start actually doing some work,” he said.

Notwithstanding, in response to a question Mr. Mc Donald disclosed that the geothermal project had experienced two major events that had set it back by a year and a half.

“It took so long for basically two reasons. Reason number one was the economic meltdown that happened and actually we had gone all the way almost to this point before it happened. So that actually cost us a year and a half.

“Then the other fact was there has been a change in the ownership of West Indies Power. The negotiations of the buyout of one party by the other basically took longer than we thought but that was completed in January of this year,” he said.

According to Mr. Mc Donald, the new buyer was Renova Capital Partners, a renewable energy fund based in Denver Colorado. They bought out Antilles Power which was the shareholder that was originally a part of the company.

The CEO said the public should also be mindful of a 30 day requirement after the EIA was filed in keeping with the bank’s regulations.

“March is when you will start seeing action on the ground and the reason is we have to have the EIA hearings. Once the EIA is approved, remember it was filed in December and we had to give it 30 days by Export Import Bank regulations so that’s what basically pushed it back another 30 days. So now our 30 days has passed and we are going to the public hearings,” he said.

Any questions related to the upcoming public hearings should be directed to West Indies Power at 1-869-469-7105.

Related posts:

1. Nevis Geothermal Energy Program Still Behind Schedule
2. Leaflet Simplifies Geothermal Energy Project on Nevis
3. Geothermal Developers Say Seismic Activity Not Linked To Nevis Project
4. Nevis Premier Updated On Geothermal Project Progress
5. Nevis Geothermal Project To Have Independent Monitors