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Nevis Premier – Joseph Parry

Charlestown, Nevis
May 04, 2012

Premier, the Hon. Joseph Parry on Tuesday (May 1) called on Nevisians to distinguish between philanthropy and political patronage.

The Premier advised that the state-of-the-art kitchen at the Charlestown Primary School, which was officially commissioned on Wednesday, April 25, was the result of a love for the island of Nevis by philanthropist, Mr. James Milnes Gaskell.

Speaking on his live weekly In Touch With the Premier program on Choice 105.3 FM and other radio stations in the Federation, Premier Parry stated that Mr. James Gaskell was not a supporter of the Nevis Reformation Party.

He said that it was wrong for anyone to suggest that Mr. Gaskell, who worked along with Mr. Hastings Daniel to ensure that the dream to have a kitchen at the Charlestown Primary School became a reality, was a supporter of the Nevis Reformation Party, as he is known to criticize both political parties on the island.

“He is no contributor to the Nevis Reformation Party as some people like to believe, or some people go round and pretend. He is not a contributor at all to the Nevis Reformation Party,” pointed out Premier Parry. “James Gaskell loves Nevis, and he has contributed to Nevis, and he contributed in a big way.”

The Premier, who is also the Minister of Education, advised that the government did not spend a single cent on the project as some people have intimated. He revealed that Mr. Gaskell would have also made contributions to the kitchens at the Elizabeth Pemberton and Ivor Walters Primary Schools.

Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Gaskell has been making contributions, he is not going around trying to change any government, Premier Parry advised. He also defended the philanthropist, saying that he had no political innuendos when he (Gaskell) wrote the Windsong Foundation, as all he wanted were funds to help children in Nevis.

According to the Premier, Mr. Gaskell was acting based on the fact that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Party, the Hon. Mark Brantley, had advised that the Windsong Foundation had $1 million to invest in the children of Nevis.

“People need to understand that you just can’t go around and say things loosely, and then run away from it, and blame other people,” said the Premier. “I heard that he (Brantley) said something about James Gaskell having written a letter.”

According to the Premier, Gaskell had acted in good faith and that politics was not involved, adding that Mr. Gaskell was also trying to get funds for use at the Gingerland Primary School.

Premier Parry also said that a group of five Nevisians whom he did not name, and who are associated with the Charlestown Secondary School had contacted Hon. Brantley, but did not receive any money.

He, however, revealed that he had been in contact with the leader of Anguilla, who reliably informed him that all the money Hon. Brantley would have talked about in Windsong Foundation had been used up in Anguilla.

“Let me say, the leader of the Anguillan government told me that no money will come to Nevis because the funds were already used up in Anguilla,” said Premier Parry. ”He did indicate that there were no funds available. So when Mark Brantley was promising, there were no funds. Funds were already gone, and had nothing to do with Mr. Gaskell’s letter, or any other letter for that matter.”

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4. Nevis Premier To Meet With Nevisians In Anguilla and St. Maarten
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Nevis Premier Speaks At Fisheries Signing Ceremony

Charlestown, Nevis
April 28, 2012

Premier, the Hon Joseph Parry, has said that as Nevis seeks to move out of a recession back into growth, the Japanese-funded EC$30 million Charlestown Community Fisheries Complex earmarked for Gallows Bay, will be part of a growth program that will lead to sustainability over the years.

“Speaking as the Leader of Government, it is not just a matter of fisheries,” said Hon Parry on Friday afternoon (April 27) at a grant signing ceremony between the Government of Japan and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis at Gallows Bay. “What we are looking at is a cog in a whole wheel, and efforts to have a whole development policy for the island of Nevis.”

Premier Parry thanked the Japanese Government for honoring its pledge in spite of the devastating earthquake that hit Japan recently. The Premier also thanked the Federation’s Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas for personally ensuring that Nevis received the US$11 million (EC$30m) grant.

Forming part of the Japanese delegation at the ceremony were the Trinidad-based Japanese Ambassador-designate to St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Yoshimasa Tezuka, and his wife Mrs Chiruzu Tezuka, Chief Representative of JICA Caribbean Regional Office Mr. Shoji Ozawa, and the Second Secretary, Japan Embassy in Trinidad, Mr Tsuyoshi Koga.

“If I may address you directly, your Excellency, I must say that Japan has been a nation of its word,” remarked Premier Parry. “After that catastrophic disaster in your country, I was worried that you would say that Nevis would  have to wait three years or five years, and that would have been reasonable.

“I was told, and I thought, that we are talking about a sum of eight million US dollars, which approximates 24 million EC dollars. Today I am learning that the sum is US$11 million, approximating EC$30 million. I can’t say Ambassador which other nation has given so much money at one go. We are here to thank you for it and to congratulate you for keeping your word in spite of your experiences in your country.”

Premier Parry drew the attention of fishers on Nevis to the days when it was stated that St. Kitts used to get all the money while Nevis got nothing. He told them what Nevis was getting was not a loan but a grant in aid, which was supported by the Federation’s Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas.

“I must say on his (Prime Minister) behalf today that at one time it seemed that we could have lost the project, and he singularly and directly intervened to ensure that Nevis got this grant of EC$30 million,” pointed out the Premier. “I am saying today, that we should be grateful that the demonstration of concern and statesmanship was demonstrated by Dr Douglas.”

Accompanying the Premier at the signing ceremony were Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Hon. Robelto Hector, Junior Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Dwight Cozier, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Kelvin Daly and other Senior government officials. During his remarks, Premier Parry singled out for mention, Nevis’ first Minister of Agriculture Mr Arthur Evelyn, who also witnessed the colorful ceremony.

“I want to say that all of us Nevisians should embrace this project,” appealed Premier Parry. “Understand what it means as it stands by itself, but understand what it means when you put it together with all the other efforts that you are making.

“I want to assure the people of Charlestown, that as beautiful as Gallows Bay is today, I am quite sure that it will continue to be as beautiful and that its beauty will be enhanced by what we are doing. We are quite aware on the island of Nevis, that regardless of what we do, tourism is the number one priority. I want us to understand that tourism is the great mover and shaker of the economy, and that whether it is forwards or backwards, whatever linkages we make, tourism is the main engine of growth on the island.”

In ending his address he stated that his administration believes in excellence, as do all Nevisians. The NRP-led Nevis Island Administration has demonstrated at every step of the way that the only word that it entertains is excellence, he observed, adding that that excellence must have been felt from the top to the bottom.

He said that the team of Hon Hensley Daniel, Hon. Robelto Hector, Hon. Carlisle Powell, Hon Dwight Cozier, and himself are servants of the people. He noted that even though they might not behave like servants, and even if the people might not think that they are servants of the people, he asked them to simply look at the results.

“When you examine the results of this Administration you understand that we are serving the ordinary people of this country at all times,” said Hon Parry. “The Nevis Reformation Party is saying to you, we love you, we care for you, but look at our results, look at our actions and you decide if we are serious.”

Related posts:

1. Nevis To Build Fisheries Complex With Help From Japan
2. Gallows Bay Best Site For Fisheries Complex
3. Nevis Minister Praised For Fisheries Complex
4. Nevis Minister Encourages Growth In Agriculture And Fisheries
5. Nevis Premier Outlines A Vision For Growth

Newly Constructed Green House In Prospect
Photo by Erasmus Williams

Charlestown, Nevis
April 26, 2012

Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry cut the ribbon Friday at the newly commissioned Green House system at the Agricultural Station in Prospect.

Premier Parry said using the Green House system is relatively expensive, but it is modern and it is a great technology for developing farming on Nevis. He also noted the importance of having women using the less back-breaking system, and being an integral part of the farming industry.

“ It is great to see so many women in farming, becoming businesspersons and entrepreneurs,” said the Hon. Joseph Parry.

The Premier said that the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) -led Administration has been a strong advocate of small businesspersons on Nevis, especially women. He added that his government has put a program in place where small business persons/farmers could get assistance with farming aid and duty-free concessions because there is a “need to feed the people of Nevis with good local food”.

According to the Premier, there are persons who know little about agriculture, but would like to get in the business. He said it is a great way to feed the island, as similar programs have already been established in Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.

The Premier surveyed the room while speaking, and said that he noticed a number of persons with expertise in the room, and with that in tact, the island can definitely go ahead with a powerful combination of agriculture and tourism for economic progress.

The Nevis Model was an example of this combination of agriculture and tourism on the island, he said.

It was first implemented with the Four Seasons Resort Nevis and it turned out to be good, as local farmers sold their goods to the upscale hotel on a regular basis.

“What we were trying to do then was to sell food 12 months a year so that the Four Seasons Resort did not have to import certain fruits and vegetables,” said the Hon. Joseph Parry.

The Nevis Model was a marketing decision, which worked through the extension division of the Agriculture Department, and sought to give farmers tenure.

“Now, there is a system that is more modern, more sophisticated and can now be accepted in an effort to continue to grow tourism and agriculture on Nevis,” concluded the Premier.

Meanwhile, although the green house concept has been used on Nevis by some farmers, the idea has just expanded with the Ministry of Agriculture, because it is a “smarter” way to grow food, as the yield is of a better quality, there is an increase in quantity, and there is a reduction in use of pesticides.

In a quest to increase food security on Nevis, the Ministry of Agriculture was assisted financially by the Inter- American Institute for Corporation in Agriculture (IICA) represented by Mr. Augustine Merchant, while the technical support came from Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI) represented by Mrs. Kathleen Titus.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Kelvin Daley has been credited for being the visionary for this project.

According to Dr, Daley, the entire project came at a cost of $150,000, which he said was much cheaper than a similar model being offered by Israel.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank LEFCO construction, the farmers, Minister of Agriculture- the Hon. Robelto Hector and the Jamaica Drip Company for all of their guidance and support for this project,” said Dr. Daley.

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5. Nevis Island Aims To Use 100% Green Energy