Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

Warner Park Cricket Grounds
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
May 17, 2012 (SKNIS)

The valuable contributions of Sports Tourism to St. Kitts and Nevis were highlighted at the recent Tourism Youth Congress Discussion.

The Youth Congress consisted of a round table discussion with various high schools to review issues relevant to Sports Tourism. The participants were selected from the Basseterre, Verchilds and Washington Archibald High Schools and the Charles E. Mills Secondary School. Acting as Junior Ministers, they proposed ideas geared toward educating and informing the youth about the Tourism Sector. Allaric Pennyfeather of the Basseterre High School won the discussion with his presentation specific to investing in Sports Tourism in St. Kitts.

Novelette Morton, Human Resource and Project Manager of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, stated that the competition was of a high standard as the presentations showed  the amount of research that the students had done. She also noted that the students were able to increase their skills in public speaking and research methods.

The purpose of the discussion was not only to select a student to represent St. Kitts and Nevis in the upcoming Regional Tourism Youth Congress but also to educate young people about the tourism sector. Ms. Morton believes that by raising awareness, they would be motivated to become more involved in the field.

The 2012 Regional Tourism Youth Congress will be held in St. Kitts during the CTO State of Industry Conference, from October 11 to 13 under the theme “Through the eyes of tomorrow.”

Related posts:

1. St. Kitts – Nevis Citizens Urged To Cash In On Sports Tourism
2. St. Kitts – Nevis Wants To Grow Sports Tourism
3. Kudos For St. Kitts – Nevis Sports Tourism
4. St. Kitts – Nevis Sports Tourism Grows Economy
5. St. Kitts – Nevis Vows To Build Sports Tourism

Police Commissioner – Mr. C.G. Walwyn
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Charlestown, Nevis
April 26, 2012

“I don’t get involved in politics, I deal strictly with law enforcement but I can tell you I have the full support of Premier Parry and Prime Minister Douglas none of them has ever called me to interfere with what I am doing.”

Those were the words of Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Celvin. G. Walwyn in an interview with the Department of Information on Tuesday April 24, 2012 regarding the Nevis Island Administration’s support to the law enforcement agency.

“When I do something it’s done and that’s it but as far as giving us materials they gave what they can, the community also gave what they can but I can tell you they are 100 percent behind what we are doing,” he said.

The Commissioner was at the time visiting the primary and secondary schools in Gingerland one day after meeting with villagers of Brown Hill and ahead of a planned walk through in the village of Rawlings on Saturday April 28th, 2012 to meet with residents in the area.

He attributed his recent increased presence on Nevis to the strengthening bonds between the police and the public.

“The reason why I came to Nevis is because I want to make sure the police and the community continue to engender a relationship that would lead to a decrease in crime. We have seen the support slowly coming to the police over the last few months and I would like to make sure that this stays and gets even better,” he said.

According to Commissioner Walwyn, he would continue to do all he could to reach every day people in the fight against crime.

“I am the Police Commissioner but I am also a person and even though this is supposed to be a high office, I am willing to come down to earth with the people because I am one of the people and embrace the people in the fight against crime.

“Last night I believe well over 65 persons had turned out in Brown Hill. That was great, you know with that kind of turnout, it tells me that the people are concerned about crime and the police/community relationship and if that can come out then it is my duty to come and meet and to answer any questions that they may have,” he said.

Since Monday night’s meeting in Brown Hill, the Federation’s highest ranking Police Officer said some changes had already been implemented based on the questions he received then.

Regarding his meeting with the students at Gingerland, he said it was important for the police to embrace the island’s children and teach them to make a difference in the society.

“We have to get with the children embrace the children and teach them ways to make a difference because they are the future but as we have seen, a lot of our crime has been with teenagers and if we can reach these children now we won’t have to apprehend them later so I’d rather reach than apprehend,” he said.

The Commissioner further indicated that steps had already been taken in the Federation through a mentoring programme called Magic.

“We mentor, advise, guide and instruct children and the programme came to us from Orange County Florida. We brought an instructor in at no cost to the Federation, to train officers in St. Kitts and Nevis to help deter children, Kindergarten to 3rd Grade, ages 10-13, to deter them from a life of crime.

“As I spoke to the children this morning I told them I have noticed in the last couple of weeks and last month, we have had a lot of people who have been coming to get Police Records to get their Green Cards. We know times are hard here in this country right now and people would like to do better for themselves and their children. Unfortunately, I don’t have the power to give you a certificate saying you don’t have a criminal record when you have one. As a result they cannot get their Green Card. So whatever struggles they are having right now they will have to endure. Crime does not pay and it affects you for the rest of your life,” he explained.

During his visit to Nevis, the Commissioner was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Nevis Division Robert Liburd and officers stationed there.

Related posts:

1. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Commissioner Speaks To Students
2. Nevis Government Assures Support For Police Force
3. Nevis’ Assistant Police Commissioner Retires
4. Federation’s Police Commissioner Calls For Help In Fight Against Crime
5. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Commissioner On Local Gangs

Caribbean Development Bank Flag

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 03, 2012 (SKNIS)

A regional conference being hosted by the Early Childhood Development Unit (ECDU) of St. Kitts and Nevis in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank, is seeking to ensure that investments being made in Early Childhood are optimized.

Coordinator Mrs. Jacquelyn Morris in addressing some 80 participants at the opening ceremony said the gathering was timely given the region’s present focus on increasing access to quality early childhood education to the poor, the disadvantaged and children experiencing other forms of vulnerability.

The Early Childhood Coordinator revealed that the three-day event which started on Monday April 2, highlights an awareness of and conviction that investments in human development during the formative years (birth to 8yrs) produces positive, long-term outcomes, especially for the most disadvantaged children.

Emphasizing The Caribbean Development Banks’ Poverty Reduction Mandate, Operations Officer for Education Dr. Martin Baptiste revealed that the bank focuses exclusively on advancing the cause of countries in the region to generate wealth, improve economic competitiveness and the over-all wellbeing of the region’s people.

He highlighted specifically the uniqueness of the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Programme which he indicated is well known for its capacity to focus funding in areas defined at the community level but aligned to national development priorities.

Mr. Baptiste reiterated the need for investment in ECD to be inclusive and comprehensive. He explained that there must be a focus not simply on providing the inputs for the ECD’s infrastructural needs by the construction of daycare and early childhood centres, but also multi-dimensional inputs designed to leverage resources to ensure that collectively, the responses needed for children to learn and develop, are properly articulated in the investments.

Regarding discussions over the three-day period, Baptiste challenged participants to be creative. He stated “We need to construct learning environments where stimulation happens and caregivers are competent and professional; where children are affirmed in their dignity as persons and where they grow to be free not only in St. Kitts and Nevis but across the region.”

Minister of Education Hon. Nigel Carty in his feature address applauded the Caribbean Development Bank for keeping Early Childhood Education in focus and providing an avenue for the enablement of Caribbean children to benefit from meaningful and worthwhile partnerships.

Re-emphasizing his ministry’s realization of ECD as a priority area in Education, Minister of Education and Information Hon. Nigel Carty announced the upcoming availability of an Associates Degree Programme in Early Childhood Education at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College in collaboration with the University of the West Indies starting in September.

Minister Carty referred to aspects of his ministry’s White Paper on Education Policy (2009-2019) including a strategy for access of vulnerable children to services which he said will be developed based on a detailed mapping of demand and supply in areas of most critical need. A costing study will promote valuable insights which would help in the formulation of a package of financial strategies for the early childhood sector.

The Education Minister expounded that the package will include financial incentives for the private sector to increase the number of services available to children from poor and disadvantaged families. He also highlighted intentions to engender strong links across services, professions, institutions and agencies to guide the effective and efficient implementation of early childhood services.

Related posts:

1. Early Childhood Development In The Caribbean
2. St. Kitts – Nevis’ Early Childhood Program Emulated
3. Nevis Government Emphasizes Early Childhood Development
4. Nevis Celebrates 25 Years Of Early Childhood Program
5. OAS Donates To Early Childhood Education On Nevis