BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Little more than a month ago, the new insurance agency on the block, Eden Services St. Kitts & Nevis Limited, opened its doors to the public promising “elegant and efficient” services second to none.
The fledgling company, an agent for Beacon Insurance in Trinidad, is the brainchild of Gary DaSilva and Dwyer Astaphan, insurance pundit and former minister of government/lawyer respectively.
Situated at one of Basseterre’s main hubs of activity, Port Zante, the company is poised to offer services not only in the realm of insurance but also in real estate, finance and consultancy.
In an interview with SKNVibes, the men gave a sneak-peak into the circumstances that led to the formation of the company which is owned by both men along with Astaphan’s brother, Kris Astaphan.
DaSilva said his recent retirement from the firm at which he was last employed, TDC, coupled with Dwyer Astaphan’s recent retirement from government, was a perfect recipe for the formation of a company, especially since they had discussed that possibility in the past. He noted that prospective areas of business were reviewed from which insurance was selected.
Dwyer Astaphan explained that with his training as a lawyer and experience as a servant of the people, DaSilva’s approximate 45-year experience in the insurance industry, and Kris Astaphan’s experience as a “renowned” tax attorney and financial manager, is a “potpourri of skills” which would redound to the benefit of not only the company but also to its clientele and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“…what we intend to do is to provide opportunities for professionals to provide services to this company and through this company in an ancillary manner to clients. We’re not here to hog things; we’re here the share. We believe the more opportunity comes your way or you create for yourself, if you share it with professionals and artisans and other people in the community. You help to uplift them and you create more local value-added and, in the long run, that is financially, socially and spiritually to your benefit. We are that kind of business. It’s not just financial bottom line for us; we want to empower people. We want every one of our clients in the Eden side of the operation to feel ‘well I am satisfied beyond expectations’,” Astaphan elucidated.
Notwithstanding the abundance of insurance agencies in the Federation, both men held that their business venture is a lucrative one and foresight is one of the pillars upon which it rests.
“…people would do business with people in whom they have confidence (and) people who know the business, and I can see us doing very well because of the service we provide to the public. There is lots of business out there for all of us. I am still saying that in terms of homes and other areas of business, maybe about 30 percent of public is secured and the other 70 percent is still uninsured…and we are hoping to tap into that market as well as what will be happening at the Peninsula, we think that there are opportunities for us which we can take advantage of,” DaSilva, a past director of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean, expressed.
Astaphan supported and cemented DaSilva’s sentiments, explicating that the areas of business in which they are involved “are very much needed and in an expansive mode. (While)…providing these products to the community, you do not describe the community as the resident population. You have to look in prospect. There are lots of investments coming in that will add to the number of people and interests groups in the country, requiring insurance and other services. But it also will add to the capacity of the people who are already here to buy into those services”.
Under the umbrella of Eden Services, Dwyer Astaphan explained, legal services, though in a hemmed in manner, will be provided.
“I also will provide legal services separately and in a very circumscribed area; corporate work, commercial work, real estate and that sort of thing. Nothing litigious…basically chamber work, but more business related, family settlement, trust and so forth. I am also a registered agent under Financial Services Regulations in terms of asset protection structures under our law. So, there will be some cross over between the legal services and the broad range of services provided by Eden, but there will be instances where there is no cross over.”
Both Astaphans and DaSilva are the firm’s Directors.
WITH the recent conclusion of the 2008/09 Carnival season, Chairman of the Carnival Committee Gus Williams has expressed “immense pleasure and satisfaction” at the recent proceedings. Held under the banner “Nuff Rhythm, Plenty Lime”, the Carnival season featured the annual mainstays including beauty pageants, calypso competitions and the frenetic street activities coupled with newer events, such as the annual Reggae Bash and the Chippie Carnival Madness Concert. According to Williams, although attendance at the [ Read More... ]
Visitor arrivals by air and sea is expected to top the half a million mark in 2009 and St. Kitts and Nevis could be welcoming close to a million cruise passengers within five years.Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas the increase in tourism since his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government took office in July 1995 is evident as the entire country has reaped massive benefits from the dramatic increase in visitor arrivals that has resulted from the creative economic policies and relentless marketing campaign that is generating a discernable buzz [ Read More... ]
FOLLOWING several months of Electoral Reform which started late December 2007, Supervisor of Elections Leroy Benjamin has expressed his satisfaction with the smooth flow of operation witnessed during the confirmation and registration periods. Benjamin told SKNVibes that registration has not stopped and will never stop, as it is an ongoing process. He said that all eligible individuals should be able to register at any time in order to exercise their rights to vote. Benjamin however made it clear that the [ Read More... ]
CARNIVAL enthusiasts are being applauded by the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force for their “generally good” behaviour during the Carnival 2008/2009 Carnival Season.During the season, which began in mid-December, there were approximately 13 activities including four street events.
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The Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry and his Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) led Government will place greater emphasis in 2009 on ensuring that Nevis is less dependent on external economic forces. The NRP led government plans to accomplish this with Tax Collection, Investment in Agriculture, Geothermal energy resource, exploration and development. During the Premier’s 2009 New Year’s Message, he urged all Banking, Financial institutions and telecommunications companies on Nevis, [ Read More... ]
RELATIVES of one of the men who recently went missing at sea are still clinging to the hope that he would return home safely. Fishermen Richard ‘Elmond’ Hodge of New Road Housing Extension, Joseph ‘Joe’ Chambers of Ponds Pasture and Julius Alcendor, a Dominican who resides at New Guinea, reportedly went out to sea on Christmas Eve 2008 on a conch diving expedition and have not been seen since. Local and international Coast Guard units have been combing the territorial and neighbouring waters in search of [ Read More... ]
Virgin Holidays today announced the 2009 Virgin Holidays / CHTA EDUCATION FOUNDATION scholarship. Nationals from Virgin Holidays Caribbean destinations are eligible to apply for the scholarship that must be used towards a management-focused degree course that includes a Sustainable Tourism module. Ideally the degree will be in Sustainable Tourism, International Tourism or Hospitality and must begin in 2009. [ Read More... ]
West Indies head coach John Dyson praised his players for their excellent showing in the victory over New Zealand in the second One-Day International at AMI Stadium, Christchurch on Saturday. After the Windies bowlers reduced the New Zealand batsmen, Man-of-the-Match Ramnaresh Sarwan and Vice Captain Denesh Ramdin pushed the team to 158-5 off 27.5 overs for a thrilling five-wicket victory and with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. “I thought they played extremely well. Sarwan played a controlled innings and it was [ Read More... ]
Ramnaresh Sarwan played a masterful knock to lead West Indies to a thrilling victory over New Zealand in the second One-Day International at AMI Stadium, Christchurch. Sarwan made 67 not out -- with a six and three boundaries from 65 balls -- after captain Chris Gayle made a robust 36 from 31 balls as the Windies reached 158-5 off 27.5 overs, to win by five wickets. The match was reduced to 28 overs per team due to heavy rain, hail and bad light. [ Read More... ]
It was ‘whaling’ none stop at the ‘house in the middle of the street’ when thousands of revellers took to the streets of Basseterre on Friday afternoon to enjoy the remnants of the 2008/2009 Carnival Festivities. The event known as ‘Last Lap’, despite its late commencement, drew a massive crowd of Mas’ players comprising of clowns, mock-a-jumbies and general carnival lovers. Crowd favourites were Grand Masters and the Nu Vybes Band International which had sizable followings. It featured an array of colours as, [ Read More... ]
POETS and poetry lovers were inspired last Saturday (Jan. 3) at the Peace and Levity Part II poetry reading held at the newly-opened The Lounge in the Sands Complex. Dubbed ‘Part Gemini’, the open ‘mic’ session provided an opportunity for the Federation’s poets to mingle with each other and to express their verses in front of an appreciative gathering. Although the event began an hour after its scheduled 7:00 p.m. start, the crowd’s spirits were not dampened and they remained receptive and encouraging to the words [ Read More... ]
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Brent Symonette has deemed the recent signing of an agreement between China and The Bahamas for assistance in the construction of a national stadium as a “continuation of the friendship” between the two countries. According to Caribbean Net News, Symonette revealed the grant facilitated by the signing amounted to $7.3M and that construction on the project would commence in early 2009. “The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China has had diplomatic relationships [ Read More... ]
THE Belize National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) has received equipment valued at US$27 000 from the Miami-based US Southern Command.According to Caribbean Net News, the equipment includes more than 500 folding beds, commonly referred to as cots, and more than 100 sleeping bags.A ceremony was held at the NEMO Warehouse to commemorate the donation, in which US Ambassador to Belize Robert Deiter revealed that his country had made other donations recently to the Belize Defence Force and the National Coast Guard, in addition to training [ Read More... ]
OFFICIALS in Belize have announced that they would be taking further action to contain the spread of the highly contagious Newcastle poultry disease.According to Caribbean 360, the outbreak was first reported in November when the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) revealed it had received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture Laboratory that poultry specimens submitted from Belize had tested positive for the disease. [ Read More... ]
THE recently elected Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño was sworn into office Friday (Jan. 2) and said that under his leadership the U.S. territory would enter a new era of rebuilding and prosperity. “The time has come to take lessons from the past and face the future, and today we are one people, ready to stand up to one of the most difficult situations of our lives. The task won't be easy, but together we can create a better Puerto Rico,” the new Governor said during his speech at the swearing in ceremony. [ Read More... ]
Trinidad and Tobago moved into 2009 coming off a record-breaking murder toll of 550 in 2008 and residents have expressed that they are now living in fear. The death of 27-year-old Aaron Deyal of Siparia Hill, East Dry River pushed the figure to 550 after he was shot at Thornhill, Gonzales on Wednesday (Dec. 31) night. Reportedly, shots were heard in the area at about 9 p.m. and after police arrived on the scene they found Deyal with multiple gunshot wounds about the body. He later succumbed to injuries at the [ Read More... ]
A blanket of mourning covers the nation after the death of 21-year-old sporting icon Jizelle Salandy who died at about 7.a.m. yesterday (Jan . 4) in car accident occurring at the National Petroleum flyover.Salandy was traveling West on Beetham Highway after dropping a friend off at the Piarco International Airport Sunday morning when she allegedly attempted to overtake another vehicle, lost control of her black Toyota Yaris and slammed into a concrete pillar. [ Read More... ]
The quintessence of Ms. Donella Dias is captured in the unique blend of her charisma, intelligence, poise and wit. Born on May 20th 1984 to Daniel O’Garro and Shirley Dias, this Kittitian beauty has cherished her family life, having had the pleasure of growing up in a large family, with seven (7) brothers and six (6) sisters.
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