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.
This Saturday marks an historic occasion for the island of St. Kitts as Prime Minister Denzil Douglas welcomes in the inaugural British Airways service from the UK’s London (Gatwick) airport as it touches down at St. Kitts RLB International Airport at 16.45.With the inaugural flight, British Airways becomes the only carrier to offer a weekly scheduled service from the UK to St. Kitts. [ Read More... ]
WITH a view to implementing proposals emanating from the National Consultation on Crime held last month, Cabinet gave ear to recommendation for the implementation of a task force during its most recent convening. Minister of State with responsibility for Education, Youth Affairs, Labour, Social Security, Information and Technology, the Hon. Nigel Carty, in presenting the January 5, 2009 post-Cabinet briefing said the proposal for the establishment of a task force was made by the Minister of National Security [ Read More... ]
THE office of the Federal Ombudsman is now open for business and Kittitians and Nevisians with legitimate concerns now have an outlet to express their problems. His Excellency Walford Gumbs, a former Speaker of the National Assembly and President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union, was appointed the Federation’s first-ever Ombudsman in August 2008. Gumbs officially assumed the position in October with his formal appointment by the Governor-General acting upon the advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Federal Opposition. [ Read More... ]
AFTER careful assessment, the government has concluded that the 2008/09 Carnival Festivities have been a success.According to the Post-Cabinet Briefing presented by Minister of State the Hon. Nigel Carty on Monday, January 5, 2009, Cabinet met on the same day and took the opportunity to make a general
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SPEAKING yesterday (Jan. 6) St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas said that his message to the youth for the new year is to “remain focused and to make use of the opportunities which are being provided for them”. “I think to a large extent our young people are challenged. There are several distractions and that is why I stress remaining focused,” Douglas said on his weekly radio program “Ask the Prime Minister”. Staying focused upon personal goals is a vital component to avoiding the distractions of drugs, violence and gangs, D [ Read More... ]
SIX weeks of giveaways in the LIME Christmas Promotion came to an end yesterday (Jan. 6) at the company’s flagship store on Cayon Street, adding two more locals to the US $1 million draw. In this week’s final draw, Marilyn Liburd, owner of Lyn’s MiniMart located at Central Fiennes Avenue and Sharmaine Simmonds of Nevis were the lucky channel vendors, winning EC $500 each. Luck was definitely on Liburd’s side when she won the grand prize of EC $5000 in the final Channel Vendors Draw, which consisted of the 12 winning vendors [ Read More... ]
Civil servants have been called upon to serve the public in a professional manner and that sloppiness and indiscipline will not be tolerated. Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in his first “Ask the Prime Minister” radio programme on Tuesday challenged the officers to discharge their duties with humility.
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The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) wasted no time in setting about its pledge to reduce the island’s debt and control public spending for 2009. In a press statement issued on Tuesday January 6, 2009, Chief Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Laurie Lawrence stated that the NIA was seeking to lead by example and has invested in technology through the use of a Cash and Call Accounting system. [ Read More... ]
The closure of the Four Seasons Resort in Nevis is being seen as a blow to tourism St. Kitts and Nevis. Federal Minister of State for Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt said the closure will “hurt the federation in several ways,” including fewer visitors on the ground spending. Senator Skerrit told BBC Caribbean that St. Kitts and Nevis would also be hurt because a percentage of the visitors were arriving on international airlift that the government had contracted with airlines like British Airways to supply. [ Read More... ]
THOUGH the world is currently facing gross economic and financial decline expected to continue through most of 2009, the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino has reconfirmed its commitments to weather the storm and ensure the continued contributions of the hotel to the nation.General Manager of the Resort Flor van der Vaart told SKNVibes that 2008 started as a very fruitful year for the hotel primarily due to the hurricane impact on Mexico resulting in its business being diverted to the other islands.
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DAYRON ROBLES, Cuba’s 110m Hurdles Olympic Gold medalist and world record holder in the event, recently informed Cuban media that he doesn’t see “any limit” for his 2009 season. Though Robles had an astoundingly strong season in 2008 on the World Indoor Circuit, capturing nearly all of the fastest times at the events he competed in, he told Periodico26 that his failure to capture the gold in the 60m Hurdles at the World Indoor Championship spurs him on to train even harder for the new year. “I will be trying for a perfect [ Read More... ]
West Indies captain Chris Gayle has indicated that Wednesday’s encounter against New Zealand will be a crucial part in the five-match One-Day Series. Speaking ahead of the match at Westpac Stadium, Wellington Gayle noted that his team is focusing on taking a 2-0 lead, with two matches remaining. “You could say this is sort of a final. If we win, we go 2-0 and that would put a lot of pressure on New Zealand. That’s what we are aiming for,” Gayle said. “We have confidence and we have momentum. But we are not over-confident, [ Read More... ]
FORMER calypso monarch of St. Kitts, Ellie Matt said he is prepared to enter any calypso competition with anyone, including the four-peat National Calypso Monarch King Konris, and hopes it could become a reality soonest. The legendary calypsonian, whose real name is Elston Nero, said the young phenomenon [Konris Maynard] is boastful and that his competition was light because some of the big names in calypso were not in the 2008/09 Finals. “His idea of calypso does not sit well with me. His father can’t beat me and his uncle couldn’t beat me,” [ Read More... ]
The ad-hoc committee set up to review payroll tax is expected to submit its report to the Premier and Minister for Finance Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE within the first half of this year. Making this disclosure yesterday during the third sitting of the second session of the First House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands, Honourable O’Neal said the committee has been meeting on a regular basis. Once its work is complete, a report will be compiled and referred to Cabinet for a decision to be taken on what [ Read More... ]
The BVITU has donated a total of 75 cots; 25 to the BVI Red Cross, 25 to the Virgin Islands Cadet Corps and 25 to the BVI Department of Disaster Management. The presentation took place on the 23rd December at the BVI Red Cross office. Mrs. Edris O’Neal the Director of the BVI Red Cross accepted on behalf of the Red Cross and stated that the local Red Cross is an organization that depends heavily on donations from individuals and businesses in the community. She thanked the BVITU, [ Read More... ]
Government is reporting a slowdown in the growth of new incorporations in the financial services sector but there is optimism about the future. Premier and Minister for Finance Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE made the disclosure today as he responded to a question posed by the Leader of the Opposition during the third sitting of the second session of the First House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands.
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The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Department of Education hosted a one-day Teachers’ Professional Development Day on Monday at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College which was greatly supported.Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Andrew Fahie acknowledged the huge turnout of principals and teachers and saluted them for their effort, dedication and determination to succeed as a lot was accomplished in the last school term. “There is always room for improvement but we did well”, Mr. Fahie said. [ Read More... ]
Mr. Speaker, to date, the Government of the Virgin Islands has paid a total of forty-four million, seven hundred and ninety-three thousand, three hundred and twenty-six dollars and thirty-four cents ($44,793,326.34) to CARIMEX for the New Hospital Project. [ Read More... ]
Mister Speaker plans are in progress to commence the Commission of Enquiry into the alleged evasion of stamp duty on land transfers. To date, the Terms of Reference have been established and discussions are being held with a view of selecting a Commissioner. [ 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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