BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH elections looming, Dwyer Astaphan is preparing to transition from one stage of his life to another. A Parliamentarian since 1995, the Central Basseterre Representative announced a year ago that he would not be seeking a fourth term as a candidate for the governing St. Kitts-Nevis-Labour Party (SKNLP). Astaphan has since ventured into the business world with the opening of his consultancy/insurance firm Eden Services.
As is seemingly the case with many politicians, Gerald Anthony Dwyer Astaphan never imagined he would one day enter the political arena. Born on January 27, 1948, the future lawmaker was the third of 10 children born to parents of Lebanese heritage.
His formative years were spent in Basseterre, where he attended the St. Theresa’s Convent High School. At 16, he matriculated to Canada’s Concordia University to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Astaphan returned to St. Kitts in 1968 and managed the Blakely Hotel for some months before assuming a teaching position at Basseterre Senior High for several semesters. He travelled to England in 1970 and earned a law degree at the Inns of Court School of Law.
After returning home for a brief period, the young lawyer migrated to Canada, where he spent five years doing assorted work. In 1980, Astaphan returned to St. Kitts and established a law office.
He got heavily involved in sports – as a player, coach and administrator. He became president of the St. Kitts Cricket Association and the Leeward Islands Cricket Association, which culminated in a four-year stint as the Leeward Islands representative on the West Indies Cricket Board.
It was during that time, then Opposition Leader - Dr. Denzil Douglas first approached him about becoming a candidate on his SKNLP ticket. Astaphan was initially against the idea until three SKNLP stalwarts opened his mind to the bigger picture.
“I consulted with Cuthbert Sebastian, Lee Moore and Fitzroy Bryant, and they told me quite plainly I didn’t have a choice. The picture was bigger than I could ever be. Once your party calls you to service and you have the commitment and the ability, you must give people the opportunity to accept or refuse you.”
According to Astaphan, it was that vision that kept him in politics until his 2008 resignation. Although he lost the 1993 elections, he was successful in those held in 1995, 2000 and 2004. He held 11 portfolios during his ministerial tenure and was a key member of Douglas’ Cabinet.
The Parliamentarian knew that, despite his resignation, he could still contribute to the development of the Federation. Along with his brother, Kris Astaphan, and his childhood friend Austin DaSilva, Astaphan founded Eden Services late last year.
The company does consulting in investment, real estate, management, and a number of other areas. It also has an insurance division, which is headed by DaSilva.
In addition to Astaphan’s legal expertise, his co-founders bring a wealth of experience to their respective fields. DaSilva was the founder of the St. Kitts-Nevis Insurance Company while Kris Astaphan is a successful tax attorney and investment consultant in Canada.
Eden Services is the exclusive local representative for Beacon Insurance, a company out of Trinidad and Tobago. Besides consultancy, it also provides the full range of insurance products – life, health, course of construction, property, automobile, marine, etcetera.
Said Astaphan, “As locals, we thought it was important to give back to our country and provide an environment where others could do the same. With the three of us and our associate relations around the world, we can provide a network that delivers services to people.
“It’s not only about the financial statements. Of course, we want to make a profit, but we realise it is more important for us to elevate our country and its people.”
He expounded on a unique service the company had just introduced – coverage for fire and safety in homes and building facilities.
“In this particular area, we will offer services of construction site overview, examination of building plans, provision of all required fire and life safety materials, installation, final inspection and annual inspection of systems, fire audits, security and systems training, and residential checks. We are providing fully extensive coverage for fire safety and prevention.”
He added, “We are doing this in association with a highly qualified group in Canada. Eden Services has exclusive rights on this coverage throughout the Caribbean.”
When asked if he regretted leaving politics, Astaphan said he had “no regrets whatsoever”.
“I don’t regret my decision to step down at all. I relished and cherished the opportunity I had to serve the people. But I was never comfortable with the trappings and ceremonial side of it,” he noted.
“When my representative position has passed, I will continue to be a social activist. And the people of Central Basseterre will know they can always come to me. Leaving politics does not mean I have turned my back on my duty to help others.”
