CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - FORMER educator, now small business owner, V. Anthony Jones said that Nevisian families should enjoy a fresh, locally produced, well-baked whole chicken every Sunday. This was declared by Jones in an interview shortly after the historic launching ceremony for his locally-grown chickens held on Saturday, August 29 at Bowrin Bridge, Gingerland.
Jones, who is married with four children [two boys and two girls], described his product as fresh organic chicken that is delivered straight from his farm to residents’ home.
Speaking with conviction in his voice, Jones declared: “Now I see the need for fresh, locally grown chicken. For too long Nevisians have been eating chicken that would have been in freezers for months. I believe that chicken should be eaten fresh without having long periods of storage.” It was this conviction that gave birth to Jones’ dream of getting involved in broiler production.
Jones was not always a poultry farmer however, having spent the majority of his working life as a school teacher.
“Upon leaving school, the job market was very limited,” Jones said, adding “It was for this reason that I decided to enter the teaching profession, a career which spanned a period of some 20 years.”
Jones taught at all of the primary schools in Nevis with the exception of the Gingerland Primary, now the Joycelyn Liburd Primary, and St. John’s Primary. He served as principal of the Prospect Primary, now the Ivor Walters Primary, and subsequently the Combermere Primary, now VOJN Primary.
After retiring from the teaching profession, Jones chose to engage in full-time poultry farming. For several years prior to his retirement, he, along with his brother Keithly Jones, operated a small poultry farm in his parents’ backyard in Butlers Village, specialising in egg production. This small venture grew over the years and showed tremendous signs of promise.
The former teacher described as “a bump in the road which delayed my plans somewhat”, an accident a few years ago which resulted in the loss of one of his legs. “But with the support of the Nevisian people, I remained determined through it all.”
Jones said he could not have realised this dream without the necessary funding.
“I felt disadvantaged because of my condition and I was hesitant to approach the banks. I approached two financial institutions for assistance with my small business venture, but on doing so I was told ‘we will see’.”
Jones continued: “One day I saw Mr. Everette Martin, General Manager of the Bank of Nevis Ltd. on the Charlestown waterfront. I told him about my plans and he took a totally different approach. He said, ‘bring the plan and let’s have a look at it’. Within a short time, my loan application at the Bank of Nevis Ltd. was approved.”
The poultry farmer had high praise for the bank and in particular, Martin, Credit Risk Manager Trevor French and Credit Officers Mark Lake and Denrick Liburd. According to Jones, the financing he received assisted him in realising his dream of expanding his poultry farm to offer locally grown, fresh, organic chicken to the people of Nevis.
He recalled something that Martin said while delivering brief remarks at the launching ceremony for his locally grown chicken. Martin said then that “The Bank of Nevis Ltd. is committed to small business ventures, particularly those that would lead to an improvement in the quality of life among Nevisians”.
With financing secured, construction on his poultry farm began in February of this year. Jones praised Maurice Burke and his construction team who did a superb job of building his farm.
Happy that he can now provide work for others, Jones employs three persons at his New River-based farm which occupies approximately 12 000 square feet of land. Jones currently has on his farm chickens that are ready to be slaughtered, four-week old chickens which will be ready for slaughtering in the next two weeks, one-week old chickens, turkeys that will be ready for Thanksgiving, and layers for egg production.
Jones enjoys spending time on his farm which is clean, environmentally friendly and comfortable. He said he would be pleased to welcome a visit from agriculture science students and also any member of the Nevisian public who might be interested in seeing his operation and learning more about poultry farming.
He is currently taking orders for his chicken via telephone and, where possible, he satisfies his customers by making personal deliveries to their homes. However, in order to more efficiently serve his customers, he plans to open an outlet at Victoria Road by October. He said that the plan is to supply fresh, whole chickens first to the people of Nevis then to St. Kitts and sometime in the future he would consider selling chicken parts like wings, legs and drumsticks. He proudly acknowledged that his business has much potential for growth, but first he is looking to satisfy the Nevisian public.
“It is the Nevisian public that must sustain this business; they must demand it when they go to the supermarkets.”
While his price has been set at $5.50 per pound, he reminds the public that “buying in bulk could help to reduce the cost. Volumes always determine price”.
“Small business ventures,” Jones said, “are important to the island because they provide employment.” He encourages anyone who wants to become involved in a small business to get a business plan and to have objectives.
For now, Jones is grateful to God for sparing his life, to his family for their unwavering love and encouragement, to the entire Nevisian public for their tremendous support and to the Bank of Nevis for helping to turn his dream into a reality.
When asked if he has any regrets about leaving the teaching profession, Jones said, “I have no regrets about leaving the teaching profession. Once a teacher always a teacher! I have left the classroom but I still consider myself to be a teacher. Teaching made me somebody and it has helped me to acquire a customer base.”
He has every confidence that the Nevisian public would give him their full support.
