BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FAMED Nevisian real estate mogul Deon Daniel has been honoured this year by the Nevis Association of Washington D.C. (NEVDC) for his significant contributions to the continued development of Nevis.
The honour was bestowed on Daniel on September 26 at the Hyatt Hotel in Arlington, Virgina. The association, which is comprised of nationals living in the Diaspora, recognized the entrepreneur for his revolutionary real estate development and pioneering business ventures. His philanthropic contributions to various communities on the island were also recognized.
Born into humble beginnings, Daniel combined hard work and determination to achieve many of his lifelong dreams. Having worked for TDC and DACO Ltd., Daniel built the confidence necessary to take a major risk and start his own business.
It was in 1995 that Daniel charted a new course in his life by opening Deon and Associates, through which he began to sell motor vehicles.
After much thought, Daniel decided to branch off into real estate, a move he quickly learned would add greatly to his success.
His first property sale was at Paradise Estates, which propelled him to partner with Reginald Kawaja in the development of Paradise Villas in the parish of St. Thomas. A total of 32 homes were constructed in that first project.
The wheels of his career continued rolling and Daniel realized his potential to grow much further. His next major project, Fern Hill Gardens, began in 2000 and to date has seen over 40 homes constructed on roughly 100 acres of land.
He would go on to introduce beachfront properties in 2004, naming them Nelson Spring Beach Villas & Spa.
The challenges in this development seemed overwhelming at first, but the returns on Daniel’s investment were soon actualized. Within four years, Daniel successfully marketed his high-end tourism product around the world, leading to large amounts of revenue for the island of Nevis.
Daniel told SKNVibes that he was moved when he first learnt that he was to be honoured by the NEVDC. He noted his gratitude to Nevisians abroad who can look at the recent developments on the island and realize the impact his work has had on the Federation.
“It is very challenging, especially because we have to import everything that we need. But with the challenges, I would like the government to see that we don’t have to look overseas for this kind of investment. We have the skill and the quality right here,” Daniel stated.
Currently, Daniel is working on Nelson Spring Phase II, another beach front property that will include about 66 condominiums. He has also made a proposal to build a park for the fishermen of Cotton Ground, the details of which are still in the planning phases.
