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Honourable E Robelto Hector is the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Cooperatives and Fisheries in the Nevis Island Administration
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The Honourable E Robelto Hector is the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Cooperatives and Fisheries in the Nevis Island Administration as well as the representative for St Paul’s in the Local Legislature. Next week the Nevis Reformation Party will be celebrating one year in office. Ron Daniel sat down with minister Hector to ask him about his accomplishments, his future goals and how different is it being a minister as opposed to an ordinary citizen?
Q:- Could you recap for us how it felt when you realized that you had won and that your party had won?
A:- Ron I really do not think that you can put that feeling into words. I was overjoyed yet still a bit frightened because you realized now that you have added responsibility as a Minister of Government that would have to play a major role in helping to run a country as opposed to when I was in opposition simply running my own law practice.
I still remember looking at my cell phone caller id when the first call came in from The Honourable Joseph Parry almost seconds after it was announced and realizing the enormity of the moment. I went down in prayer and asked God for guidance. Shortly after my brothers came over and embraced me and I cried as they congratulated me. I still couldn’t believe it and I guess all the emotions simply came out then and there.
Q:-How has life changed for you now as a public official as opposed to when you were in the private sector as a lawyer?
A:-The thing about the law is that you do a case and you may appeal the case if you didn’t win and it brings some closure to the matter perhaps the same day or shortly after the appeal. In politics it is totally different. You are talking here about some of the decisions that will be lifelong. As a public official it is a 24 hour work and it is much more demanding than what it was before. As a lawyer you get up and you prepare your case and if there are similarities in a particular case then you can use that as a model. As a public official it is almost as if there are new things daily. In the past year, I have never had a year that is the same so I have to keep preparing myself to deal with these myriad of challenges. I think in the end though, it helps you to grow more as an individual when you have these different issues to deal with on a daily basis.
Q:-You would have come to office with varied working experience as a former teacher, agriculture extension officer and lawyer.
How has that working experience assisted you in your new position as A Minister of Government?
A:-I think it has helped me to have compassion and to understand the responsibility that is on the shoulders of those who work within the various ministries. As an extension officer you would have worked with just the agricultural sector, but as a Minister you are interacting with people of all ages, in different ministries, on the other side of the political fence and people with varied concerns about different things. As a lawyer in my private life, I think that now in my public life you get to understand discipline and decorum even better. As a lawyer when you are in the court house the magistrate or the judge is in charge and you also have to conduct yourself in a certain way. The same goes for a politician. My background in law also makes me acutely aware of one’s limits as a public official as well as the rights of the people bearing in mind the principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law. Additionally as a lawyer you have to listen which is probably the best things that a politician can do. ~~Adz:Right~~
Q:- As Minister of Lands and Housing, you also assume the Chairmanship of the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation.
Could you speak to us of the new developments at the NHLDC since you assumed the chairmanship?
A:- I think what we have brought is a different concept to housing. We think that the client must have an option so what we have done is to present for the first time five (5) different designs for the prospective client to choose from. We have also built houses on private land if that is what the individual would want also based on the design they want. So one is not confined to just one design but they can choose. What we have is affordable houses and not necessarily just low income housing. We have done that to be able to service various income brackets. We have tried to extend villages like in Bath we have bought another five acres there and in Hamilton there is some government land there. Out of the new consultations regarding the Development Plan for the island of Nevis we realize that there will be a particular demand for housing in 2011. We have chosen a percentage of that FOR GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE. We have introduced the town house concept where you can have an investment opportunity where you live in half and rent the other half. . Some of our clients are a bit too old for the bank to grant them a loan over a long period of time. What we have done is to allow a relative to come forward to facilitate the loan.
Under the previous administration there was a 12% administrative fee that was added to the cost of land that the NHLDC sold. We have since removed that 12 % fee thereby making it cheaper for the people of Nevis. We have also reduced the cost of lands sold by the Pinneys Investment Development Agency and offered even cheaper prices of land to first time buyers so in some cases there has been up to a 20% discount in the cost of land especially if you are a first time buyer in addition to the 12% cost. So it is far to say that the same land is now 32% cheaper under the NRP for the first time buyer than it was under the previous administration.
Q:- I have many friends who want land and or houses. What is the procedure for acquiring same and where in Nevis can they expect to acquire same if they apply after this interview?
A:- The application process is rather simple and begins with a visit to the NHLDC office by the potential home owner, where one of our experienced and knowledgeable staff will assess their needs and educate them on the steps necessary to execute the request. We recognize that the desires and preferences of each potential home owner vary and as such we have dedicated an entire department, with proper resources towards this cause in hope of personalizing the service that we offer. The areas that are now available Eden Brown, Fothergills and Garniers in various plot sizes. So you can tell your friends to call the Corporation at 469-5951 or go in and visit them and they will look after them.
Q:- Outside of your responsibilities in the Ministry of Housing and Lands, can you briefly tell us of any major accomplishments in your ministry and or constituency since you assumed office a year ago?
A:- In Agriculture we brought to light one of the largest and most successful Open Days that we ever had. We saw technology at work for the first time. People saw Bio-Gas as an alternative and a host of other machines. In our constituency we have lighted the playing fields at Grove Park as well as at Ramsbury. At the Old Hospital Road, we have transformed that area from just being an overgrown and overrun cemetery to what is now seen as a natural park with gazebos and nicely manicured lawns for the patrons of the area and Nevis on a whole. We have also begun the Homework Help Program in Charlestown where students are able to get help from trained teachers in their weak areas. We have also looked at the drain situation in Charlestown and helped to alleviate some of the problems we had in draining in Charlestown.
Additionally we have moved to vermiculture in Agriculture and have employed the heavy use of technology in developing the agriculture sector among other things. We have also allocated lands for pig farmers and we are opening lands for livestock farmers down in Indian Castle. We have had extensive consultations with the Fisheries Co-operative with the hope of re-opening the Co-operative. We have had training in pottery and basketry by the co-operative unit. We have had the launching of the School Apex Junior Credit Union in the high schools. On another note we have identified a strip for the Drag Racing and we have also gotten costing for the construction of the Drag Racing strip from Surrey Paving. The bulk tanks that are in town we hope will shortly be removed. We have already provided lands for them to be relocated and we hope to see the relocation in the not too distant future. We have already had discussions with them to that end and it is my hope that that campaign promise can be shortly fulfilled. You will know also that we have secured 10 million dollars from Social Security for Civil Servants who wish to build new homes or to renovate their homes. They will be able to borrow this money at significantly reduced interest rates. This was a proposal that the Social Security Board had available to the former administration but they never took it up. We have taken it up to ensure that Civil servants can have their houses built at a cheaper cost to them. We have already approached BNTF about securing funds for the refurbishing of the Charlestown market so it is our wish that a deal with them can be consummated soon and that we can begin the process of transforming the image of the market.
Lastly and of interest to the people of Charlestown in particular is that we have already identified a bit of land for the construction of a Community Center in Charlestown.
Q:- For the past decade, the word across certain parts of the Caribbean is that agriculture is dead and the road to economic success is through tourism and the services industry. Is Agriculture dead in Nevis?
A:- No it is NOT dead at all. The idea is to ensure food security as a nation must also be able to feed itself. We intend to marry the industries of tourism and agriculture to maximize the benefits of tourism in the agricultural sector. We have already put a committee together with the help of the Inter-American Institute of Co-operation in Agriculture to achieve that. We have moved away from the production led system to market led production back in 1990 under the NRP through the help of Daniel Arthurton. In Nevis we are also looking to go to Agro processing where we can have seasonal crops like mango being used all year around through processing. That gives us an opportunity for export as well. We also need down the road for tourist to be able to walk into a restaurant or hotel and ask for a Nevisian breakfast thereby linking Agriculture to tourism.
~~Adz:Left~~
Q:- We have been informed via the media that a St Paul’s festival should be happening for the first time in September. Could you give us an update as to how are plans going and what can we expect to happen at this festival?
A:- We are looking at the independence weekend. So far we have not been able to attract a sponsor. Cultural Preservation is key to this festival. We are looking to remember stalwarts of Charlestown both past and present who have through their toil helped top develop Charlestown. They must be remembered and saluted at this festival. Additionally you would realize that this festival is one of other such village festivals in the country to revive our culture and cultural art forms in the various constituencies. It is actually a festival geared towards capturing and building into our creative experience. We want that out of Culturama we are able to showcase elements of our culture. We will look at the heroes of Charlestown and see how we can better Charlestown as a united constituency.
Q:- You are an elected representative as well as a Minister in the newly elected NRP led NIA with certain responsibilities but you are also a part of a team of individuals responsible for running the affairs of the country. How do you see your role as a member of the NIA en masse?
A:- I see myself as a facilitator in that I channel the requests of the people through government to make it a reality. I also see myself as a team player in making sure that the overall goals and objectives of the party as a government are being met. I am just a little part of the collective whole. We are all in this together and together we hope to move Nevis upwards and onwards.
Q:-If you had the chance to turn back the hands of time, would you want to be an elected representative and a servant of the people as their Minister?
A: - I would have perhaps wanted to enter politics a little earlier.Parliament to me has never been able to attract enough young people. . I would want Nevisians then to have access to tertiary education at an earlier age so that they can return and give service to their country at an earlier age.
There is nothing wrong with this. We have not given young people a chance to voice their opinion in the Honourable House. The Honourable Patrice Nisbett would have been a member of the Federal House just before he was 29 but apart from that we have not been able to attract many more.
This is still old in comparison to places like St Lucia, Dominica and Barbado where we have people in their early twenties contesting elections.. In Dominica we had the Honourable Roosevelt Skerritt becoming Prime Minister of Dominica at 31 and becoming a minister at 28 while the now deputy Prime Minister of Barbados the Honourable Mia Mottley became an opposition senator at the age of 26 so it is obvious that people in their 20’s are not too young.
Q:- Is there anyone you would like to thank and or anything else that you would like to say before we end this interview?
A: - I would like to thank the people of Charlestown for their confidence in me. I would like to reserve special thanks for the executive of the Nevis Reformation Party for entrusting their confidence in me to represent the party in Charlestown. I must also thank those people who actually voted for me in the last election. I take that very seriously because the majority could have voted for the other candidate but they chose me and for that I want to thank them and let them know that I look forward to continue serving them to the best of my ability.
I would like to thank my teachers from the early stages right up. I would also like to thank my classmates and my family for their strong support. I would like to thank My Pastor, Eric Maynard for his guidance over the years and all the well wishers and supporters of the Nevis Reformation Party who have always lifted my spirits by engaging them. I love them all. I love all the people of Charlestown.
I wish to say here that my office is always open upstairs the former Administration building in Charlestown and I welcome anyone whether in Charlestown or in Nevis who wants to have a word with me to come right in. I welcome all of your comments moving forward. I also want to say that if you as my employers see that I am making a mistake in something, that you can always approach me or give me a call so that I can do things the right way.
