BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, AUGUST 15th, 2011 (CUOPM) – Saddlers-born Dr. Joseph Christmas was undoubtedly one of St. Kitts and Nevis’ most outstanding sons of the soil whose work in the twin-island Federation and abroad has left an indelible mark on the lives of many.
In a tribute posted on sknyahoogroups.com, prominent Kittitian Willa Franks wrote:
I recall meeting Dr. Christmas for the first time as a student in my final year at Basseterre High School when he came to speak to our 6th form class on the subject of “Water”. He had recently completed graduate studies in water management and was with the Government Water Department in St. Kitts. I recall this tall, strong looking man striding confidently into our classroom to speak to us, and being impressed with what was for all of us a fount of knowledge on the subject.
After serving for several years as Head of the Water Department in St. Kitts, he went on to pursue doctoral studies in hydrogeology, after which he joined UNICEF as a senior officer working for many years in Africa, in particular in the Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique.
He rose to the rank of Global Chief of Water at UNICEF, based in NY, and during his many trips to his constituencies abroad, in particular throughout Africa and Asia, I met him again on one of his visits through Geneva, where I was based at the time. He later became the Resident Representative for UNICEF based in Sao Tome and Principe in Africa.
His work has been acclaimed in many parts of Africa, bringing water, a critical ingredient of life, to many villages and communities there. He pointed out once how clean drinking water was pivotal not only to development but to fighting diseases, as was the case in St. Kitts and Nevis in the 1950s and 1960s, in large part due to universal access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation.
He recounted some of the harrowing trips he had to make, as UNICEF Resident Representative in Africa, to areas of armed conflict where not only the logistics of reaching communities were a challenge, but what you found there among those still alive could upset the strongest of men; and his work negotiating for the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the delivery of food and other vital supplies to communities that had been cut off due to armed conflict.
After his years of distinguished service to the United Nations, he retired and returned home, but later came back in the role of St. Kitts and Nevis’s Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Nations based at headquarters, NY. There we re-established contact and developed a very good professional friendship.
One of his achievements as Ambassador to the United Nations was his enhancement of the St. Kitts and Nevis Mission itself and the professional work of the office, which received recognition among UN member states and among the CARICOM group there.
He laid the foundation for the election of St. Kitts and Nevis to the 54-member UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations; this from among the 192 Member States of the United Nations. Membership on this important UN body showed the confidence of the international community in the ability of this small country to make an effective contribution to the work of the Council.
Staff from St. Kitts and Nevis who trained and worked under Dr. Christmas also subsequently have gone on to serve within the wider UN itself, including in the Office of the President of the General Assembly. I was pleased to collaborate with him and his team on presentations to both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council where he made the first presentation by St. Kitts and Nevis on the issue of small arms and light weapons and its effect on the country, and where he sought assistance from the international community to combat the scourge.
This is an area where I believe he felt more work needed to be done; and that if Missions were to be able to fulfil their proper role in serving their country abroad, their staff must be well trained, suitably qualified and professional in their work regardless of what level they were at and that the work of the Mission must at all times reflect integrity and professionalism. Without these qualities among its staff and in its operations, the Mission could not properly undertake what it is intended to do. I know he made proposals to effect such changes.
Joe Christmas was not a person given to idle talk and chatter. He was a serious person and took his work very seriously and did not appreciate those who might try to compromise his work. His demeanour clearly attested to that. Yet he had a very good sense of humour and seemed to me to have a very deep understanding of human beings and human nature.
I found him to be a deeply spiritual person and he spoke of reading the bible daily and was a person who believed in prayer. He revealed that at one time he had wanted to be a Pastor.
He also loved poetry and could recite long lines from many famous and not so famous poems which for him carried personal significance. I believe this helped him over the years to withstand many challenging experiences he encountered during the course of his work.
Dr. Christmas never forgot his humble beginnings and often spoke about it and about the persons and experiences that moulded his progress in life.
Among his heroes were his parents and in particular his mother from whom he may have developed his grit and determination and passion for hard work; of her efforts as a self-employed agriculturist to supplement the family income to support her large and growing family and to also contribute to her church and community.
He also gave much credit for his academic achievements to Mr. George Bradley of St. Kitts, now residing in Nevis, who spurred him on from the time he was a student of Mr. Bradley’s in elementary school, through his years as a pupil teacher.
Later, Mr. Bradley encouraged him to attend Erdiston Teachers’ Training College in Barbados and continued when he pursued his undergraduate studies at UWI, Mona Jamaica, his graduate studies in the UK and USA and his doctoral studies at UWI, as Mr. Bradley himself moved from teaching and rose through the ranks of the Government Civil Service to the level of Permanent Secretary.
Experiences from Dr. Christmas’s own life also prompted him later to make a substantial personal financial donation to the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) at the Development Bank in St. Kitts for start up micro-businesses that could benefit the “small man/woman” and his/her family.
He felt strongly that everyone, no matter where they are in life, should be encouraged and be provided with the opportunity to better themselves. Sometimes, access to even a modest amount of financing may be all that is needed.
While serving as Ambassador in NY, I invited him once to attend a Service of Song programme organized by the St. Kitts and Nevis segment of the congregation at the Church I attend in Harlem, New York where he was called on without foreknowledge to address the audience.
He gave a very inspiring address aimed in particular at the younger members of the audience, outlining his progress in life and admonishing them to set goals and work hard towards achieving them; that they would be surprised at what they could achieve in time.
It was very well received. I don’t remember if it was then, or on another occasion, that he outlined how he came to pursue studies in “water” at University. It was purely by accident. It seems even more interesting that he chose “water”, as he was born in the month of February, the “water” sign of Aquarius, for those who believe in those things.
After retiring from diplomatic service, he resettled in St. Kitts where he again made his services available to government in the area of his great passion - Water. He has been instrumental in helping government draw up and pass legislation to safeguard the water table in St. Kitts, including through the strict zoning/prohibition of certain developments or activities that could pollute or negatively impact our water supply, and so help preserve one of our most precious natural resources.
On more than one occasion I suggested to him, as I am sure others did, that he should write his memoirs. I don’t know if he ever started them; but even without them, his legacy will forever be seen and remembered by many whose lives he touched.
He was ailing for some time, and now he has gone to the great beyond. To his family, and in particular, to his mother, his wife, his children and his siblings, I offer sincere condolences on behalf of my husband, myself and family, wish them God’s peace and comfort and pray that his soul would rest in eternal peace.”
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