The position of a journalist is in some ways similar to that of an opposition politician. Each one can advocate a course of action but neither is in a position to carry it out. On occasions it is my hope that an Administration back away from certain announced intentions or conversely that they do undertake and carry out specific things which they do not appear to be contemplating. An example of the former is the oil storage depot, about which many voters have serious concerns.
Always I try to give the facts accurately and simply and then sometimes provide suggestions and opinion. No one, particularly those in public life who have a reputation to establish or maintain likes to be ‘told’ what to do. In the case I am about to discuss I am truly puzzled why one elementary step, beneficial to the people of Nevis and to the Administration has not yet been taken. Why is there still no full time Head Chef at the Charlestown Primary School (CPS) Kitchen to replace Curtis Smithen? Here is some background.
It has long been declared NRP policy to have a school meals programme. Their Agenda for 1997 stated, ‘Hot lunches will be provided at all Primary Schools on the Island’, and when that Party formed the Government, their first budget in December 2006 referred to ‘provision of lunches in the Primary Schools’. Subsequently Premier Parry has on several occasions claimed as a credit to his Administration the provision of nutritious lunches in various primary schools.
The last event of substance was the opening of the CPS Cafeteria and Kitchen. That kitchen was the result of an unofficial informal loose partnership between the Administration and ‘The Private Initiative’, comprised of myself, Hastings Daniel and chef Mark Roberts. The arrangement worked. The Administration provided a cafeteria whose allotted kitchen space was designed to receive the equipment the Private Initiative intended to provide. With the help of skilled volunteers we assembled and fitted all the equipment.
No one was a recognized kitchen and catering fitter. The job was not easy, but the result was a proper professional kitchen. It was handed over to the School Principal at a ceremony on April 25th 2012. The Administration’s website records some of what was then said by the Area Representative Hon. Robelto Hector: ‘By starting with our Primary Schools it is a great step towards preventing under nourishment in our society…
We are indeed making a conscious effort to secure our nation’s health and ensure there is a decrease in the overall disability and death within one generation… Through our school feeding programme we can aim to decrease the great cost associated with health related programmes… We must not forget that the primary assumption of any school feeding programme is that education and learning depends on good nutrition’.
I cannot fault these statements. Unfortunately they are only words. The critically necessary action required fully to implement this policy is missing. In an article published in May 2011 I wrote: ‘However optimistic and enthusiastic anyone may be about the future production of this kitchen, it will depend upon the character, experience and competence of the person appointed as Head Chef and to a lesser extent upon his/her deputy or sous chef… It is the Ministry’s responsibility to find that perfect Head Chef and deputy.
Since the job involves the production and service of up to, say, 350 healthful, palatable lunches within a limited time, our chef must have had relevant high volume experience. He has to be good with people, and be able to teach, as he will train his staff, give lessons to pupils and give refresher courses to other schools’ cooks.
As time goes on the work of this kitchen will influence the diet, lifestyle and health of Nevisians. It will be famous in the Caribbean, another Nevis FIRST. That is my hope. This can happen if Nevis, Government and the community, wants it and works persistently, intelligently and passionately towards that goal’.
The School Meals Director, Earline Maynard, and the CPS cooks are doing well but the programme is to an extent now on a plateau and it cannot improve and make the kind of impact that we would wish for it until an appropriate Head Chef is in charge. It is not easy to find such a person on our small island. But by extraordinary good fortune one is available. Indeed he, or perhaps she, let us say he, was interviewed for the position in early September. I have not met, spoken to or written to this individual, but I know that he is well qualified, of good reputation, and is prepared enthusiastically to undertake the task, which would include, with Earline Maynard, some supervision of the programme in other schools.
His letter of application which has come to me via the Department states his vision to be the development of a programme that encourages the collaboration of healthy living at school, at play and at home. He wants the kitchen to be a place where children are welcomed on a regular basis to learn and observe how the programme is managed. He would organise competitions among young primary school chefs. He would expect that even the kindergarten children would learn to bake cookies (breads etc.) which they would with pride share with their families.
He envisages a strong bond with the community to be accomplished by regular communication with the families and with donors, by developing a volunteer programme, producing a quarterly newsletter, sending out regular press releases, inviting NNC and other media houses to lunch. There is much more. He says he believes that nutritious foods are important for healthy growth and development in childhood and are known to reduce the risk of health problems in later years. In other words he has the right attitudes and is most enthusiastic.
The Administration shares these beliefs and that is why it is unexpected and strange that they have not rapidly contracted this gentleman. Is it election paralysis? If something should be done, why wait? The electorate may or may not choose to extend the current Administrations time in office. There is an investment of, say, two million dollars in the CPS Cafeteria and Kitchen. We need not only to have a professional in charge of the equipment, but someone to justify that large investment by operating the programme, with vision, to capacity.
I have understood, but without solid evidence, that the Administration do not wish to pay more than for a middle ranking civil servant. But a chef is a chef with an international skill. If he can get, say EC$10,000.00 per month in hotels or restaurants, the Administration cannot expect him to show interest at say EC$5,000.00. The Ministry of Health with much fanfare has recently purchased a dialysis machine for US$200,000.00. This will, provided it remains operational, ameliorate the life threatening kidney failure of those diabetics whose condition has deteriorated to that stage. Providentially they are not numerous. If such an investment can be made to alleviate the sufferings of these unfortunates, surely such a small scale investment as the employment of a chef has to be a priority.
The goal is a Nevis Health Revolution, the first stage of which is the provision of healthy lunches in Primary Schools and later in Secondary Schools. School breakfasts, cooking lessons for children, refresher courses for all Primary School cooks, nutritional education, involvement of the community and of donors, connection with local farmers, alteration of eating habits at home are all matters which can be brought about by a combination of a CPS Head Chef, the Director of School Meals, the Cooks and School Principals. Without that Chef the programme does not develop in the significant way that we should all wish for it. The success of the programme will save many millions of dollars in health care. It was this that Robelto Hector was referring to in his CPS speech.
Surely announcing a contract with a proper chef and thus giving a big boost to the SMP and the idea of a Nevis Food and Health Revolution, even at this stage, could be a vote catcher. People welcome a social programme of clear benefit to hundreds of children and through them, their families. Opportunity is not known to knock twice. A job vacancy and an applicant have to coincide. Former applicants make other commitments, as we all do, when one avenue appears closed another is found. To use the proverb ‘Strike while the iron is hot!’
I have written this rather mild reasoned request/suggestion, but what I actually think is that the Administration would be seriously irresponsible not to make every effort to sign up this chef immediately. This the only way to go up a level and have the influence of the programme spread beyond the school, into other schools and into the homes of Nevisians so that they will want to make healthy food choices and bring about for themselves the resulting benefits, principally the greatly diminished risk of all of the non communicable diseases.
Syndicated columnist
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
