Nevis Ministry awards students for promoting Tourism
By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter, SKNVibes.com
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Some of the students who were awarded
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CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - STUDENTS who took time off to promote tourism in 2008 were awarded by the Nevis Ministry of Tourism yesterday (Dec. 8) and also treated to a high profile luncheon at a ceremony held at Occasions.
Prior to being presented with trophies, the students, drawn from all schools on Nevis, were addressed by Premier Joseph Parry, Chief Education Officer Jennifer Hodge, Research and Documentation Officer in the Ministry of Tourism Vanessa Webbe, and taxi operator Cavelle Jeffers.
Premier Parry told the students that tourism was important in all countries of the world. “In Nevis we depend almost and only on tourism,” he told attentive students. He said those who choose a career in tourism needed to serve with a smile.
He told the students to aspire to have their own businesses when they grow up. He also told them that hard work was not attractive to the modern day youth and advised that there was no short cut to success except “hard work and honesty”.
The Premier told the students to be in the forefront in keeping Nevis clean and “let us not litter…let us try to keep our villages and beaches clean”. He also urged them to enlist in combating crime, noting crime causes great destinations such as Nevis to be alienated by tourists should it continue.
The Chief Education Officer commended parents, students and teachers as well as school principals who had encouraged the students to participate in tourism activities during the year.
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Kelsia Liburd attire promotes tourism
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Hodge told the students that they have the potential to excel despite the negative influence around them. She called on parents to spend quality time with their children and said studies had shown that students whose parents spend time to encourage and support them in their education goals perform better than others.
The Feature speaker, taxi driver Cavelle Jeffers, was named the “star speaker” by students and guests. She gave the students an historical background of Nevis during her address, noting Admiral Nelson is only acclaimed locally for marrying a Nevisian woman. She said he was one of the greatest naval officers the world has ever known.
Jeffers also pointed out that one of Nevis’ historical issues not talked about was the fact that Alexander Hamilton could not attend the school across the road because his parents were not married.
She told those students who wish to choose careers in tourism that they must have the history of Nevis at their finger tips.
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Shelisia Glasford, the 2008 Youth Junior Minister of Tourism
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“Nevis does not operate in isolation,” she said and called on the students to read a lot and to be good listeners. She said every aspect of life in Nevis is touched by the tourist dollar.
She also told them to develop a culture where they could disagree without being hostile to each other. “I do not compete with people, I compete with myself. I try to do better…I have learnt to be tolerant, let us be honest. Keep away from crime.”
Webbe, the Research and Documentation Officer, told the students, “We are all proud of all our students who take part in our tourism awareness programmes. Whether you were an overall winner or not, we are proud of you for trying.”
