Has major agenda to revitalize the community
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER being dormant for a number of years, the 42nd North Street Club has been resuscitated and its members are bent on making a positive difference within the St. Peter’s community.
President Michael Chapman, Vice President Michael Peets and Public Relations Officer Leon Harvey are working together to push the redevelopment of the club and by extension the entire community.
The group recently sat down with SKNVibes and gave an overview of where they want to take the area within which they grew up.
According to Chapman, the club was a very popular and integral part of St. Peter’s, but due to personal commitments and the lack of volunteerism from members, it became dormant. However, they have a master plan that would see the area become reinvigorated and self-sufficient.
Located on the outskirts of Basseterre, St. Peter’s is one of the popular areas in St. Kitts, owing to iconic sprinter Kim Collins and the large Green Vervet Monkey population that is integrated in the community.
Formerly known as the 42nd North Street Boys, the club was formed “organically in late 2000” when gangs were becoming popular in the Federation, according to the President.
He categorically stated that the group was formed with the aim of making a difference in St. Peter’s.
“Crew, squads and gangs were popping up and there were about 20 of us in the St. Peter’s area. We use to hang out by one of our friends who said Marcel David and people use to look at us as a gang and we kinda felt uncomfortable. From that we took the initiative to form a club. Back then we did a number of things in the community.”
Among the numerous activities that the club had organised, was the distribution of food hampers to the elderly within the community.
Unfortunately, as the group grew older, its members parted ways, but after looking at the state of the community they saw the need for change, Chapman explained.
Reflecting on the early days, he pointed out that from where the community was many years ago, it has since morphed into something totally different.
Chapman said he has seen the area grow on a daily basis.
He however declared that during its growth, there was little or no development opportunities for the youths in the area and that has been a growing problem, as it has created a sense of “hopelessness for the young people”.
“We definitely feel that now is the right time to revitalize the community and we have an agenda that would bring everyone together,” he said.
Against that backdrop, the club’s President disclosed some of the plans they have to make St. Peter’s one of the most talked about communities in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Firstly, they are looking to forge a partnership with the Dean Glassford Primary School, which they would adopt very soon.
“By adopting the education institution, we would need to have activities in the school. The first activity we plan to have is to bring back the St. Peter’s Actors [folklore group] from the primary school level,” Chapman said.
He stated that they met with some of the old members of that group and they have agreed to volunteer their time with the children, so that every Carnival the actors would be seen onstage.
They are also looking to partner with one of their members who has a group by the name of ‘WE in SKN – Women’s Empowerment in St. Kitts and Nevis’.
That group would be looking to host regular seminars with women from the community to harness their skills so that they can be independent entrepreneurs.
In addition to the aforementioned plans, the club members also have a number of set goals for youth development, empowerment of women and men, as well as the overall enhancement of St. Peter’s as an area for business activities.
All three members acknowledged that they are well aware that they have two opposing politicians in Constituency Eight, of which St. Peter’s is a part, - Parliamentary Representative Hon. Eugene Hamilton and St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party’s Caretaker, Dr. Terrance Drew.
They however declared that they want the club to remain apolitical and would not be affiliated to or endorse either candidate.
The 42nd North Street Club currently boast 30 members of which 23 are locally-based and others are residing in the Diaspora.
