BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The St. Kitts Nevis Students Association
(SKNSA) of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus held its Annual General Meeting last Thursday, 16th February, 2006. With a large audience of the general membership in attendance, reports were presented by all members of the 2005-2006 Executive, which took office on March 1st 2005.
The Treasurer's Report delivered by Kelva Merchant was impressively detailed as it outlined a favorable financial position of the association, showing an almost 25% increase in finances after the current Executive's term in office. With the other Executive members discussing the duties and activities which fell under their various portfolios, President Jonel Powell identified the highlights of SKNSA's past year.
In April 2005 SKNSA set the highest standard with its Awards and Farewell Dinner which was held under the patronage of the Federation's Ministers of Education, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon.
Sam Condor and Premier the Hon. Vance Amory. Guest Speaker for the evening was Tapley Seaton Q.C. and a special award of merit was bestowed upon `Woody' Blackman for his contributions to St. Kitts and Nevis.
SKNSA celebrated its annual week of activities from October 9th to 15th, 2005. This week not only saw the launch the associations 2005-
2006 t-shirts "STRESSED?", and the return of traditional activities such as its highly anticipated food sale which included goatwater and the national dish, but it saw the introduction of some SKNSA firsts. During the week SKNSA hosted the first ever SKNSA Beer Lime and the first ever SKNSA Concert `A Cultural Fusion'.
SKNSA also found it necessary to give back to the community and in so doing has made a monetary contribution to the UWI HIV/AIDS Response Program UWIHARP.
SKNSA Returning Officer used the AGM to officially open nominations for the posts of the 2006-2007 Executive. The date set for elections is Wednesday 23rd February, 2006, and the new executive takes office on March 1st, 2006.
Finally, after some years of unsuccessful attempts, President Jonel Powell presented the general membership of SKNSA with a new draft Constitution. The Constitution is to be in accordance with that of the Guild of Students and will be voted on at the general elections of SKNSA on February 23rd, when a 2/3 majority of all voters is required for its adoption. The draft Constitution contains some 71 articles regulating the membership, the election and removal of officers, a code of conduct for executive members and amendment provisions amongst other headings. The draft even contains what President Jonel Powell calls a `secession clause', under art.
70 "Should the union of St. Kitts and Nevis cease to be united as one federation through the means of secession or any other form of separation allowed for by the Constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis, SKNSA shall continue to exist for the purposes stipulated in sections 2 and 3." Sections 2 and 3 of the draft provide for the fostering and facilitation of the university experience of students St. Kitts and Nevis and their representation.
