RAMSBURY, Nevis, February 23, 2010 – Worshippers, among them political leaders, on Sunday appreciated non-nationals at the annual Appreciation Service held at the Shiloh Baptist Church, Nevis.
The Deputy Premier, Hon. Hensley Daniel, who represented the Premier of Nevis, Hon. Joseph Parry, told worshippers that all men are brothers and all women are sisters. “We can find a common ground. Blessed is the nation that trusts in God. We welcome non-nationals,” he said.
Hon. Daniel said the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) led-Nevis Island Administration (NIA) had on coming into power lowered work permits to the tune of EC$1,000 for non-skilled workers. He said the administration had also adjusted hospital charges for non-nationals by ensuring they pay equal fees like the local people.
The Deputy Premier said regional and global integration was a natural process and inevitable, and cited the clothes he was wearing. “All what I am wearing is made by non-nationals.” He said in yesteryears, Nevisians had migrated just like non-nationals have migrated from their countries of origin. He called on non-nationals to conduct themselves in a decent manner and reminded them to uphold all the laws of the land. “Let us love one another,” he said.
Hon. Michael Perkins reminded worshippers of the recent natural disasters in Monteserrat and Haiti and said disasters that have taken place elsewhere could take place on the island of Nevis. “We are no different,” he said, adding that should anything happen to Mount Nevis’ peak, Nevisians would have to be evacuated and would reside in other people’s countries and called on Nevisians to make non-nationals feel welcome in Nevis.
He however warned against non-controlled immigration, saying if such a trend was encouraged things might run out of control as Nevis was a small nation. He said increasing population of Nevis from 12,000 to 25,000 would burden health care, education and security.
Perkins caused some laughter when he told worshippers that during the period when he has not been on Nevis, he was in somebody else’s county and while there he had forgotten his preferred church shoes in that country. He was stressing that fact that immigration was inevitable.
Perkins thanked Shiloh Baptist Church’s Pastor Eric Maynard for coordinating the annual Non-Nationals Appreciation and said by inviting officials from both NRP and the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) to the Service, the Pastor of the church was seeking to improve the relationship between supporters of both parties.
Visiting USA Evangelist Gerald Fielder, who talked on the deity of Jesus Christ, said Jesus Christ did not come to bring political peace but came to bring peace in individual hearts. He described Jesus as the Righteous One, the Innocent One, the Redeemer and said all biblical prophets had testified of Jesus Christ. He also said Jesus had died and resurrected.
Evangelist Fielder told worshippers that separatist ministries were not supportive of what God intended for the evangelisation of the world and noted the biblical apostle Paul had preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in different parts of the world. Fielder, who is also an author, will have speaking engagements at the Shiloh Baptist Church every evening this week until Friday night to mark the Non-Nationals Appreciation Week.
