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Bronte Gonsalves accepting his award. Photo Provided |
The other eight awardees were Mr. Winston Skeete and Mr. Hendrick Wade in the area of Sea Transportation; Mr. Paul Lawrence and Dr. Bronte Gonsalves in the area of Education; Mr. Calvin Fahie and Mr. Nelson Stapleton in the area of Police Service and Mrs. Hilda Yearwood and Mrs. Essie Delashley in the area of Community Service. Mr. Paul Lawrence was also awarded in the area of Public Service.
Each honouree, who was exclusively interviewed by the Government Information Services vividly recalled their illustrious journeys in the career path they took.
Mr. Daniel said that as a youngster growing up and picking mangoes, genips and sour sop to sell at the market in St. Kitts, he would contribute some of the proceeds to his family and keep the rest for himself in aid of buying himself a bike.
“I never accomplished that, so I never had a bike in my life,” the businessman echoed with a smile. He noted that the lesson he learnt from that exercise had a great effect on his future career, which he began in 1991 with the building and selling of residential homes throughout Nevis.
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| Nelson Stapleton accepting his award. Photo Provided |
As an Educator, Dr. Bronte Gonsalves said that it becomes like a drug and believes that once you prepare your students, the environment and set the stage, and once you know what you are doing, when you wake up in the morning you cannot wait to get there.
“I always believe we were put on this earth for a purpose and at the end of everyday, we should reflect and ask what have I done to make this place better for someone else?” said Bronte, who expressed the significance of a teacher growing up.
Her counterpart, Mr. Paul Lawrence who was also awarded in the area of Public Service said that education rules the world, and believes that it is the main avenue for social mobility.
He is the proprietor of the Lyn Jeffers School, the only private secondary school on Nevis, and is well known for the role he plays in serving the youths of the country for the past seven years. He says he has never turned away anyone who needed his expertise in education.
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| Winston Skeete accepting his award. Photo Provided |
He worked with the Nevis Island Government in 1982 upon his returned to Nevis as an Inspector of Works, with responsibility for water, telephone and public works. He was instrumental in the implementation of the system of drilling wells and building reservoirs on Nevis.
Messers J Calvin Fahie and Nelson Stapleton were the first recipients to ever receive an award in the area of police service. These law enforcement officers presently retired with a total of seventy-one years and nine months of unbroken, unselfish, committed and dedicated contribution to the county.
Mr. Fahie gave 37 years and 4 days while Mr. Stapleton gave 34 years and 5 months to the community of St. Kitts and Nevis. Mr. Fahie gave 19 years of his sterling contribution to the Nevisian community from 1976 to 1995 before retiring on August 26, 2004.
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| Deon Daniel accepting his award. Photo Provided |
His illustrious journey began when he was enlisted as a Cadet and having gone through every rank in the police force, rose to the rank of Commissioner of Police on January 6, 1998.
On the other hand, Mr. Stapleton gave 34 years and 5 months of service to the community of St. Kitts and Nevis and saw him dedicating 24 of those years to the Nevisian community.
He was enlisted in the police service as a constable on August 16, 1969 and rose to the rank of Superintendent of Police, before retiring on February 10, 2004.
In the area of Community Service, Mrs. Essie Delashley can be seen as Nevis’ Mother Theresa who has served the communities from Bricklin to Hickmans for the past thirteen years and Mrs. Hilda Yearwood can be seen as a good Samarathan, serving the Nevisian community from abroad.
Mrs. Delashley is the brainchild behind the once weekly meals on wheel programme at the Manning Seventh Day Adventist Church and has been recognised as a Community Worker. She has held the office of Community Services Leader in her church for a number of years because of her dedication and commitment in this area of work.
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| Calvin Fahie accepting his award. Photo Provided |
When she is not seen tending to the needs of the elderly, she can be found working in her land on a daily basis. However, Mrs. Yearwood worked at the Alexandra Hospital as a nurse from 1959 to 1963 before migrating to the United Kingdom. Her career as a nurse in Nevis and England instilled in her a liking for humanity.
Thus, not long after living in Barbados, she began to assist fellow Nevisians who travel to Barbados seeking medical and surgical attention. She has no records of the number of Nevisians, whom she has assisted tremendously, in the area of providing boarding room, meals and a laundry service.
The area of Sea Transportation was also recognised by the Nevis Island Administration. Captains Hendrick Wade and Winston Skeete were both awarded. Mr. Wade has been by serving the people between St. Kitts and Nevis for the last 19 years and says that he just loves to work. He is the proprietor of M V Lady Mignon, a motor vessel he named after his beloved wife of 22 years.
As one of Nevis’ ‘Sea Creatures’, Mr. Wade in his spare time can be seen fishing since his obsession for the sea gives him satisfaction. He enjoys what he does and has purchased several vessels namely, Turtle Dove, Hermes and Uncle Den.
Mr. Skeete who has been sailing the Caribbean seas for the past 34 years, expressed his greatest moments as serving the people between the federation for the past 25 years. He recalls that one of his memorable experiences at sea was on August 1, 1970 when he was called upon to assist with the Christena Disaster.
He has held his captain certificate for the past seventeen years and commented that the competition between the islands is very healthy for the people. He however, loves his work and expects to continue the excellent service now and in the future.
