Showered with praise by co-workers
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HISTORY was made at Kajola Kristada yesterday (Jul. 19) when for the first time in the existence of that company’s Employee of the Month (EOM) programme, a member of the Technical Department has captured the EOM title. And even more exciting is the revelation that the June 2013 winner of the award is a man.
Sometime last week, Stevenson ‘Howie’ Liburd arrived for work and, as is the custom, he began to execute his duties. It was his expectation that the day would play out as many other had but a surprise was in store for him; one that would leave him speechless.
“I was in the workshop and then my manager told me that HR wanted to see me. So I went to see Mrs. James and when I got there she told me to come back in 15 minutes. When I got back to her all the supervisors began entering the room one by one. While I was there I said anytime you are called to HR and all these supervisors are in the room you have to question the motive.
“While I was there Mrs. James revealed to me that I am the Employee of the Month and all the supervisors had voted for me. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t say anything; up to now I haven’t said anything. It was such an emotional experience! I couldn’t say anything but the tears just started coming out of my eyes…”
Liburd is the second man to have won Kajola’s Employee of the Month title since the programme began some six years ago. And according to Liburd, he views his accomplishment as a stepping stone for the other workers of his department.
“We look at it as a breakthrough for the Technical Department because no one in that department has ever won that title. So it is like I opened the door for all the others there.”
Liburd’s manager Alfred Hendrickson congratulated him on his accomplishment and described him as an example for the men of Kajola Kristada.
“Howie is well-rounded. He has the ability to perform at the highest level as the job requires...electrical, mechanics and anything else in between. He has been a source of inspiration for my department.
“If you look throughout this nation in particular, you would realise that even in school women are leading in terms of academics and the same hold true in manufacturing. And we are very limited, in that we are less than 10 percent of the staff. So when a man steps up and proves that he can be a part of that group, it makes me feel good. Howie is one of those people who make me feel very proud.
“Well done and continue to strive for excellence because there is a lot of room at the top, aim for that!”
Liburd told this publication that he has to offer thanks to a number of individuals without whose assistance he would not have achieved this goal.
“I would like to say thanks first of all to God and then to all the associates and management of Kajola who have made this possible for me. Thanks to them for giving me the chance to come and work for them five years ago. And now it is good to see that all the hard work I put in hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Thanks to machinist who supported me; Mr. Woods, Alfredo, Quamie and all those who were there for me during the time.”
Liburd tried to hide it from the camera but it almost seems as though a smile was permanently plastered across his face while being showered with compliments and congratulatory remarks from his colleagues.
And though many of them dodged the camera lens, they spared not in encouraging Liburd to strive for excellence.
Congratulations, Stevenson Howard ‘Howie’ Liburd!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)