Charlestown Nevis (September 28, 2005) -- A mother from the Nisbett Settlement, St. James Parish, is stunning the many well wishers who go to congratulate her for being the mother of the only child delivered on Independence Day in Nevis this year. They are surprised when they find out that it is her second Independence Day baby.

Minister of Health, Gender and Social Affairs in the Nevis Island Administration, and the St. James parliamentary representative in the Nevis Island Assembly, the Hon Mrs Jean Harris, is one such well wisher, who on visiting Mrs Sheryl Brookes at her No 1, Nisbett Settlement home for an unrelated issue got pleasantly surprised.

According to Mrs Harris, who is a retired nurse, Sheryl and her husband Clive had called her to solve a health related problem and on arrival at their home, she realised that they had a newly born baby, and on enquiring, was told that the baby boy had been born on Independence Day at the Alexandra Hospital.

When I came here I realised that Sheryl had another Independence Day baby, remarked a surprised Mrs Harris. Maybe she is not too far off but having one and having two the possibility is she might get a third Independence Day baby.

The Independence Day child scored a first, having been the first baby born in the Nisbett Settlement, a housing project that was put up by the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation as part of its affordable housing scheme devised by the Nevis Island Administration around the island.

Remarked Mrs Harris: Everyone living at the Nisbett Settlement moved in from elsewhere, but Sheryl's child is the first one born in this Settlement and all people of St. James have joined me in sharing our joy with this proud mother and her history making baby.

The Minister observed that she had known Clive all his life, as he was a close family friend, while even though Sheryl was born to Kittitian parents in St. Kitts, I have known Sheryl's father and mother, having worked in St. Kitts and I believe I was on the ward when she was delivered. When she was delivered I was at the maternity in St. Kitts.

Mrs Sheryl Brookes, who works for the prestigious Four Seasons Resort's Banqueting Department, had three children prior to her marriage to Mr Clive Brookes, who also works for the Four Seasons Resort in the Villa/Landscaping Department. Sheryl's first child, Akeem Parris, is an Independence Day child, having been born on September 19, 1991. 

She told Government Information Service that even though she was expecting her fourth child, and first for her husband, she did not anticipate that it would be born on Independence Day as she had been informed during prenatal clinics that the baby would be born around September 28.

I guess he was fed up and he wanted to come out earlier, said a humorous Sheryl. I developed labour on Sunday September 18 and I was taken to the hospital. He was born the following day, Monday September 19 at 12:30 pm. I was not looking forward to another Independence Day baby. As a result, I said, thank you Lord.

The child was given the names Deandré Clevaughn Samuel Brookes, and according to an overjoyed first time father, Mr Clive Brookes, I am very happy for my first child. The only thing that did not go very well is the fact that having waited for him to born after I took the mother to the hospital, he ended up being born in my absence. He waited until I was home.