The following is a notice from the Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC) concerning an extended deadline for submission of the Request for Information (RFI) for the Nevis Geothermal Energy Project.

Request for Information (RFI)

Nevis Geothermal Energy Project

ADDENDUM No. 1

Date: 20-September-2022

Page 4, Line 20

Replace:

“Responses to this RFI should be sent to geothermal@nevlec.com on or before 16:00 Nevis local time September 20, 2022, and at the same time the submission should be sent to CDB [Caribbean Development Bank]  information at seu@caribank.org.”

With:

“Responses to this RFI should be sent to geothermal@nevlec.com on or before 16:00 Nevis local time September 27, 2022, and at the same time the submission should be sent to CDB for information at seu@caribank.org.”

Note:

This Addendum extends the deadline for submission of responses to the RFI for the Nevis Geothermal Energy Project by a week from September 20, 2022, to September 27, 2022. This will allow NEVLEC to respond to questions that have been submitted by prospective bidders.

Responses to all questions from prospective bidders will be issued September 23, 2022.

For more details on the initial notice which was posted on September 09, 2022, kindly follow the link below:Nevis Electricity Company Limited – RFPs (nevlec.com)

Nine persons were honoured for their contributions to the development of Nevis and St. Kitts and Nevis at the 39^th Anniversary Independence Day Ceremonial Parade & Awards Ceremony, on September 19, 2022, at the Elquemedo T. Willett Park.

Mr. McLevon Tross was awarded for his contribution to Agriculture; Mrs. Hyacinth Hendrickson and Mr. Ulrick E. Morton for their contribution to Business; Mr. Steve Reid Sr. for his contribution to Culture; Mrs. Ermileta Elliott and Mr.  Anthony Jones for their contribution to Education; Ms. Lorraine Archibald for her contribution to Health; Mr. Rohan Claxton for his contribution to Music; and Ms. Eldaria Jones for her contribution to Tourism.

Each awardee was presented with a plaque by Her Honour Mrs. Hyleeta Liburd, Deputy Governor General of Nevis in recognition of their contribution to the development of Nevis and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis in his address expressed gratitude to the awardees.

“I commend our Independence Awardees… I thank each and every one of them for their tremendous contribution to the tapestry that is Nevis and St. Kitts and Nevis,” he said.

The St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla Trading and Development Company (TDC) Limited’s Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme, which was launched in 1981, has offered equal opportunities to children from poor families who are now making significant strides in nation building.

That is the view of one of the scholarship programme beneficiaries, fourth Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr Terrance Drew. He made the observation on Wednesday September 14 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort when he met a colleague beneficiary, and his ‘elder brother’, world acclaimed photographer Professor Valdon Tau Battice.

The St. Kitts born Mr Battice, who is a Professor at Guttman College of the City University of New York, was home as he was the featured speaker at the Prime Minister’s Independence Lecture Series which focused on this year’s Independence theme – ‘Refocus, Re-create, Redesign: Independence 39’. It was held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort’s Ballroom.

“Tau and I benefitted from that programme (the Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme) as young school boys,” said Prime Minister Drew. “I started in 1989. When I went there I met Tau, the speaker for tonight’s event, and that scholarship was very, very important at that time.”

According to the Honourable Prime Minister, the Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme afforded them the opportunity to have school books, which was difficult for poor families to buy, and afforded them the opportunity to have school uniforms which were also difficult for poor families to buy.

“Tau had the opportunity to go to Convent School, back then which was quite beyond the means of a poor family,” said Dr Drew, who is the third medical practitioner to hold the position of Prime Minister. “That scholarship has really benefitted a number of us here in St. Kitts and Nevis, and Tau and I are examples. There are many more examples, many of whom have become professionals and leaders in their own rights, who are making significant impact not only locally but I know regionally and internationally.”

While Professor Battice had joined the scholarship programme in 1985, which enabled him to go through the Convent School, Dr Drew joined the scholarship programme in 1989 and it covered five years of his high school education at the Basseterre Junior High School and Basseterre High School and two years at the Sixth Form College, currently the CFBC.

The Honourable Drew, who made history after the August 5 elections being the first time a new entrant into parliament has become a Prime Minister, said that he will always be grateful as the scholarship gave support to young promising children who may not have all of the economic needs.

Apart from the financial support, the scholarship benefitted them tremendously, as it exposed them to soft skills training where they would be attached to the TDC offices and learnt how to answer telephones, learnt how to deal with people professionally, learnt how to deal with customer service, and how to operate in an office, and being exposed to the language of business and communication among others.

“So many of those things that Tau and I learnt that we may not have been able to learn in our own homes, we were able to learn in the TDC environment and those teachings have been with us and have carried us tremendously in our own personal lives,” said the Honourable Prime Minister.

He added: “So we want to thank the Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship for the opportunity and TDC by extension. And so to the students, I say that the world has a great deal of possibilities. There is a wide and open field for the wide awakened man and woman. Take advantage of it. We are living it.”

Prof Valdon Tau Battice praised the Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme which allowed him, a child from the ghetto as he referred to himself, the opportunity to attend the Convent School in 1985 which was at the time the most expensive private school on the island.

“The Warren Tyson Memorial Scholarship saw something in us,” said Professor Battice. “Look at us now – I mean, it is not responsible for what we became, but they put us in an environment that allowed us to make it. It was an environment of validation because for me that scholarship meant that you were bright, hence winning it over other people in the running. That is where I am now – gratitude.”

Present at the function was former CEO and Chairman of the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla Trading and Development Company (TDC) Limited, Mr Michael Morton, who though he retired in 2014 as Chairman, still remains a non-executive Director of the company.  

According to Mr Morton, the scholarship programme which was named after the first Chairman, Mr Warren C. Tyson, started in 1981 and is designed to assist and support students entering secondary schools across St, Kitts and Nevis. When Mr Tyson died in 1983, Mr Morton succeeded him. He had been with TDC since its inception in 1973 having worked for its processor J. W. Thurston and Company Limited where he had joined in 1966 as a technician.

“I was an Executive Director when Dr Drew and Professor Battice were all students,” said Mr Morton. “The scholarship programme was actually started by the Board of TDC, of which I was a part. I can tell you though, that other institutions where I had the privilege to serve such as Social Security, their programme mirrored the TDC Scholarship Programme, and today they have a very active scholarship programme, very similar to TDC. Many other companies followed the example set and so I would say we planted a seed and that seed germinated and tonight we are seeing some of the fruits from those seeds which were planted”

The following is the full text of an address by Hon. Mark A. G. Brantley, Premier of Nevis on the occasion of the 39th Anniversary of the Independence of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Fellow citizens, residents and visitors,

I greet you once again as we celebrate 39 years of nationhood. On this day of jubilation, we thank God for the bountiful mercies that He has bestowed upon us since we embarked on this journey on the 19thof September, 1983. His matchless love, guidance and direction have been a beacon and inspiration to us over the 39 years.

For every citizen of St. Christopher and Nevis, at home and abroad, today is a very special day and, for some, even sacred. It is a day of introspection, when we reflect with great delight and satisfaction on what we have been able to accomplish with hard work, self-belief and self-reliance. It is a time when we celebrate the accomplishment of our citizens in all of their human endeavours. It is a very special day when our patriotism soars and we adorn our workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods and homes with the colours of the flag with great pride and enthusiasm.

Independence, however, is a much broader concept.  It is neither fixed nor finite- it is a constant and dynamic journey. For us, it is the culmination of centuries of struggle from slavery to emancipation, from emancipation to nationhood. On this day, we honour our ancestors, who displayed uncommon valor and who sacrificed greatly in their noble quest for liberty and self-determination.  They refused to compromise or settle for personal gain; they were committed to a free and sovereign St. Kitts and Nevis.  Our celebration today is a tribute to all those who fought for our freedom and may the fruits of their labour never be taken for granted.

Our independence this year is being celebrated under the theme ‘Refocus, Re-create, Redesign: Independence 39’. This theme is quite appropriate since it reflects the realities of our time. We are living in a world which is changing at a neck-breaking and dizzying pace. We are forced to constantly adjust our approach and response to challenges and adversities. For the past three years almost, we have been stymied by a pandemic that wreaked havoc globally.  It is now time for us to refocus, re-create and redesign if we are to rebound and move beyond this dreaded scourge.

As a nation, we have made tremendous strides over our 39 years of nationhood. Prior to our independence, our economy was largely agrarian. Today, not only are we promoting food security through increased food production but we have diversified our economy through tourism, financial services, and now a movie industry.  We are now on the cusp of realizing our aspiration of a renewable energy sector, which will become a reliable pillar of our local economy.

Before independence, our social sector was haphazard and, at times, even comatose. Thirty-nine years on, we have a vibrant and nimble social safety net that responds to the needs of our elderly, poor, indigent, marginalized and at-risk. We have earned respect and admiration for the progress that we have made in health and education.

As a colony, our infrastructure was fragmented and solely facilitated the economic and political ambitions of our colonizers. Today, our development is people-centered.  The services of our roads, water and electricity reflect the needs and aspirations of our people. Prior to nationhood, our ambition of home ownership went largely unfulfilled. Thirty-nine years later, home ownership, for many of us, is no longer an unfulfilled dream- it is a reality.

Our 39 years of nationhood have not always been filled with roses and rainbows, but rather, our journey, at times, has been mired with challenges. Like our ancestors, we have never allowed our challenges to define or overwhelm us.  On the contrary, with a strong and abiding faith in God, we have confronted our challenges with courage and confidence, knowing that our resilience, resourcefulness and resolve will see us through.

Today we are still plagued by many of these challenges or the threat of them. These include crime, natural disasters, debt and diseases. In confronting these challenges, we must exploit the vast resource of our inner being that we possess. I speak of that resolve and tenacity that has defined us over the years. Our self-confidence and our robust determination to excel and succeed.

It is these resources of inner wealth that have made a difference over the years. These resources have ensured that we triumph and overcome all adversities. It is these resources that have kept alive our hope for a better today and a greater tomorrow.

Fellow citizens, the 19th of September, 1983, was a watershed moment in our nation’s history.  It meant that we now had our own national anthem and flag, the title of our head of state was changed from Governor to Governor General and the title of our head of Government was changed from Premier to Prime Minister.  Nevertheless, our independence is much more than the changing of titles, symbols, emblems or passports. The true essence of our independence is the liberation of our consciousness, the decolonization of our minds or, as Bob Marley puts it, the ‘emancipation of ourselves from mental slavery’.  It requires that we shape our own future and craft our own destiny. The essence of our independence means that, as a proud and strong people, we accept and respect our own – our local products, our food, our clothing, our entertainment, our way of life. It means that we disregard the notion that anything foreign is better than what we produce. True independence means that we remain faithful to the pursuit of excellence in all of our endeavours and, as our motto admonishes, we must put our country above ourselves.

Let us therefore resolve to create a shared prosperity for all who call Nevis their home; et us resolve to turn our challenges into opportunities; let us resolve to create a more peaceful, equal and just society. Let us resolve to play our part in writing a new and inspiring history of hope and optimism for St. Kitts and Nevis.

I close by asking God to give us the foresight and fortitude needed to continue our national odyssey. I have a deep abiding faith in the ability of all Nevisians to contribute to the success and prosperity of our island and our nation.  I do believe that greatness is ours and our best days are yet ahead. Happy Independence all and may God continue to be our mainstay and our guide as we navigate the journey ahead together as a people

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, September 14, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, will convene for a full Committee hybrid hearing entitled, “When Banks Leave: The Impacts of De-Risking on the Caribbean and Strategies for Ensuring Financial Access.” 

This hearing will include testimony from Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley on the impact of de-risking in the Caribbean. Prime Minister Mottley’s testimony in front of the House Financial Services Committee marks the first time in nearly 40 years that a Prime Minister will testify before Congress.

WHAT: Full Committee Hybrid Hearing

WHO: Committee on Financial Services, led by Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA)

The hearing will have the following witness:

First Panel:

·         The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, K.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Barbados; Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment; Minister of National Security and the Public Service (with responsibility for Culture and CARICOM Matters)

Second Panel:

·         Ms. Wendy Delmar, CEO, Caribbean Association of Banks

·         Mr. Wazim Mohamed Mowla, Assistant Director and Lead of the Caribbean Initiative, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, Atlantic Council 

·         Mr. I. Wayne Shah, Senior Vice President, Financial Institutions – Head of Caribbean Region, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and Executive Director, Financial & International Business Association (FIBA)

·         Mr. Amit Sharma, CEO, Founder, and Director, FinClusive

·         Ms. Liat Shetret, Director of Global Policy and Regulation, Elliptic

WHEN: Wednesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. ET

The hearing will be livestreamed at https://financialservices.house.gov/live/.

Due to the latest information available regarding COVID-19, hybrid hearings will take place in 2128 Rayburn House Office Building with a virtual option for all Members and witnesses to participate remotely. 
Visit https://financialservices.house.gov/calendar/ for the most up-to-date Committee schedule.

Acting Premier of Nevis Hon. Alexis Jeffers believes that the environment on Nevis has improved considerably thanks to the work of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

Mr. Jeffers made the comment while commending the staff at the official handing over ceremony of two SPV garbage trucks, one HE210 excavator and one HD22R bulldozer donated by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) on September 08, 2022.

“The environment here on Nevis, I believe, is much better as a result of the efforts of the management and staff here at the Solid Waste Management Authority. It is a much better service than it was 10 years ago, and I want to say that somewhere along the line the manager who manages the operations; the operation manager who sees about…deploying the trucks to various parts of the island, you yourselves, have to be commended…

“I want to thank you [management and staff] on behalf of the administration and the entire island of Nevis because your job is one that is done almost 24/7. There are breakdowns that take place. There are different challenges that you have to face from time to time and of course we don’t know about them but I can assure you, we know that it is being done because the complaints are not there,” he said.

In relation the equipment given to the Authority, Mr. Jeffers spoke of its importance to the island.

“The investment, I believe, is of importance to us and important to the island of Nevis…I’d say within the last five years at least, we have seen a transformation of the delivery of the service that has been offered through this entity, the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority,” he said.

Acting Premier Jeffers added that the additional equipment will assist the Authority’s finances. However, he stressed the importance of caring for them.

“In terms of the cost savings that the entity should enjoy, operation cost of course, first and foremost, that should be minimised. With new pieces of equipment, we expect that the cost of maintenance should be rather low or very low. While fuel prices are high these days, with new vehicles the consumption levels should be low as well. So in terms of the cost of fuel in these new equipment it should be minimised as well. Not only that, I believe if you were to take proper care of them, we will have a prolonged usage of these equipment over the years. So it is important to maintain these pieces of equipment so that we can have a long lasting use of them also.

“So I will say to you that this investment in and of itself, is one that we welcome; one that I believe was a must; and one I do believe is going to pay dividends in the long run,” he said.

Mr. Jeffers stated that the NIA stands ready to assist the Authority and any other statutory body. He wished the Authority a bright future in the delivery of its services.

“I want to wish the Authority well. I wish to express how proud I am of the efforts that have been executed over the years. I want to thank you as you go along this challenging journey, yes, but one that is of paramount importance to us.

“We want to wish you well and ask …God’s blessings and protection on you so that we can have a clean and healthy and sustainable environment on the island of Nevis,” he said.