By: Spokesman Newsroom

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 18th September 2025) – “The struggle of our National Heroes was never for themselves alone; it was for generations yet unborn, for us. Their vision was not bound by their time but stretched toward the promise of a resilient, prosperous and united people.”

So said Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew during his presentation delivered on the occasion of National Heroes Day-Tuesday 16th September 2025 at the annual ceremony held at the National Heroes Park, as he called on citizens and residents to embody the spirit of the nation’s heroes.

The ceremony was held in observance under the banner of the Federation’s 42nd Anniversary of Independence calendar of events, celebrated under the theme “Perpetual Progress – A Sustainable Future in View: Independence 42.”

Dr. Drew paid tribute to the nation’s five National Heroes, who “together form the pillars upon which our Federation stands… Each gave us a piece of the foundation.”

Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, he noted, “showed us that freedom is born of courage and sacrifice.”

Sir Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell taught that “progress is measured by how far it reaches into every home and uplifts every worker.”

Sir Joseph Nathaniel France reminded the nation that “the health of a nation is inseparable from the health of its people.”

Sir Simeon Daniel secured for Nevis “a place of dignity and self-determination within our Federation, ensuring that our two islands would always rise together.” 

In relation to Sir Kennedy Alphonse Simmonds, the country’s first Prime Minister and only living National Hero, PM Drew said the nation sees “resilience and perseverance embodied. His steady hand guided us into sovereignty and continues to inspire us as we navigate the complexities of a changing world.”

PM Drew emphasized that the foundation laid by these leaders was built on the sacrifices of ordinary men and women whose resilience made change possible.

“Our ancestors, once enslaved, dared to dream of liberty. Our forebears, labourers and teachers, dared to demand justice. It is their collective strength, the unheralded heroes, that gave our National Heroes the foundation upon which to build,” he said.

Looking forward, PM Drew identified the modern challenges facing the Federation: ensuring prosperity, sustainability, and fairness for all.

“Today, our challenge is not the yoke of colonialism or the denial of sovereignty. Our challenge is how to secure a future that is both prosperous and sustainable, how to ensure perpetual progress,” he told the audience.

Furthermore, he outlined the path forward as one rooted in environmental stewardship, renewable energy, economic transformation, and social protection, while underscoring that sustainability must place people at the center.

“A sustainable future is one where no young person feels left behind, where workers earn fair wages, where entrepreneurs can innovate, where families can thrive, and where our culture and heritage continue to flourish as living testaments to who we are,” he affirmed.

PM Drew issued a challenge for all to commit themselves to the unfinished work of nation-building.

“Let us pledge to build upon their sacrifices by writing the next chapters of our national story with courage, purpose, and determination. For we are the inheritors of their vision. And we are the stewards of their dream. When future generations look back at us, let them say: we honoured the past by securing the future.”

By: Precious Mills 

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Wednesday 17th September 2025)-“The realization that we needed trade unions, and not just trade unions, strong trade unions,” was described as a significant outcome of the sugar estate workers riot of the 1935 Buckley’s Uprising, according to well-known educator and media personality Toni Frederick-Armstrong. 

She made the remarks during the ‘Legacy of the Nation’ event put on by the St. Christopher National Trust’s ‘Legacy of the Nation’ event, held on National Heroes Day -Tuesday 16th September 2025-at the National Heroes Park in Conaree as part of the Independence 42 Calendar of Events. 

 “Probably- in my mind -one of the most, if not the most, significant recommendation of the Moyne Commission was the realization that we needed trade unions, and not just trade unions, strong trade unions. So, they recommended that trade unions be legalized, recognized and strengthened to the point where they even recommended that leaders be sent overseas to learn about negotiating skills and that sort of thing. They understood that had unions been there, you were less likely to have these spontaneous outbursts and this unrest that really, because of its spontaneity, didn’t really have a plan. But if you had a structure in place that could allow for the grievances to be addressed, you could avoid the disorder and you could actually get things done.”

Taking the audience back to 1935, Frederick-Armstrong, who is a former Director of Visitor Experience at the St. Christopher National Trust and Museum Director at the St. Christopher  National Trust, described the Buckley’s riot as one of the turning points in our history.

She added: “What happened there in 1935 was not just a local disturbance, it was a turning point in the history of St. Kitts-Nevis, and at the same time Anguilla and indeed the Caribbean. It is a story about struggle, courage and change.”

Frederick-Armstrong noted that although the Workers’ League under Thomas Manchester had been advocating for improved conditions, the violence was not on their agenda. 

“The leaders were sympathetic, and they actually provided a means for some of the more visible protesters to get away, to Statia, Saba, St. Barts, and they assisted others with legal representation in the trials that followed. They also realized that the frustration which had caused the outburst had to find a vent, an escape through more structured and disciplined protest. So Thomas Manchester’s solution eventually-because the changes didn’t happen right away- was the formation of a union. So once unions were legally recognized in St. Kitts and Nevis, he asked his cousin Edgar Challenger to set up a union, which as you know, became the St. Kitts and Nevis Trades and Labour Union, and that was founded in 1940.”

As gathered, while the workers did not immediately see higher wages or better conditions, the events set in motion wider reforms.

Britain, Frederick-Armstrong explained, responded by establishing the 1938 Moyne Commission of Inquiry headed by a man named Lord Moyne, which-to their credit- included trade unionists and labour representatives and acknowledged the need for systemic change.

 “They stopped short of saying, let’s give everybody the right to vote without any qualifications or prerequisites but they recognized that that’s where they needed to go and they recommended that the qualifications to vote be gradually reduced. What was happening at that time is in order to vote, you had to have a certain amount of property and land and so on, which immediately locked out the working classes because they didn’t have what you needed to be able to vote.”

She pointed out that such was “one of the major recommendations” recognizing that the people needed to have a say.”

On the point about the legalization of trade unions, Frederick-Armstrong added: “For the first time, the black working class in St. Kitts and Nevis and Anguilla, had a legal collective voice. And those unions fought for higher wages, better hours, safer conditions, and they continued the push for universal adult suffrage. They continued the push to get rid of all the requirements to vote. So as long as you’re an adult, you could vote. And that was part of the legacy of the unions, and they continued to push for that.”

Additionally, she emphasized that the rise of trade unions also laid the foundation for organized political life in St.Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean.

 “Political parties grew out of the trade unions or grew up alongside the trade unions. The trade unions’ base provided support and supporters of the political parties and so on. And then when you were looking for leaders to be in the political parties, you said, well, ‘What about that guy Bradshaw, we believe in him. We trust him. We trust Mr. [Joseph N.] France. These are guys that we should be putting to run for us in elections’. And through that and through Britain making the necessary constitutional changes gradually to increase the number of elected representatives in government, we began to see our own gradually taking control, taking the reins of power in local government.”

 “And by 1938, both West Indians and the British government knew that the old colonial system had to give way to more representation,” Frederick-Armstrong continued. 

“The protests of the 1930s, including the Buckley’s Uprising, told the same story-that Crown colony government had failed. It failed to connect to the people. It failed to relieve distress. It failed to prevent disorder. The people of the Caribbean were no longer satisfied to let the moneyed classes speak on their behalf. For the first time, the working classes themselves were demanding recognition. It was a sociological watershed, a point of no return. Out of that unrest, trade unions and political parties were born, pushing the colonies towards more and more self-government. And eventually, after a bold but unfortunately failed experiment to federate the colonies into one, each moved to independence by themselves, one at a time-with St. Kitts and Nevis being the last, and even today, a couple are still to do so.”

The Buckley’s Uprising, she highlighted, was not just about a few days of unrest but “the moment when ordinary men and women, armed with nothing but their voices and their determination, forced the authorities to take notice. And from that point forward, the path was set. The lives of future generations, our lives, were forever changed by the courage of those sugar workers in 1935.”

“The workers who stood up at Buckley’s were not fighting for glory. They were fighting to feed their families. They were fighting to live with dignity. And their actions remind us that ordinary people standing together can change the course of history. From their hardship was born hope, and from their struggle came those first steps toward freedom. And the spark that struck at Buckley’s, lit a flame of justice and dignity; a flame that still burns in the story of St. Kitts and Nevis today.”

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, September 15, 2025 (SKNIS): Saint Kitts and Nevis will pay tribute to its most prominent citizens tomorrow, Tuesday, September 16, 2025, officially celebrated as National Heroes Day.

As is the tradition, a ceremony featuring military honours by the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force and the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force will be held at the National Heroes Park at Conaree. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. and will feature a short programme that concludes with the laying of wreaths at the base of the four statues featured – The late Right Excellencies Sir Robert Bradshaw, Sir C. A. Paul Southwell, Sir Joseph France, and Sir Simeon Daniel. Recognition and special presentation to the only living National Hero, the Right Excellent and the Right Honourable Dr. Sir Kennedy Simmonds will also take place.

“The usual commemorative pomp and circumstance is done by the military, always in a brilliant fashion, and so the public can look forward to that,” said Cabinet Secretary and Co-Chair of the Independence 42 Planning Committee, Dr. Marcus Natta.

Also on Tuesday, a separate ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. to honour the contributions of the First National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Robert L. Bradshaw, at the Bradshaw Memorial Park in St. Pauls.

The ceremonies are attended by dignitaries, including the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, members of the National Assembly, members of the Nevis Island Administration, local and visiting diplomats and the like. Dr. Marcus Natta warmly invited the public, noting that their participation is equally important.

“It’s really significant for the public. This is not just about government officials and diplomats per se. What we are looking to do as well, is continuing to educate our young people, letting them know what our national heroes did to advance and develop our country, showing them that they have a space that they can take up as well, and maybe one day they [too] will be a national hero from their work,” Dr. Natta stated.

In keeping with the educational theme, students from across the Federation are invited to participate in both ceremonies. Representatives from various schools are engaged during the ceremonies, handing wreaths to officials and the family members of the national heroes to place at the base of the statues. A student also presents flowers to Sir Kennedy.

By: Precious Mills

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 4th September 2025)-As he approaches both the anniversary of his life-changing injury and his next birthday, 49-year-old Joseph Bergan of Sandy Point, a former soldier better known in the calypso world as ‘De Awesome Navigator’, is inviting the nation to join him in a week of gratitude and giving under the theme: ‘Reflection & Celebration: 20 Years of Survival- 50 Years of Life.’

 “On the 2nd of December 2005, I was shot in the line of duty, and I’m happy and I’m grateful to be living this time around, to see that 20th year’s anniversary has come by so quickly. I will be commemorating 20 years since my injury took place. One week later, I should be celebrating my 50th anniversary,” he told this reporter during an interview on Tuesday 2nd September 2025.

Of note, Bergan was shot in the neck during a robbery while on military escort duty, leaving him paralyzed. As a result, the former corporal of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) became a walking cane user and wheelchair user.  

As gathered, the 3rd of July of this year marked 27 years of military service, and his resignation and retirement took effect on 25th August. 

“The life-altering event left me paralyzed but I am still here and I invite your support. I am also reaching out to the public in terms of looking for sponsors, voluntary effort, donation, contribution, and whatever you could give in any capacity, I will appreciate it very much,” he expressed.

The activities calendar, scheduled from Tuesday 2nd December to Sunday 14th December 2025, is expected to feature: Food Hamper Distribution for the elderly, disabled and less fortunate across communities (December 2nd), Church Service at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Crab Hill, Sandy Point (December 7th), Town Hall Lecture & Crime Symposium at the Sandy Point Community Centre (December 10th – his birthday), SKNDF Inter-Platoon Competition + De Awesome Navigator Calypso Review (December 12th) and Boat Ride Celebration aboard Prince Devonte (December 14th).

More than just personal celebration, he emphasized the importance of community outreach.

Speaking about the food hamper distribution, he highlighted that it is not only centralised for Sandy Point but anywhere else people can be reached like in New Town, Half Way Tree and St. Paul’s “where maybe an elderly or disabled person who society has long forgotten… We want to reach them and show them appreciation and love simply by distributing a food hamper to them.”

Bergan, who is a father of two-a son and a daughter- also has his sights set on using his milestone as a platform for change. His Crime Symposium is designed to bring together victims, families, inmates, and the general public in dialogue about violence.

“I am hoping that I could reach those in society who are mostly affected because you see, when we lose a brother, a son, father… We want to give them [those affected] more awareness, more abstinence, and motivate them to just stay away from crime and violence. Get a good education and know there’s more to life than just being a gangster or a thug.”

Despite his physical challenges, Bergan remains committed to his positive outlook and determination to inspire others.

“Your support matters. Together we can give back and celebrate life,” he said.

Those wishing to support can contact 869-664-3429 or email navi_bergi36@hotmail.com .

By: Spokesman Newsroom

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 4th September 2025)-With schools across the Federation reopening this week, police are urging motorists to be extra careful on the roads around children. 

Appearing as a guest on ‘Policing With You’, a weekly programme of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (hosted by G-Cue) aired live on ZIZ on Thursday 4th September 2025, Inspector Shawna Edwards emphasized that road safety must remain a priority as special focus was put on school children safety. 

“Road safety really, it involves preventing death, serious injury to all road users and it includes drivers and pedestrians and cyclists through their actions by obeying speed limits, wearing seat belts, not driving under the influence, all those comes under road safety. But the end result is for you to be alive at the end of the day. It’s to prevent death and serious injury,” she said.

Commenting on why the discussion was focusing so much on children, Inspector Edwards shared: Schools just resumed here on Monday, and we know that bus drivers, some of them do take children to school. You have other private vehicles that take children to school. You have children who beg, live with other drivers… and it’s a lot of traffic. During the vacation, it was a lot of traffic but when school is on, it’s even more. So we have to pay particular attention to our children.”

Inspector Edwards noted that while some children are properly guided, many are still distracted and inattentive.

“I think some of them, they’re just absent-minded, and they just tell themselves, well, if the vehicle is coming down the road and I’m crossing, they’re supposed to stop. But it’s not like that. You don’t know the condition of the vehicle that the driver is in. So you have to be very particular.”

She noted that some children may be distracted being on their phones also.

She added that teaching basic habits such as look left, look right, and then look left again must be reinforced.

“But we have children who don’t bother with that. Their minds are taken up with maybe technology, they have a phone in their hand, they’re playing games, and they’re not cognizant that they’re going into harm’s way.”

According to Edwards, drivers must exercise maximum responsibility: “If you do hit someone in the road, 99% of the time, the driver is wrong. 99% of the time.”

She pointed to a troubling trend of reckless and impatient driving. “We have persons who are before the court for reckless driving, we have persons who are before the court for causing death by dangerous driving and reckless driving. And I am sure you are aware of the ending of last year and early this year where we had a number of fatalities and some of them involved, you had children involved, you had adults involved, you had elderly people involved. So it doesn’t matter the age, a life is a life and it is important and we need to take care of our young people… they are our future.”

Inspector Edwards also reminded pedestrians to make proper use of crossings saying: “The pedestrian crossing is the safest way to cross the road. Especially where we have the traffic lights now installed, couple years now… Once you stay by the pedestrian crossing, you only pass when you get the signal from the stoplights to cross. You will see a silhouette or a shadow of a man. That’s when it is safe to cross.”

She stressed that drivers must remember that having the green light does not mean they can ignore pedestrians.

“Not because you have the green light mean that I must drive fast. No, it doesn’t. You still have to be careful. Granted. That way too, the driver gets to see you. Because if you’re not using the pedestrian crossing, chances are when you dash cross, sometimes it’s too late.”

Inspector Edwards outlined the importance of obeying traffic lights at all times:

“We have the red light – it means stop. It doesn’t have any other connotation to it except stop. The amber light, it’s warning you that the light is going to change so you have to proceed with caution. It doesn’t mean that you speed up as a driver. It means you have to pay caution; that the light can change in a second or two. It doesn’t mean that you must put the pedal to the metal. And then the green, it gives you a clear indication that you are safe to drive. When it’s red, you stop. When it’s green, you go.”

Front Page Photo: Image of parked omni buses at a bus stop area in College Street used for illustration purposes only (Spokesman file photo)

Photo: Inspector Shawna Edwards appearing as a guest on Policing With You on Thursday 4th September 2025 (credit: Youtube.com/ZIZonline)

Basseterre: St. Kitts, Tuesday, September 02, 2025: The Saddlers Secondary School was officially renamed the Dr. Denzil Llewellyn Douglas Secondary School under the auspices of Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Marcella Liburd, on Monday September 01. The renaming ceremony signaled positive new horizons for the 2025-2026 school year.

Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley extended congratulatory remarks to his parliamentary colleague, The Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Llewellyn Douglas for the honour conferred upon him.

“As the Minister of Education, it is with profound respect and a deep sense of national pride that I extend heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the Ministry of Education and my own behalf to the Honourable Senior Minister on this auspicious occasion – the renaming of Saddlers Secondary School to the Dr. Denzil Llewellyn Douglas Secondary School. This historic renaming is far more than a change of name—it is a sense and a sincere privilege and celebratory act of national recognition. It is a tribute to a son of the soil whose life and legacy hasbeen inextricably woven into the fabric of our nation’s development.”

Expressing the symbolic significance of the school’s new name, Minister Hanley elucidated,

“The decision to rename this institution in his honour is both timely and deeply symbolic. It reflects the values of excellence, perseverance, and service that Dr. Douglas has exemplified throughout his public life. It also serves as a beacon of inspiration for the students, faculty, and community members who will continue to shape the legacy of this institution under its new name.” 

Thanking the Saddlers Secondary School for its contribution to education and the service meted out to feeder communities, Minister Hanley urged them to view the renaming as a beacon of pride and to reflect on the power of education to transform lives, and on the responsibility, they would bear to ensure that the institution continues to embody the values of Dr. Denzil Llewelyn Douglas.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, et al, and honouree The Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas expressed profound gratitude for the honour.

“I stand before you today with a heart full of gratitude, humility, and pride to have this school Saddlers Secondary School renamed in my honour as the Dr. Denzil Llewellyn Douglas Secondary School, which is one of the greatest privileges of my life.” 

Reflecting on his life of service, Senior Minister Douglas encouraged the students to dedicate their lives in service to others and to make the world a better place through selfless actions.

“You, too, my dear students can achieve greatness. You, too, can carry forward the mission of transforming lives. You, too, my dear students can leave a legacy worthy of remembrance. My own life has been a journey of service. You have heard service to the community, service to the country, and service to humanity. And so, I charge each of you, my dear students, to embrace service as a calling. Use your education not merely to enrich yourself but to uplift others in the process. For true greatness lies not in titles or in accolades but in the positive difference you make in the lives of others.”

The Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE), its licensed member broker dealers and the Eastern Caribbean Securities Regulatory Commission (ECSRC) are pleased to announce the hosting of the 

3rd Annual Regional Schools Investment Competition (RSIC). 

The competition takes place during the months of October and November 2025 and will be preceded by an Investment Education Webinar to introduce the students to investment basics, financial securities, and to share information about the Eastern Caribbean Securities Markets. 

The competition targets 3rd through 5th form students and 1st year tertiary level students from schools across the eight Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) member countries. The schools will compete to win the Regional Investment Champion award.  The competition provides the opportunity for students to experience securities market activity firsthand. Participants will have the opportunity to test their knowledge while gaining useful investment insights and skills.

A competition information page and link to the online registration is available on the ECSE website (www.ecseonline.com). The direct link to the information page where competition updates will also be posted is: https://www.ecseonline.com/regional-schools-investment-competition-rsic/