Building Partnership

By: Jenise Ferlance, SKNVibes

BASSETERRE St. Kitts – THE Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis is currently celebrating its 30th year of operating and as part of its celebration, it hosted a Street Bazaar/Market Day yesterday (June 23). The event took place on Central Street, Basseterre and lasted for the entire work day. The celebration took place under the theme “30 years of success: Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis promoting total empowerment through economic, social and national development”. A portion of Central Street was lined with tents that were occupied by the bank’s business clients. Clientele ranged from persons in agriculture, carpentry and mechanics to persons in the clothing, food and entertainment industry. They displayed and sold their products, distributed flyers, brochures, information booklets, and provided product demonstrations. Members of the public took advantage of the opportunity to learn more about, and shop at some of their favourite businesses all in the same vicinity, while listening to the sweet sounds of the band from ‘under de sea’, Grand Masters. This never-before-seen idea of a Street Bazaar/Market Day came from the bank wanting its clients to not only feel but also be a part of the celebrations, so as a result, its clients were given an avenue where they could come together to display, publicise and sell their products to the public. Development Bank’s Marketing Manager, Marva Burroughs said that the bank is in the business of serving its clients as well as the public, so it would not have been right to have their celebrations and not do something special for the people it is here to serve. A total of 17 clients lined Central Street. Clientele included KVK Enterprises, Sandy Point Agricultural Co-operative Society Ltd., iRepSKN, I-Land Cut Stone and Family Snackette. Burroughs said that the businesses grabbed the opportunity and really showed their appreciation for being included as part of the Street Bazaar/Market Day. She was pleased that the turnout and excitement from the public was so overwhelming. She said that with this celebration, the bank has “set the bar” and the public can expect it to maintain that high standard as it continues to help to build the nation. The bank had its 30th anniversary on May 22 and celebrated with a month of activities. The celebrations will move to Nevis today (June 24) with a Street Bazaar/Market Day taking place at the bank’s Branch at Stoney Grove. It too will have the street lined with tents that were occupied by the bank’s business clients displaying their products and services, selling to the public and distributing brochures, booklets and flyers with information.

Source: http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/31281

SPACS – bringing fun and excitement to agriculture

By: Jenise Ferlance, SKNVibes

BASSETERRE St. Kitts – WHEN one thinks of agriculture, the first things that usually come to mind are local produce and farming – digging in soil and planting provisions. No fun there right? SKNVibes met a group of young men who actually can put some fun and excitement into the world of agriculture. Founded on January 10, 2010, the Sandy Point Agricultural Co-operative Society Ltd (SPACS) consists of a group of young farmers from the Farms Estate area of Sandy Point who are trying to bring healthy locally produced goods to the people of St. Kitts. The group of young men came together in the last quarter of 2009 and decided to join forces to help each other. The men first started selling their produce in May of 2010 on the island main road in front of the Sandy Point Market during the period when the Market was closed down. Lionel ‘Trustme’ Stevens, one of the farmers said that on May 29, the farmers invited the Minister with responsibility for Agriculture as well as the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary  down to Sandy Point to examine the market, with the hope that they would allow them the opportunity to display their produce there. He said that their hopes turned into reality when they were given the “green light” to clean, maintain and use the Market to display and sell their produce. He further explained that with the help of the group – ‘Sandy Pointers Inspiring Real Improvement Throughout’ (SPIRIT), and the Sandy Point Fire Department, they all cleaned, re-painted and officially re-opened the Sandy Point Market on July 3, 2010. Stevens said that since then, the Market has been opened every Saturday offering a wide variety of local produce and agro-processed goods such as pumpkins, green bananas, dasheens, tanyas, sweet and season peppers, tomatoes and herbs and thyme. SPACS also sells ‘Ital’ at the Market from midday every Saturday. Since its come-back in 2010, Stevens said that the Market has been the venue for a number of events including the Agriculture Awards held on April 2, 2011 as part of Black San Bang-a-Lang’s Tractorcade; Agri-independence Cultural Expo that was held on September 17, 2010; and the World Food Day Food Fair and Agricultural Exhibition which was held on October 16, 2010. These events are expected to be held again later this year at the same venue, as the Market has now become the official venue for these events. SPACS was also a part of Development Bank’s Street Bazaar/Market Day that was held yesterday (June 23) on Central Street, Basseterre. Next Saturday (July 2), the Sandy Point Market will be celebrating one year since it was restored and SPACS invites the general public to come on down, show some support and take advantage of the reduced prices, give-aways, and games such as ‘guess the weight’ as SPACS strives to bring fun and excitement to agriculture.

Source: http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/31281

SPACS Ltd - Fighting For Food Security

Official website: http://www.spaahcooperative.com/

Re-opening of the Sandy Point Public Market

Food security is one of the fundamental issues faced by most countries. The re-opening or the Sandy Point Public Market serves to address the issue of food security but it even does more than this. The re-opening of the Market aims at creating a group of small entrepreneurs. Hence the issue of food security is being address and at the same time job creation.

The Sandy Point Public Market is located just at the bottom of Farms’ Road. It is approximately fifteen meters from the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank. The “Market” as it is popularly known as, and will be referred to as thus from here after, has been serving the community of Sandy Point for over a century (100 years). The Market has not only served Sandy Point but the feeder communities of Dieppe Bay, St. Paul’s, Newtown Ground, Half Way Tree and Lamberts.

The activities in the Market were various it was not just a place to sell agriculture produce but also a slaughter house. Finish food products were also sold at the Market during the Saturday market. The market was multifunctional; it contains, and still does a reservoir which serves the community in times of water shortages.  Due to the upgrade in water services in the communities the reservoir is no longer functioning at full capacity. There was also a public bath facility that is no longer in use and fell to total disrepair.

The Market scene was a bustle of activity up the mid 1990’s but use of the market began waning on and around the stated period. The last time the market was functional was during the period 2001. Thereafter it was closed to public usage. 

Common man(Farmer), common needs and common goals

Common man(Farmer), common needs and common goals

Not too long ago a group of young men (Farmers) met in the early morning of Sunday 11^th January, 2010 to discuss the problems farmers and agriculturist alike were facing and the way forward for agriculture/farming within the region. There was a very small contingent of famers whom all were actively engaged in their personal goals and food production. One of the main objectives of this meeting was to consider the formation of a farmer’s cooperative and the possible advantages of doing such. The atmosphere was set and it was not too long before individuals took up the different responsibilities that were common within a registered cooperative. Lionel Stevens assuming the role of President, Kurt Richards Treasurer and Alanderson Selkridge took the post Secretary.

The foundation that we are so proud of today are a true reflection of our Objectives, aims, mission statement and motto which were all engineered right on the spot. This humble beginning would prove to be historical in this age of agriculture throughout our nation. There was no doubt that we would have to dedicate all our efforts and work hard in order to revive the interest and love for tilling the soil in this modern era. Thus, our favorite quote was born "Agriculture not only bestows riches upon a people and a nation, but agriculture is genuinely the only riches a nation can call its own.” This year 11^th January, 2011 we celebrated the birth of the Sandy Point Alliance Against Hunger, which was officially registered the Sandy Point Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd. 

Motto was "Striving to achieve food security through the use of historical resources and technology"