Permanent Secretary DeSuza urges STEP Community Enhancement Workers to raise the bar

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 8, 2019 (S.T.E.P.) —

“We are referring to you as Community Enhancement Teams, and you are to be proud of that because you are involved in keeping the communities in a clean and presentable state,” said Mr DeSuza. “And that is not just for people who come here on the cruise ships, or for people who come here on the planes as tourists – that is for us.”

Permanent Secretary DeSuza, who has direct responsibility for the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) made the remarks on Thursday April 4 at the Saddlers Playfield’s pavilion at the opening of a Soft Skills Training session on Conflict Management for community enhancement teams from Tabernacle and Saddlers.

“We need you to be involved in keeping our own environment clean, not only for aesthetics of it, but also for the health benefit of it,” said Mr DeSuza. “The only way people driving around, and those walking around our community will respect you is if you attempt to raise the bar on the STEP. Remember the STEP is not me, the STEP is not the Prime Minister – you are the STEP, and the STEP is you.”

Mr DeSuza informed the community enhancement workers that more topics in the area of Soft Skills will be offered to them including Money Management which will be facilitated by officials from the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank. Other topics will be on Group Dynamics, Effective Management and Civic Responsibilities.

Facilitating the Conflict Management sessions of the Soft Skills Training is Dr Neals Chitan, who is an International Social Skills Consultant and Crime Reduction Specialist, and President of Motiv-8 For Change International.

Also addressing the STEP Community Enhancement Workers at the Saddlers Playfield Pavilion was the Acting Director of the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP), Mr Emile Greene.

“Persons must understand that this is not just a training session – this is important,” pointed out Mr Greene. “If you make the best of this training session, I guarantee you it can transform your life. It can determine how you think, and how you deal with conflict going forward from this morning.”

The opening ceremony was chaired by STEP Field Coordinator Mr William Phillip, and in attendance included STEP Accountant Mr Clive Nias, STEP Field Officer Mr Jason McKoy, STEP Field Supervisors Mr Keith Phipps, and Mr Keith Hendricks, and Mrs Patsy Chitan, Motiv-8 For Change International Administrative Assistant.

The next Soft Skills Training session organised for STEP Community Enhancement Workers will be held on Thursday April 11 at the St. Paul’s Community Centre for groups from Lavington, Parson’s Ground, Dieppe Bay, St. Paul’s, and Newton Ground.