Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 4, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom)– On Friday (August 4, 2023), government officials, representatives of the National Housing Corporation (NHC) and a team from the Trinidad-based East Coast Housing Development Ltd conducted a walkthrough of the sites that will be used to construct the model smart homes.
ZIZ’s cameras caught up with the group at the site in Conaree where the first 2-bedroom model home will be built.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Human Settlement, the Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, said after the home is constructed, prospective owners will get the opportunity to see what their home will look like in its entirety.
“When we are talking about a model home, we are talking about a model home. It will be fully furnished, air-conditioned, fenced, everything showing you the public exactly how your home can look like.”
Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #8, Hon. Dr. Terrence Drew expressed excitement for the opportunity to provide housing for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I want to say that I’m extremely excited that in less than a year, we are able really to start the new housing revolution. It really demonstrates the commitment of this your government, to making sure that we fulfill our pledge to you, the people of St. Kitts and Nevis in providing affordable housing. Housing is a way to lift people up give them the opportunity to really invest in themselves, have equity for other things, and to have something to pass on to the next generation, and therefore, we want to make sure that very early in our term, that we not only provide houses, but we encourage others to build wealth through the owning of real estate, such as housing and land.”
East Coast’s Chief Executive, Brian Singh, praised the government for forging the partnership that allowed the construction of the homes.
“I want to say we are very pleased to partner with the progressive government, a government for, by, and of the people, and we stay with this partnership that not just one constituency as the prime minister rightly said would benefit, but the entire federation will. There are no surprises where this is concerned as the government is open and transparent, and we are saying together we can make this thing happen.”
Minister Hanley mentioned that the second model smart home will be constructed in East Basseterre.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts June 23, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom/Press Release): The police have released more information about investigations into a shooting incident at a car wash in Conaree on Thursday.
According to a police statement, the crime occurred between 11AM and noon and left nineteen (19)-year-old Ajani Evans of Conaree with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
The police say that while working at GLO Car Wash, Mr. Evans was confronted by an armed assailant who fired a shot at him, striking him in the abdomen. He was then rushed to the Joseph N. France General Hospital in a private vehicle.
Shortly after arriving at the hospital, he was rushed into emergency surgery. He is currently listed in stable condition. The Crime Scene Unit processed the scene and collected pieces of evidence.
Investigations into this incident are ongoing.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts June 20, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom/Press Release): The Police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in Conaree, on Monday night.
According to a police statement the incident occurred between 7PM and 8PM.
The police say Hance Lawrence of Conaree was entering his yard when several shots were fired at him.
He escaped into his home without sustaining any injury. The Crime Scene Unit processed the area and recovered twelve (12) spent bullet shells and two (2) warhead bullets.
These and other pieces of evidence were taken into Police custody.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 22nd 2021 (ZIZ News) A launch ceremony was held on Friday at the St. Johnston’s Community Center.
CEO of The Cable, Pat Walters explained that the St. Johnston’s Community Center is the first to receive the service and the roll out of this initiative to all 16 community centres is expected to occur in the next 2 months.
“Within the next two months we will be rolling out to McKnight, Victoria Road, East Basseterre, St. Peters, Conaree, Keys, Cayon Lodge, Tabernacle, St. Pauls, Sandy Point, Fig Tree, Half Way Tree, Trinity and Challengers, 16 Community centers.”
She said providing persons who wouldn’t otherwise have access to the internet the opportunity to access it far exceeds the monetary value of providing the service.
Minister of ICT, Hon. Akilah Byron-Nisbett said this initiative gives community centers the potential to become “mini innovation hubs”.
“This level of access can see our community centers transform into a resource that allows programs geared towards business development, education assistance through after school programs, a meeting venue for small businesses, a place for virtual presentations or meetings. This type of access in our community centers have the potential to transform our community centers into mini innovation hubs, a place where we can see the emergence of new tech businesses or any type of business.”
Minister with Responsibility for Community Development, Hon. Eugene Hamilton described the initiative as significant and congratulated the Cable team for undertaking the project.
“This is a significant achievement and I want to congratulate Cable tv for this significant gesture in every community where there’s a community center….Every child today can benefit from these services, will have access to be able to learn without there being a teacher at your table, access to be able to create and apply what you create so that others around the world can tap into what you’re doing and you can even make a significant living from it.”
The Chief Technical Officer, Yehoshu’a Melchizidek said that the speed of the internet that will be provided at each community center will be in excess of 100mb.
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, September 15, 2020 (S.T.E.P.) — Chair of the St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council (SDC), Mrs Diannille Taylor-Williams, is applauding the SOL Island Auto Conaree Football Club and its President Mr Delwayne Delaney who on Saturday September 12 mobilised members of the Conaree community in a successful community clean-up exercise.
“The Sustainable Destination Council and the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) have partnered with the Conaree Football Club with this clean-up day,” said Mrs Taylor-Williams, who is also the Assistant Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.
According to Mrs Taylor-Williams the Conaree Community clean-up exercise, which is held annually around the Independence weekend, was timely as it coincided with Sustainable Destination Council’s ‘Keeping COVID out by cleaning up’ Community Clean Up campaign.
“This is an initiative that is spearheaded by the community rather than us going into the community and asking them to join us, so we were happy to be a part of the activity,” said Mrs Taylor-Williams. “We donated some gloves and some masks for the persons who are participating.”
Since the ‘Keeping COVID out by cleaning up’ Community Clean Up campaign started, members of the coalition that include St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, Department of Environment, Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP), Parks and Beaches Unit, Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) and the Ministry of Tourism would go out and collect garbage strewn all over the place.
She described the Conaree clean-up as a different initiative as community members had been mobilised by the Conaree Football Club to bring out their waste and to put it outside their yards, and all the clean-up team did was to pick it up and load it on two trucks that made several trips to the landfill.
“I would like to salute the Conaree Football Club, and Mr Delwayne Delaney in particular, for this initiative,” said Mrs Taylor-Williams. “It started four years ago and it has continued. Sometimes people start initiatives like these and they do not last. The fact that we are here today, this is the fourth year, is something that should be applauded and I really want to applaud him for his initiative. And he is not just organising and directing people, he is actively involved in the removal of the waste – so, kudos to him and his team.”
Mr Jason McKoy, STEP Senior Field Officer, said that he mobilised STEP Community Enhancement workers from Keys, Conaree, Needsmust and the National Heroes Park to join in the community clean-up in Conaree Village.
“In the absence of the Parks and Beaches Unit who were engaged elsewhere as a result of Independence celebration activities, Skills Training Empowerment Programme stepped forward and took on the mantle with the Conaree Football Club and the Conaree community,” said Mr McKoy.
The STEP official added: “I want to say congratulations to the Conaree Football Club and their President because this is their fourth clean-up campaign and I think it is a success, as he has coordinated the two trucks properly. I also want to congratulate the community for making our work easy by cooperating with us.”
President of SOL Island Auto Conaree Football Club, Mr Delwayne Delaney, said it was the fourth year in a row they were doing the clean-up and he thanked the St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council and STEP workers who joined them this year and were very helpful.
“The numbers have increased tremendously and as the saying goes, plenty hands make work light, so we are definitely grateful for that,” said Mr Delaney. “We started our promotions about two weeks ago, where we decided to sensitise the general public as per usual, get waste and the stuff you need discard off to the front of your lawn and when we come around we lend a helping hand in showing that we get them on the trucks to take them to the landfill.”
Mr Delaney thanked two local entrepreneurs, KJ’s Trucking and Legacy Earthworks, who provided two trucks at no cost to the clean-up team. The two trucks helped carry the waste which included white goods, general household waste and green waste to the landfill, making several trips.
“I must say thank you to St. Kitts and Nevis Disposals (SKANDIS) as well because if you walk around at different points in the community there are dumpsters provided free of charge by SKANDIS,” observed Mr Delaney. “There are four dumpsters, one at Needsmust and three in Conaree Village. That again provides some ease for when there is dumping to be done, trash can be discarded in those dumpsters.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 13, 2020 (The St. Christopher and Nevis Solid Waste Management Corporation): The Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) continues to warn persons against dumping garbage in places other than the Sanitary Landfill in Conaree. After discovering an illegal dumpsite in West Farm recently, SWMC Collections Manager Inita Lake also visited a location on the Irish Town Bay Road, containing plastic bottles, bags and an old bed. “These garbage can go in a bin and taken to the landfill and persons use here as an area they can just dump. This is a bed that somebody literally put here,” Ms Lake lamented.
Ms Lake believes most of the garbage found there is commercial waste and said businesses must take greater responsibility in their garbage disposal. She said the SWMC, through its Nosy Program, can assist businesses with garbage collection and disposal solutions. “It appears to me that someone who is running a restaurant and would have cleaned up and would come and dump them. All the plastic bottles, and Styrofoam…these are items that can be stored in bins,” she said. “Solid Waste provides a service that can assist every commercial place in St. Kitts…that’s the Nosy program and it’s just next to nothing. Small businesses don’t have to pay much,” Ms. Lake added. She promised that the SWMC will be staking out in certain places to watch for persons dumping garbage illegally.
Meanwhile, just up the road from that location in Fortlands at the Fort Thomas Hotel, a strewn of garbage heaps littered the yard of the old hotel site. Most appeared to be construction and household waste including shingles, pallets, an old toilet bowl and green waste. Garbage was also seen dumped along the shoreline beyond the hotel site. Persons caught dumping garbage illegally can be ticketed and fined a minimum of $500. Refusal to pay this fine, can result in a court appearance and a further fine of up to $20,000.
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