NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS November 03, 2020 (Nevis Island Administration) — Five older persons and two caregivers were honoured by the Senior Citizens Division of the Department of Social Services in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), as the curtains closed on Seniors Month in Nevis.
At the Senior Citizens Awards Ceremony & Luncheon at the Jessups Community Centre on October 29, 2020, one senior citizen from each parish received a commemorative plaque and gift basket.
The awardees were Bernadette Lewis of St. Paul’s, Constantia David of St. Thomas’, Violet Perkins of St. James’, Reuben Williams of St. George’s and Carlton Pinney of St. John’s.
The caregivers awarded were Janet Herbert and Essie Delashley, both of whom worked in different areas of the Department of Social Services over the years.
Ms. Joyce Moven, Deputy Director in the Department of Social Services, noted the importance of recognising persons while they could still appreciate being honoured.
“As we salute and acknowledge the contributions made to the development of Nevis by our awardees, we want to commend them for all of their efforts and to let them know that their pioneering works have not been in vain…The Department of Social Services Senior Citizens Division, we love to honour our people as you can see here today, and so today even though we would have honoured five recipients from each parish on Nevis, we thought it best that we continue to give people their flowers while yet alive,” she said.
Ms. Moven also had high praise for the caregivers receiving awards, saying the service they gave was exemplary.
“They still continue to do it even though they are not being paid for it, so they are doing voluntary service to the community right now,” she said.
The awardees were treated to lunch with family members and staff from the Department of Social Services while being entertained with songs and poems.
Delivering remarks at the event, Hon. Eric Evelyn, Minister of Social Development in the NIA, also congratulated the awardees as persons who have contributed to the development of Nevis.
He assured that even though the ministry had to significantly trim the usual activities to commemorate Seniors Month this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, care for the island’s elderly remain a priority.
“We at Social Services and we at the Ministry of Social Development and we in the Nevis Island Administration, we are always taking time to make sure that our seniors are very well taken care of. Of course we know that this year has been a very different year for us…Normally in October we have a host of activities, numerous activities, a variety of activities to celebrate our seniors…I just want to remind all of us and remind the seniors on Nevis that, even though we have scaled down, the care and attention that we continue to give to our seniors will never be scaled down.
“We are going through a pandemic since March and ever since the pandemic struck the Department of Social Services has been very busy to make sure that our seniors continue to get the care and attention that they deserve…so COVID or no COVID…we continue to take time to look after you and that is something that we will always do,” he said.
Mr. Evelyn stressed the NIA’s commitment to continue looking after the affairs of seniors across the island.
“You have the commitment of this department and the commitment of the Nevis Island Administration that you will never be forgotten. We always have you at heart and that will always continue,” he said.
The minister commended the staff at the Department of Social Services and caregivers in the Senior Citizens Division for their continued yeoman’s service to the vulnerable group.
]]>CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, October 30, 2020 (DBSKN) — Senior citizens on the island of Nevis have been given the assurance that even as the country grapples with the negative effects brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic calling for the scaling down of a number of activities, care and attention extended to them will never be scaled down.
“I want to remind the seniors that never mind we had to curtail the programmes in the centres and the gatherings; that the Social Services Department, Seniors Division and the Nevis Island Administration we continue to look out for your best interests,” said Minister of Social Development in the Nevis Island Administration, the Hon Eric Evelyn.
The Hon Evelyn, who is also the Federal Minister of Environment and Cooperatives, made the remarks on Thursday October 29 at an Awards and Luncheon event for seniors held at the Jessup’s Community Centre. It was organised by the Senior Citizens Division of the Department of Social Services in the Ministry of Social Development.
Five seniors, one each from the five parishes in Nevis, and two special honourees were awarded at the colourful ceremony which was chaired by the Deputy Director of Social Services, and person in charge of the Senior Citizens Division, Ms Joyce Moven.
“Covid or no Covid, we continue to look after you,” the Hon Evelyn told the seniors. “We continue to take time to look after you, and that is something that we will always do. You have the commitment of this Department, and you have the commitment of the Nevis Island Administration, that you will never be forgotten. We always have you at heart and that will always continue.”
According to the Hon Eric Evelyn, the country has been going through a pandemic since March of this year, but the Department of Social Services has been very busy to make sure that the seniors continue to get the care and attention that they deserve.
“When we had the lockdown period, when many of us had to stay at home, our caregivers were out there and some of the relatives of our seniors were out there because our Social Services Department would have collaborated with the Police Department to make sure that our caregivers and the relatives of some of our seniors had the requisite pass to be on the road to take care of our seniors,” observed the Honourable Minister.
He added: “Even though we had to curtail our activities during the year since March, the programmes continue. Of course our seniors continue to benefit from the Light and Water Programme, they continue to benefit from the Bus Pass Programme, and of course our caregivers continue to be a constant contact with our seniors, whether it is their phone call, or whether it is their short visit.”
The seniors awarded were Ms Bernadette Lewis from St. Paul’s, Ms Constantia David of St. Thomas, Mrs Violet Perkins of St. James, Mr Reuben Williams of St. George, and Mr Carlton Pinney of St John’s. The two special honourees were both from St. James, Mrs Essie Delashley from Butler’s and Mrs Janet Herbert from Mt Lilly.
Deputy Director of Social Services, Ms Joyce Moven, noted that notwithstanding the situation brought about by the pandemic, the Senior Citizens Division of the Department of Social Services in the Nevis Island Administration continued to celebrate the older persons with its customary month of activities during the month of October. The activities were held under the theme ‘Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Ageing?’
“At the Senior Citizens Division we recognise the need to continually engage our older populations and as such we understand the need to modify programme delivery to be effective,” said Ms Moven. “Today as we salute and acknowledge the contributions made to the development of Nevis by our awardees, we want to commend them for all of their efforts and to let them know that their pioneering works have not been in vain. Yes we are in challenging times but sometimes overcoming challenges is as simple as changing the way we think about them.”
The function was also attended by the Deputy Director Department of Social Development in St. Kitts, Mrs Ann Wigley, who was accompanied by Homecare Officer, Ms Andria Caines.
Others present included Director Social Services, Nevis Island Administration, Mrs Sandra Maynard-Morton; Director Community Development Department, Mrs Jeanette Nisbett-Maloney; Senior Citizens Division Coordinator,ccc; Junior Clerk, Ms Jameika Morton, who assisted in the distribution of awards; Community Outreach Officer, Mr Frank Clarke; and Community Caregivers.
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