Stories

Basseterre, St. Kitts:  6 April 2017 – After a 2 year hiatus the Rotary Club of Liamuiga (RCL) Talent Search Competition for Primary and High Schools was brought back to be included in the Club’s Programme of Activities for the current Rotary Year, which runs from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017.  It was excitement galore when the talents of the children and teenagers were unveiled at the Finals of the Competition at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium on the evening of Wednesday, 5 April 2017! 

The very loud responses of some audience members in support of their participants was reward in itself for the significant amount of work involved in the administration, preparation, production and execution of RCL Talent Search Competition 2017!

The RCL has proven yet again that talent in the arts is very much alive and well within Federation!

Participants at the Primary School Level competed in Dance, Poetry and Vocal Music while High School participants competed in Dance, Instrumental Music and Vocal Music.  There were several outstanding performances in all categories, however, the adjudged winners in the various categories were as follows:

Primary Schools

Dance – Cajoy Isaac, Immaculate Conception

Poetry – D’Jaaden Dunrod, Cayon Primary

Vocal Music – Luan Hinds, Newton Ground Primary

High Schools

Dance – April Burt, Washington Archibald High

Instrumental Music – Petros Peets, Verchilds High

Vocal Music tie – Christianne Skerritt, Immaculate Conception and Drenyqua Samuel, Verchilds High

Prizes were presented to the top 3 participants in all categories.  The first place winners were also awarded trophies, however, with the tie for first place in the High School Vocal Music category, Miss Christianne Skerritt of Immaculate conception will have to wait a while before actually receiving her trophy.  She was however allowed to take pictures with her family members, who were present for the Competition, holding the trophy for the category.  In the group picture of first place winners both Miss Skerritt and Miss Drenyqua Samuel of Virchilds High held the trophy for the Vocal Music High School category. 

This year was a time for ties and firsts!  It must be noted that for this Competition, which started in 2005, it was the first time that there has been ties in any categories.  In addition to the tie mentioned above, this year also saw another tie, for second place, in the Primary School Dance Segment between Mellita Dunrod of Cayon Primary and Jahzara Greene of Dieppe Bay Primary.  But for the fact that she lost points for exceeding the allotted time, Miss Danecia Henry of Saddlers Secondary would have also tied with Miss Alecia Mills-Nisbett of Washington Archibald High in the Vocal Music Category, behind the two participants who tied for the first place.

The top three placements in all categories were as follows:

Primary Schools 

Dance (Possible Total-75 Points)

1st place – Cajoy Isaac, Immaculate Conception (70 points)

Tied in 2nd place – Mellita Dunrod, Cayon Primary and Jahzara Greene, Dieppe Bay Primary (48 points)

Poetry (Posssible Total-120 Points)

1st place – D’Jaaden Dunrod, Cayon Primary (96 points)

2nd place – Yishmakeda Maccabbee, Dieppe Bay Primary (81 points)

3rd place – Zene Tyson, Beach Allen Primary (74 points)

Vocal Music (Possible Total 180 points)

1st place – Luan Hinds, Newton Ground Primary (123 points)

2nd place – Amani Edmeade, Immaculate Conception (112 points)

3rd place – T’Koyah Leader, Dieppe Bay Primary (91 points)

High Schools 

Dance (Possible Total-75 Points)

1st place – April Burt, Washington Archibald High (74 points)

2nd place – Thonicya Richardson, Immaculate Conception (51 points)

3rd place – Eshana Browne, Saddlers Secondary (44 points)

Instrumental Music (Posssible Total-120 Points)

1st place – Petros Peets, Verchilds High (103 points)

2nd place – Yaneir Henry, Washington Archibald High (102 points)

3rd place – Janiqua Morris, Cayon High (101 points)

Vocal Music (Possible Total 180 points)

1st place tie – Christianne Skerritt, Immaculate Conception and Drenyqua Samuel, Verchilds High (137 points)

3rd place – Alecia Nisbett, Washington Archibald High (134 points)

The Rotary Club of Liamuiga extends its thanks and appreciation to its corporate partners - ECCB, Elco Ltd, Ministry of Education, Royal Bank of Canada, Ti Amor Café, TDC Group of Companies, Warner’s One Stop and ZIZ Broadcasting for their support in this interesting and exciting exposition of home grown talent in our Schools.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – As many calls are continue to be made for Kittitian and Nevisians to adopt healthier lifestyles, the Rotary Club of Liamuiga is doing its part in the promotion efforts.

On Saturday 9th July 2016, the club hosted a Health and Wellness Fair at the Independence Square from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The public was given the opportunity to participate in a series of free activities that included a high energy Zuma Session by Maxine Hendrickson-Lewis (Owner, Custom Strength Fitness), a Yoga Class and Blood Sugar/Pressure Testing and Counselling Clinic conducted by Rotarian Dr. Agnes Beachman.

In the late afternoon, the St. Kitts Hash House Harriers (SKHHH) and members of the public took to the streets for a 10 k fundraising walk /run (all proceeds to be donated to charitable projects) of Basseterre and the surrounding areas for a to cap off the day’s activities.

The business community also joined the ‘band wagon’ and got involved by making donations. The St. Kitts Bottling Company, Pharmcarre, Fresh Vitamins, Digicel, Refresh Juice Bar, made contributions to support the efforts of not only the activity and the club.

According to one of the organizers, Director Burnell Nisbett, “the club put on the event to further promote the importance and benefits of general good health and general well-being to a wider cross-section of the community. We (Rotarians) believe, your health is your wealth.”

He also noted that club has gotten positive feedback from the general public and with the high level of interest shown; plans will be made to have another activity in the near future.

The Rotary Club of Liamuiga was chartered in February 2003 and continues to be a beacon of hope for the youth, elderly and the vulnerable and endeavours to improve society and nation through the Rotary pledge, “Service Above Self.”

Video Highlights:

BASSETERRE, St Kitts:  On Wednesday 6 July 2016, the Rotary Club of Liamuiga (RCL) held its Annual Installation Banquet at the clubhouse of the Royal St Kitts Golf Club to start off the New Rotary Year.  The Executive Team installed for the Rotary Year, July 2016 to June 2017, is comprised of the following members:

•  President  – Carol Phillips
• Vice President – Clive Bacchus
• Immediate Past President – Tuffida Stewart
• Secretary – Nichole Liburd
• Treasurer – Natasha St. Juste
• Director with responsibility for Service Projects  – Lee Bailey
• Director with responsibility for Membership – Marsha Clayton
• Director with responsibility for Youth Service – Vincia T. Herbert
• Director with responsibility for Club Administration – Peter Jenkins
• Director with responsibility for Rotary Foundation – L. Kaii Mills-Dias
• Director with responsibility for Public Relations – Burnell Nisbett Jr.
• Sergent-at-Arms  – Chad Allen

Special guests for the occasion were His Excellency Sir Tapley Seaton G.C.M.G., C.V.O., Q.C., J.P., Paul Harris Fellow, Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis;  Mr. Antonio Maynard, Secretary General of UNESCO St Kitts & Nevis;  Dr. Jacqueline Claxton, former Consular Representative of Jamaica in St. Kitts & Nevis;  Mr. Stanley Knight, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture;  Mr. Trevor Braithwaite, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) who was the Guest Speaker and spoke on the topic of Corresponding Banking Difficulties Being Experienced in the Caribbean;  and Rotary District 7030 Past District Governor (PDG), Herve Honore from Martinique.

IPP Tuffida Stewart presented her Outgoing President’s Report highlighting the many community projects that were executed by the RCL during the 2015/16 Rotary Year, including being first respondents with relief supplies to Dominica following the devastation by Tropical Storm Erica, and presented awards to outstanding Rotarians and some Corporate Partners In Service.  Past President Marcus Natta was awarded Rotarian of the Year and also received a Paul Harris Fellow Award.  Corporate Partners In Service, who had representatives present to receive Community Awards for Sponsors, were Flow, St Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA), Windsor University School of Medicine.

IPP Tuffida was installed as Assistant District Governor (AG) for St Kitts & Nevis by PDG Herve Honore just before executing her first task of Installing Carol Phillips as the President of RCL.

In presenting her Incoming President’s Address, President Phillips outlined several projects that the RCL planned to execute in the community for the benefit of the young, the elderly and the less fortunate throughout her year as President.  These included some old favourites like Primary School Spelling Bee Competition, Primary and High School Talent Search Competition, Saddlers Heroes Day Luncheon, and Valentines Make a Wish Project and some not so old favourites such as Pre School Reading Project, Foot Care Project in association with the North American School of Podology (NASP), and Health Fairs and Walks.

Some new projects highlighted were a Family Sports & Fun Day to be held on Independence Day, 19 September 2016, in which families and businesses throughout St. Kitts are invited to participate;  the 4-prong Dental Project in association with the Dental Unit of the Ministry of Health – Primary School Dental Screening for which private sector help will also be sought, Primary School Dental Quiz Competition, and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and short videos to inform the general public about the dangers of not paying attention to proper dental hygiene;  establishment of at least one Rotary Community Corps and Interact Clubs at Cayon High School and Washington Archibald High School, work for which started two (2) months ago;  seeking to secure Rotary Foundation District Grants to assist two (2) needy Primary Schools in establishing Computer Labs as well as evaluation of the possibility of a health related Rotary Foundation Global Grant Project.

President Phillips emphasised the need for Rotarians the world over to contribute along with their various sponsors towards the ‘push’ to help The Rotary Foundation (TRF) in its drive to help the world achieve polio free status by its 100^th Anniversary in June 2017.  To this end, part proceeds of the Family Sports & Fun Day will be contributed towards Polio Plus, the TRF department charged with managing funding for this Project.

The night would not have been complete without some entertainment.  Rotarian Adrian Scantlebury seranaded the attendees with a wonderful selection on his saxophone while DJ Source of Big Tunez HD Entertainment kept the mellow sounds flowing throughout the night.