CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS (January 12, 2015) — Members of the Gingerland Improvement Programme clean-up crew are thanking their mentor, Mr Corey Tyson, for having approached the People Employment Programme (PEP) that Wednesday January 7 donated equipment that will enhance their work , which is beautifying Gingerland and its environs.
PEP Project Manager, Mr Geoffrey Hanley, while delivering the equipment which included a weed eater with all its accessories, forked shovels, rakes, machetes, and plastic bags said that when Mr Tyson approached him, PEP was happy to be of assistance because it was its wish that the youth on Nevis should also benefit.
The handing over ceremony took place at Mr Corey Tyson’s office at Market Shop in Gingerland.
“I want to commend Mr Tyson because when he approached me in reference to an initiative that he had in terms of helping the young people of his community, I thought well, this is a young man and with a good heart,” said Mr Hanley. “As Youth Director myself in St. Kitts I am always willing to assist in any way possible to empower young people.
“Mr Tyson was able to gather a set of young men in a community together doing something positive. So I want to commend him on the initiative in ensuring that a group similar to what we have in St. Kitts would have been formed in Nevis and I think there is the intention of having three similar groups done.”
The PEP official, who was accompanied by PEP Deputy Programme Coordinator Mrs Diana Pemberton, and PEP Nevis Coordinator Ms Kerlyn Jones told member of the clean-up crew that the job they were doing was an important one and they should not listen to people who see them as being grass cutters only.
“Others might see it as just cutting grass but it goes beyond there,” advised Mr Hanley. “When you would have beautified an area and tourists would have come and drive around Nevis and they can go back and speak about how clean and nice Nevis is, your work would have gone international.”
While thanking them for choosing to beautify their communities, he advised them to look out further for more communities and possibly the entire of Nevis Island. He promised that Nevis would not be left behind as what was happening in St. Kitts would also happen in Nevis and praised Ms Kerlyn Jones for doing a good job in managing the affairs of PEP on the island.
He said that there were 680 persons on the People Employment Programme in Nevis, and confirmed to them that programme was here to stay telling them of the fact that it was determined by each and every one of the participants on the programme.
“Once you decide you want your job PEP will be here to ensure that you are able to maintain your family, but if for some reason you have to lose focus, at the end of the day you cannot blame anyone for the choice that you would have made,” said Mr Hanley.
He implored the members to remain positive and look forward as PEP would be taking their programme into its next phase, where members of the clean-up crew would be accorded the opportunity to learn how to use computers. He told them that taking one hour out of their schedule to attend the computer classes will improve their status.
“I urge you to take advantage of PEP and use it to ensure that at the end you are empowered, your community is empowered, and also your family,” said Mr Hanley. “Mr Tyson it gives me great pleasure on behalf of PEP to present you with this additional equipment to ensure that the mandate that you have set out for your community is met.”
On accepting the equipment Mr Corey Tyson thanked the People Employment Programme and its management for giving members of the Gingerland Improvement Programme clean-up crew the opportunity to beautify their community, and to give the young men in the community a means to provide for their families.
“We are very appreciative of the effort and we hope to continue working with you in 2015 and extending the programme, because we have a lot to be done and there is a lot we would like to continue to do,” said Mr Tyson.
PEP’s Coordinator in Nevis Ms Kerlyn Jones also thanked Mr Corey Tyson for approaching the People Employment Programme as he sought assistance for the young people of Gingerland after he saw their need because they were at home doing very little.
“He came to me and we worked together to get this crew started and I am very happy with the promise they have made so far,” said Ms Jones. “The guys are very interesting. I like them very much, they are very colourful and they work very hard. I have not heard any complaint from them, which is very rare sometimes.
“I am told that they work hard, and they go out to work every day. Their time sheet also reflects they go out to work every day so I am quite pleased to know that they are getting the additional equipment that they so needed and I hope that they do continue their hard work in 2015 and beyond.”
Speaking on behalf of the Gingerland Improvement Programme clean-up crew members, Mr Ian ‘Bashment’ Liburd thanked the People Employment Programme for coming out to assist saying that “the blind must be led and the hungry must be fed. Big up PEP and everything bless up… what you want us to do we will do it step by step. Big up PEP every time.”