BASSETERRE ST. KITTS (August 28, 2013) — Dr Hermia Morton-Anthony, one of the top educators in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, chooses her words careful and few can fault what she utters. That includes what she said on Friday August 16 on the performance of the 28-year old Isis Richards, one of the Women in Construction Trades (WICT) interns.
Ms Isis Richards is one of the 35 interns at the programme which is a component of the People Employment Programme (PEP) and they are based at the All Solutions International under the tutelage of the firm’s owner Mr Walcott Hillock. He has vowed to make them succeed in what are traditionally men’s jobs.
Mr Hillock is doing it, something that moved Dr Hermia Morton-Anthony to say of Isis Richards: “She has an eye for colour.” Four and a half months ago probably no one would have said the same of Ms Richards.
At the weekly seminars held on August 16 for the Women in Construction Trades interns at All Solutions International under the theme, “From the Basement to the Attic”, Dr Morton-Anthony was the guest speaker. She is also the Chairman of the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) which is giving funding support for the People Employment Programme.
“At a time when the economy was slowing, it appeared that construction was holding its way at about 18% of the economy,” noted Dr Morton-Anthony. “Therefore why shouldn’t women benefit? Why are we withholding ourselves from ensuring that we achieve from that kind of economic growth? And so this is why this project is here. My challenge has been in educating, inspiring and motivating. Join with me so that we can get this country and its economy working.”
According to Dr. Morton-Anthony, the Women in Construction Trades, which is coordinated by Mrs Celia Christopher of PEP, and facilitated by Mr Walcott Hillock, proprietor of All Solutions International, has become the talk of the town, and very much the pride of PEP because it is a non-traditional area in which women are participating in a bid to change their lives.
“Your programme is called From the Basement to the Attic,” noted Dr Morton-Anthony. “Already it appears to me that some of you are on the first floor or above. I do not know how many floors are in it, but I know some people are close to the penthouse, and I want you to continue to strive to achieve.”
However, before Dr. Morton-Anthony spoke, three of the interns were asked to give testimonies on what they would have learnt since they joined the programme. Ms Isis Richards, in her presentation noted: “After four and a half months of being at All Solutions there is so much to share. The time that I have been here so far is very memorable and I will cherish what I have learnt for the rest of my life.
“I have been engaged in many different tasks such as painting, putting up of drywalls, and also a little artistic drawing. Painting is my main area. My knowledge has grown greater in the painting for the short I have been here.”
She further explained that painting is much more than putting paint on a wall as it involves the co-ordination of the colours to bring out an expression in a room. She noted that there are many colours that bring out different feelings in an area and she went on to give the examples.
“For instance orange symbolises earth,” observed Ms Richards. “Gold which is wealth and wisdom; yellow, joy and happiness; blue, youth and spirituality; white which is purity and cleanliness.
“These are just some of the colours that are being expressed in the room next door. Also in that room I had the pleasure of doing some artistic work. I drew some stars and had them painted in silver and gold which will depict different constellation of stars.”
Dr Morton-Anthony, who was accompanied by PEP’s Co-ordinator for Women in Construction Trades Mrs Celia Christopher, and PEP’s TVET Instructor Ms Neryl Golding, went to the room to see for herself, and that is when she said that Isis Richards had an eye for colour.
Isis Richards and her three colleagues Maria Croft, Tiandra Browne and Nickay Ayton were proud to show what they had done in the demonstration room, which has also attracted commendation from People Employment Programme’s Project Manager Mr Geoffrey Hanley who has publicly said that he was very proud of what the programme has achieved so far.