Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 10, 2013 (SKNIS): Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis are encouraged to buy more local craft as it would help to promote and preserve local culture and empower craft entrepreneurs.
In an exclusive interview with SKNIS, Dezra Jefferson, an employee of the Craft House St. Kitts, expressed how displeased she was that locals were not utilizing the locally made products but seem to support the international market.
“Local craft is not been pushed very far,” she said. “We are here, but we are silenced in a way. The products from overseas are choking the life out of us.”
She added that local artists are being short-changed whenever a cheaper product of inferior quality is purchased rather than the superior indigenous merchandize.
“Restrictions on certain products should be put in place,” she stressed. “If they import art and craft that can be obtained here, let them pay the full price. If what they order is more expensive than what we produce, they will come back to us to buy.”
Dezra said that there is nothing better than what is sold here in St. Kitts and Nevis. She further went on to say, if products are made here with our own hands, then support and appreciation should be given from the public, in order to help build up the Craft House and its staff. Ms. Jefferson would love for the nationals of the Federation to be proud of the products coming out of their country.
According to the Dezra, apart from art and craft, the Craft House specializes in number of other things including upholstery and curtain holders.
Ms. Jefferson encourages locals to come and find out more about the Craft House and also bring along their own ideas, express themselves so that they [the staff at the Craft House] can “bring their dreams into a reality”.