NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – Members of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Cabinet participated in a tree-planting exercise on August 30th, as part of the national activities to commemorate St. Kitts and Nevis’ 41st anniversary of Independence.
Led by Acting Premier the Honourable Eric Evelyn, Minister of Agriculture, and Her Honour Hyleeta Libured O.B.E., M.H., Deputy Governor-General for Nevis, the Cabinet undertook the initiative ahead of Independence Day on September 18. Each official planted a different type of young fruit tree at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park.
“We were happy that we were able to plant fruit trees because we in the Nevis Island Administration and particularly from the Ministry and the Department of Agriculture, have been pushing food security.
“We want more persons to get involved in food security and we want to plant more of what we eat and eat more of what we grow, and so as members of Cabinet of the Nevis Island Administration, we are leading from the front and showing persons how important it is to get involved in planting and planting fruit trees,” the Acting Premier said.
He noted for the tree-planting exercise in 2023, the Cabinet planted young coconut trees at MGR Park, which are growing nicely and should start bearing fruit in a few short years.
The Minister of Agriculture encouraged others to get involved and underscored the importance of planting more trees.
“We want to encourage other persons on Nevis and of course in the Federation to get involved in agriculture to plant a tree, whether it’s a fruit tree or any tree whatsoever. Trees are very important to the environment, very important to us to provide oxygen and most of our fruit trees provide fruits for food security.”
The Cabinet members who planted trees were the Honourable Spencer Brand, the Honourable Troy Liburd, the Honourable Jahnel Nisbett, Cabinet Secretary Mr, Stedmon Tross, and Legal Counsel Mrs Helene Lewis. They were assisted by MGR Park Facility Manager Mr Dane Sandiford and members of his grounds team.
The 41st anniversary of Independence is being celebrated with the theme, “Together a People Proud and Strong, Independence 41.”