Heritage Matters Vol 1 2017

HERITAGE MATTERS
V O L U M E I
J U L Y 2 0 1 7
I N S I D E
T H I S I S S U E :
Engaging
Communities
to Identify
Heritage
Places
Government
House, Focus
of New
Museum
Exhibit
To ‘Preserve’
and Protect:
Major Repairs
Needed to
National Trust
Replica of
Basseterre
landmark to be
constructed in
Glasgow
Delisle Walwyn
Makes Bold
Step to
Snorkelling in
St. Kitts
Park Rangers
Take to the
Hills
The Wild
World of West
Indian Beetles
2
3
4
6-7
8
9
10
11
Governor General Takes on Role as Patron of National Trust
The St. Christopher National Trust is thrilled to announce that our immediate past Vice President, His
Excellency the Governor General Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, has accepted our
invitation to serve as patron of the organization.
Sir Tapley gave up the post of Vice President of the Trust on being appointed Governor General in 2015.
He served on the Executive of the St. Christopher Heritage Society for many years. He was its last
President and the first President when the Society transitioned into the National Trust.
Sir Tapley drafted The National Trust Bill along with now retired General Manager of the Brimstone Hill
Fortress National Park Society, Mr. Larry Armony.
His Excellency has also served as Vice President of the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society and
as Chairman of the U.W.I Territorial Advisory Committee for over 25 years.
He was a member of the Beautiful Basseterre Committee, and as a longstanding Director of The Chamber
of Industry and Commerce, he pursued several conservation issues.
He continues to be involved in discussions concerning the revision of The National Environmental and
Conservation Act of 1987 (NCEPA), which was drafted under his watch as Attorney General.
Sir Tapley is particularly concerned about the implementation of listing of historic buildings.
National Trust Pushing to Protect History at Stone Fort
The St. Christopher National Trust is hoping
to negotiate a compromise over the decision
to construct homes and a small apartment
building in the Stone Fort estate yard, close
to the edge of the historic Stone Fort (Bloody
River) ravine.
Remnants of old structures and factory
machinery remain in the estate yard. With
people now living on the site, their
preservation is a grave concern for the Trust
and its members. An even more critical
issue is the threat to the ravine itself due to
the potential for it to be used for the
indiscriminate disposal of garbage.
There are at least two single dwellings within
the estate yard and a 2-storey apartment
building close to the edge of the ravine.
Members of the Trust’s Building and Sites
Committee are leading a push to have
safeguards put in place to protect the site
and preserve our history.
Several options have been looked at to
ensure a ‘win-win’ for all stakeholders. The
Trust is recommending that a visitor center
be constructed, and the buildings already on
site be enhanced with external cladding to
replicate the style of the historic structures
that once stood there.
The Stone Fort ravine is the site of the 17th
century Blood River Massacre and home to
some of only a handful of Amerindian
Petroglyphs in the English speaking
Caribbean.
The river and the ravine are believed to have
had religious significance to the Kalingo
people who inhabited the island when the
British arrived
in the 1620s.
By 1626 the
rapidly
expanding
British and
French
settlements on
the island were
becoming a
concern for the
indigenous people who had allowed them to
settle amongst them. With assistance from
Amerindians from neighbouring islands, they
planned to overthrow the European settlers,
but it was not to be.
In the Stone Fort canyon, preparing their
His Excellency the
Governor General Sir
S.W. Tapley Seaton
GCMG, CVO, QC, JP
attack, the Kalingo were ambushed by the
British and French, and were trapped in the
ravine in a hail of musket fire. It is estimated
that over 2000 Kalinago were massacred in
the ravine, where for several
days afterwards the river
flowed red with their blood.
The remaining Amerindians
fled or were driven from the
island.
In 2002, visiting Amerindians
held a ceremony of
atonement at Bloody Point
canyon to release the spirits
of the massacred Kalinago.
The National Trust is engaged in ongoing
discussions with the government to see if an
agreement can be reached that will ensure
the protection of the area and Bloody River
in particular.

P A G E 2
Engaging Communities to Identify Heritage Places
Old Treasury Building (circa 1921)
An urgent call is going out to members
of the public to participate in a project
to document places of historical
significance.
The St. Christopher National Trust has
embarked on a new project that will
lead to the establishment of a “National
Registry of Heritage Places.”
The Registry will become the official
place of record, listing all important
sites, buildings, structures and objects
that are significant to the history of St.
Kitts and will be administrated by the St.
Christopher National Trust.
Why a National Registry is
Essential
Cultural heritage is an expression of the
significant experiences and ways of living
in a community and a nation over a long
period of time and passes from one
generation to the next as a shared
legacy. Cultural heritage includes the
history, customs, practices, beliefs,
places, objects, artistic and architectural
expressions and values that a
community and national feel are
important to keep.
Because Cultural Heritage is a resource
valued by entire communities and by
St. George’s Anglican Church
nations, governments are responsible
for its protection. In order for
Government to discharge its protection
obligation, it must begin by establishing
Heritage Inventory Programmes that
identify and characterize what those
heritage places are, what elements in
them deserve consideration and then
for added protection, to give them
official recognition under the
constitution and legislation of the
country.
To meet the objective of establishing a
National Register that fully represents
the breadth and depth of our country’s
Heritage, the St. Christopher National
Trust relies on the involvement of local
communities in the identification
evaluation and nomination of culturally
significant places.
The Selection Process
The properties elected to be included in
the National Registry will be guided by
criteria for evaluation. These criteria
will be the standards by which all
properties that are nominated will be
judged.
Nominations for listing can come from
the public, private institutions.
Government or the National Trust.
To begin the process, the necessary
documents will be completed to be
submitted to the National Trust for
evaluation by an advisory review
committee.
The Selection Criteria
Properties should possess historic
significance and integrity to be
considered for listing.
Significance includes:
The Georgian House
Association with historic events or
activities
Association with important persons
Distinctive design or physical
characteristics
Potential to provide important
information and history
Integrity must also be evident
though historic qualities including
location, design, setting, materials,
workmanship, feelings and
association
Properties must be 50 years of age prior to
and up to 1966.
Inclusion of a site in the National
Register comes with both protections
and implications such as:
Objection or consent by owners to
listing
Establishment of standards that
must be met for conservation and
protection f listing
Repercussions for demolition,
including demolition by neglect
Incentives for owners to preserve
and maintain value such as grants,
exemption from taxes and duty
concessions on materials
Welcome to ARCHES
The St. Kitts National Registry will be
electronically stored using an online
database called ARCHES. The benefits
of having a computerized database are:
Spooner’s Ginnery
Easy retrieval of information
Support remote access to the data
Can handle complex cross
references and queries
Support multiple users
simultaneously accessing the same
data
Half Way Tree Cistern
Members of the public will be able to
access the registry via the National
Trust website www.scnt.kn
Anyone interested in making a
nomination for listing to the National
Registry should contact the office of the
St. Christopher National trust to lean
how the nominations are processed and
how to get started.

P A G E 3
Government House, Focus of New Museum Exhibit
The National Museum has launched a new exhibit. "Inside Government House" tells the story of the 'two'
Government Houses and their occupants, with small features on Administrators, Governors and Governors-
General going back to the turn of the last century.
We are excited to be able to display memorabilia loaned to us by the current Governor General and
National Trust patron Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, including credentials presented by
foreign diplomats and greeting cards, invitations and gifts from foreign governments and dignitaries.
Governor General Sir Tapley Seaton (left) views exhibit with
Nevis Premier Vance Amory
At the Exhibition’s opening in May, the Governor General
announced that he was creating a Registry to record all gifts
presented to the holder of the office, as they are gifts, not to
the occupant of Government House, but to the State.
Sir Tapley, who was the feature speaker at the May 8th
opening ceremony, has accepted the Trust's invitation to
serve as its patron, a fitting post given his years-long
involvement with and contribution to the organization.
Also sharing a few words that morning, were Trust Executive Director Ryllis Percival,
Director of Visitor Experience Toni Frederick-Armstrong, President Schneider Warner and
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris.
The Prime Minister lauded Sir Tapley for his contribution to the country and the Trust, and
spoke passionately about understanding and respecting the past, while looking to the future.
Also in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Culture Shawn Richards, Nevis Premier and Federal Minister
of Labour Vance Amory, Minister of Tourism and International Trade Lindsay Grant and Minister of Agriculture and Health Eugene
Hamilton, along with other dignitaries
We hope you will come and visit us soon. Our opening hours are Monday - Friday 9:00-5:00 and Saturdays 9:00-1:00.
Members’ Social: Fun in the Late Afternoon Sun
The St. Christopher National Trust
hosted its first ever Member’s Social
and Membership Drive, on the longest
day of the year...June 21st.
Though the turnout was small, those
who came had a great time! We were
entertained by DJ Tony, pan soloist
Dejhon Francis and the dynamic
Anjolique Dance Company.
guests got an update on the Berkley
Memorial scanning project from
Scottish engineer and computer
graphics professor, Eddie Horn.
A big thank you to our patron His
Excellency the Governor General Sir
S.W. Tapley Seaton and the Minister of
Culture and Deputy Prime Minister
Shawn Richards, who joined the fun.
We also want to thank all of our other
members who came out and welcome
our newly signed-up members.
Maurice Widdowson/Caribelle
Batik
The Department of Agriculture
Koscab St. Kitts Ltd
Dejhon Francis
DJ Tony
Iletha Fulton
Public Works
Schneidman Warner
The Urban Development
Corporation
Thank yoooooou!!!!
All in all it was a fun evening, and we
look forward to hosting another social
in the near future.
The Anjolique Dancers
There were exciting giveaways for those
who knew their Trust history, and our
This event would not have been
possible without the support of our
sponsors:
The Anjolique Dance Company
The SCNT Team

P A G E 4
To ‘Preserve’ and Protect: Major Repairs Needed to National Trust Building
“As far as
I’m
concerned,
that’s
defacing a
building,.”
The iconic domed building that houses
the National Trust is in dire need of
repair.
“We need to fix the roof before we think
of anything else,” said Othneil Heyliger,
Chairman of the National Trust’s
Building and Sites Advisory Committee.
Some restoration work has been done on
the building over the years, but the
ravages of time continue to take their
toll on the Basseterre landmark.
“The whole building needs some
preventative maintenance,” Mr. Heyliger
says, while emphasizing that the roof is
the priority.
The leaking roof spells problems for
other areas, he points out. Like the
museum and its collections that are
housed on the upper floor. Fortunately,
Mr. Heyliger says, the roof issues can
largely be addressed by repairs to the
structure’s extensive guttering system.
“Like most older state-owned buildings,
this building has not been properly
maintained by government. They need
to make maintenance a priority,
especially the historic buildings,” Mr.
Heyliger stressed.
He says that vintage tin ceilings that
have been damaged by water, can be
replaced with similar materials that can
replicate the look of the originals.
After the roof issues are addressed the
Advisory Committee says attention must
be turned to repairing and restoring
woodwork and iron railings on the
balconies on the side of the building
facing the Bay Road. There is also some
discussion about possibly restoring longremoved
balconies from the Port Zante
side of the structure.
Many of the old railings were salvaged.
Where they can’t be repaired or where
there are
missing
pieces, they
can be
replaced
with replica
iron and
woodwork.
The good
news Mr.
Heyliger
says, is that
the building
is still
structurally
sound and the cupola is in good shape.
However, some woodwork and the
building’s walls have also been affected
by time and the lack of maintenance.
They will need to be stripped of peeling
paint, cleaned, treated and sealed.
Mr. Heyliger is advocating that the
original exposed brick be restored.
“They look so beautiful. It should be an
offence to paint them. As far as I’m
concerned, that’s defacing a building,”
he said passionately.
practical reason.
“It is for their own safety,” he said.
“We don’t want anyone to be hurt by
falling masonry.”
Completed in 1894, the stone building
with its dramatic dome and striking
archway, housed the National Treasury
for over a hundred years.
The building replaced a wooden
structure, likely built in 1857 which had
also housed the Treasury. It too had an
archway through which people arriving
and leaving the island would pass,
leading to the building being referred to
as ‘The Gateway to Basseterre.’
The Treasury was moved to the corner
of Church and Central Streets in 1996.
The St. Christopher Heritage Society
eventually moved in and the Museum
opened its doors in the building in 2002.
In 2009 the Heritage Society became the
St. Christopher National Trust.
Boards put up around the Bay Road side
of the building, facing the Berkeley
Memorial, will remain in place until
repairs and restoration work are
completed.
Addressing concerns from members of
the public that the boards obstruct the
view of the building, Committee
member, Linbergh Alvaranga
emphasized that they are there for a very
The Members of the St. Christopher
National Trust’s Building and Sites
Advisory Committee are: Lindbergh
Alvaranga, Stanley Franks, Austin
Gumbs and Chairman Othneil Heyliger.

P A G E 5
Join the Caribbean Heritage Network!
The St. Christopher National Trust is encouraging its members to get involved in a unique
effort to strengthen the capacity to protect and promote cultural heritages of the nations
and peoples of the Caribbean region. Interested persons can do this by joining the
Caribbean Heritage Network (CHN). The CHN is based at the University of the West
Indies' Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.
Noting that the nations of the Caribbean possess a wide, yet unevenly distributed, range
of heritage skills and resources, the CHN provides a framework for government agencies,
private firms, academic institutions, and community groups to strengthen and share
capacity to manage traditional landscapes, historic monuments, crafts, and other
inherited artistic expressions - as valuable shared assets and as irreplaceable embodiments of the region’s distinctive cultures.
Members have access to invaluable information about:
• The latest heritage initiatives, news, and cultural events in the Caribbean region
• Heritage projects of all types
• Who’s who in the heritage industry
• Downloadable resources such as best practices and toolkits
• Educational opportunities across the heritage sector
• Job and career-related opportunities
• Developments in heritage practice and policy that will rewrite the future of heritage in the Caribbean region
Membership is free for 2017. Although membership fees have not been fixed for 2018, there is no obligation to renew.
Members of the CHN can take an immediate proactive role in shaping Caribbean heritage development by joining in live discussions
through CHN’s conferences, interest groups, and blogs.
Whether you seek peer-to-peer engagement or broader interaction, the various online platforms will have something for you. When
Our newly renovated gift shop was
opened on March 29th with a focus on
enhancing the experience of our
visitors. New products, friendly,
knowledgeable staff and comfortable
surroundings are part of the new look.
New Look Gift Shop
souvenir, gift and bookstores.
The new products and lines include
pottery by Carla Astaphan, health and
beauty products by Yaphene. Our focal
items are our art pieces by local artists
such as Pierre Liburd Loada, Dennis
Richards and Leonie Young.
The gift shop is stocked to cater to
everyone's interests. The avid reader
can find books covering a variety of
topics including history, plants, life
stories and fun books for the children.
our branded items. Our picture mugs
are delightfully unique so too is our
replica enamel cup.
Fill up a tote bag with these items along
Our new Executive Director Ryllis
Percival explains that the shop's product
offerings will be strictly locally made
except for our branded items.
“Our gift shop is not just for visitors but
it also caters to locals and residents
who are looking for a unique gift item
for any occasion as all our items sold
are locally made."
She added that the choice to retail
items that are produced locally will
differentiate our shop from all other
Nevis Basketry
Visiting our museum and our gift shop
would not be complete without the
purchase of one or two or even all of
Intern Suny Salas loves the SCNT
with a T-shirt, a pen and a cuddly teddy
bear dressed in an SCNT T-shirt!
While in the shop, patrons can sign up
for membership and get an instant 10%
discount on their bag of gift items.
The National Trust Gift Shop is open
Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
and on Saturdays from 9:00am to
1:00pm.
We look forward to welcoming you!

P A G E 6
Replica of Basseterre landmark to be constructed in Glasgow
Berkeley Memorial, Basseterre
An iconic landmark in the heart of
downtown Basseterre is the key to a
major historic restoration project more
than 4000 miles away in Scotland.
The Berkeley Memorial which sits in
‘The Circus,’ the
bustling center of
St. Kitts’ capital,
was built in 1883
from a design
supplied by an
iron foundry in
Glasgow, George
Smith and Co.
In 1878 an almost
identical drinking
fountain built from
the same George
Smith and Co.
cast, was erected at Ballater and Main
Streets in Gorbals, Glasgow. The
‘Gorbals Cross’ fountain featured four
clock faces, four gas lamps, notice
boards, barometers, thermometers and
a weather vane and shields bearing the
Glasgow coat of arms.
It was demolished in 1932 as the tram
system in the city expanded.
Eighty five years later a community
group in Gorbals is on a mission to
revitalize the heavily-populated, working
class neighborhood. Glasgow
Caledonian University lecturers Stevie
Anderson and Eddie Horn have
journeyed to St. Kitts, as guests of the
St. Christopher National Trust, to take 3
-D scans and photographs of the
Berkeley Memorial. The scans are the
first step in recreating the structure in
Gorbals.
“We want to bring a bit of life back to
the area,” Anderson tells the Trust.
His parents hail from the Gorbals area
and so he confesses to a particular
sentimental attachment to the project.
When the Gorbals drinking fountain was
erected it served primarily as a means of
bringing running water to an area where
homes did not
have indoor
plumbing.
There are no
official records
indicating what
happened to
the dismantled
structure but
Anderson and
Horn
speculate that
the iron from
which is was
made, may
have been needed for the war effort.
Gorbals Cross, Glasgow (circa 1930)
There are a few minor
decorative differences
between the Gorbals Cross
fountain and its Caribbean
‘twin,’ fondly referred to as
‘The Circus Clock.’
The Basseterre monument
bears a different coat of arms
(believed to be that of the
Berkeley family), text about
Thomas Berkeley, and a
barometer. A directional
compass sits atop the St. Kitts
monument, whereas the one
in Glasgow was crowned with
a weather vane. But the main structures
were the same: a modified octagonal
base forming the shape of cross,
containing a basin within each of the
four recesses. A single rectangular
column is divided into 5 levels using
acroteria (an ornament placed on a flat
base and mounted at the apex of the
pediment) and cornices (moldings or
ornamentations that project from the
top of a building). The upper levels are
supported by
four columns
with lamp
finials.
There were
at least two
other
drinking
fountains
made from
the same cast
by the
George Smith
and Co.
foundry.
Hunslet Moor, Leeds
Both were
located in Leeds, in the United Kingdom.
One was erected in 1879 at Leeds’ first
municipal park at Woodhouse Moor
along with a bandstand. The bandstand
was removed during
World War II so the iron
could be used for arms for
the war, and it is believed
that the fountain met the
same fate.
Woodhouse Moor,
Leeds
The other Leeds fountain
was mounted in 1880 in a
newly opened public park
at Hunslet Moor. It was
dismantled in the mid
1950’s likely to
accommodate the
construction of a
motorway.

P A G E 7
Visiting the Trust in Basseterre this past
week, Anderson and Horn said they
were both thrilled when they learned
that the Berkeley Memorial was not only
still standing but that the drinking
fountain was functioning and in daily use.
“At least someone’s still looking after
their heritage,” Anderson said.
Anderson is using a laser to scan the
monument, even ascending in an
Electricity Company bucket lift, high
above the busy roundabout to capture
as much detail as possible.
Horn meanwhile is using digital
photography to capture the image from
hundreds of minute angles. Software
will be used to ‘stitch together’ the
images and generate a 3-D model of the
historic structure. The model will then
be used to create working blueprints
and a cast.
The two engineers - who lecture in the
Glasgow Caledonian University’s Digital
Technology Division - reflected on how
modern technology was being used in
collaboration with traditional
ironworking to restore a piece of
history.
“We can return a piece of lost heritage
back into the community.”
It has taken
two years and
£14,000 for
this phase of
the project to
get to the
stage where
the pair is
finally on the
ground in St.
Kitts scanning
the Berkeley
Memorial.
The funding
has come from
Historic
Environment Scotland and the Scottish
Funding Council.
Glasgow Caledonian University lecturers
Eddie Horn (left)
and Stevie Anderson
The actual construction of the Gorbals
fountain replica is estimated to cost
some £130,000. Anderson and Horn
say there is a vast amount of political
support and support from the various
councils and communities, and they are
confident that they will have very few
problems raising the funds.
“We just have to show them that it’s
doable,” Anderson says with a smile.
The Berkeley Memorial,
Basseterre (St. Kitts)
The Berkeley Memorial was built in
honour of Thomas Berkeley who was
born in St. Kitts in 1824. He was
planter, a legislator and President of the
General Legislative Council of the
Leeward Islands Federation. Berkeley
was recognized for demonstrating
concern for the welfare of the island’s
people and for
his contributions
to its
improvement.
On the south
side of the
monument is a
basin with a tap
and an
inscription
which reads:
This drinking
fountain has
been erected by
the country men
and private friends of the late Thomas
Berkeley Hardtman Berkeley,
Companion of the Most Distinguished
Stevie Anderson rides a bucket lift above
‘The Circus’ to scan as much detail of the
monument’s detail as possible
Order of St. Michael and St. George and
president of the Legislative Council of
the Leeward Islands, in recognition of
the many valuable services he rendered
this his Native Island as a Planter, a
Politician and a Citizen. His Sterling
qualities, his love for this Island and his
deep interest in the welfare of the
country at large entitle him to a
Memorial by which his memory will be
preserved and perpetuated. Born 14th
January 1824. Died 6th December,
1881.
ST. CHRISTOPHER NATIONAL
TRUST BOARD
President
Schneidman Warner
Vice-President
Bruno Gardien
Hon. Secretary
Ryllis Percival
Members
Lindbergh Alvaranga
Austin Gumbs
Brimstone Hill Fortress
National Park
Percival Hanley
Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Brenda John
Government Representatives
Sheryl Harris (Education)
Saju N’Galla (Tourism)
Marlene Phillips (Culture)
Derionne Edmeade (Environment)
ST. CHRISTOPHER NATIONAL
TRUST STAFF
Ryllis Percival - Executive Director
Toni Frederick-Armstrong -
Director of Visitor Experience
Althea Spencer - Officer Manager
Melinda Lewis - Documentalist
Neidai Franklin - Documentalist
Myrthlyn Moses - Museum Attendant
INTERNS
Devorn Carty
Suny “Liz” Salas
Rashid Stanley
Tassaney Steinbergen
VOLUNTEERS
Whitnie Collins
Haneesha Relwani
Deidre Stubbs-Liburd

P A G E 8
Delisle Walwyn Makes Bold Step to Honour the Past While Looking to the Future
The St. Christopher National Trust is
applauding the move by Delisle Walwyn to
preserve the look and feel of its Basseterrebased
head office, in a major restoration
project expected to be completed by next
year.
“It wasn’t even a question of do we preserve
it? It was just a question of how do we get
this done practically,” says Delisle Walwyn’s
Executive Chairman Clayton Perkins, talking
to the National Trust about the major
restoration project underway at their
Liverpool Row Headquarters.
The company has opted – at considerable
cost - to gut the building and keep the
original stonework front façade of the iconic
building which has stood guard on Liverpool
for close to 200 years.
“[The discussion was] how to we do this
within a reasonable cost structure
understanding that restoring the building is
going to cost a lot more than just knocking it
flat to build a brand new building,” he
explained.
Delisle Walwyn & Co. Ltd. was established
in 1951, with the merger of two businesses
that were founded in the
late 19 th century.
Construction underway at
Delisle Walwyn’s Head Office
E.S. Delisle started
operations in 1875 and
W.E. Walwyn & Co. Ltd.,
is believed to have started
in 1886.
Delisle was a shipping
company and Walwyn
sold insurance. Today the
company continues to be
a leader in both industries,
as the agent for Tropical
Shipping and Caribbean
Alliance Insurance and
has since expanded its
operations to include
Retail and Tourism related
services.
The demolition of its head office started last
October.
Mr. Perkins acknowledges that there have
been a couple of issues along the way. The
company has had to work hard to contain
costs, and there were challenges in the
demolition.
“You’re dealing with a building that’s
incredibly old, buildings like this…termites
get to them, so you’re dealing with areas of
the building as you take it down that have
some termite damage and you’ve got to
make sure as you take it down it has a
certain integrity and the workmen are safe,”
he said, his face growing serious.
Delisle Walwyn Head Office on
Liverpool Row
“This building, the cupola was at a four story
level so when the guys were taking down the
cupola they were at the four story level, it’s
high…it’s a small area, with some steep,
sloping rooftops. So there’re a lot of safety
issues, there’re a lot of building integrity
issues, there’re a couple of areas of the
building where we knew there were fairly
large cracks in the volcanic stone. We
thought the integrity would be okay, which it’s
turned out to be, but you never know until
you start touching the building and pulling it
apart.”
Perkins praised the contractor for doing a
“fantastic job,” taking down the old building
with a great deal of care and attention and in
an excellent timeframe.
“The rebuild of the main building should
hopefully be completed next year.”
He explains that there is other work being
done on the property once the main building
is complete, so the entire project should be
finished by May or June of 2018.
“He discussed the feasibility of creating an
exact replica of the old building, as the
company did with its Fairview Inn Great
House (now a museum and a hot stop on the
visitor tour circuit).
“Fairview was a slightly different approach in
that it is a tour site, and the focus of the tour
site is the historical Great House and so
authenticity was important...Delisle Walwyn,
the Head Office will be a little bit different, in
that obviously it’s a corporate head office so
authenticity with the materials is not as
important, what’s most important is to get the
design right, and make sure the design
replicates what was here.”
When it comes to the Liverpool Row project,
there is the ever challenging ‘money factor.’
“Perkins says it is costing roughly 25% more
to do the restoration/replica than to build a
new structure.
“As far as cost implications and how to
manage them and government concessions
and so on, we very fortunately received
significant support from, first and foremost
the Minister of Tourism Honourable Lindsay
Grant who backed us in our efforts to seek
concessions and was a great…source of
support for us, and then the wider
government gave us quite a bit of support so
ultimately we were able to get concessions
on the materials and equipment and so on.”
The Executive Chairman indicated that based
on the company’s experience, it did not
appear as though there is a defined
government policy to deal with such projects.
“It seems as though it’s on a case by case
basis and so to some extent I think that
caused the process to be a little bit longer
and a little bit more involved, just because it
wasn’t something there was a policy on and
something they were used to seeing coming
across their desk every day, and so I think it
required a lot more conversations.”
He said he hoped in the future that the
government could look at how to facilitate
projects like theirs.
“If there was a very clearly defined policy
along with policy guidelines…it would enable
companies like ours looking at doing these
projects to understand what concessions
they may be able to obtain and how that
would affect the bottom line of the project.”
So what’s Perkins’ message to other
businesses? Why take on the extra expense
and time?
“We should do it for our children. We should
do it for the country. These colonial buildings
are beautiful, the architecture is stunning.
[Plus] if you’re a tourism destination with
such rich history, why would you want to do
anything but preserve it?” He asks.
“I would like to hope and believe and I think I
can confidently do so, that the government
would support other owners of properties
who are willing to do what we’ve done, and
once you can get the government to defray
the extra costs with concessions, then there
ought not to be any reason to not do it, and
as responsible corporate citizens and
business persons it’s incumbent on us to do
it.”

P A G E 9
Snorkelling in St. Kitts
By Kate Orchard
Where to go – Beginners should try Timothy Beach, South Frigate Bay by the Dock. You can see lots of fish while standing in
shallow water; you do not even need to know how to swim! When you feel brave enough you can swim around the coastline to
the cactus rock or even further to the underwater island we call Atlantis or even as far as the Carambola Rocks. Friars’ Bay by
Shipwreck beach Bar – snorkel west along the old reef edge all the way to Carambola or go east to discover a small beach or a
newly built jetty. Or start at Carambola and swim around the rocks and into the lagoon. If you can plan the trip you can start at
Carambola and swim to
Timothy beach!
Whitehouse Bay has the
old shipwreck when you
swim east past Salt Plage
or a cave around the corner
when you go
west.Reggae Beach along
the cliffside as far as the
point where the bay meets
the channel. If it is calm
Hawksbill Turtle
snorkelling round the corner
is worthwhile, but not
if there is any strong
waves or current. Spicemill to Banana Bay around the point. Other places on the Atlantic side such as by the rocks at Marriott
can also be good on calm days.
What you might see – fish – lots of them all sorts of shapes, sizes
and colours. This is a good website to help you identify them and
many other sea creatures. http://reefguide.org/carib/index1.html
Lobsters, Sea Cucumbers, Squid, Octopus, Crabs, Anemones,
Seafans, Sea Feathers, Corals, Sea Urchins, Starfish, Hawksbill and
Green Turtles, Stingrays and Eagle Rays.
Trumpetfish
Notes and Precautions –All our bays are quite changeable – you
never know when the sand will be churned up or a lot of weed and
sediment is being brought in and visibility is not good for snorkelling –
if not enjoy a dip and have a cocktail at the nearest beach bar JIt is
always best to have a snorkelling buddy. Beware of fishing and
pleasure boats, kayaks, paddleboards and jetskis – keepto shallow
Puddingwife
areas away from the watercraft lanes and wearing a safety ‘balloon’ is
recommended. Do not touch or stand on anything - Corals are delicate and easily broken or crushed. Learn about Fire Coral,
Spiny Sea Urchins, Fireworms and Scorpionfish before you go out but they are all easily avoided so do not be put off.
Chocolate Chip Sea Cucumber Seafan Starfish

Park Rangers Take to the Hills
“The rangers are responsible for
what happens up there,” Cassisus
emphasized.
The project hopes to expand to
protecting marine and other
terrestrial areas; this according to
Head of the Park Ranger Unit
Racquel Williams de-Ezquea.
“The rangers are
responsible for
what happens
up there.”
Park Ranger
Jordan
Cassius
Declared a protected area in
2007, St. Kitts’ Central Forest
Reserve National Park was not
actively managed for most of the
past decade. That all changed in
June of 2016 when a Park Ranger
Unit was established.
Today, the area - everything
above St. Kitts’ 1000 ft contour - is
patrolled by four trained rangers.
The team is tasked with protecting
the biodiversity of the National
Park as well as keeping it safe for
human use.
“Every day can
be different,” Park
Ranger Jordan
Cassius told the
Trust in a recent
interview.
“Sometimes we
have days where
we take groups
up into the forest,
carrying them
where they want
to
see...sometimes
it’s like that.
Sometimes we
go and we check the trails, make
sure they’re properly maintained,
safe as well because there’s a lot
of dead trees up in the forests that
can be unsafe; so it’s our duty and
job to make sure that when we
see anything, we analyze it,” he
explained.
“Our general thing is to make the
environment safe for the public
and for the biodiversity.”
The Rangers are also trained to
identify and analyze flora and
fauna.
“We look at the population of each
species, and we could tell that
something’s up. You’re not seeing
[many] lizards anymore, you’re
seeing less and less and less, and
sometimes, usually when there’s
an increase of an invasive
species, it lessens that, so what
we have to do is analyze the
forest knowing that what are
causing these species to be less.”
In addition to the four rangers,
there is a sub-project that deals
with species inventory. They deal
with insects, reptiles and
everything else in the forest.
The rangers are taught CPR and
other first aid procedures, along
with search and rescue and
archeology.
Cassisus developed an interested
in nature and the environment
since his days in school.
“This is something that I’ve been
interested in since College. In
high school, I was into the field of
agriculture, so this is something
that I’m really interested in. I’d like
to say that it is an honour working
as a Park Ranger for the
Federation.”
He urges Tour Guides to report to
the Ranger Unit when they are
going into the forest..
“Legislation is being updated with
stiffer fines and certain
components make it have more
teeth... Before, there was
evidence of persons cutting down
wood for charcoal, of course you
have the marijuana situation that’s
still up there; persons harvesting
certain species for making fish pot
nets,” Williams-de Ezquea said.
She too emphasized that people
Central Forest Reserve National
planning to go into the rain forests
should advise the site office which
is located at Old Road’s Wingfield
Estate.
“Tell us before going in, not that
we plan to stop them [but] so that
we know is up there, what they
plan to do, who uses it.”
Ms. Williams de-Ezquea indicated
that there was a need for the park
to generate revenue, and that this
would eventually have to be done
through fees and penalty charges.
This she said would provide
income to build trails and fund the
operations of the Unit.
“We’ve been going to the
communities and started
introducing ourselves, and [letting]
people know what we are doing.”

P A G E 11
The Wild World of West Indian Beetles
Dr. Michael Ivie and Park Ranger Jordan Cassius examine a specimen
By Kate Orchard
How did a Professor at Montana
State University in the United
States come to be a specialist in
West Indian beetles? Professor
Michael Ivie explained to the that
his career started when he was in
the USVI as an extension agent and
began to study the beetles there.
He then went to study West Indian
beetles for his post graduate work
at Ohio State University and was
able to continue that work when
he got the job at Montana State. He
has now been to 50 islands from
Cuba to St. Lucia and his goal is to
visit them all.
There are more than 1000
undescribed species in his lab and
they are gradually being studied and
named. It might be said that they
are discovering new species but in
fact these beetles have been known
for a long time but they have never
entered the scientific record. There
is a small black beetle found under
trash cans in St. Kitts that only had
a scientific name assigned to it in
2016. It is only found in the islands
from Saba to Montserrat and only
now it has been described can it be
shared with the world.
by the Global Environment Facility
(GEF). The habitats being surveyed
are the Central Forest Reserve
National Park, Nevis Peak, Camps
River and the Booby Island Nature
Reserve along with some other
selected locations. The team of
specialists are training the Rangers
and assistants to set up and do long
term monitoring of traps on St.
Kitts and Nevis and they will collect
specimens for further study when
Professor Ivie returns in May.
Students from several primary and
secondary schools attended the
Open Day for the Conserving
Biodiversity Project held in March
at the Department of Agriculture.
The team showed the children
some larger specimens but
Professor Ivie emphasised that it is
the smaller ones that make up the
majority of beetles. The average
size for a beetle is 2.4mm (less than
¼”) which is why so many of them
have not been detected and
catalogued. Professor Ivie stated
that “little things run the world – if
you take those out of the
environment then the system won’t
work”
Beetles are the largest order of
organisms in the world. 1 in 5 multi
-cellular organisms (which includes
plants and animals) is a beetle. One
in 4 animals is a beetle. In Nevis
only 66 species of beetle have been
recorded but a trip to the
neighbouring island of Montserrat
recorded 720 species so it is to be
expected that further study will find
many more in Nevis. It is a big job
to undertake the finding, describing
and naming of the beetles and then
to decide their place in the world.
Some are exotic invasive species;
others are found throughout the
islands and on the mainland while
still may be only present on a few
islands or even only one.
It is a responsibility of the nation
under the United Nations
Biodiversity treaty to protect those
organisms that are only found in St.
Kitts and/or Nevis. It is important
to instil a sense of pride in our local
fauna and flora in the youth of the
Federation. Too much time is spent
on lions, tigers and bears of
someone else’s country so that
there is the mistaken idea that
there is nothing special here which
is very wrong.
Professor Ivie was in St. Kitts and
Nevis as part of a team of experts
invited to come and document as
much biodiversity as possible. The
Conserving Biodiversity Project is
being undertaken by the
Department of Environment with
the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and is funded
Students visit the Biodiversity Project Open Day

P A G E 12
Museum Attendant Myrthlyn Moses is Encouraging
Nationals to Visit the Museum
Myrthlyn welcomes
young visitors to the
museum
“The museum offers a wide variety of information that can
help our children in understanding their past, and it can assist
them in school as well,” Myrthlyn says, highlighting in
particular the subjects Social Studies and History.
“Adults should also be encouraged to visit the museum too,”
she adds.
Nationals she believes are especially drawn to the museum’s
Traditional Room.
“We have on display in our Traditional room, vintage items
that our grandparents and great grandparents used in years
gone by. They remind of us of our past and how far we have
come.”
Myrthlyn, who has worked at the museum for five years, says
she has learned a lot about the country’s history and heritage
since she first visited.
“I never knew about a lot of these aspects of our history before I came here to visit and later
to work here,” she explains.
“We as a people should know our history and traditions so that we can teach our youth about
our past, the struggles and the achievements,” Myrthlyn says.
“Recently we have mounted some new exhibits like one on Statehood and its exciting to see
more locals coming to visit.”
She reminds that the National Museum tells the story of St. Kitts and Nevis from the
Amerindians who lived on the islands over a thousand years ago, though the arrival of the
Europeans and Africans, the story of sugar and slavery, Emancipation, the growth of the
Labour Movement, the road to Independence and everything in between.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Help support the work and upkeep of the National Trust by becoming a Member.
Members get free admission to the museum and use of our Documentation
Centre; our news sheet and news letter, discounts in the Gift Shop and special
member rates for all our events.
Call (869) 465-5584 or email info@stchristophernationaltrust.kn
Hazel Brooks
Bruno Gardien
Dennis Richards
Tricia Greaux
Percival Hanley
Kate Orchard
Museum
Environment
Building & Sites
Lindbergh Alvaranga
Stanley Franks
Austin Gumbs
Othneil Heyliger
ADVISORY COMMITTEES
Human Resource
Elmo Burke
Kaloma Hamilton
Damien Hughes
G’hanja O’Flaherty
Dianelle Taylor-Williams
Marketing & Public Relations
Jonelle Drew-Rawlins
Val Henry
Saju N’Galla
Fundraising & Membership
Brenda John
Schneidman Warner
The St. Christopher National Trust is
ever grateful to those who have
supported our events over the past few
months.
We acknowledge all of our partners:
Amory Enterprises
The Anjolique Dance Co.
Caribelle Batik/Maurice
Widdowson
Coury’s Wholesale
Department of Agriculture
Fraites Bakery
Dejhon Francis
Iletha Fulton
DJ Tony
Thensford Grey
Harper’s Office Depot
Horsfords Valu Mart
Koscab St. Kitts Ltd
Othneil Heyliger
Public Works Department
Island Bakeries
Island Purified Water
Michael Morton
Rams Trading
Urban Development Corporation
Schneidman Warner
International Museum Day: A Big Hit!
We welcomed over 150 visitors,
to the National Museum on
International Museum Day, May
18th.
This year, the day was observed
under the theme "Museums and
contested histories: Saying the
unspeakable in museums."
As part of our own
collections, the National
Museum features a
number of exhibits that
speak to unspeakable
aspects of the nation’s
history including enslavement, deplorable postemancipation
living conditions and the struggles of
the workers’ movement.
The objective of International Museum Day is to raise
awareness of how important museums are in the
development of society.
In keeping with the
tradition observed across
the world, the National
Museum waived
admission for the day.
H E R I T A G E M A T T E R S