By Lesroy W. Williams

Observer Reporter

(Basseterre, St. Kitts) - Many of the young people gathered for the launching of the book, St. Kitts and Nevis: A portrait of a Nation Celebrating 25 Years of Independence, were not around 25 years ago when St. Kitts and Nevis became an independent nation on September 19, 1983.

Dignitaries, government officials, ambassadors, principals, high school, primary school and college students, family, friends and well-wishes, gathered on Sept. 17 at the University of the West Indies Centre, Basseterre, for the official launching of Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris’ book commemorating 25 years of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Independence.

Dr. Harris is the Minister of Finance, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs within the Labour Administration and Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #7.

Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Sam Condor, Minister of State with responsibility for Tourism, Culture and Sport, the Hon. Richard Skerritt, Junior Minister in the Nevis Island Administration, the Hon. Dwight Cozier, OAS Representative for St .Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Starret Greene, His Honor Justice Francis Bell, Judge of the Supreme Court of St. Kitts and Nevis, Constituency #2 Representative, the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Patrick Welcome, and Head of the UWI Open Campus St. Kitts/Nevis, Mrs. Olivia Edgecombe-Howell were present to witness the historic book launching event.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Ambassador Roslyn Hazelle, chaired the proceedings. Rev. Derek Sawyer of the Anglican Church said the opening prayer and Juanita Johnson of Dr. Harris’ Alma Mater, Edgar T. Morris Primary School, sang the National Anthem.

Mr. Condor introduced Dr. Harris.

“This for me is a very humbling but special moment. This is our people telling our story,” he said.

“I am extremely honoured to introduce to you my colleague and friend, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Sylvester Harris, as the author of a most needed and timely book,” Mr. Condor said.

“Timothy is a son of the soil, born of humble beginnings to Margaret Harris of St. Kitts and Godfrey Nisbett of Nevis, who would rise to make his contribution on the national stage as a member of parliament.”

He has served his constituency #7 with fervor, dedication and loyalty, Mr. Condor said.

In highlighting his academic career, Mr. Condor made mention of the fact that Dr. Harris graduated at the undergraduate and graduate level from the University of the West Indies at the top of his field in accounting.

He was awarded the very first Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Scholarship, given to graduate students in the management department to pursue their master’s degree. After completing his master’s degree with distinction, he was awarded the UWI Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) scholarship to pursue doctoral studies in accounting at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Mr. Condor said that Dr. Harris came from the bowels of the working people and understood what the struggle was all about at an early age and has dedicated his life to that struggle.

“It must be exceedingly clear that our Timothy, like St. Paul’s Timothy, has been motivated to portray leadership, to be a soldier, a teacher, to be tenacious, hardworking and sacrificial,” Mr. Condor said.

“How else could he have accomplished this feat to author a book in the throes of his hectic portfolios of responsibilities; a book of a journey which is the heart of our nation; a book that depicts not only the understanding that our forbearers had of a fiercely proud and aspiring people and their faith in God but of a people united in a cause surmounting all the obstacles in their quest to overcome; it is a journey across time; across debate to acceptance; across generations; it is a wonderful way to learn our history,” he added.

In his remarks, Dr. Harris said, “25 years after September 1983, we can all have different perspectives, images, stories, views and conclusions on independence.”

“Mine is a perspective zeroing on some aspects of the constitutional and geopolitical developments involving St. Kitts and Nevis on its road to independence and thereafter. It is not exhaustive,” he added.

“This book was conceived out of a real interest in contributing something to our 25th anniversary independence programme. In the end, the contribution came from my head and heart. My head told me it would be good to make available something that would aid a better understanding and appreciation of our independence. My heart warmed to the idea,” Dr. Harris said.

“After several months of labour, I now present this book whose cover is beautifully adorned in the colours of our national flag. The book is captioned St. Kitts and Nevis: Portrait of a Nation Celebrating 25 years of Independence.”

Dr. Harris acknowledged several persons who made contributions in the completion of the book. He thanked the Governor-General, His Excellency, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, for writing the foreword to the book; Ian Randle of Jamaica, Publisher of the book; Ghislaine Williams and Carlisle Richardson for accessing speeches at the United Nations; Chelesa Rawlins and Lyndis Harris, who typed the manuscript; Victoria O’Flaherty, archivist, who reviewed selected chapters with a keen eye for accuracy of historical facts; Dr. Glen Richards, lecturer in history at UWI, Mona Campus and Marilyn Rogers; Ambassador Cedric Harper for adding to the manuscript; and Dr. Dennis Benn, Professor of Public Policy at UWI, who carefully read the entire original draft of the manuscript and made detailed suggestions on its content, formatting, structure and organization.