By Monique Washington
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — A “sweet reward” of a one-year supply of Nevis natural honey and $200 cash is being offered by Quentin “Beeman” Henderson for the “no-questions-asked” return of his iPad, which was stolen from his home in December 2018.
“Beeman” lost more than his phone, on it were lost hundreds of irreplaceable photos of his family and friends and not having his iPad means he lost a major part of his life, cherished photos and the ability to talk to his loved-ones.
“I had my iPad all set up to talk to my family and friends in England,” explained Beeman. “I am not sure which is worse, losing irreplaceable photos, not being able to talk to my family and friends or losing my personal information.”
Henderson has been unable to call his family or friends since December. He was away from home for four hours and upon returning noticed one of his upstairs windows was smashed and lying on the ground.
After he went inside, Henderson said everything looked untouched, until he noticed his iPad and charger were missing.
“I came back downstairs and found the garden gate partially opened with the charger lying on the ground,” Beeman said. “I went and made a report at the police station.”
Henderson said that he was heartbroken over the holiday season when he was unable to speak with his family and friends in England.
“The iPad has a lot of photographs of mine on it,” explained Henderson. “Over Christmas and New Year’s and the holiday season, I couldn’t talk with my family or friends. I had my iPad set up so I could talk to them. Without my iPad I lost communications. It is tough.”
Henderson is originally from England and said Nevis is now his home.
“I am a Nevisian and I am happy living here but that doesn’t take from the fact I have a lot of family living elsewhere in the world and I like taking to them,” he said. He has lived in Nevis since the late 1980’s.
Henderson traveled thousands of miles to make Nevis his home.
“I came here as a qualified bee-keeper. I got into bee-keeping because in England my father and my uncle were commercial apples and pear growers,” explained Henderson. “Apples and pears need honey bees to pollenate them to get a better crop. My father and uncle ran the business for more than 50 years and then my cousin took over.”
His family rented beehives to pollenate their apples and pears.
“That caught my interest,” he said. “I was a young boy growing up on my dad’s farm in Kent with my brothers and sisters. Later on, I went to Canada where I studied bee keeping. I later worked for a professional beekeeper in Scotland.”
He joined the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and in 1988 was offered a positon as a beekeeper in Nevis.
“I came to Nevis and was a beekeeper with the Department of Agriculture’s beekeeper project. It was a very successful project.”
Since then, Henderson became a St. Kitts and Nevis citizen and owns the property he lives on in Hull
“I think I speak on behalf of anybody who had an experience, it is an invasion of my privacy.”
Ground Gingerland. Although retired, Henderson still farms bees in his back yard. However, the bees have been going through a rough patch.
“Bees have been going through a very difficult time in the West Indies, not just Nevis,” Henderson explained. “Sprays [pesticides] have been used that have a bad effect on the bees.
“Previously, wild bees could be caught and placed into a beehive box, but I believe that because of certain sprays they would just fly away. There has been a change in the sprays people are using here.”
He said the Ministry of Agriculture has been working on ways to mitigate farmers’ use and the importation of harmful pesticides in an effect to protect bees.
The theft of Henderson’s iPad only added to his concerns. Previously he could talk to his family and friends and find consolation.
“I think I speak on behalf of anybody who had an experience, it is an invasion of my privacy.”
Henderson hoped his iPad would be returned and although he has lost hope of that possibility. Henderson hoped running a classified ad in The Observer offering a sweet reward and cash, that his iPad will be returned.
The Observer will be glad to receive information about the whereabouts of “Beeman’s” iPad, if it is dropped at our offices we will make sure it is returned so Henderson can get back in contact with his family and friends. If you have information please call The Observer’s Nevis Office 469-5907.
