NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 03, 2021) — Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister responsible for Water in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) urged staff of the Nevis Water Department to be prepared to adapt in an ever-changing work environment.

The minister was at the time delivering an address to declare the Nevis Water Department Staff Retreat 2021 open. The one-day event was hosted at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC) on February 02, 2021, with the theme “Challenging yourself in a changing working environment.”

“It is important to bear in mind that water is connected to all sectors of our economy, so any changes in one sector can result in change in the working environment of the Nevis Water Department.

“Policy changes by the Nevis Island Administration will affect the working environment. You should however always have the mind-set that changes will occur and that the process of change will be dynamic and fluid. Therefore, you should challenge yourself to adapt in a fast-changing environment,” he said.

The retreat, a first in the department’s  37 years of operation was organised to give staff a better understanding of the department and its function and its role in Nevis; to sharpen skills to better serve the community; to meet and greet each other, and to discuss plans for 2021.

Mr. Brand recommend a number of ways in which the staff could challenge themselves, including the continuation of capacity building.

“I recommend that you continue to build capacity within the water department parallel with encouraging public participation and stewardship of our limited water resources. Timely information and bulletins should always be provided to customers, and they must continue to be educated on changes within the [water] sector.

“I do hope that in 2021 we would see more of this happening using social media, the radio and television to get messages and information to the general public,” he said.

The minister added that he is confident the staff can challenge themselves by collecting and collating data which would help to make better decisions, and to inform the policy makers as to which direction they should take the Nevis water sector. “This has to become a habit and should be deliberately practised by all stakeholders in the department,” he said.

Mr. Brand also encouraged the staff to improve team work in the execution of their duties this year. He noted that team work involves among other things, good communication skills, trust, respect, pooling of human capacity and sharing of ideas to achieve the department’s goals and objectives.

He reminded the management and staff that in the absence of team work in a changing environment they would be setting themselves up to fail.

“You have practiced team work in the recent past when you successfully implemented the CDB [Caribbean Development Bank] Water Supply Enhancement Project as the contractor; when you installed and commissioned the Hamilton water well and installation of the Water Filtration system.

“I have no doubt of your capability and I have every confidence in your collective abilities to continue to achieve great things together,” Minister Brand said.

Among those present at the event were Deputy Premier of Nevis Hon. Alexis Jeffers and Hon. Eric Evelyn.