Natakie Beazer

bb: Hi Natakie, thanks for being on our website. Tell me, how old are you?

NB: I am twenty-six. I was born on 21 January 1980, under the sign of Aquarius.

bb: what is your background?

NB: I was born in Antigua, but came home to Barbuda when I was a few days old. I come from a large family, my great great grandmother is still alive, she will be 90 on 22 April 2006. All my family live long. I am an only daughter. I have five brothers; one is the parliamentary representative for Barbuda, another is a teacher, and another a game warden, while my father is the chairman of the Barbuda Council.

bb: you attended HTS I know

NB: Yes, I was a student at the Holy Trinity School from Kindergarten until I graduated in Form V as the valedictorian, student of the year. My favourite subjects were office administration and English.

bb: extra-curricula activities?

NB: I enjoyed debating and was the first speaker on the HTS debate team in 1997 when we won the Cable and Wireless National Schools Debating Competition for the third year in a row. I played netball outside school; my team was second in the netball league in Barbuda.

bb: what did you do after graduation?

NB: I started work in the general office of the Barbuda Council, currently I am an executive officer attached to the Finance Department. For a year I was a guest relations ambassador at The Beach House where I gained experience in public relations and tourism.

bb: I think you are involved in voluntary organisations

NB: I am the project officer for the Caribbean Regional Environment Program (CREP) in Barbuda. This project allows everyone who has an interest in the lagoon to help manage its resources. Fishermen, tour operators, taxi drivers, hotel owners, all meet to discuss how to use the lagoon whilst protecting the mangroves, Frigate Birds, lobsters, fish, and things like that. John Mussington is the project manager.

bb: and the CARE Foundation?

NB: I am the president of this new organisation which was formed in November 2005 to give assistance to the Hanna Thomas Hospital, the Barbuda Council Day Care, the schools, and any group that needed help. We are mainly Barbuda Council employees and we want to take the financial strain off the Barbuda Council. We collect materials, toiletries, food – anything really. We are non-profit-making and we have held walkathons with sponsor sheets, and we accept donations. The foundation is part of the Millennium Development Task Force and we hope to incorporate with CARE International.

bb: tell us about yourself

NB: Well, I have two children, both boys, Trey is seven years old and Krystian is five. They are students at Holy Trinity. I am planning to study business management at college. I am looking at St Leo’s in Florida, where my brother Trevor went. Also St Croix has a campus and business department with a good reputation.

bb: you are a local businesswoman

NB: Indeed, that’s why I want to study business management. My shop is on the Two Foot Bay Road, near Jicky’s studio, it’s called The Toy Box. I stock educational children’s toys and have some cards as well. It’s very popular with children of all ages.

bb: do you have advice for the young people of Barbuda?

NB: Stay focused is my philosophy. Have goals, aims, and ideals to work towards. They will be difficult to achieve and the path will not be direct. However, stay focused on what you want to achieve, do not be diverted into anti-social behaviour, which will destroy your life and happiness.

bb: Thank you Natakie, we wish you well for the future