Charlestown, Nevis (March 15, 2017) — A young Nevisian’s quest for independence has been granted in the most favourable manner, leaving his cup overflowing. Through the marketing efforts of the Nevis Cooperative Credit Union (NCCU) 22-year old Davin Ellerson Smithen not only got his vehicle to independence, but with it came along a ticket to travel.
Since 2012 when he armed himself with a driver’s licence, Mr Smithen who works at the Agriculture Department of the Nevis Island Administration in the Marketing Division had been looking for ways and means of owning his own car instead of depending on his parents’ vehicle.
“I had learnt to drive since 2012 because as a young person I wanted to be independent,” said Mr Smithen. “I did not want to depend on any one so I went for my driver’s licence.”
His window of opportunity came last year when the Nevis Cooperative Credit Union launched a vehicle loan promotion in October. This caught Mr Smithen’s attention and he called on the credit Union with the firm conviction that he would come out there the owner of a car.
“I never owned a car before and I came to the Nevis Cooperative Credit Union because it was an opportunity where they had some great deals for first time vehicle buyers,” explained Mr Smithen. “I felt the deals were good for me to get a car. The deals were good for other young people who were interested in getting the loans.”
He explained that he was welcomed by very friendly Loans Department staff that made him feel quite comfortable as he went about explaining what he wanted. He succeeded in securing the loan and was able to purchase a Suzuki Ignis a five-door hatchback subcompact cross-over.
“I bought the car in December 2016 at TDC’s Automotive Division in Nevis,” explained Mr Smithen. “Since I have owned it my life has changed, the first being the fact that it has taught me to be more responsible, how to maintain and care for it. With the car I am now able to get to work early and more conveniently, even though I live in Stoney Grove and I work in Charlestown.”
He was one of the many young persons who were empowered by the Nevis Cooperative Credit Union to establish a good credit rating. However, he was the only one whose name was pulled out of a box stuffed with names of persons who had bought cars through the Vehicle Loans Promotion at a raffle held on Thursday March 9 to determine the winner of an all-expense paid round-trip ticket to attend the 60th Annual Convention of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU) that will be held in Varadero, Cuba, in the period June 16-21.
On Wednesday March 15 he received the ticket from NCCU’s General Manager Mr Sydney Newton, who explained that they were particularly pleased that a number of young persons took up the offer and became members of the credit union and had since owned their own vehicles. He added that the promotion was highly successful, as it had generated over 200 new loans in the five-month period that it existed.
Mr Smithen drove his vehicle to the offices of the NCCU where after receiving his ticket from Mr Newton, he invited Loans Manager Mr Ken Williams, and Senior Loans Officer Ms Earther Scarborough to see the product he now proudly owns, courtesy of the Nevis Cooperative Credit Union.