BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant LIME, formerly Cable and Wireless, has started the month of March on a good note by strengthening one of its longest-standing corporate relationships by funding the appropriation of resource material at the library at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Centre.

About 14 years ago, the company, then known as SKANTEL, started a partnership with the academic institution in improving the facility and attempting to make tertiary education more accessible to locals participating in the university’ distance learning programme. According to VP Corporate Communications LIME Laverne Caines, the telecommunications company has always had a good relationship with the Open Centre as it falls within the scope of the company’s commitments toward educational development.

Caines indicated that although the EC $10,000 cheque may seem small, it should be able to provide a good start in assisting the Centre with acquiring the necessary books and additional resource material.

At a handing over ceremony, Caines said, “In as much as we are big on technology, relying heavily on communication technology, there is still a real need for books in the library. It has been a while since we have gotten that request and we agreed that we would make a contribution toward the library programme. This is expected to benefit our students here in St. Kitts-Nevis who are pursuing tertiary level education and who would, out of necessity, come to the library to access resource material.

“As the education champion that we are, we are very pleased that we can make a presentation of this cheque. I want to pledge that LIME would continue to work with this institution, as we recognize the high value of education which determines the extent to which a country can go. We are happy to play our part to fund the acquisition of books.”

UWI Open Campus Resident Tutor Olivia Edgecombe-Howell thanked LIME for its continued support toward the academic efforts of the Open Centre noting that any investment in education is worthwhile.

“I want to most sincerely thank LIME because the general funding that your company has continued to give shows a care and a concern that this company has for our development and our growth as a people. This has been done in St. Kitts, Nevis and across the wider region and it is highly significant and highly commendable. On behalf of the UWI Centre and on my own behalf, I want to tender deepest gratitude because in times like these, we need all the assistance we could get.

“Education is the plan for our growth and development; it is our bedrock and it is on that that we need to grow. The human resources in this country and in the region rely on education especially in times like these. These contributions allow us to do our work much better.”

Edgecombe-Howell encouraged more “public-spirited companies with similar civic sensitivity” to follow the lead of LIME and make meaningful contributions to the advancement of education in the Federation.