CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – FIRST Caribbean International Bank’s Family/No TV Week, established under its Adopt-A-Cause programme, got underway on Monday night (Nov. 16) at the Nevis Cultural Centre.
The programme, which “seeks to engage the entire family in normal activities with the exclusion of the television”, sees a change from the regular Adopt-A-Cause activities with the bank focusing on the important role the family and community play in the lives of children. As a result, Family/No TV Week was conceptualised under the theme “Family & Community, Charting our Children’s Destiny”, and the Charlestown Primary School was chosen to benefit.
Nevis Premier, Hon. Joseph Parry, who was the main speaker on Monday night, commended First Caribbean for the initiative and said he hoped the efforts would be copied around the island and taken to other schools. The Premier noted that a lot of negative influences had crept into the society, but he believes people are ready to re-establish old value systems as evidenced in the mentoring programme established in some villages and the bank’s initiative.
The Premier also urged parents to pay more attention to their children; and young people to have self-esteem and practice love for themselves and others.
Branch Manager Jasmine Parris, who pointed out that the Adopt-A-Cause programme is run in each country where First Caribbean has a presence, said it was established because the Bank realises how important it is for corporate citizens to help mold and shape the communities in which they operate.
She said that over the years the Charlestown branch has engaged in several activities ranging from sponsorship of a team for the inter-primary sports to painting and tiling of classrooms.
The Manager said this year the activities took a different slant because “we have come to realise that ever so often we have allowed these modern day luxuries and props to parent our children. We have left them to the negative influences in society. We need to go back to basics, exhaust all possibilities and alternatives in an effort to reclaim our children. We need to go back to a community raising a child”.
Parris hopes that the programme would be adopted at different intervals by schools and on a regular basis in the homes. She said it is the bank’s intention to touch every primary school on Nevis.
Principal of the Charlestown Primary School Kevin Barrett thanked the bank for choosing his school and said he hoped it is the beginning of “something big”. He too urged other business entities to adopt similar programmes saying, “We need to win our community back and this is a wonderful start.”
Children and parents who showed up on Monday were also treated to a folk song medley by the First Caribbean Stars and Teachers, Diane Francis’ Ten Stories In One, and a puppet show.
Other activities scheduled for the week include a Family Feud “Caribbean Style”, where four families will face off answering questions in the areas of English, Math, General Knowledge and Home Remedy; and a barbeque and games night. They are set for Thursday and Friday nights at the Cultural Centre and the school’s ground respectively.
