Over EC $200,000 for Agriculture Exhibition
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| (L-R) Dr. Jerome Thomas,Chairman of the Agriculture Exhibition Organizing Committee & Dominic Matthew representative from the TDC group of companies |
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CABLE & WIRELESS and the TDC group of companies demonstrated their support of the Silver Jubilee Agriculture Exhibition by handing over two substantial cheques to the Department of Agriculture yesterday (Sept. 8) at a Government Headquarters ceremony.
Speaking on behalf of Cable & Wireless, Vice President of Corporate Communications Laverne Caines stated that the company’s donation of EC $10,000, while more substantial than in the past, was a sign of their continued support of the agriculture.
“We struck an alliance with the Ministry of Agriculture years ago when the scaled down version of the fair was held at the Fort Thomas Hotel, and ever since that time we stuck with them because they always bring their best, and that is one of our mottos” said Caines.
Cable & Wireless’ donation will provide T-shirts for all of the volunteers as well as the communications infrastructure that would be necessary to pull off the largest Agriculture Exhibition in the history of the twin-island Federation.
Because of the size of the exhibition, Caines said her company was unable to be full sponsors as they have done in the past.
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| (L-R) Dr. Jerome Thomas, Cable & Wireless, Vice President of Corporate Communications Laverne Caines |
“Regrettably, we could not fully sponsor the exhibition because, in addition to our funding, we have also committed to providing memorabilia to every school child in St. Kitts-Nevis. We are happy nonetheless to squeeze something out of our very tight budget for the exhibition.”
In addition to Cable & Wireless’ donation, the TDC group of companies donated EC $12,000 toward a St. Kitts versus Nevis cricket match scheduled for Saturday, September 13—the final day of the exhibition.
Chairman of the Agriculture Exhibition Organizing Committee, Dr. Jerome Thomas, informed that a Twenty20 match had been originally planned, but an extra five overs were added to commemorate the special anniversary.
He added that “TDC’s sponsorship goes beyond what they have given out because they will also be providing promotion … for the event”.
~~Adz:Right~~ In addition to the corporate sponsorship, the government of St. Kitts-Nevis will be spending over EC $180,000 on the exhibition.
Master of Ceremonies Clement ‘Juni’ Liburd said that the substantial amount of money spent on “this scaled up version of the Exhibition emphasizes the importance being placed on agriculture in the future of St. Kitts-Nevis”.
