BHP donates $3.5m to fight covid19 in TT

BHP Trinidad and Tobago is making a $3.5 million donation in equipment and services to support the country’s response to covid19.

Among its contributions, the company will sponsor two ventilated beds with the accompanying equipment; provide equipment to support the establishment of field hospitals and assist with purchasing surgical instruments.

It will also offer an employee assistance counselling programme to medical staff and donate care packages, food, nutrition and sustenance to medical staff, homes for the aged and children’s homes. Some of its support will centre on the communities in which the company operates.

BHP Trinidad and Tobago is also working with several suppliers of materials and services to arrange for them to temporarily benefit from shorter cycle payment terms by the company. This is a voluntary reduction from the current payment terms, in an effort by BHP to support the sustainability of local companies at this difficult time, the company said in statement Thursday.

Company president Vincent Pereira said the overriding focus was ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff, and that all sanitisation and other protocols as outlined by the Ministry of Heath are followed. A fundamental area of its support to Trinidad and Tobago, he added, especially at this time, is ensuring that BHP safely continues to deliver it’s oil and gas production.

“Continuing our petroleum production is an important benefit to the nation as a whole — our electricity network, our support to the downstream sector, the national power grid. It is also a driver of revenue to the local businesses we partner with.”

BHP’s commitment to social value investment, the company said, will ensure a continued focus on contributing to Trinidad and Tobago’s communities, through resource development, economic contribution and social support.