Angostura donates 55 laptops to 18 schools

EIGHTEEN schools are to benefit from a donation of 55 laptop computers from Angostura Holdings Ltd. The devices were handed over to the Ministry of Education as part of the ministry’s Adopt-a-School initiative.

The 14-inch Lenovo devices will carry with it a one-year warranty which covers parts, labour and battery replacement from Memory Bank Computers Ltd, which also donated laptop bags for each student.

In a handover ceremony at Education Towers in Port of Spain on Thursday, Angostura’s acting CEO Ian Forbes said the Lenovo brand was chosen because its the same one the company uses.

“We are donating what we use ourselves.”

The laptops are being donated for form four and five students, at the request of the company.

“We know CSEC exams will be upon them in no time.”

Forbes said some of the schools which will be receiving devices are in the community where the rum distillery is located.

“Angostura is very much a part of this community. We are from and of Morvant, Laventille (and) Beetham.”

Some of the schools which will be receiving devices are located in Port of Spain and environs including South East Secondary, Success Laventille Secondary, Morvant Laventille Secondary and Bishops Anstey High School.

Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly commended the company for its continued support of its community.

“This is not (Angostura’s) first venture into helping schools in your community.”

Gadsby-Dolly referred to the company’s cleaning and sanitisation efforts ahead of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) examinations.

“Thank you for being good corporate citizens (and) for being there consistently. This is what we mean by being good corporate citizens.”

MP for Laventille East/Morvant and Minister in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Adrian Leonce said he has received a number of calls from members of the public who have personally taken money out of their pockets and bought devices for children in his constituency.

“I want to publicly thank them,” he said.

“These are the people who give me hope that we are living in a beautiful twin-island republic of TT. Regardless of how people try to paint our nation, this is a place of great hope.”

Gadsby-Dolly said the global demand for devices means there is a long wait time to get them into the country.

“It takes a great effort (on the part of the donor) now to coordinate to have these devices come to TT. We are doubly grateful for the effort being made by donors to give devices”

She said over 20,000 devices have been pledged and are coming in “bit by bit as donors receive their supplies.”

Gadsby-Dolly also thanked principals and teachers for preparing printed packages for students who have not yet received devices.

“We know that it is an effort, but I can tell you that many of our students who have the printed packages are very grateful for the effort.”

She said although the ministry does not know when face-to-face classes will resume, preparations are being made for that eventuality.

“These devices are not being asked for this time only. They are being asked to be donated so we can continue to transform education.”