Furniture and Appliance store Courts on Monday, November 8, extended its support to victims of Hurricane Tomas by donating four cookers and three refrigerators to the Ministry of Education.{{more}}

The appliances will initially be used by families who have been relocated from a number of schools to learning resource centers.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry or Education Nicole Bonadie Baker explained that the decision to relocate the families was in order to facilitate the re-opening of the institutions.

She said that the new locations were without some necessary amenities that would make the lives of the displaced families more comfortable, and one call to Courts made a huge difference.

“When we considered the effect of keeping schools closed, for a longer period, on the students’ learning, we decided to assist in relocating these persons with the assistance of the Ministry of Social Development to other institutions which are not necessarily Hurricane Shelters.”

The appliances will be used at the Walden Ryan Learning Resource Centre by persons who were relocated there from the George Stephens Sr Secondary School.

Appliances were also placed at the Lynch Building (formerly Club Flamingo) for persons formerly housed at the Pamelus Burke Primary School.

Those at the Lodge Village Government School were taken to the Largo Height Community Centre, and those who were staying at the Lowmans Leeward Primary School are now being housed at the Questelles Learning Resource Centre.

Bonadie Baker indicated that the Ministry of Social Development was instrumental in having a home helper for the elderly being assigned to the two elderly men who have been placed at the Questelles Learning Resource Centre.

Chief Education Officer Louann Gilchrist, also present at the ceremony, indicated that after the families and individuals have been placed in homes, the appliances will in turn be sent to four secondary schools for use in the home economics and food and nutrition programmes.

These are the North Union Secondary School (one refrigerator, two cookers), the Petit Bordel Secondary School (one refrigerator, one cooker), Georgetown Technical Institute (one refrigerator) and one cooker to the St. Clair Dacon Secondary School.

The education officials expressed gratitude to Courts for the donation, which they said will go a long way towards the comfort of the displaced citizens, and will touch the lives of many more.

Courts Senior Operations Manager Elwyn Phillips said that his company was pleased to be involved in a necessary good for persons who had suffered a great loss when Hurricane Tomas Swept through the island on October 30, and called on other business houses to follow Courts’ example and help a worthy cause.

Phillips indicated that a majority of Courts staff has decided to donate one day’s pay towards hurricane relief efforts.

Also receiving a gift from Courts on Monday was the Technical and Vocational Division of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

Courts Marketing Executive Alexis John handed over one nine cubit foot refrigerator to the Division’s head of engineering, Dwight Lewis, which will be used in the Division’s cafeteria.

John said that the donation was part of his company’s role of enhancing educational development and ensuring that students and staff are well equipped with the necessary tools and equipment.(JJ)