May Pen stakeholders unite in coronavirus fight
Published:Wednesday | April 1, 2020 | 12:09 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer
As the island continues the fight against the deadly novel coronavirus infection, stakeholders in the May Pen, Clarendon, community have gone into the ring with the Government.
Last week, William Shagoury, custos of Clarendon and chief executive officer of Sha-gore Aggregates Limited, donated over $400,000 worth of supplies to the May Pen Hospital.
Courtney Thomas of Kings Chemical also donated supplies to the hospital.
Philanthropist Otis James, of the James and Friends Education Programme, got creative in dispatching assistance to the needy in the parish through a ‘James & Friends Foundation’s Cash Voucher Programme’.
President of the May Pen Chamber of Commerce, Winsome Witter, in sanctioning the initiative, said, “It is often in times of crisis that creativity and innovation surface.”
This programme, she shared, provides primarily the elderly, as well as children in need of support, with vouchers to purchase food and other supplies from participating businesses.
“The objective is to minimise the need for recipients to be on the street, thereby curtailing the spread of the virus. The more persons they are able to keep off the streets, the faster they will be able to win the fight and get back to business,” she said.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Witter also pointed out that this is an opportunity for more businesses to be a part of the solution, as “we all join forces in preserving lives. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, to be the change that we wish to see in this world. Peace and love,” she urged.
Witter had words of praise for another member of the chamber, who she said, with overwhelming support from other members, has been going above and beyond in responding to the call for support in preparing care packages for the most vulnerable members in several communities in May Pen proper.
“I know business operators have their own challenges, which is why it is really commendable that they are able to put these challenges aside and focus on making a difference,” she said.