The community of Mt Rose and the Grenada Seventh–day Adventist Comprehensive School at Mt Rose, St Patrick, are the beneficiary of a full Digicel 4G Computer Lab. This air-conditioned ICT lab is equipped with computers, peripherals and furniture at a cost of over $60,000 courtesy Digicel.
Present at the handing over ceremony held on Friday 5 September were Digicel representative Kevin Peterkin, Pastor Nord Punch representing the President of the Grenada Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist, Pastor Jerome Gordon Director of Education, Principal Kimlyn DeCoteau, teachers and students of the Grenada Seventh-Day Adventist Comprehensive School and members of the community.
Addressing the audience, Pastor Punch said, “We believe and are convinced of the fact that nation building is not entrusted to just a few persons, but is the responsibility of every citizen, be it an individual or a corporation.”
Punch expressed his sincere gratitude to Digicel for heeding the call and making such a generous donation for the advancement of ICT in Grenada. “In recent times, this school has been reaching out to the wider community in various ways. This Digicel 4G computer lab will serve to further enhance our capability to assist members of this community to be more computer literate.”
Information Technology teacher Dennie Walker also addressed the audience and noted that most individuals in the community feel left behind by the younger people when it comes to technology. Walker said, “We miss out on so many things that the younger ones do with technology as we are not aware of its usage. We are not aware of its positives and negatives and hence, we cannot guide them to use it safely and effectively.”
In order to bridge the gap, Walker pointed out a few programmes that the newly established lab will encompass – adult courses for beginners, which will feature the very basics such as turning on the computer, to manipulating the desktop; a ‘Senior Citizens Should Know’ course, which will focus on the teaching of Skype, Facebook and other internet based applications.
Kevin Peterkin, Marketing Executive of Digicel was also present and officially declared the Digicel 4G Computer Lab, handing over the keys to Kimlyn DeCoteau, principal of the school. DeCoteau expressed appreciation for funding this much needed ICT project, not just for the school but for the wider community on a whole.
Peterkin noted that Digicel has embarked on initiatives like these and others which foster community spiritedness as well as care and support for the Special Needs. These projects can be seen all over the world where Digicel operates. Peterkin also praised the school and teachers for seeing the need to have such a critical gap bridged and encouraged the students and villagers to take full advantage of all that the new Digicel 4G Computer Lab has to offer.
