The President’s Charities Foundation presented a cheque of $60,000.00 to the Ministry of Education for the construction of a multi- purpose court on the grounds of the Coulibistrie School.
The cheque was presented to the Minister for Education Petter St.Jean by His Excellency the President Charles Savarin on Monday July 18, 2016.
The President’s Charities Foundation TS Erika sub Committee has been raising funds since the passage of Tropical storm Erika to assist in the rehabilitation of the Coulibistrie and Colihaut primary schools on the west coast which were affected by the storm.
The TS Erika Relief Fund has a target of US $100,000.00 but it was started with a US $10,000.00 donation from the President’s Charities Foundation Reserve Fund. Since it has been set, contributions have com e in from Organizations and Companies locally and overseas and individuals.
His Excellency the President told the handing over ceremony that the restoration of the Coulibistrie School is well underway but there was one aspect that still needed attention.
He said the “the Community had expressed concern about the use of the yard and we thought that maybe we could convert it into something of great benefit to the school and perhaps the community as well. We decided to convert the front yard into a multi purpose court”.
The President’s Charities Foundation TS Erika Sub Committee collaborated with the Ministry of Education, the Parliamentary Representative, leaders in the community including the School Principal and the President of the Parent Teachers Association in deciding on the project.
The Minister for Education Petter St.Jean was very pleased to receive the financial contribution to the Coulibistrie School from the President’s Charities Foundation.
He said the President had taken a very keen interest in the work being undertaken at the Coulibistrie and Colihaut Schools.
“In fact he has been in constant dialogue with the Ministry of Education to ensure that we can get our children back at their own school in a conducive learning environment. For us as a Ministry we recognize that education is one of the primary pillars of our development and in order for our children to do well, they must have the conducive learning environment”.
Currently the community and the Ministry of Education are well on the way to completing the project.
A separate donation will be made to the Colihaut Primary school for the replacement of the doors and windows.
The President Charities Foundation TS Erika Sub Committee recently made a donation of 58 gallons of Sissons Paint donated by ANSA Coatings Limited of Trinidad through the efforts of local agent for Sissons paint Antoine Raffoul, to the Ministry of Education for use at the Colihaut School.
The TS Erika Relief Fund has a target of US $100,000.00. The Relief Fund was started with a US $10,000.00 donation from the President’s Charities Foundation Reserve Fund. Since it has been set up contributions have com e in from Organizations and Companies locally and overseas and also individuals. Notable contributions have come from Bankers of Trinidad and Tobago through the efforts of the Chairman of the Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Mr. Ron Hartford, the St. Georges Dominica Lodge, Range Development, Boston for Dominica and The AID Bank to name a few.
The Fund has been able to raise to date $176,492.00 of the $270,000.00 target set by the Sub Committee.
