CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 18, 2017: The Government of Jamaica and Christel House last week entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement, which facilitates the development of a new learning center on the island – the second most-impoverished in the Caribbean.  Christel House, an international NGO with a proven track record of breaking the cycle of poverty for severely at-risk children, will build its facility on a 10 acre parcel of land near Kingston, which the Jamaican government is contributing as part of a public private partnership.   At its own expense, Christel House will construct a facility which will serve approximately 840 students from the severely impoverished area.

Minister of Education, Youth & Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, applauds the decision of Christel House to invest in Jamaica. “This proposed development will be a significant addition to the many safe housing facilities available for the children under our watchful care,” says Reid. “This will be a home where the children will experience love, care and security, while their education and development needs are being addressed.”

Christel House Jamaica plans to begin operations no later than August, 2019.  The school will be built in phases, with the first phase to accommodate grades KG – 2.  Each year thereafter an additional 60 kindergarten students will be admitted, and the school will grow organically until it reaches capacity at grade 13.  Admission to the tuition-free school is needs-based. In addition to academics, leadership and character education, students will receive books, uniforms, transportation, breakfast, lunch and a snack daily and health services.

Christel House Founder and CEO, Christel DeHaan, is delighted with the expansion announcement.  “Breaking the cycle of poverty is the only way to unleash human potential and to build better societies.  We are thrilled to bring a Christel House to Jamaica and we thank the Ministry of Education for its support and belief in our model and our mission.”

Fundraising initiatives will be pursued both on-island and around the world, but particularly in the U.S., where Christel House International is based.  Christel House Jamaica is a Jamaican legal entity, with an independent board of directors, and its nonprofit tax status is expected to be received shortly.  The organizations have no political or religious affiliations.

See a video about Christel House Jamaica

About Christel House International

The mission of Christel House is to transform the lives of impoverished children around the world—breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient, contributing members of society. A focus on academic excellence through a robust K–12 curriculum is combined with a strong character development program to give students the skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in complex 21st Century society.

Much more than a school, Christel House was established in 1998 by Founder and CEO Christel DeHaan, and currently serves over 4,600 impoverished students through eight learning centers—located in India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.A. Christel House students maintain a 99% graduation exam pass rate, and the majority of its graduates go on to pursue higher education. They become productive citizens, and many secure employment with top multinational corporations. Christel House graduates are confident, hardworking, responsible and ethical, with a passion for giving back to their communities and caring for their families.

For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org and follow us on social media: www.facebook.com/christelhouse; www.twitter.com/christelhouse

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f4ac2bb2-046c-453e-a0f2-a844d16319fb

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62d47922-4b5e-4239-858a-ed9f7b0b0e3b

Nearly 100 Anguillan stakeholders gather at a Government of Anguilla Workshop to hear initial recommendations for the integration of Renewables into Anguilla’s Energy profile.

CaribPR Wire, The Valley, Anguilla, Fri. April 27, 2012: On Tuesday 24th of April, The Government of Anguilla’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities and Housing (MICUH) hosted the Anguilla Renewable Energy Integration Project (AREIP) Stakeholder Workshop at Paradise Cove Resort, Anguilla. Close to 100 local stakeholders gathered to listen and comment on the presentation of the initial report from the Project Consultants, Castalia Strategic Advisors. The AREIP is being funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) – a UK based development funding agency that aims to help decision-makers in developing countries design and deliver climate compatible development.

The specific purpose of the project is to support Anguilla’s efforts to implement key elements of its National Energy Policy and Climate Change Policies by amending current electricity legislation to provide a clear framework for the integration of both customer-sited and utility-scale renewable energy into the national electricity grid.

At the welcoming ceremony the Chief Minister, The Hon Hubert Hughes stressed how important this Project is to the Government and people of Anguilla. The Minister with responsibility for Energy, the Hon Evan Gumbs went on to tell the audience that the Integration of Renewables was his Ministry’s priority – in order that there will be a cheaper and more sustainable Energy Supply for Anguillans. Minister Gumbs thanked the stakeholders for coming and stated positively that “relief is not here yet, but it’s coming”.
The Presentation was led by Mr. Gianmarco Servetti, Castalia Principal and Project Director, with the assistance of two colleagues, Project Manager Ms. Laura Berman and Legal Consultant Ms. Barbara Vargas. The key assessments and recommendations can be briefly summarized as follows:

• Anguilla has economically viable renewable energy resources that can be used now.
• Anguilla’s viable renewable energy resources include solar hot water heating, solar electricity production on both a large, utility scale and a small home and business scale, and utility scale wind energy. There’s also a possibility that Anguilla could produce some limited utility scale waste to energy.
• All new buildings that require hot water should be mandated to use solar hot water heating.
• Anguilla’s Electricity Act should be amended to allow those people generating electricity at their home or business with solar or wind – referred to as Distributed Generators, to sell any excess power they produce back to the national grid under a contract agreement with the electric utility.
• Utility rules should be put in place to govern Distributed Generators’ eligibility for interconnection, technical compliance standards, contract term and payment rates under the agreement.
The three consultants then facilitated lively and informative breakout sessions on: Assessing the Potential and Viability of Renewable Energy Projects; Land Use, the Environment and Development of Renewable Energy Projects and Selling Electricity Generated by Renewable Energy Technologies.

The wrap up session saw many local stakeholders taking the floor and sharing their hopes and concerns – including Mr. Sutcliffe Hodge, who talked about the sustainability of Anguilla’s National Utility, ANGLEC, and its need to be ambitious and embrace renewables; Mr. David Gumbs, the CFO of ANGLEC who gave many examples of ANGLEC’S commitment to do so; and Mr. David Carty, Chairman of the Anguilla National Energy Committee (ANEC) who reminded the audience of the ‘big picture’ and posed that mitigating climate change is key, and the integration of renewables and the sustainable development of Anguilla can serve as a role model for other developing nations, and as such should attract international funding and exposure for Anguilla.

Mr. Servetti said, “It was a successful workshop. There proved to be lots of interest and buy-in for the regulatory changes in the short term and also support for broader reforms long term.” When asked if he thought the audience was engaged he went on to say, “More than normal – it seems everyone feels that they have a primary role. It was a very lively and engaging discussion – and productive too.” When asked when the recommendations could be acted on he added “some can be implemented immediately …some can happen now.”

Mr. Crefton A. Niles, Director of Public Utilities/Telecommunications Officer, Government of Anguilla, who is managing the project, said, “… an excellent workshop – lots of information was exchanged in both directions. Participants questioned the presenters and vice-versa. We all came together for the benefit of the country as a whole. I look forward to the final report from the consultants and thank CDKN & DFID for their overall sponsorship of the project.”

The Project Manager for CDKN, Ms. Patricia Leon, summed it up “It was inspiring to see the interest of different stakeholders in Renewable Energy and I look forward to seeing the recommendations being analyzed by the Government of Anguilla and implemented in projects that benefit the people of Anguilla.”

The Anguilla Renewable Energy Office (AREO) was instrumental in securing funds for the project from CDKN and continues to play a key role – working alongside the Government of Anguilla to raise awareness of and communicate the milestones and successes of the AREIP by regular communications with stakeholders.

For more information please contact Mr. Crefton Niles, Government Project Manager, at the Ministry of Energy at email [email protected], or at Tel: 264-497-2651 (W), or 264-476-0056 (M); or Beth Barry, Renewable Energy Coordinator at Tel: 1-264-235-8292 or email: [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: This document is an output from a project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for the benefit of developing countries. However, the views expressed and information contained in it are not necessarily those of or endorsed by DFID or the members of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, which can accept no responsibility or liability for such views, completeness or accuracy of the information or for any reliance placed on them.

MIAMI, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ — Premier Heart, LLC today announced the formation of Premier Heart CICA, a new division to launch its Multifunction Cardio Gram

CaribPR Wire, BROOKLYN, NY, Tues. Sept. 29, 2009: One reflection of post-1965 Caribbean immigrants achieving critical mass in North American cities and of their political coming of age is that group’s investment in civil society organizations that move away from singular nation-state interests to the identification and support for pan-Caribbean American interests.

One such organization, the Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD), became reality in Brooklyn on August 20, 2009.

Founding members of the SACD include Minna Hamilton-LaFortune (Jamaica)