Community project launched

Forming part of its commitment to fostering improved relations with the citizens of TT, the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPost) yesterday launched its Community Post Sponsorship project by handing over 100,000 pre-paid postage envelopes to various organisations. According to TTPost’s corporate communications manager, Sharon Lee Assang, the idea for the project was conceptualised in October 2003, and formed a vehicle with the wherewithal to reach out to communities. Adding that applications had been received from over 250 community based and non-governmental organisations (CBOs and NGOs), 120 organisations were presented yesterday with the first batch of free pre-paid postage envelopes for their use.

Speaking at the launch, which was held at the conference room at the La Joya Complex, St Joseph, TTPost’s managing director Chris Abley said the overwhelming response to the project was a testament to the need for such a programme. Adding that this was the beginning of a partnership between CBOs and NGOs, Abley revealed that organisations which received envelopes were categorised in areas including sports, arts and culture, training and education, environment and health. Among the organisations chosen for yesterday’s presentation were Kids In Need of Direction (KIND); Care and Respect for Youth (CRY); National Youth Action Committee (NYAC); the Rape Crisis Society; the Christian Union Church; the Trinidad Muslim League (TML) and the Roxborough Youth Council.

The organisations chosen to receive envelopes are institutions which focus on giving something back to the communities and the citizens, claimed Abley and Assang. Encouraging other NGOs and CBOs to look out for the next advertisement for applications, Assang said once the criteria was met, an organisation would be eligible for obtaining pre-paid envelopes courtesy TTPost. She also said this would be an ongoing project, and that this first batch of envelopes had cost in the vicinity of $50,000. Delivering remarks on behalf of Pennelope Beckles, Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, advisor Albert Sydney commended TTPost’s initiative, while stating that the project had garnered “Government’s full and unequivocal support,” as it contributed in part to its vision for 2020. Concluding that this programme would also help to off-set some of the administrative costs encountered by these organisations, Sydney said it would also “free-up” valuable time that could be spent focusing on the people they looked after.