Students and adult persons in Anguilla, furthering their studies, are to benefit from two donations contributed by the island’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday, April 29.
The first donation, of two thousand two hundred US dollars, was presented to the Open Campus of the University of the West Indies. The money is to be used towards a scholarship fund for a business student of high academic prowess – and with a need for assistance.
The second donation, of three thousand US dollars, was presented to the Comprehensive Learning Centre, at North Hill, whose Founder and Principal is Mrs. Sandra York-Gumbs. The money is to assist with the establishment of a science laboratory at the long-established and privately-run institution which is continuing to expand its student and adult education programmes by leaps and bounds.
The combined donated funds were raised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry during its annual Starry Night dinner-dance fund-raising event in June 2017.
In making the first donation, the newly-elected President of the Chamber, Ms. Sandra Bell, said: “We are presenting a donation of US$2,200 to the Anguilla Open Campus of the UWI which I believe will cover a student for one year. We think that a lot of great things are happening at the UWI and we want to recognise and be part of that; and thanks to Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks who is doing such a great job in getting so many students at UWI.”
Dr. Fleming-Banks, who is the Manager of the UWI Open Campuses in the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, said the University of the West Indies was very appreciative and excited about the assistance from the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce. She was delighted that many students in Anguilla were attending the UWI Open Campus – were benefitting from its various degree programmes; and were being given opportunities to broaden their horizons.
Ms. Bell, the Chamber’s President, said the business organisation had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UWI Campus in Anguilla, a week ago, regarding the donation.
In presenting the other donation, Mrs. Felicia Hill, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, was of the view that the Comprehensive Learning Centre was very bold in expanding its horizon to offer science courses and to recently create a laboratory. “We decided to reach out to them to offer them a donation of US$3,000 to kick-start their science lab,” she said. She noted that a number of students, including some at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, had failed their science subjects, over the years, and that the Chamber felt that it could give them another opportunity to take a second shot at the examinations. She said that the Comprehensive Learning Centre was providing that second opportunity.
Mrs. York-Gumbs explained that the science laboratory would serve fifth and sixth form students requiring further tutoring in science subjects – as well as adult learners in the community.
Some three weeks ago the Centre imported several pieces of equipment for the lab. The generous donation from the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry will now be of much assistance to the institution in its teaching of science which began 17 years ago.
