“The
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and what it represents is admirable, and Digicel has
supported it. However, it is imperative that we also localise such social-media
trends and make them beneficial to Jamaicans”
Digicel CEO Barry
O'Brien commenting on his decision to donate three 650 Gallon Water Tanks to
School Downtown instead of taking up the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Telecom
Provider Digicel has done
something that’s practical for a change. More importantly, it should send a
message about following every trend Social Media want to throw at us,
especially those coming from Developed World Countries like the US of A.
ALS
(Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is basically a Motor Neuron Disease that
causes sufferers to lose control over all the muscles in their body, reducing
them to a vegetative immobile state. The ALS
Association has received some US$94 million in donations from existing
donors and 2.1 million new donors since the Ice Bucket challenge started. This
as if you opt out of the Ice Bucket Challenge, said to simulate the sensation
that ALS sufferers feel, you have to pledge US$10 to their cause via donations
at their website.
Instead
of doing the Ice Bucket Challenge, a Social Media Campaign that was started to
raise awareness about ALS
(Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease,
Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien opted to
be very practical as explained in the article “Digicel
boss wants Jamaican challenge”, Published Monday September 1, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Expressions
of joy at Digicel's 'Water Tank challenge'”, published Friday, August 29,
2014 9:57 PM, The Jamaica Observer.
He
instead donated 650 gallon Water Tanks to the following High Schools downtown:
1.
Franklin Town Primary School
2.
St Michael's Primary School
3.
Kingston College
Digicel CEO Barry
O'Brien and the Ice Bucket Challenge – Not Cool to Waste Ice Water during a Drought
Even
better, he also, by his actions, hinted at a possible challenge to Corporate
Jamaica to be practical and do likewise and make donations to high schools of a
Water-related Nature. This as his donation was a follow-on of previous work
being done by the Digicel Foundation,
who’d already donated some 12 Tanks to some high Schools in Clarendon and St.
Thomas.
A
representative of the Digicel
Foundation said that the organization initially bought twelve (12) Tanks
and donated to eight (8) schools in St. Thomas and Clarendon as stated in the
article “Digicel
CEO gives 3 schools Water Tanks after Ice Bucket Challenge”, published
Wednesday, August 27, 2014 4:50 PM, The
Jamaica Observer.
This
a day before on Thursday August 28th 2014 when Brand Ambassador Miss
Kitty and Agent DG on given away more than JA$500,000 worth of book grants and
cash prizes as stated in “Digicel
delivers school supplies”, published Thursday August 28, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.
This
mainly consisting of knapsacks laden with smartphones, Call Credit, 4G
Broadband Modems, Back-to-School Huawei MediaPad Lite Tablets along with
rulers, pencils, calculators, geometry set and other things.
Quick
plug for myself folks!
I’m
back in the Swallowfield Camp fresh from training from Milk River, Clarendon, a
community which I've left since Saturday August 30th 2014 to come to
Kingston, yet again for about the 10th or so time to complete my
Professional Diploma in Teaching at the MICO University College as I'd pointed
out in my blog
article entitled “ Folks,
I'm back in Swallowfield - Saturday and Sunday are Blogger Maintenance Day so
no blogging”.
CEO of Digicel Barry
O'Brien plays it down the middle – NWC Water Restrictions STILL in effect
Thus
CEO of Digicel Barry O'Brien was not only playing it safe and practical, but
also by the budget, seeing as they'd ALREADY begun donating Tanks to help high
School in these parishes that were experiencing Water woes. Plus, the NWC (National
Water Commission) had stated that Water lockoff were in effect since July 2014
as stated in “NWC
to intensify Water restrictions in Corporate Area”, published Thursday,
July 03, 2014 1:13 PM, The Jamaica
Observer.
Minister
of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill in a
statement in House of Representatives on Wednesday July 2nd 2014,
warned that they'd be adopting, quote “a zero tolerance approach” with persons
found in breach of the Water Restrictions being taken before the Resident
Magistrates Court as stated in the article “NWC Implements Water
Restrictions”, published July 3, 2014 By Latonya Linton, The Jamaica Information Service.
Clearly,
the High Schools were pleased with the donation, especially as Education
Minister Ronald Thwaites endorsed the donation with his personal appearance
during the handing over ceremony to quote Principal of Franklin Town Primary,
Leroy Smith, quote: “I got a call to say, come to the school. I saw (Education)
Minister (Ronald) Thwaites here and I was even more curious as to what was
happening. To hear that the school is getting this donation is just perfect. We
are ready to get it filled over the weekend just in time for the first day of
school”.
KC
(Kingston College), the boys in Purple and White had a very grateful Principal
of Kingston College Dave Myri receive the Tanks, especially as it relieve their
current Water Crisis at their Elletson Road Campus, quote: “We've been plagued
by Water problems year round on both campuses, so this has moved us towards
solving some of the Water-storage issues. Actually, just this morning we spoke
to the parents on how the bathrooms would be maintained given the current Water
crisis and so to have this donation by Digicel a few hours after, we are really
grateful”.
Not
to mention just in time too, as Water Restrictions are STILL in effect as noted
in the article “Water
Restrictions Still On Despite Rains”, Published Sunday August 31, 2014
11:06 am, The Jamaica Gleaner.
Very
true, as since I’ve returned, I notice that Water goes away in the nights only
to return at around 6:00am. I basically have to catch Water in my Yellow Bathtub
just as I did in Milk River, Clarendon as noted in my blog article
entitled “How
to make Oreo Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes - My Chocolate Summer in Milk
River as I'm dreaming of Swallowfield”, a situation I survived thanks to
the healing power of Chocolate!
Digicel opts to be
Relevant – ALS Donations via Ice Bucket Challenge are a waste of Water
CEO
of Digicel Barry O'Brien did the practical thing.
After
all, Water Restrictions are STILL in force and it would look out of place to be
wasting Water, even a Bucket full of Ice and cold Water you paid for and froze
in your company’s freezer. Giving 650 gallon Water Tanks was a lot more
practical, seeing as the Drought is still ongoing as noted in the article “Water
Restrictions Still On Despite Rains”, Published Sunday August 31, 2014
11:06 am, The Jamaica Gleaner.
But
he may have also dodged a controversy.
Turns
out that ALS Association may be using Stem
Cells from aborted foetus, according to American Archbishop Michael Jackels and
other protesting their usage of the millions donated thus far as stated in the
article “'Don't
send them your money”, published Sunday August 31, 2014, by Ryon Jones,
Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.
Looks
like Telecom Provider Digicel
proves yet again, like Haiti and controversy surrounding the corrupt practice
of the Haitian Government led by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe in collecting
an illegal Tax as explained in my blog article
entitled “Digicel
Haiti removes VoIP Apps Blockade – How Laurent Lamothe Administrations Corrupt
Telecom Tax for FNE has French Connection” was dodged by just being plain
practical about how you wish your Brand Image to be perceived in the eyes of
the customer.
Waste
not Water on ALS Association Jamaicans; we
need all the Water we can get as the Drought is still ongoing and the
Chikungunya Virus shows no signs of abating as pointed out in my blog article
entitled “21
Jamaicans now infected with Chikungunya Virus - DEET and Citronella are
Trending Back-to-School Perfumes on the Playground”.
Time
for Jamaicans to make up our own Social Media Challenge: the Black Tank
Challenge, where communities in Jamaica go without bathing for a day or donate
JA$100 toward the purchase of a Black Tank in their community that needs one.
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