CITCO TRUST FUND PRESENTS TWO AWARDS


The Jost Van Dyke Primary School and the Junior Achievers of the BVI Foundation are the latest organizations to benefit from the generosity of a well-known local trust company.
The Board of Trustees of the CITCO Charitable Trust Fund disbursed over $10,000 on Thursday November 8th, the money to be used for two worthy causes. Five thousand four hundred and 82 dollars and 95 cents will go to help in the fencing of the Jost Van Dyke Primary School and providing playground equipment, while $5,000 will go to train consultants and buy equipment for the Junior Achievers programme.
“We’re very pleased to have received an application of this nature from one of the sister islands,” according to Mrs. Lorna Smith, one of the trustees of the CITCO Charitable Trust Fund. “It came from one of the parents out of concern for children using the school and so we’re pleased to contribute in this way to the Jost Van Dyke community.”
In receiving the cheque, principal Ellen Rhymer expressed gratitude to CITCO for this assistance. She explained that with the school compound as grassy as it is, they faced a severe problem with loose livestock.
Mrs. Rhymer said the suggestion came from a parent - Lorraine Callwood, but the newly formed Parent Teachers Association is spearheading the project. She said they recognize that the Department of Education is carrying out a re-fencing of all government schools. “But that process takes time and they haven’t gotten to us yet.”
Regarding the other donation, Mrs. Smith said the Board thought this programme is a very laudable one for the youth to get them grounded in business and economics. “And we thought we should give whatever support we should.”
The BVI Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BVICCHA) is responsible for administering the Junior Achievers of the BVI Foundation. Junior Achievers is now in up to 120 countries worldwide and is one of economic education for youth from 5 years up to College level and for adults alike. In Primary Schools, it teaches children about business, economics, money, banking, about the community and the world.
“We have an agreement with the Department of Education that the BVI Junior Achievers Foundation will facilitate the purchase of material that would go into the classroom…(while) the Ministry will give the administrative support,” said BVICCHA Chairman Kedrick Malone. He announced that the programme would begin in January in five Primary Schools and the 1st and 4th forms of the High School.

Meantime, the public is encouraged to continue to make applications to the CITCO Charitable Trust Fund, in care of trustees Lorna Smith, Robert Mathavious or Dancia Penn Q.C. Applications must meet a community need and a grant can be up to $8,000.
Both Ms. Penn and Mr. Mathavious reiterated that it was important that the funds disbursed be used for the purpose for which it was intended. The $50,000 fund was established in May 1999 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of CITCO.
So far, apart from the two most recent recipients, donations have been made to the Royal BVI Yacht Club, the Kids And The Sea (KATS) programme and the Sandy Lane Centre. About half of the total fund remains to be shared.
“We continue to be very grateful to CITCO Trust Company for making this valuable contribution to the community. We see it as their being very responsible corporate citizens,” said Mrs. Smith.
General Manager of CITCO BVI Ltd. Bas Horsten said in today’s world of increasing globalization, it is becoming increasingly important to invest in the youth. “Therefore, when investing in the youth, if there is any laudable goal it will be to invest in the education of the youth.”
Mr. Horsten commended the Board of Trustees for having done a tremendous job in selecting the awardees and said he hopes CITCO can rely on their dedication for a long time to come. In addition, he said CITCO would make every effort to sustain and prolong the existence of the trust fund.