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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, February 17, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — Residents of Lodge-Ottley’s and the surrounding areas who have no internet at home now have the opportunity to digitally connect with the rest of the world, thanks to The Cable which has provided free Wi-Fi at the new community centre through the instrumentality of the company’s Chief Executive Officer Ms Patricia Walters.

“I want to applaud her good social corporate responsibility,” said Prime Minister and Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris as he delivered feature remarks at the opening ceremony of the multipurpose $3.2 million Lodge-Ottley’s Community Centre on Tuesday February 16.

“Making Wi-Fi publicly available fits well into our plans for the digitalisation of St Kitts and Nevis, making more if not all of our citizens and residents nimble with ICTs the driver of the modern economy,” observed Dr Harris. “Our children and our residents without Wi-Fi in their homes now have access to broadband service right here.”

According to the Honourable Prime Minister, digital connectivity is critical these days as has been learnt during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that is why the new community centre includes free Wi-Fi connection. 

“It means that Lodge-Ottley’s community will always be connected with our Island, and also with the region and the rest of the World,” pointed out Dr Harris. “This is one of the first community centres to be outfitted with free Wi-Fi service thanks to the good heart and progressive mind of Patricia Walters, CEO of The Cable.”

Ms Walters, who was accompanied by some of her company’s senior staff, was present at the opening ceremony of the community centre. Prime Minister Harris introduced her to the gathering and asked her to stand to be acknowledged.

He thanked her for making Wi-Fi facility available to all every day, 24/7, and told the gathering: “And you could log in now. Go into your settings and you look and you will see the community centre there showcasing, you click and you are ready to go – all free of cost.”

Prime Minister Harris, who is the sponsor of Constituency Number Seven Domino League which is the longest running in the country, informed the audience that it is the second occasion in which Ms Patricia Walters would have collaborated with him.

“I remember many years ago, when we launched our domino league, we were looking for a place where persons could play their dominos on a regular basis,” said Prime Minister Harris. “We wrote a letter to Lime/Cable and Wireless, and Pat Walters was the boss lady at the time. She came, she had a look at the site, she sat with myself with Osmond Petty, and several others, and she said this is a good project, we will want to get ourselves involved with.”

Advised Prime Minister Harris: “Few people know that that building which is now used as an exercise building, and as a library in Mansion was built and is really our domino club house made available to us by Patricia Walters.”

Present at the opening ceremony which was chaired by Dr Patrick Welcome, also included the Minister of Social Development the Hon Eugene Hamilton, the Minister of ICT et al the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, the Minister of Education the Hon Jonel Powell, Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan His Excellency Tom Lee, Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, and Ambassador His Excellency Kevin Williams.

Also present included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Mrs Janelle Lewis-Tafari who delivered opening remarks, and Permanent Secretaries Mr Osmond Petty of National Security, Mrs Elreter Simpson-Browne of Sustainable Development, and Mr Ron Collins of Agriculture.

After the cutting of the ribbon Prime Minister Harris, Cabinet Ministers, Ambassador Tom Lee, and other dignitaries were taken on a tour of the facility by Director in the Department of Community Development and Social Services Mrs Osslyn Ward-Harris.

At one of the stops they witnessed schoolchildren doing their homework and had two laptop computers that were connected to the free Wi-Fi. They engaged the children with Minister of ICT et al the Hon Akilah Byron Nisbett taking keen interest in the work the schoolchildren were doing.