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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, October 18, 2022 (MMS-SKN) — Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Lisa Pistana, has lauded the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla Trading and Development Company (TDC) Limited for partnering with her ministry in its sustained nation building efforts, including through philanthropy.

“TDC has been partnering with the Ministry of Education for decades, and students like yourselves have been the recipients of their philanthropic nature – the generous nature – and we want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to you,” said Mrs Pistana. “This is when people give to us out of a clear case of generosity, so I want to say a huge thanks to TDC.”

The education official made the remarks on Saturday October 15 at an induction ceremony where eight Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme awardees for 2022, and another eight who were the runners-up and were the recipients of this year’s TDC Financial Services Academic Excellence Award.

Official remarks at the induction ceremony that was attended by the awardees and their parents were supposed to have been made by Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr Tricia Esdaille, but due a death in her family, the Permanent Secretary stepped in. The ceremony was held at the TDC Training Room, Fort Street Basseterre.

“For you students, I don’t want you to take this lightly because people can do other things with the money that they have – they do not have to give it to individuals,” Mrs Pistana told the awardees. “They can take it to their own benefit – they can help to grow their companies even more.”

She added: “So when they make a decision to give to the community, it is a part of their nation building efforts and I want you to remember that as you utilise the funds. Also as you partner with them, because some of you, if not all of you would be in their stores, sometimes you see them on a Saturday, and you are helping customers. This is an opportunity for you to get some work experience as well.”

Parents were advised by the Permanent Secretary to continue to work with the students, to continue to give them the best of who they (parents) are, making sure that as the students work within the country’s institutions that they give back in that way as well.

“Parents are integral partners with the Ministry of Education, so we look forward to this continued partnership with you,” said Mrs Pistana. “You are your students’ and your children’s first teachers. We are their second teachers, but you are their first teachers. What you do determines who they are, and how they respond. So I want you to think about it. As you partner with us, and with TDC make sure that you give the best of who you are as a parent so your students can be the best that they can be.”

The scholarship programme which was started in 1981 draws its awardees, one each, from the eight public secondary/high schools in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Two of the secondary schools are in Nevis and the other six are in St. Kitts.

This year’s Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme awardees were Master Arad Aulder (Charlestown Secondary School), Miss Jadenique Griffin (Gingerland Secondary School), Miss Kenejah David (Basseterre High School), Master Colois Duke (Cayon High School), Miss Aaliyannah Byron (Charles E. Mills Secondary School), Master Jayden Warner (Saddlers Secondary School), Miss Antonya Bedford Verchilds High School, and Miss Kimaya Phipps (Washington Archibald High School).

The runners-up who were awarded the TDC Financial Services Academic Excellence Award were, Miss Janiyah Campbell (Charlestown Secondary School), Miss Julissa Doras (Gingerland Secondary School), Master J’Myah Richardson (Basseterre High School), Master Marquel Greene (Cayon High School), Miss Makeisha James (Charles E. Mills Secondary School), Miss Jewel Nisbett (Saddlers Secondary School), Miss Nalexcia Hazel (Verchilds High School) and Master Hanser De La Cruz (Washington High School). imd

Present at the induction ceremony were Chairman and CEO of the TDC Group of Companies, Mr Earle Kelly; Executive Director, Mr Nicholas Menon; Chief Human Resources Officer, TDC’s Human Resources Department, Mrs Gloria Esdaille Robinson; General Manager, TDC Financial Services, Mr Steve Farier; Operations Manager at TDC Financial Services, Mr Wayne Woodley; and Directors Ms Maritza Bowry, and Mr Glenville Jeffers.