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Flow building strong social partnerships in Ocho Rios

Published:Friday | May 20, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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Horace Wildes (left), branch manager of Jamaica Money Market Brokers, Ocho Rios, and Niall Sheehy, vice-president, Columbus Business Solutions, check out this gift set at the Flow Champagne Business Breakfast at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios last Friday morning. - Photo by Janet Silvera
Columbus Business Solution's Niall Sheehy, his wife Susan and son Liam. - Photo by Janet Silvera
From left: Flow's public relations manager, Denise Williams, and the company's president and chief operating officer, Michele English, have the attention of Teen Challenge Jamaica's Barbara Richards, who accepted $250,000 from Flow towards the work being carried out by her organisation. - Contributed
Member of Parliament for North East St Ann, Shahine Robinson (left), converses with Flow's president and chief operating officer, Michele English during Flow's Champagne Business Breakfast. - Contributed
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Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

As Flow officially launched its triple play and business services in Ocho Rios last weekend, the broadband company was simultaneously building strong partnerships with schools, community service organisations and the business community.

Announcing major plans to integrate into Ocho Rios, the organisation hosted some 250 people from the business community at its first Champagne Business Breakfast at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort last Friday morning.

By Saturday morning, the company's president and chief operating officer, Michele English, was sharing centre stage with Shahine Robinson, member of parliament for North East St Ann, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open a new state-of-the-art store at Pineapple Place.

"Flow has earmarked approximately $15 million towards social investments alone, in the areas of sports, Labour Day projects, other cultural sponsorships and activities, as well as the Building Leaders Through Technology programme in Ocho Rios alone. This is one of the accomplishments of which I am most proud, as, not only are we making a difference where business is concerned, (but) we are also demonstrating our commitment to making a real difference in our communities," said English.

Reaching out to schools

Already, Flow has donated free Internet service to Ocho Rios High, Marcus Garvey Technical, Boscobel Primary, Boscobel High, Oracabessa Primary, Oracabessa High and Iona High schools. This is part of the company's Building Leaders Through Technology programme, under which commercial-grade Internet and educational cable connections are donated to schools in the areas served by the company.

And in a special partnership with the Ocho Rios community, Flow donated $250,000 to Teen Challenge Jamaica, a group that offers invaluable services to at-risk drug abusers in the area. In order to enhance the teaching and learning environment of Teen Challenge Jamaica, Flow will also be giving free services to the project, which currently serves males 15 years and over mostly dealing with substance abuse and other problems.