BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, September 25, 2023 (MMS-SKN) — The TDC Group of Companies, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary under the theme ‘Your Neighbour, Your Partner, Your Future’, on Saturday, September 23 held an induction ceremony for the eight 2023 Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme awardees.
“The programme was designed, and still serves that purpose, to support students entering the high schools of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Chairman and CEO, of TDC Group of Companies, Mr Earle Kelly. “Every year we induct eight students, because we have six public high schools in St. Kitts and two public high schools in Nevis, and this year is no exception.”
Through the programme, which is in its 42nd year, the TDC Group of companies has spent over $6.1 million and has benefitted 267 students who are doing well in their professional lives. He pointed out that a number of the senior managers at TDC both in St. Kitts and in Nevis are former scholarship holders.
“The programme has benefitted not only the folks who are now managing the TDC but right up to the Prime Minister,” said Mr Kelly. “Many of you, I am sure, are not aware that the Prime Minister (of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Hon Dr. Terrance Drew) was one of the beneficiaries of the programme. He was in the programme with (TDC Company Secretary) Mr Warren Moving, back in 1989.”
2023 Awardees of the Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Award are Miss Alasha Hull, Charlestown Secondary School, who came out of the St. Thomas’ Primary School; Master De’morae Prentice, from the Violet O Jeffers Nicholls Primary School, a student at the Gingerland Secondary School; Miss Chrisandra Sanichar formerly of the Deane Glasford Primary School, who is now at the Basseterre High School; and Miss Ajanique McFarlance formerly of the Violet Petty Primary School, who is now at the Cayon High School.
Others are Miss Keithesia Thomas from the Newton Ground Primary School, now a student at the Charles E. Mills Secondary School; Master Joshua Finch from the Estridge Primary School who is now a student at the Saddlers Secondary School; Miss Daejahnique Rawlins of the Verchilds High School, who came out of the Bronte Welsh Primary School; and Miss Michele Ezquea of the Washington Archibald High School, formerly of the Dr William Connor Primary School.
Guest speaker at the ceremony, which was held at the TDC Training Room, Fort Street, Basseterre, was the Deputy Chief Education Officer, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Roger Woodley, who represented the Chief Education Officer, Mr Francil Morris.
The ceremony was also attended by parents and relatives of the awardees, and present included the Executive Director of the TDC Group of Companies, and Programme Director of the Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Programme, Mr. Nicholas Menon, who made the presentation of certificates and awards to the 2023 Warren C. Tyson Memorial Scholarship Awardees, and General Manager of TDC Financial Services, Mr Steve Farrier, who presented awards to the eight 2023 recipients of the TDC Financial Services Academic Excellence Award.
According to Chairman and CEO, of TDC Group of Companies, Mr. Earle Kelly, over the last ten or twelve years, with competition for the scholarship being very stiff as students displayed more brilliance, the company decided to have some awards being made to the runners-up. They now receive the TDC Financial Services Academic Excellence Award.
“It was done when we had such a stiff competition,” explained Mr Kelly. “We could not decide to just give to eight students because the results were so good, so we decided to give sixteen students to accommodate the runners-up – so we have kept that programme in place. It is supported by TDC Financial Services, one of our companies.”
Also present were Directors of the TDC Group of Companies, Ms. Maritza Bowry, and Mr Glenville Jeffers. Other senior TDC staff included Company Secretary Mr Warren Moving; Managing Director of TDC Nevis Ltd, Mr. Ernie France; Branch Manager at TDC Financial Services Company Limited, Mr Wayne Woodley; TDC Chief Human Resource Officer, Mrs Gloria Esdaille-Robinson; TDC Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Charlene Stapleton; and TDC Employee Relations Officer, Mrs Andrea James-Wattley.