CIBC Caribbean donates $5,000
Devastation was what staff and students discovered when they arrived at the Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Centre (GARD Centre) on Monday 17th June, 2024. The Centre had been the victim of a break-in and burglary over that past weekend.
The Centre lost almost everything – doors were broken and destroyed and stoves, fridges, freezers, mixers, the tools used to train students, AC units, seedlings, water fountain, a printer, microwave and even desks, were all stolen.
Last Wednesday the GARD Centre received some relief when CIBC Caribbean visited to present a cheque for $5,000 and to pledge the bank’s ongoing support for the critical role it plays in training and equipping persons with skills to earn a living.
Speaking during the presentation the bank’s Human Resources Officer, Jesseca Ormond, said that as soon as they heard about the losses caused by the burglary, they saw it as a part of their corporate responsibility to assist and to always play an active role in our communities.
In fact, she noted that the bank’s association with the GARD Centre dates back to 2011 when there was a US$30,000 donation over a three-year period to support an EU programme called ‘Empowering Women in their Income Generation”.
“CIBC recognizes the importance of the GARD Centre and its positive impact in educating and equipping individuals with the necessary training and skills to make a living and to be able to contribute to the nation’s development. More recently for International Women’s Day in March, we sponsored bursaries for two females to attend courses,” added Ms. Ormond.
The GARD Centre’s Executive Director, June Jackson, thanked the bank for its ongoing contributions to not just Antigua but also the Caribbean.
The Centre which celebrates its 35th anniversary in November, provides vocational training and business advice to assist vulnerable youths.