DIGICEL COMMITS OVER US$500,000 IN SUPPORT OF DOMINICA’S RELIEF EFFORTS ( - As the first operator to be functioning across the entire island, it has provided free call credit to all mobile customers & Digicel Play TV service is also being provided free of charge to all customers for the month of August )

Friday 4^th September 2015 – Roseau, Dominica

Digicel today announced that it has committed over US$500,000 in support of the relief efforts in Dominica following the devastation that was left behind when Tropical Storm Erika hit the island last week.

Having confirmed the safety of all staff, Digicel’s immediate focus moved towards ensuring its networks were restored and operational as quickly as possible, enabling customers to communicate with friends and family throughout other parts of the island and abroad. With the mobile network now 98% operational, Digicel has given away free call credit to customers across the island.  On the Digicel Play side, the network has been restored in all of the main areas and Digicel is today announcing that as a result of the disruption, customers will not be charged for their TV service for the month of August, also easing the financial burden at this time.

In tandem, Digicel has been supporting the relief efforts on the island in partnership with aid agencies as well as directly with those communities most affected. To date, it has delivered US$150,000 in food supplies, blankets, mattresses, stoves and handsets to staff and residents in the worst affected communities and continues to work closely with the Red Cross – donating supplies as well as a boat to provide access to those who are cut off by road.

The team is also assisting various groups with handsets and credit including the Police Head Quarters, Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority, and the Meteorological Office. In addition, Digicel has launched a text to donate line across all 32 markets – from which all funds will be donated directly to Dominica’s relief efforts.  

Paul Osborne, Digicel Regional CEO, said; “We are deeply upset and concerned by the devastation left behind in the wake of Tropical Storm Erika and are doing everything we can to support the much-needed relief efforts. In the coming days, my team will be at Roseau Grammar School and Grandbay where they will be serving food and hosting the evacuated families in these locations.”

“We hope that others will also step up to support the people of Dominica by providing aid to assist with the recovery and rebuilding efforts that are now needed on the island,” concluded Osborne.

ENDS

About Digicel Group

Digicel Group is a leading global communications provider with operations in 33 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. After more than 14 years of operation, total investment to date stands at over US$5 billion worldwide. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Caribbean Premier League. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

DIGICEL JUMPSTART CLINICS OFF TO A GREAT START

BVI’s players and coaches learned invaluable skills and techniques from the NBA coaches during the Digicel Jumpstart Clinics

Friday 28^th August 2015 – Kingston, Jamaica: Young basketballers from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) showed tremendous skill and class during the Digicel Jumpstart Clinics which visited the island for the first time this week.

As the aspiring young players ran up and down the court at a frenetic pace, the official NBA coaches were impressed by the athletes’ level of technical ability and basketball IQ. Senior Director of International Basketball Operations at the NBA, Troy Justice, said; “The boys were smart, fast and very athletic. They played a fast-paced style offense but were still technically sound and kept to their fundamentals. The point guards were instinctive and distributed the ball all around the court. We were impressed.”

The local basketball coaches in the BVI were also given an opportunity to learn from and share ideas with the NBA coaches. Troy Justice commented; “It’s always good to share ideas with other coaches. The coaches were open to learning new ideas, both offensively and defensively. I also bounced some ideas off them and learnt a bit myself. It was my pleasure working with them.”

The Digicel Jumpstart Clinics is a once in a lifetime opportunity for young players to showcase their talent and learn from official NBA coaches. It also teaches importance of work ethic, values, proper sportsmanship and motivates children to be the best they can be on and off the court.

The Digicel Jumpstart Clinics launched in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and saw the island’s best basketball players being put through their paces by NBA-certified coaches

At the end of the Clinics, BVI’s top five players were selected to represent their country at the Elite Camp to be held later this year in Trinidad and Tobago

ABOUT DIGICEL

Digicel Group is a leading global communications provider with operations in 33 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. After almost 14 years of operation, total investment to date stands at over US$5 billion worldwide. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the presenting partner of the Caribbean Premier League. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

The NBA coaches said the players in BVI showed great technical ability and tenacity on the court

The Digicel Jumpstart Clinics seek to unearth basketball talent across the Caribbean and the players from BVI did not disappoint

Visit www.digicelgroup.com for more information.