COMMONWEALTH BANK’S CHEQUE PRESENTATION TO THE BAHAMAS RED CROSS (Photo L-R): Mrs. Mavis Burrows, Vice President of Operations; Mr. Brendon Watson, President – The Bahamas Red Cross; Mrs. Denise Turnquest, Vice President of Credit Risk; Mrs. Anthea Cox, Vice President of Human Resources and Training and Mrs. Caroline Turnquest, Director General – The Bahamas Red Cross
Nassau, Bahamas - Following
the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince that
left the country in destruction and the focus of a global humanitarian mission,
Commonwealth Bank announced its’ “Help Haiti” Earthquake Relief Effort
campaign. The campaign,
which was established in January, received cash donations from the Bank’s employees,
customers, non-customers and community members at its’
branch locations and via CB On-line.
In addition, Commonwealth Bank pledged to donate $1.00 each time one of its customers
used their SunCard to make purchases through March 31, 2010.
The Campaign raised $50,000 which was recently presented to the
Bahamas Red Cross. “We would like to thank
our customers, employees and friends of Commonwealth Bank that gave to our
campaign for Haiti,” said the President and CEO Mr. William B. Sands Jr. “The needs of our Caribbean neighbours
still remain great as its people and relief organizations like the Red Cross
Society, work hand in hand to re-build the country after the devastating
earthquake.”
According to published
reports, since the earthquake struck in Haiti, the Red Cross global network and
its partners have provided emergency shelter materials to more than 650,000
people ahead of spring rains and are reaching 80,000 people a week by
delivering tens of thousands of tarps, tents, ropes, timber uprights and
toolkits. In addition to shelter supplies, more than 400,000 people have received
basic relief items from the Red Cross, such as hygiene kits, cooking tools,
buckets, blankets, and mosquito nets. The Red Cross and its partners resumed a
wide-ranging vaccination campaign that will protect at least 250,000 children
and adults from measles, diphtheria, hypertussis, and tetanus. To date, more
than 100,000 people have received vaccinations.
Accepting the cheque on
behalf of Haiti was The Bahamas Red Cross President, Mr. Brendon Watson
and Director General, Mrs.
Caroline Turnquest.
“We would like to
express our appreciation to Commonwealth Bank and its customers for their
generosity and support in aid of the Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort. As we
stand with Haiti, we do so with the full knowledge that there remains a great
deal of work ahead. The next phase
in the relief and recovery effort is building “transitional shelters” for
people to live in,” said Mr. Watson.
“The Bahamas Red Cross Society simply cannot continue the great work we
do without donations from corporate partners like Commonwealth Bank and the
individual support from the public at large. We encourage the Bahamian community to continue to volunteer
and donate so we can better serve our fellow men locally and beyond our
borders.”
Celebrating its 50th
year anniversary, Commonwealth Bank’s corporate commitment is to make
contributions to non-profit organizations and individuals that are vital to the
social, cultural and educational development of our nation.
