TelEm Group management hosted a Family Fun Day for personnel last Friday in celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day today – May 17.
The event has been hailed a tremendous success as the company continues to build a new relationship and understanding between management and its personnel.
According to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs. Helma Etnel, today’s celebration is not only about personnel who work in the field of telecommunication but also about the products and services they provide to the communities they serve.
"Each year we mark World Telecommunication Day on May 17th and remember how important telecommunication is to our community. The theme this year "Better City, better life, with ICT’s" is very significant to TelEm Group and St. Maarten because it has been identified as the central focus for what is now called World Telecommunication and Information Society Day," said Mrs. Etnel.
She said TelEm’s aim towards developing an information rich society on St. Maarten began many years ago when the company made public its "Wired Community" document in which it became company policy to make internet services more accessible to the wider community at more affordable prices.
"We have moved on from there in providing much higher and much faster bandwidth speeds to St. Maarten and the wider Eastern Caribbean region.
"We have also continued to promote several initiatives to develop Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) throughout the community along with a list of stakeholders," continued Mrs. Etnel.
She said TelEm Group is proud of the fact that it has provided computers and free internet services for schools, the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, the University of St. Martin and the St. Maarten Medical Center at various times in the past.
TelEm is also proud to continue to provide free internet access at its Cyber Cafes to customers and members of the public.
"In all of these cases the promotion of ICT and its benefit to the donor institution and the wider community has been foremost in our minds. We have come a long way and it is due to the credit of some dedicated people who work in the telecommunication industry and especially here at TelEm Group," continued the TelEm Group CFO.
Mrs. Etnel said TelEm Group continues to move in step with the ICT technologies of the day, especially with the development of data services via mobile.
"The potential of data over mobile is great in a commercial environment such as St. Maarten’s, but the possibility to bring us closer to other communities all over the world is even greater with additional opportunities for, prosperity, higher learning and communicating important information in an instant.
"On behalf of the company, its management and personnel, we thank the public and our customers for continuing to bring us into their homes and to be an important part in their personal and commercial lives by making use of the products and services we offer.
"We will continue to do our part develop a strong ICT infrastructure that will continue to benefit all or customers and in that process provide for a better telecommunication life for everyone." Mrs. Etnel added.