Governor de Jongh and Senate President Hill Announce
Free Phone Calls Program for Haitian Community

As part of the Virgin Islands continuing effort to assist those suffering in Haiti, as well as their families living here in the territory, Gov. John P. de Jongh Jr. and Senate President Louis Patrick Hill announced a partnership with Innovative Telephone on Thursday which will provide free telephone calls between the Virgin Islands and the earthquake-devastated country.

The service will be available for 30 days, between 10 am and 6 p.m. starting Monday, February 15, 2010. Innovative has set up five phone lines in the Tutu Park Mall, which concerned Virgin Islanders can use without charge to call their friends and relatives in Haiti. Anyone who needs to reach Haiti for any reason can go to the mall and place a call.

“This calling service is intended to bring some comfort to our territory’s Haitian community, many of whom have yet to hear the voices of their loved ones since last month’s earthquake caused unimaginable damage to lives and property. Haiti is still ravaged by the disaster and overcome by adversity, but direct human communication has the power to ease minds and warm spirits in a difficult time,” de Jongh said.

The Governor and Senate President reached out to Innovative to request this service, and the company immediately and graciously accepted. “It is just another example of the generosity shown by Virgin Islands businesses and citizens every day as they try to help their less fortunate Caribbean neighbors,” de Jongh said.

Plans are currently being developed to offer similar services on the islands of St. John and St. Croix.

Both Gov. de Jongh and Senator Hill also thanked John Foster, who donated the space in Tutu Park Mall for the call area and set up desks and chairs at the phone stations. The free calling program is just part of our community’s efforts to help ease the suffering in Haiti, both in the public and private sectors. Recently, Virgin Islanders raised hundreds of thousands of dollars by establishing the V.I. Haiti Relief Fund and holding the V.I. Haiti Relief Telethon.

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