HSBC steps in to help Brac youth centre

(CNS): When the Department of Youth Service’s popular radio programme “Youth Flex” appealed last December for community support to assist young people on Cayman Brac, HSBC Bank (Cayman) Limited (HSBC Cayman) readily answered the call. Through an all-day radiothon on December 19, the Youth Flex appealed for funds to repair the Cayman Brac Youth Centre, one of the many casualties of damage from Hurricane Paloma, which hit Cayman Brac on 8 November 2008.

According to a HSBC release, damage to the centre meant the loss of the main meeting place for young people on Cayman Brac and the Youth Flex team was determined to restore it in the quickest possible time. Although the Youth Flex radio appeal was seeking individual and company donations of $100 each to make up the $1,100 needed to repair the centre, HSBC Cayman agreed to take on the full cost of repairs.

“We recognised that this was a project worthy of our full support, given the importance of the Brac Youth Centre to the young people of Cayman Brac. HSBC Cayman was keen to ensure that with our support, the Centre could quickly be repaired and restored to full use for the benefit of everyone on the Sister Island,” stated HSBC Cayman’s Chief Executive Officer, Gonzalo Jalles.

He noted that from the time Paloma devastated Cayman Brac, everyone at the bank showed concern for being part of the recovery effort. In the first few days after the hurricane, HSBC donated some $4,000 of relief supplies to Cayman Brac.

An in-house donation drive among staff netted $3,225, which was matched by the Bank and donated to the relief effort. In addition, HSBC Cayman has committed US$100,000 to the Cayman Islands National Recovery Fund for the housing rebuilding programme on Cayman Brac.

With HSBC Cayman’s sponsorship of CI$1,100 to repair the Brac Youth Centre, the Youth Flex team travelled to Cayman Brac on Saturday 17 January, where they spent the day patching the roof, painting, cleaning and restoring the building to pre-hurricane conditions.

Youth Services Coordinator, James Myles praised the young people’s efforts. “Everyone pitched in enthusiastically because they were determined that their peers on Cayman Brac should have a place to enjoy positive interaction with each other. This would not have been possible without the support of HSBC Cayman and both Youth Flex and the young people of Cayman Brac are extremely grateful for their support,” he stated.

Jalles stated: “We continue to support Cayman Brac’s recovery in any way we can. We commend the selfless efforts of some of Grand Cayman’s young people to help their counterparts on Cayman Brac by restoring the Youth Centre to full use and are pleased that our support will make this a special place once more for the Brac’s young people.”