THE telephone company Digicel yesterday handed over a cheque for $674,580 to Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), Bishop Juan Edghill, towards the Guyana Relief Fund for Pakistan. Speaking at the presentation in the ERC Office, Peter Rose and Anira Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown, Digicel’s Public Relations Officer Ms. Shonette Moore said, of the sum donated, $174,580 were contributed by texting Digicel customers, through a specially arranged programme following requests from members of the public.
She said Digicel, itself, however, contributed $500,000 to the cause as the utility is committed to assisting victims of natural disasters.
Edghill told reporters he was pleased with the gesture and thanked Digicel for the contribution.
The Pakistan floods in several parts of the country last July followed heavy monsoon rains.
It is estimated at least 2000 people died and more than a million homes were destroyed in the wake of the flooding. The United Nations (UN) reported that 21 million people were injured or homeless as a result.
The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), in a recent telethon, raised $23.5M for the same caused.