Telecommunications companies praised for help during crisis
One local industry has emerged as heroic in the wake of the CedarBridge mould crisis.
Educators are singing the praises of three companies in the telecommunications field that provided computers, cell phones, and internet access to CedarBridge teachers and students re-assigned to separate campuses while their school was shutdown.
“The role played by the the telecommunications companies was invaluable,” says Acting Education Minister Dennis Lister.
The companies which stepped up to assist — North Rock Communications, Logic Communications, and M3 Wireless — were thanked publicly this week by CedarBridge principal Kalmar Richards.
She said: “Even though we were at different locations, it was like being here at CedarBridge. We were able to communicate with one another via e-mail and also by cell phones that were provided.
“I was particularly pleased that we were able to carry on with the use of our major database system.
“We were able to access that from our various locations.”
More than 800 CedarBridge students were split between the Bermuda College in Paget and the old Berkeley Institute in Pembroke.
M3 Wireless offered internet access by mounting connection devices on some of the windows around campus to create WIFI hotspots.
Then Logic Communications was brought in to provide free broadband services.
“(Our company) was able to assure that wherever the Ministry decided to house students, Logic would be able to get the network to the classroom,” said CEO Alan Richardson.
At the old Berkeley Institute campus North Rock installed a 20 MB wireless link which connected the CedarBridge classrooms to the temporary ones in Pembroke.
“Our overriding goal was to minimise the disruption to the students’ studies,” said North Rick general manager Vicki Coelho.
Finally, to enable teachers to talk to one another while miles apart, M3 offered free cell phones.
Mr. Lister said: “Our success in maintaining a regular schedule for our students in relocated sites is in no small measure do to the technological assistance we received.”
