POND ISLAND, Sint Maarten – TelEm Group executives, managers and loved ones paid fitting tributes to veteran company workers during a fun Jubilee party at the IZI Restaurant, Cole Bay, Friday.
Altogether, the group of 18 celebrants clocked in a massive 470 years of combined service in various divisions of the TelEm Group company spanning 20 years, 30 years and 35 years. Three of the celebrants were also toasted as seniors who are leaving, or have already left TelEm Group this year to go on pension.
The pensioning trio are Network Engineer, Mr. Carlos Monsanto, Senior Financial Administrator, Ms. Xionara Vicario and Media Designer Mr. Steve Allen. All three were greeted with video messages from colleagues and managers along with a token of appreciation from management on behalf of the company they have dedicated their working lives to.
TelEm Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, urged the retirees to make good on their retirement years by doing all the things they can now find time to do at a very important stage of their lives. “Travel, take up a new hobby, enjoy life,” the CEO advised.
The company chief remarked at how young and energetic the retires still look and also praised the manner in which they had taken care of themselves while in company service.
Mr. Dupersoy also praised the most senior veteran workers of the night, ICT
Technician Level II Mr. Lucien Hodge, for his many years of working with the company.
This year the celebrants marked 35, 30 and 20 years of service to TelEm Group respectively and included (for 35 years of service); Lucien Hodge & Heinrich Susanna, (for 30 years of service); Amalika Bute, Franklin Rogers, Hilaria Clovis-Sutton, Jose Arrindell, Elroy Hughes, Sherman Serastis, Ludson Evers and Monique Hodge-Wilson. And for 20 years: Helma Etnel, Derrick Canhigh, Cheryl Rismay, Veronica Browne, Shadira Lont-Richardson, Estalita Gumbs, Mabel van Stralen and Fermin Marlin.
All celebrants received a video message from one member of staff with whom they have been closely associated along the years, together with some written messages from other colleagues. All were presented with a jubilee gift from management and received kinds words for their various contributions to TelEm Group from the CEO, Mr. Dupersoy, and also from Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Mr. Eldert Louisa, who singled out a number of persons from the Technical Division for special mention.
For Mr. Dupersoy, the measure of the strength of the company is how it manages to keep its staff over the span of many years. He said in adding up the number of years represented by those celebrating today he has counted more than 470 years of combined service – without including the years served by the three retirees.
“That is an amazing achievement for any company, and something as management we should be very proud of,” said Mr. Dupersoy.
The CTO, Mr. Louisa, took the calculation a step further noting that the combined group would have clocked-in millions of hours of work in the company with more still to come.
“TelEm is a good company with good dedicated workers, as you all are, and I personally want to thank you all for the part you are playing,” said Mr. Louisa.
The late afternoon festivities unfolded tastefully and flawlessly thanks to the preparations and work of the Human Resources & Development team of Joseline Urighre, Carmita Brooks and Isabel Santos. The three wishes to thank all those who sent messages of good wishes and took part in video messages for the celebrants.
They also had a lot of fun toasting their own Manager, Human Resources &
Development, Mrs. Shadira Lont-Richardson, who was amongst those celebrating with 20 years under her belt.
The team’s impromptu “Photo-frame booth” was also a fun hit after a delicious three-course meal.
The Manager Human Resources & Development Mrs. Shadira Lont-Richardson, praised her team and thanked them for their part in making Friday’s Jubilee event another major success along with the friends, colleagues and family members who attended the event to give their enthusiastic support.
