B.E.L. employees donates Christmas hampers to customers

The Public Utilities Commission has not yet made a decision as to whether or not electricity rates will increase in the New Year. But for some citizens, Belize Electricity Limited intends to provide free electricity. B.E.L. latched onto a Golden Citizen program in 2012 and gave free electricity to fifty senior citizens. For 2013, the company will double that amount to one hundred in a raffle to benefit those who have reached retirement age. In another Christmas initiative, earlier today, employees were giving out hampers across the country in several communities. News Five spoke to Diana Foreman, B.E.L.’s Public Relations Officer about who qualified for Christmas hampers.

Diana Forman, Public Relations Officer, B.E.L.

“B.E.L. employees are out in numbers delivering Christmas hampers to needy families; thirty-four in numbers. We have been doing this for sixteen years delivering hampers with grocery items and in the homes that have been selected—where there are children, there are toys in those hampers. For sixteen plus year, employees have been giving back to the community and we do this by giving back cash and then that cash is matched by the company and in turn, we get from employees, names of families that they believe are deserving of getting these hampers. At the end of the day, this year we raised a total of six thousand dollars. That was converted to a total of thirty-four hampers that are being distributed countrywide today on the North Side, on the South Side, Ladyville, Hattieville and also a total of fifteen hampers across the district branch offices.”

Jose Sanchez

“What has been the response from the people so far?”

Diana Forman

Diana Forman

“They have been ecstatic. People actually look forward to getting these hampers. They call in way ahead of time—from October, November—they know that it is an initiative that we do each year and so they call us.  But what we do as a committee, we have a social club committee, which has representation from all departments. There is one employee from each department that has input into this process. Actually we decide that we are going to select the names; sort of a screening process, to ensure that the persons getting are really those in need. And so it came down this year that we are giving thirty-four.”

Jose Sanchez

“How do you raise the funds for these donations to these thirty-four families?”

Diana Forman

“Employees contribute—in some instances, they start giving per month from the start of the year. They give as low as a dollar; they give five dollars and that is totaled. So by when we reach December, we know this is the amount of money that has been raised. In addition, in December, we reach out to employees again and ask them if they want to contribute a little bit more and in doing so, some of them do. So that amount tends to increase over time. And so we decide on what the total will be and then the social club would ask the company to match that figure. And that how we reach that lump sum and then we decide. The value of the hampers that we are giving is actually around a hundred and seventy five dollars. it is all items that can give a hearty meal to a family.”

The hampers were delivered in Dangriga, Belmopan, Caye Caulker, Punta Gorda, San Ignacio, Independence, Belize City and several rural areas.