$25M Flows to power educational programme at Hope Zoo

Another generation of Jamaican youth can now look forward to learning firsthand about the animal kingdom and environmental conservation as new life is injected into a national landmark - the Hope Zoo. The Kenny Benjamin led Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation and broadband service provider Flow announce a J$25 million partnership that will boost the efforts to restore and upgrade the Hope Zoo with an integrated, technology-driven education programme, powered by Flow.

Chief operating officer of Columbus Communications Jamaica Ltd., operators of the Flow and Business Solution brands Michele English (l) presents Kenny Benjamin (centre) and Karen Gandreti of the Hope Zoo with a cheque of $25 million towards renovation efforts and to provide the zoo with an integrated technology-driven education programme at the Zoo’s learning centre to be constructed next year.  

Since 2011 the Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation has been working assiduously to bring the beloved Zoo back to its former glory...and beyond.  Jamaica's 21st century zoo will feature a Learning and Resource Centre powered by Flow's broadband network which will deliver high speed internet and digital cable television service, creating a multi-media driven education experience. This will complement the refurbished and upgraded habitats for the animals which will include the popular snake and reptile house, monkey island, wild cat cages, bird houses, flamingo pond and crocodile and iguana reserves. 

“The Hope Zoo's restoration is important to all Jamaicans not just as a social space but more importantly as a living, interactive classroom that provides an exceptional educational experience for our youth,” said  Kenny Benjamin, Executive Chairman of the Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation. “We are pleased to be partnering with Flow, an organization that understands this significance and is committed to joining us in its redevelopment. Flow has always demonstrated its commitment to the development of the nation and our people and we truly value their support in helping us bring back the Zoo - a great national treasure and an iconic establishment in our history - to its former glory."

Kenny Benjamin, Executive Chairman of the Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation (r) watches closely as Flow’s Denise Williams (far left) and Michele English (second left) and Nicholas Benjamin feed the budgies at the Zoo. Flow officially launched its partnership with the Foundation yesterday, December 18, where the company made $25m donation to restoration efforts as well as an integrated technology-driven education programme at the Zoo’s learning centre to be constructed next year.  

The partnership with Hope Zoo is yet another initiative of the broadband service provider to leverage its technology to enhance and transform the way Jamaicans live, work, play and learn.

The unique learning environment of a zoo

“The Hope Zoo, remains one of the most stunning green spaces in Kingston.  Its potential as a family destination, where children can learn about and interact with animals, and where we can all appreciate the importance of conservation, is unquestionable,” said Michele English, president and coo of Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow brand.  “From inception  we made a promise to Jamaica that we would leverage our technology to enhance education. Our partnership with the Zoo is a creative way of capturing the interest and imagination of young people to motivate them to perform at higher levels.  We are proud that in addition to financial contributions of cash and services to rehabilitate the look and feel of the zoo, Flow will also be powering the Zoo’s Learning/Resource Centre.”

The Learning and Resource Centre at Hope Zoo is an entirely new facility that is intended to enhance the science education programme in schools . In partnership with the Ministry of Education, a curriculum will be developed to help students learn about the zoo, conservation, nature and other related topics. This will be complemented by special arrangements to enable groups of school children to have free access for learning tours of the Hope Zoo. 

While the restoration of the Hope Zoo is a work in progress with construction of new administrative buildings, animal habitats and landscaping continuing on the grounds, with plans for more animals to arrive in the near future, families and youth groups continue to visit and enjoy the facilities.  The Hope Zoo is open daily Mondays to Sundays, including public holidays. 

Flow Joins Street Church to Bring the ‘Spirit’ of Christmas to Montego Bay

Staff members from Flow were eager to serve hot meals for several homeless men and women who call the streets of Montego Bay home, during a special Christmas Luncheon on Sunday, December 9.  The annual street feeding activity has fed hundreds of men and women year after year in a special treat spearheaded by Pastors Paul and Dorette Blake of Street Church Ministries.  For the past two years, Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions have partnered with Street Church, as part of its Christmas Outreach Programme, where the company donates to charity on behalf of its corporate clients. 

For six years, pastors Paul and Dorette Blake have been helping to strengthen the faith of persons who call the streets of Downtown Montego Bay home through ‘Street Church’ held every Sunday in Sam Sharpe Square.

Along with the spiritual message they deliver, each year with the help of a generous few, they host an extra-special Christmas street feeding initiative to bring some joy to these individuals who, according to Dorette Blake have been “abandoned, neglected and rejected by society”.

Last Sunday, with the assistance of Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, they were able to spread some Christmas cheer to more than 100 persons.

For the past two years, Columbus on behalf of its corporate partners has donated more than $2 million dollars to support activities that cater to children and the homeless across the island.  As part of this Christmas Outreach Programme, staff members also volunteer at these activities to make the season a little brighter for many of the underserved in our communities.

This is the second year that ‘Street Church’ has been selected as part of the series of outreach programmes.  Last year over 50 homeless persons benefitted from the activity.

Flow’s Verol Atkins takes this man’s cup for a refill on Sunday during Street Church Ministries’ annual Christmas Street feeding activity in Sam Sharpe Square on Sunday, December 9.  Each year, Columbus, on behalf of its corporate clients, selects and supports charities in need as part of it Christmas Outreach Programme.  This is the second year that the company has joined ‘Street Church’ to make the Season a little brighter for many under-served citizens in city of Montego Bay.  

Dorette Blake, founder of Acts of Faith Ministries, thanked Flow for their contribution to the programme which for years has been in need of funding.  “We truly appreciate the efforts of Flow in giving back and showing kindness to these persons,” she said.

As for her part, Denise Williams, director for corporate communications, Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, was glad to lend a helping hand to this initiative. “The team members at Flow and Columbus Business Solutions were more than happy to be on board with Street Church once again to give back to members in the communities we serve.  We came out and connected with these persons, many of whom have such touching stories.  Pastors Paul and Dorette Blake’s programme is commendable and we are pleased to have partnered with them another year.”

This initiative is the first of several that Columbus Communications has selected to support in its 2012 Christmas Charity Outreach Programme. Next week the company will be partnering with the Clarendon Crime Prevention Committee for their annual Christmas Treat in May Pen and will also be hosting a fun day for children in state care later in December. The company will also make a contribution to Food for the Poor that supports several children homes throughout the island through their Angels of Hope Programme.

Flow Gives Sports Fans Front Row Seat to NBA Games

Flow customers will get even more this Christmas as the broadband company announces complimentary subscription to the NBA League Pass for the entire 2012/2013 regular season of the professional North American basketball  championships.

Any customer who subscribes to any Flow sports package will receive this gift, valued at over $12,000.  This means that customers will have access to view more than 80 games played by all NBA teams during the regular season, up to mid-April.   Consumers will enjoy a unique viewing experience with live games featuring popular teams such as the Heat, Mavericks, Lakers, Bulls Knicks and Spurs.

“It is important to us to show appreciation to our customers and thank them for choosing Flow. We thought that extending access to NBA League Pass for Residential customers that subscribe to our various sports packages was a great way to do this,” said Denise Williams, director of government and corporate affairs of Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow brand. “Jamaicans are avid sports fans and we are pleased to be able to leverage our technology to enable our customers to have access to premiere sports programming.”

 While selected NBA games can be seen on channels on the Flow network such as TNT and ESPN 2, by extending the NBA League Pass to customers, Flow has provided access to every game played throughout what is normally a very exciting season of basketball.

 All Flow residential cable customers who subscribe to any sports package that is available on Flow’s digital cable network will have NBA League Pass automatically added to their account at no additional charge. In addition, new customers who sign up for any Flow Sports Package will also get the NBA League pass. The sports packages are Watch Sports and Watch Sports HD, The MaxPak , NFL Sunday Ticket,  Watch Ultimate or Watch Ultimate HD.

Flow provides over 300 channels with more than 15 dedicated solely to sports programming.  Some Sporting events can be viewed on Flow’s network in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD.) The channels on Flow’s network give viewers front row seats to a wide array of games including traditional favourites  football, cricket, boxing, tennis, NFL and Formula One racing.

PSOJ 50UnderFifty Gala Awards Banquet

Michele English (right) president and coo of Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow and Columbus Business Solutions brands in Jamaica, has the full attention of Freeman Hrabwoski III, guest presenter at the Gleaner PSOJ50UnderFifty  Awards Gala at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Thursday, November 29.  English is one of the 50 awardees under the age of 50 who were acknowledged as a result of their current contributions to the business community and the country

Flow reports high Jamaican viewership of the US Elections

Race to the white house commanded 60 per cent of local viewership

Last Tuesday, Jamaicans at home were glued to their television screens for hours, to see who would be declared the next President of the United States. Anticipation built with the announcement of results from each state as viewers turned to one of the many international news networks available on Flow’s digital cable television service. The swelling tide of viewers that flocked to their screens proved once again that the diverse offerings of the broadband provider accurately tap into the needs of the information hungry public.

Tuesday’s election outcome can be described as a nail-biting finish as President Barack Obama successfully won a second term in the Oval Office, staving off the Republican candidate Mitt Romney.  Jamaican viewers had access to the diverse range of coverage via the news channels carried on Flow’s digital cable TV service.

 Michael Look Tong, director of media services at Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of theFlow brand in Jamaica, revealed that viewership of news networks during the election night coverage was “uniquely high”.

“The election coverage was clearly a special situation and, as expected, the numbers confirm that Jamaican’s were very interested in what would be the final outcome,” he said.

According to Look Tong, Flow’s Advertising Intelligence (AI) Reports indicate that during the critical peak hours of 9 pm to midnight, CNN dominated with its coverage of the elections, commanding up 18 per cent of viewership. Our local stations also benefited from the high interest in election coverage as TVJ and CVM secured second and third place rankings throughout the night.  NBC and MSNBC followed as other popular  choices for viewers. The average percentage of viewership of the top news stations from 9 pm to midnight was 60 per cent of total viewership across Flow’s network during that period.

Leading up to the election, foreign policy experts and leaders of the business community indicated that Jamaica’s position in regards to relations with the US would be the same regardless of outcome of the US Presidential race. The high viewership, however, confirms that many Jamaicans remain concerned with the outcome and its impact on key issues including immigration, the US foreign policy and foreign aid, and energy.

The Jamaican economy is strongly aligned with the recovery of the US economy, and will feel the impact of America’s immigration policies, especially as much of Jamaica’s foreign exchange comes from remittances from Jamaicans within the Diaspora. Tourism interests would also be impacted by America’s economic recovery. 

Look Tong admitted that the viewership pattern highlighted by the AI report does not come as a complete surprise.  “We expected a strong night for the international cable news channels,” he said.  “We carry a diverse range of news channels which provides our customers with the exposure to different points of view.”

Major international news networks carried by Flow include CNN, BBC, MSNBC, Fox News, Bloomberg and CNN International.   At the eleventh hour when all eyes were on Florida, Flow customers were able to get additional down to the minute coverage from the Florida via NBC (WTVJ), Fox (WSVN), CBS (WFOR), and ABC (WPLG) channels.

Western Schools advance to round 2 of Flow in My School Technology Competion

Three Schools in Western Jamaica will try to win the hearts of audiences across the island as the make their debut on Flow TV’s newest series – ‘Flow In My School’ during the month of November.

The three schools - Corinaldi Avenue Primary, Herbert Morrison Technical High and St. Elizabeth Technical High School are semi-finalists in the Flow In My School Technology Competition and are  in the running with 11 other schools from the Corporate Area and St. Catherine, to win the grand prize of an upgraded computer lab.

The competition is a part of Flow’s Flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative in which they power over 140 schools across the island with free commercial grade Internet and digital Cable in a bid to enhance the schools teaching and learning environments.

Students of Corinaldi Avenue Primary School performing their cultural piece for the Flow In My School TV series.  The school will make its debut on Sunday, November 18 at 6 pm on Flow TV, channel 100.

 “There is such a diverse range of semi-finalist schools in the competition, and we are particularly pleased that Flow is able to offer the broadband technology that drives the innovation behind many of the activities you will see in this TV show.   We are also grateful to our partners at the Ministry of Education, HP, Microsoft and the Jamaica Observer who recognized the value of this initiative and did not hesitate to come on board,” said Denise Williams, director of corporate and government affairs at Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow.

“We also hope that Jamaica will tune in each week and root for their favourite school in this new and exciting series that will air each Sunday on Flow TV,” added Williams.

The grand prize for the two winning schools will include eight all-in-one HP computers, an electronic Mimio white board as well as individual prizes including a laptop and tablets.

The other schools that have advanced to the next round are Windward Road Primary and Junior High, Campion College, Allman Town Primary, Angels Primary, Braeton Primary and Junior High, St. Andrew High School, Harbour View Primary, Jesse Ripoll Primary, Rollington Town Primary, Waterford Primary and Meadowbrook High.

Flow in My School airs each Sunday at 6pm on Flow TV Channel 100 with a repeat on Wednesdays. The series showcases how schools across Jamaica are using technology to revolutionize the teaching and  learning process, as well as the creative and exciting ways they celebrated Jamaica 50.

Flow to Make Christmas Better

Christmas is the time of year when Jamaicans make every effort to connect with their relatives and friends in other parts of the island or overseas as part of the holiday season celebrations.  With Flow’s broadband technology, it’s easier than ever to make these connections with the fastest internet speeds and crystal clear telephone calls at the most affordable rates. The company has announced new offers that will give consumers savings of as much as $6,000 when they sign up for service between now and the end of the year.
Flow has introduced a special promotion with a range of special deals and free gifts for all customers, that make staying in touch and celebrating Christmas better than ever.

 All new Flow customers who sign up for service will enjoy the benefits of free installation of services,  free service for 1 month  and free upgrades, depending on the Watch, Talk of Click product they choose.

“We are committed to ensuring that our consumers get the best value for the services that enhance their lives, and enable them to enjoy special moments,” Said Michele English, president and coo of Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of the Flow brand. “We know the importance of connecting with loved ones, and are pleased to be able to offer the technology to enable that.  We believe that the special offers we have for every customer will help to make this Christmas better, and also allow us to say thank you to our customers for choosing Flow.”

Flow is making internet service even more affordable for consumers by giving free installation and a free wireless upgrade for all customers who sign up for  any internet (Click) package.   With the fastest internet speeds available, Flow delivers the best experience for surfing and streaming with faster file downloads, the  best quality and performance for on-line gaming, and a Skype experience without the bother of buffering. A Flow Click package is a great gift for students who can take advantage of a range of online education resources.

Customers who select a Talk package will get free installation plus a free Flow Connect service for 1 month. Flow Connect makes it easier and more affordable for those overseas to call home to their friends and family in Jamaica. This package provides the Flow customer in Jamaica with a US, Canadian or UK landline telephone number that rings on the home one in Jamaica. When the person overseas dials the number, the call is charged as a local call to the caller, therefore saving the cost of an international call.

Flow’s digital cable TV service (Watch) gives customers the best value for home entertainment with the most channels plus the option to view programmes OnDemand.  For this holiday season, Flow is giving all new customers free installation and free service for one month of their base package. In addition, as a gift from Flow, all customers will have free access to Flow’s Subscription Video OnDemand service during December. This means that in addition to the scheduled programming on the over 300 channels on the Flow network, every customer will be able to watch over 1,000 hours of movies, TV series, concerts, documentaries and kids programming, when they want and as often as they want.
 
“For this holiday season we have created opportunities for our customers to give themselves and their loved ones gifts that have real and lasting value,” English remarked. “We continuously aim to offer services that enhance the lives of Jamaicans and transform the ways they play, work and learn.”

Since 2006 when Columbus Communications began offering services to Jamaican consumers, the company has quickly become the leading provider of digital cable, landline and internet. The company’s technology continues to have a profound impact on the way Jamaicans do business, enjoy entertainment at home and connect with the world.

Value Flows OnDemand

Domino’s and Flow Partner to deliver Pizza and a Movie in a Living Room Near You

As consumers continue to seek affordable and economical options for family entertainment, home-based solutions are gaining popularity; particularly those that offer choice and convenience. Flow OnDemand let’s customer watch what they want, when they want from the comfort of their own home. With Flow OnDemand, consumers are able to enjoy a variety of in-home entertainment options and avoid the higher costs that are associated with out of home entertainment events.

Jamaican consumers have had access to Flow’s Video OnDemand service since 2010. With Video OnDemand, consumers are able to purchase videos from a large library of an extensive variety of content, to watch at their convenience in the comfort of their home. Flow’s Video OnDemand library includes  hundreds of hours of programming for all ages and preferences, including movies, TV series, local plays, music events, and children’s programming.  Every month more content is added so that customers can always find something new and entertaining to watch. 

“We are committed to ensuring that the technology we have brought to Jamaica provides consumers with affordable access to state-of-the-art entertainment options as part of their cable television service,” said Michele English, president and coo for Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of the Flow brand. “Flow OnDemand is the perfect solution for consumers who are seeking to manage their budgets while still needing to make the time to relax and enjoy the entertainment of their choice.”

With the price of a premiere movie being only $350.00, Flow OnDemand enables an entire family to enjoy a blockbuster movie at home, for less than it would cost to purchase a single ticket at the cinema.

In order to bring even more value for customers, Flow has partnered with Domino’ Pizza for a special offer that will further enhance the in-home family entertainment experience. Every week between October 15 and December 9, 50 customers will get a free Flow Pizza Party Package  when they watch the movies Battleship and American Pie: The Reunion on Flow OnDemand.  The first 50 customers to watch either movie titles each week will receive a package containing Domino’s newly launched buttery handmade Pan Pizza, a serving of light fluffy cheesy bread, warm delicious lava cakes, and 3 20oz sodas.

“Domino’s is widely considered the Delivery Experts in the pizza industry.  One could actually say we deliver hot, delicious pizzas to thousands of customer per week “On-Demand” – so partnering with Flow OnDemand is a perfect fit,” says Sean Scott – CEO of Wisynco Foods Ltd. “In addition to providing world class delivery service, Domino’s is also committed to providing the best value for customers. Therefore, we are very excited for the opportunity to provide 50 customers per week with dinner and a movie for the entire family at the low cost of $350,” explains Scott.

Battleship, a summer 2012 blockbuster movie, features Barbadian-born pop singer Rihanna in an action adventure about a fleet of US Navy ships forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origin in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals. American Pie: Reunion is the 3rd in the popular America Pie series of movies and depicts the continuing adventures of a group of friends reuniting after their first year of college. These two movies are just 2 of a library of over 100 movie titles currently available on Flow OnDemand.

Flow is the first and only cable service provider to offer OnDemand programming in Jamaica. The broadband service provider also offers consumers the option of a monthly Subscription OnDemand package where a single monthly fee offers unlimited access to over 1000 hours of programming. Flow OnDemand is accessed via Flow Channel 1000, where viewers can scroll through a list of all On Demand content to select the programme of their choice.

Schools to Demonstrate Best Practices in Flow Technology Competition

On Wednesday, October 3, Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, introduced a Technology Competition for schools as part of its ‘Building Leaders Through Technology Programme’ in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Microsoft and the Jamaica Observer. 

The competition dubbed the ‘Flow in My School Technology Competition’, seeks to highlight excellence in the use of technology and share best practices. Participating schools should complete their registration online with a 500-word essay on how they use technology and how they have or will be celebrating Jamaica 50.



President and chief operating officer of Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, Michele English, is photographed with students of Jamaica College (JC).  Jamaica College is one of the more than 140 schools across the island who benefit from free commercial grade internet and digital cable as a part of the ‘Flow Building Leaders through Technology’ initiative.  The media briefing for the Flow in My School Technology Competition took place yesterday, October 3, at the Wyndham Hotel.



The competition is open to all schools that currently use Flow donated services of high speed internet and educational cable line-up.

Participants will compete for the grand prize which will include eight All-In-One HP Computers, an Electronic Mimio White Board as well as individual electronic prizes including a laptop and tablets for the teacher and participating students.

Hon. Ronald Thwaites, Minister of Education, who gave the keynote address at the briefing, addressed how technology could be used to enhance the quality of education in schools.

“We are offering a product which does not excite the minds of many of our students…The creative and compassionate use of technology from the early stage allows us the prospect of a bright new future for this land. After all, this is Jamaica 50 and we are on a mission to provide quality education.”

Minister Thwaites also spoke about the upcoming e-Learning project facilitated by technology provided by Flow, which would provide for education equity for students across the island.

“…Because of the internet connectivity by Flow, and the technology sponsored through their partners… the plan is to roll out a pilot basis an option for education which would provide the very best education… to our students in the most remote areas in Jamaica in areas of weakness in Mathematics and Literacy. This is an entirely different vista for our people, a virtual epiphany for our people,” he said.



The competition which will be open for online registration until October 8, is also giving schools that make it to the semi-finalist round, additional exposure through its television channel, Flow TV.  Semi-finalist schools will be featured in a short programme highlighting interested facts about their schools and showcasing aspects of their entries on technology usage and their Jamaica 50 celebrations.

Michele English, president and chief operating officer of Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, hopes that this year’s competition will set the stage for a national calendar event, in the years to come.  According to English, “Since Columbus’ inception the focus on enhancing education has always been a priority. Through our flagship corporate social responsibility programme, Building Leaders Through Technology, more than 140 schools over 10 parishes, are provided with commercial grade internet and cable connections to enhance the teaching and learning environments.  Our high-speed broadband service and digital cable connections in schools located in both urban and rural areas, has leveled the playing field to enable the kinds of innovations that our teachers and students need to propel us into the next generation of great thinkers, entrepreneurs and nation builders.”

The briefing also gave teachers in attendance useful insight on technology trends in the classroom through a presentation by Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee, Director of Mona Geoinformatics Institute.   Dr. Lyew-Ayee explained that students were comfortable with technology and teachers should incorporate them in their teaching methods to be more effective.



“…Exposing children to technology at an early stage, makes them comfortable with it. It leads to experimentation and innovation… Technology is an enabler for growth and it should be a comfortable learning tool… Flow has made the infrastructure available. You should [make use of the technology],” he said.

Teacher Mark McKnight of Drews Avenue Primary School thanked Flow for their contribution and for introducing the competition. “The exposure that the students will receive as a result of the competition is great for them.  It will certainly provide them with motivation to push ahead and learn more. Flow is doing a great thing here. They are certainly innovators in technology and providing the school with what the students need to excel, we are certainly grateful.”

Schools who wish to check their eligibility and register for the competition should visit Flow’s Facebook page and click on the Flow In My School Technology Competition tab.  Schools can also email buildingleaders@flowjamaica.com for further information.

Conversations with 50UnderFifty for FLOW TV

Fifty of Jamaica’s leading civic and business leaders, under the age of 50, are being recognized for their significant influence on nation building in a special initiative spearheaded by the PSOJ and the Gleaner with support from the private sector.  The Gleaner/PSOJ 50UnderFifty Award recognizes the 50 influencers who, based on their current contributions to the country, are expected to make a significant impact on Jamaica’s civic and business landscape over the next 50 years and beyond.  

 As part of this exciting initiative, an exclusive television programme has been developed by one of the main sponsors of the event, Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of the Columbus Business Solutions and Flow brands.  The programmes, hosted by Sandra Glasgow, Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ)with each episode  presented as a discussion among 4 or 5 of the awardees grouped in sector or industry categories,   will be shown exclusively on Flow TV.

The features are riveting as the conversations explores various trends and guiding principles that play a critical role in achieving success in the awardees’ various business endeavours. Glasgow expects that “Conversations with 50UnderFifty” will make interesting and compelling viewing as it presents some inspiring stories. “These are truly some remarkable individuals… creative and fearless,” she says. “Our business leaders are unearthing new focus in their business and it bodes well for our economy. I am pleased with the awardees who are all brilliant, creative thinkers, willing to take the risks necessary to move this great nation forward.”

Glasgow also said that the programme has revealed the significance of family owned enterprises in the Jamaican business landscape. “It was not surprising to note that several nominees were second and third generation in their family businesses, who ensured business continuity into the future,” she said. “Their companies have also thrived with the introduction of innovative ideas and by adopting best practices necessary in our technology driven society.”

Through the 50UnderFifty Awards, the PSOJ in partnership with the Gleaner Company, Columbus Business Solutions and NCB, celebrates Jamaica 50 by acknowledging the business achievements of the nation over the last 50 years, while at the same time looking forward to the future by highlighting those business leaders who are poised to help Jamaica achieve its Vision 2030.The partners acknowledge that if Jamaica is to become “the place of choice to live, do business and raise families”, the talents of this group of men and women will likely be brought to bear in strengthening the private sector and lead to sustained economic growth for Jamaica.  The businesses that they represent, along with those who have already made significant contributions to Jamaica’s economy, will be the “ones to watch” in the future.

Denise Williams, director of corporate and government affairs of Columbus Communications Jamaica Ltd, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions brands, believes that the programme will inspire other young entrepreneurs as they chart the course to achieving their business goals.“At Columbus we are proud to partner with the Gleaner and PSOJ to highlight the achievements, philosophies and insights of these 50 leaders,” she said. “Our intention is that our technology will transform lives of Jamaica’s citizens and the nation, and so we are pleased to have this opportunity to bring the stories and ideas of the awardees to Flow TV in order to inspire others who themselves will have a critical role to play in shaping our nation’s future.”

Conversations with 50UnderFifty will be seen in episodes titled The Shot Callers, The Producers,  The Innovators, The Entrepreneurs, The Imaginators, The Power Brokers, The Educators, The Financiers, The Leisure Tycoons, and The Game Changers. Each new episode will premiere each week on Thursdays at 9:00pm on Flow TV Channel 100, with repeats on Sundays at 5:30pm and Tuesdays at 8pm.

AMCHAM honours Civic and Business Leaders for excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility

Last Tuesday, (September 25), the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AMCHAM) honoured several individuals and organizations for their philanthropic and social responsibility efforts. Speaking at the event Dianna Stewart, President of AMCHAM Jamaica said that her organization felt that this Award was important to showcase the work of businesses, individuals and non-profit organisations that are willing and committed to enabling community and nation building via sustainable economic and social initiatives.
Columbus Communication Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, emerged as the winner of the Award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility (large Company) for their contribution to education, sports, arts & culture and community development.

They were chosen from a group of other leading organizations including, Jamaica Public Service, Pan-Caribbean, Carib Cement, LIME, J. Wray and Nephew Ltd. Jamaica Gypsum & Quarries Ltd and Gore Construction who were also nominated in this category.

Other winners on the night included:

· Dr. The Hon. R Danvers Williams who was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award

· The band Fab 5 and Patricia C. Ramsay were awarded in the Arts and Culture Category

· Hanover Charities, Holy Spirit Ministries and Sister Grace V. Yap were awarded in the Civic Leadership category.

Accepting the award in her category, Michele English, President and COO of Columbus, said that “this was a proud moment and great honour for Columbus. We believe it is our responsibility to promote social, economic and environmental sustainability—as we profitable grow our business and reach higher levels of performance.” She encouraged other companies to integrate more social initiatives as part of their business models.

Flow brings Subscription Video On Demand to Jamaican Homes

A new entertainment solution addresses the busy lifestyles and strained budgets of Jamaican consumers

Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, continues to create history in Jamaica and transform how consumers experience their cable television service with the introduction of a subscription video on demand service. The new service, which will be available as of October 1st , will provide Flow’s cable service customers with access to a library of thousands of hours of a wide variety of programming, giving them the ability to watch what they want, when they want. Flow is the only cable operator in Jamaica offering an OnDemand option for customers.

“We are excited to be able to provide this additional value for our customers. It is our goal to ensure our customers have access to state-of-the-art entertainment options as part of their cable television service,” said Michele English, president and coo for Columbus Communications in Jamaica.

Flow’s new Subscription Video OnDemand service is complementary to its existing OnDemand service which  consumers now enjoy on a pay-per-use basis.  The new offering gives consumers additional value as they will have access to a vast library of content that can be viewed by every member of the household for less then the cost of a single movie ticket. The new service will give consumers access to content such as full seasons of their favourite TV series, documentaries, sports events, children’s programming, and movies. Viewers will be able to choose and watch any video on their television immediately after making a selection from the on-screen menu, and will have complete control of the viewing experience with functions such as pause, rewind and fast-forward to enjoy their selection.

Subscription Video OnDemand is the perfect solution for consumers who manage busy lifestyles while still wanting to enjoy a full spectrum of affordable entertainment. This service offers the benefit of the flexibility of being able to watch programmes when your personal schedule allows, rather than based on a defined programming schedule.  Also, Subscription VideoOnDemand provides the perfect solution for consumers who face increasing pressures on their budgets and are often forced to sacrifice entertainment events due to cost. With this service customers can enjoy a diverse range of entertainment options in the comfort of their home, in the company of family and friends, as often as needed, without having to plan for any additional spend.

This latest move by Flow follows a series of firsts in Jamaica for television viewers, including all digital cable TV, HD and PVR technology (the ability to stop, pause and rewind ‘live’ TV), interactive programming guide, and the ability to view your Flow bill and incoming calls on your TV screen. 

“Our commitment is to use our extensive infrastructure to bring the most innovative products to Jamaica,” said English

Flow continues to transform the cable TV experience for Jamaican consumers, and continues to deliver on its promise to provide consumers with cutting edge technology to inspire and transform lives.

Flow Partners with GoGSAT to bring free on-line help to students

Although early in the new school year, most Grade 6 students who are preparing to take the 2013 GSAT exams have long began their studies in preparation for this milestone academic evaluation. Broadband service provider Flow has stepped up to enable the students’ preparations by partnering with GoGSAT.com to provide free access to the award winning on-line GSAT exam preparation resource. The company has announced that all new and existing Flow internet customers will receive 1 month free access to the Silver package on GoGSAT.com.

The GoGSAT programme has earned a stellar reputation as Jamaica’s premier online academic resources based on the consistently excellent performance by students who utilize this invaluable resource.

“Since 2005 our subscribers have won hundreds of national scholarships including the 2012 Top GSAT Girl and Top GSAT Boy awards. We are particularly proud that in 2012 our subscribers won 50% of the Government Scholarship places,” said Shalette East, vice president - operations and marketing for GoGSAT Ltd.  More than 200 preparatory and primary schools in Jamaica use the Go GSAT system.

GoGSAT provides quality examination preparation and online help to students in grades 1 through 6. This is done through the provision of educational games, thousands of practice questions, topic specific notes and tests, study guides, animated notes, as well as pre- and post- tests to evaluate students’ progress. In addition to access to test preparation materials, GoGSAT also provides students with access to live tutorials facilitated by Jamaican and Harvard University tutors, essay grading, eMentoring, 24/7 help as well as daily homework and research assistance.  Top GSAT Girl Catherine Douse Top GSAT girl who scored the highest ever in GSAT with 100% in all areas said "The website is very helpful. I learnt things I never knew".

A grateful parent whose daughter gained a place at her first choice school Immaculate Conception High School, has credited GoGSAT saying “The very wide curriculum available on GoGSAT provided extra practice, the tutors on the live chat were able to answer questions when there were things she did not understand and I did not have to buy any additional books as GoGSAT provided enough material and practice questions to complement what she was doing at school.”

“Students at all levels increasingly rely on e-learning resources such as GoGSAT for exam revision, tutoring, homework help and general research. Our broadband internet technology enables them to take full advantage of these resources in order to achieve the academic success they seek,” said Denise Williams, director of corporate and government affairs at Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of the Flow brand. “Our partnership with GoGSAT is just one of the initiatives we have introduced in order to enable our consumers to have easy and affordable access to the services they need in order to achieve and do more.” Flow has also partnered with Hewlett-packard (HP) and local retailers Courts, Singer and MegaMart to provide affordable access to the technology that enable consumers to take advantage of on-line education resources such as GoGSAT.com. As a result of these partnerships consumers can take advantage of  back-to-school values on computers bundled with Flow high speed internet service.

GoGSAT also provides educational materials that are useful resources for teachers such as handouts, worksheets, and practice tests. GoGSAT enables parents to monitor their child’s progress via access to a real-time on-line grade book which highlights the students’ strengths and weaknesses, thereby enabling focus of attention on areas that need more work.

Flow’s new and existing internet customers should sign up for the free month of GoGSAT at www.GoGSAT.com/Flow by October 31, 2012.