Caribbean Star giving miles 4 life

Caribbean Star Miles 4 Life is an initiative that came out of the vision of the St.Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association SVGMA, and local businesses are being called on to come on board.

On Friday, August 19, at a breakfast donated by the French Verandah restaurant to launch the project, president of the association, Dr. Rosalind Ambrose compared the effort to get the project started to the story of Jack and the Bean Stalk. {{more}}

Ambrose recalled her early attempt to get things started, and said that the beans have been planted and have now blossomed into a “giant stalk” which would benefit people who need medical care.

She explained, “The Medical Association has so many requests to help patients and I thought my colleagues in the medical field who are frequent flyers could donate their miles to patients. But after the proposition was made to Caribbean Star they expanded it to any frequent flyer, so it’s not just physicians who use the airline could contribute their miles.

Their endorsements would go into a special account, which would then be issued as vouchers to patients to travel abroad for medical treatment. We sold three beans to Caribbean Star Airlines and now they have expanded it to a giant bean stalk!”

The elated doctor noted that the project would ease the burden of the ministry of health and even some businesses, whom she would often beg for airline tickets for patients.

According to a release from Caribbean Star and Sun Airlines, for six months during the year, miles earned by passengers flying from St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be calculated, and based on the level of mileage attained, airline tickets will be generated for use by the beneficiaries of the Medical Association. It is a win-win situation, as the passenger will still retain the miles earned for his own use.

Expressing his company’s support for the ingenious idea was Regional Sales Manager of South and Central Caribbean for Caribbean Star and Sun Airlines, Shane Pilgrim. He noted that the airline was excited to be part of the programme, which he said would contribute toward saving lives. He urged frequent flyers present at the event to spread the word so that other individuals and businesses would sign up.

Commending the people of this country for being a leader at what she described as having “clear vision in how they want to help the populace,” was Director of Marketing Caribbean Sun and Star Airlines, Sandra Scotland Williams.

She stated that other countries would be following suit and the objective now for the airline would be to distribute tickets in the shortest possible time, to make the Miles for Life programme a success.

Acknowledging that healthcare is one of the important areas contributing towards the development of any nation, was Minister of Health Dr. Douglas Slater. As he delivered the feature address, he emphasised that Caribbean Sun and Star were tested on their “collective responsibility to national development” and they responded.

Local utility companies Cable & Wireless and Karib Cable have signed on as project partners, and have agreed to use their billing databases to assist with the distribution of project brochures throughout the country.

Deputy Governor-General Monica Dacon and Minister of Tourism and Culture Rene Baptiste were also present as well as top-level managers of local business houses.

The theme for the Miles 4 Life programme is “Every mile means something!” Caribbean Star will be celebrating its 5th anniversary on October18.