A partnership between LIME Foundation and Universal Access Fund (USF) to bring Internet to more people, deepened its reach into St Mary recently with the upgrading and refurbishing of the cyber centre – now known as ‘The Link’ which was established in 2007 as the foundation’s sixth of its kind across Jamaica.

The Link, located at Bethel United Church in Highgate, received a facelift, speed upgrade and WiFi functionality courtesy of the foundation. For its part, the USF contributed 13 computers and two printers.

The USF falls under the remit of Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell, who was on hand to declare the new-look facility officially open.

“I want to thank LIME for this gift of providing the Internet service here free of cost and in particular for the remarkable speed upgrade,” Paulwell said.

He encouraged especially the young, elderly and disabled to make full use of The Link and the tremendous possibilities it offers for the purposes of lifelong learning and personal communication.

Executive Chairman of LIME Foundation Errol Miller thanked Paulwell and Chairman of the USF Hugh Cross, for helping the organisation fulfil the joint goal of full broadband penetration throughout Jamaica. He singled out Bethel United Church, led by Reverend Leo Hall, for its long-standing assistance with providing the space needed for the Internet access facility to serve the people of St Mary.

“Returning to St Mary eight years later to keep alive our goal to create a more connected society is very dear to us. Even more fulfilling is the strength of the partnership we have developed with the USF in this regard. The journey towards the common goal has therefore been made that much easier,” said Miller.

He noted that the foundation is also interested in seeing how best it could enter into partnership with post offices for both message delivery technologies to exist under the same roof – thereby allowing the Internet to reach more citizens in rural Jamaica.

Now in its tenth year, the USF has managed J$12 billion in its mission to facilitate the provision of universal access to the information superhighway by stimulating and accelerating the deployment of broadband services islandwide to over 216 facilities, including ‘The Link’.