In the Community

Sol, the leading supplier of energy products to the Caribbean, is continuing to make a significant contribution to youth development in St. Lucia. In line with its tenth anniversary activities, the company has renewed its commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance the personal development and social welfare of young people in St. Lucia.

A particularly “exciting” initiative the company will be supporting this year is the St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival’s Young Musicians Programme. Designed to run as a series of workshops held in local secondary schools, the programme gives students the opportunity to learn or enhance their musical talents. Sol remains committed to the development of education in the Caribbean and recognises the importance of also supporting educational initiatives outside of the traditional academic structure.  In further support of that premise, Sol will be supporting the St. Joseph’s Convent Secondary School’s Youth Development programme, a training course aiming to help students fulfil their leadership potential. This focus on supporting nurturing spaces for St. Lucia’s youth to grow and develop is also reflected in the company’s support of the St. Mary’s Programme for vulnerable youth, which provides financial support to respective students.

Newly appointed Sol EC LTD. General Manager Lawrence McNaughton noted that it was a pleasure for Sol to “lend a helping hand” to these organisations. McNaughton also noted that these types of programmes are critical for creating an environment where the nation’s youth can “grow and prosper”, as this is a sustainable way to achieve human development on a national and regional scale.

“For us at Sol, one of our major priorities is to help build the future of our region through youth development,” said McNaughton. “As we continue to celebrate ten years of operations, we have renewed our focus on responsible Corporate Social Responsibility through investment in the present and future development of communities in our local markets. We are honoured to use our position as a leading Caribbean company to provide support for initiatives— such as the St. Lucia Jazz Festival’s educational component, the human development programme at St. Joseph’s and the social welfare programme at St. Mary’s—that are seriously working in the best interest of local youth. We remain committed to being your leading community partner in St. Lucia and in the region.”

Since the Caribbean-owned company first entered the St. Lucia market, Sol has been investing in local youth programmes such as the Boys Rehabilitation Project and the former Sol-BTC (Boys’ Training Centre) Greenhouse Project. Speaking about the company’s continued growth in the local market, McNaughton also mentioned that the current rebranding of its service stations to Sol is part of the company’s move to fortify Sol’s presence in St. Lucia. A presence that, to date, has made a significant impact on the social sector.

“We’ve had more of a ‘behind-the-scenes’ role in St. Lucian society through our work and partnerships in the local social sector,” said McNaughton. “Now, we are pleased to reassert our presence in St. Lucia through our current rebranding of Shell service stations to Sol. Our ongoing efforts to grow and solidify Sol’s presence locally and in the region is also being reflected via the regional youth and human development projects that we support. These projects have secured an estimated total investment of US $10 M for the year—we are especially proud of  our local and regional staff, who continue to exemplify the Sol vision in serving our valued customers and communities . Being able to make a significant investment in the social and economic growth of St. Lucia and the region is a responsibility we as a team are happy to take on.”