Jehovah’s Witnesses resume public ministry Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

For many Jehovah’s Witnesses living in Jamaica, a day well-spent in the ministry includes sharing with the public.

Jehovah’s Witnesses can often be seen making use of carts featuring a positive message and free Bible-based literature.

Then came the pandemic, and their public ministry was suspended.

Now, some 24 months later, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Jamaica and around the world have recommenced their public preaching work.

“I missed seeing people face to face,” said Morale Morant, a regular volunteer at the Sunset Beach location in Montego Bay. “We are able to talk one on one.”

It’s no wonder that when asked about her reaction to the news that the public ministry would be resuming, Morale said: “I’m very happy”.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are also set to resume door-to-door ministry next month.

The Christian organisation returned to its public ministry for the first time since March 2020 when all in-person forms of their volunteer work were suspended out of concern for the health and safety of the community.

In response to the global decision, scores of congregations in Jamaica have now reopened their “cart” locations where people had become accustomed to seeing them.

The local congregations will also resume free in-person Bible studies along with personal visits to those who have invited them back to their homes, the organisation said in a statement.

This comes two months after the organisation resumed in-person meetings at Kingdom Halls.

“While we understand that the pandemic is not over, we are entering into a phase of learning to live with COVID,” said Robert Hendriks, branch-wide spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “That means we need to find more ways to personally interact with our neighbours. Being out in the community and having conversations with our neighbours is accomplishing that goal.”

Mobile displays of Bible-based literature have been part of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ public ministry in Jamaica for a little over five years, starting with its first location at a shopping centre in Spanish Town, St Catherine. Since then, “cart witnessing” has spread to several areas all across the island.

Elaine Scudamore, who is a regular volunteer at a location in Montego Bay had this to say: “The public ministry helps people to see we truly care for them. We take the time to share the hope of a better future with them. They find comfort, and it helps them cope with present issues.”

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Almost 1,000 residents benefit from JEP health fair series Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP) Group recently concluded its health, dental and wellness fair series, catering to almost 1,000 residents from West/East Kingston and Old Harbour Bay in St Catherine.

For almost a decade, via the group’s corporate social responsibility portfolio, the health and wellness fairs have been the marquee health initiative where residents of each community receive free medical, dental, and pharmaceutical services.

This year was no different; over three consecutive Fridays, JEP provided world-class medical and non-medical services for community stakeholders, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses.

“Despite the current climate and challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative, among others, epitomises the JEP Group’s commitment and passion for giving back to our neighbours. The world’s current health status has engendered a sundry of challenges, compelling many to reflect upon the importance of preserving one’s physical and mental well-being. At JEP Group, the health of our internal and external stakeholders is crucial to why we do what we do. This year we anticipated doing even more – and that we did!” said President and CEO of JEP Group, Wayne McKenzie.

McKenzie also lauded “the tireless efforts” of his CSR department and their team of volunteers (community members, JEP Group scholarship recipients and Registered Apprenticeship Programme participants) while expressing gratitude for all the partners, some of whom have consistently been on board.

“We look forward to expanding this health fair series to provide medical and non-medical services to many more Jamaicans who either may be unable to afford these services or don’t see the need for them,” added McKenzie.

Having to pivot because of the pandemic, the group re-employed its ‘appointment-only strategy’, encouraging residents to pre-register to ensure unnecessary congestion at the locations, facilitating less wait time and adequate space for them to maintain the required 6 ft social distancing.

Additionally, JEP designed an SMS campaign to remind residents to be on time, travel with the relevant forms of identification and wear a mask. Upon entry and before entering registration/holding areas and the dental clinic, all residents were subject to mandatory temperature monitoring and hand sanitizing.

The improved health and well-being of the patrons were made possible through our partnerships for this year’s execution. They included: Spanish Town and Kingston Public Hospitals, which committed the doctors needed for the respective days; Sagicor Life and Health, National Health Fund; Prescription Plus; St Catherine Public Health Department; Talk About Your Business Safely (TABS) – which provided HIV and Syphilis Testing; Passport, Immigration, Citizenship Agency (PICA); National Council on Drug Abuse; Pure Country Juices; Family Planning Jamaica; Registrar General Department (RGD) and Beulah Baptist Institutional Church.

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Ministry keeping an eye on monkeypox, other viruses

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Dr Roshan Parasram

The Ministry of Health has said it is keeping an eye on monkeypox and other viruses as they emerge.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram said the ministry had tested 11 samples for monkeypox so far but all were negative.

But through its epidemiological surveillance pathways it was looking at all emerging diseases while monitoring and evaluating as well as putting mitigation strategies in place.

Apart from monkeypox, there were global media reports of a new virus in the family of henipaviruses called Langya.

He added that the ministry took note of it and continues to monitor it through its networks.

As of August 11 there were 34,000 confirmed global cases of monkeypox in 88 countries with new cases in Guadeloupe and St Martin, Parasram said.

Even though there have been no cases of monkeypox in Trinidad and Tobago so far, Parasram advised people travelling to areas with increased prevalence of cases, like the US and Europe, to avoid close skin-to-skin contact with people who have symptoms, avoid touching things used by infected people, wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser, wear a mask and stay home if ill.

Principal Medical Officer, Institutions, Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards was also at the conference and shared some statistics on covid19 patients in the healthcare system.

She said the overall occupancy in the parallel health care system was 41 per cent.

The ministry continued to see a trend of people who were not fully vaccinated requiring medical care, she added.

Between July 22, 2021 and August 10, 80 per cent of those hospitalised were not fully vaccinated and she reminded people that vaccination was beneficial.

Abdool-Richards said there was an increase in ambulance pick-ups for covid19 patients – from home to hospital – over the last month.

Over the past five weeks there was an upward trend in increased confirmed covid19 cases, hospitalisations, Accident and Emergency cases and ambulance use for covid19 patients.

She added that the statistics reminded TT that the pandemic was still present and urged people to practise healthy behaviours.

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Robbery at gunpoint at Princes Town fast-food outlet

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

File photo

A man who pretended to be a customer at a fast-food restaurant in Princes Town robbed a female worker at gunpoint on Tuesday night.

A police report said the man walked into Robin’s Fried Chicken outlet at Naparima Mayaro Road at around 7.30 pm and placed an order.

The 21-year-old worker was preparing it when the man took out a gun hidden in his waistband. He pointed the gun at her and told her to hand over money.

She emptied the cash register and handing him about $2,000.

The man walked off, and the police were contacted.

Princes Town police responded, but the gunman was nowhere to be found.

PC Regis is continuing investigations.

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T&TEC still working on damaged Rousillac transmission tower

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

The damaged TTEC electrical tower along the Solomon Hochoy Highways near Grant Trace Rousillac which was responsible for a power outage that affected 30% of the country due to a landslip on Tuesday night. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

Work began on Wedensday at the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension in Rousillac, where damage to a transmission tower led to power outages in several parts of Trinidad on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, a statement from the TT Electricity Commission (T&TEC) said phase one of repairs to the 220KV transmission tower was “severely compromised” owing to a landslip on Tuesday.

But customers who were affected by load-shedding at 9 am had their supply restored.

The statement said, “This initial phase of repairs significantly minimises the need for rolling load-shedding over the next few days and allows T&TEC to instal several poles and attendant lines to bypass the compromised section (tower and lines).”

Photo by Lincoln Holder

The statement added that a further few brief outages might be required to carry out this solution fully.

Within a few hours, supply to the majority of affected customers was restored.

In the medium term, the utility said, “Engineering planning is ongoing to replace the damaged tower.”

An earlier statement from the commission on Wednesday said generators were brought online by the independent power producers to restore supply to about 30 per cent of the affected customers in Trinidad.

Police secure the site where the damaged TTEC electrical tower along the Solomon Hochoy Highways near Grant Trace Rousillac which was responsible for a power outage that affected 30% of the country due to a landslip on Tuesday night. Photo by Lincoln Holder

The leaning tower can be seen from a distance. But media personnel were not allowed near the damaged tower on Wednesday. There were concrete barriers on the incomplete highway extension near Grant Trace where South Western Division police stood guard.

The police allowed T&TEC and National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd workers to enter and leave the area.

Rousillac residents said electricity went off shortly after 7 pm on Tuesday and was restored around 10 pm.

The damaged TTEC electrical tower along the Solomon Hochoy Highways near Grant Trace Rousillac which was responsible for a power outage that affected 30% of the country due to a landslip on Tuesday night. Photo by Lincoln Holder

A resident said, “We did not know about the landslip, because that is in the bush area. When the electricity went off, we did not hear anything. We did not know what caused it.”

There was a long islandwide blackout on February 16 after a palmiste tree fell on a distribution line, also in Rousillac.

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Offset Teases Baby Keem-Produced First Single Off His Upcoming Solo Album

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Urban Islandz

Offset has announced that he is dropping his first solo album amid rumors that the Migos rap group is no more.

The group members have avoided answering the question about whether the group is no more and they have each announced separate projects, with Quavo and Takeoff going off on their own as a two-man band and Offset continuing solo.

On Monday, Offset announced that he was releasing the first track “54321,” from the album on Friday. The track is produced by Baby Keem for his upcoming single.

“I got my single “54321” dropping on Friday… I’m coming aggressive, shout out my boy Keem he produced the beat, he sent me the beat one night, and I heard it and I was like ‘oh yeah I gotta go crazy on this,” the rapper said in an Instagram Live.

Offset also spoke about his upcoming album as he shared what fans can expect from the strictly rap project.

“The album full of hits, full of smashes, y’all gon see how I’m coming, I’m coming, crazy like…I ain’t come to play no games, I got sh*t for the girls too like…you gotta have that soft spot for the ladies on this album cause I feel the ladies is going crazy anyway and like you getting the support from the women you gonna go next level,” he said.

The rapper has not released more details on the name of the album or when it will be released, but he has been throwing hints to fans for the last few months as he dropped several videos of him listening to his new music.

Meanwhile, Quavo and Takeoff have been releasing music on their own as the duo Unc & Phew.

The rappers recently addressed their new working dynamic in an interview with Rap Radar Podcast, where they speak about operating on the same level as Migos.

“The chemistry is the same, and the recording is the same,” Quavo said. “We always normally record by ourselves because we’re so crazy on just dropping new s**t on each other,” he said.

Migos’ label Quality Control has not addressed the rumors that the group has split, nor has any of the members officially spoken about the group’s position.

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La SMHLM offre des fournitures scolaires à certains locataires

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

I BON

Rédaction Web
Mercredi 17 août 2022

fournitures – Wendy Noel

La société offre 120 kits de fournitures pour venir en aide à 120 familles dans 5 résidences.

Face à la flambée des prix, la Société martiniquaise d’HLM, en partenariat avec les associations de locataires, a souhaité préserver la symbolique de la rentrée scolaire, en offrant 120 kits de fournitures. 

Les habitants scolarisés de 5 résidences pourront ainsi récupérer leur kit et faire emballer leurs livres dans les locaux communs résidentiels mis à disposition dans le cadre de l’animation.

L’occasion également pour ces résidents de découvrir et s’inscrire aux activités proposées par les associations qui occupent les locaux au sein de leur résidence :

– Racines (Le Marin) – association Alliance Sociale,

– Toquade (Fort-de-France) – association Toquade Rilévé,

– L’Herbier (Sainte-Anne) – Association des résidents SMHLM de l’Herbier,

– Trianon (Le François) – Association de défense des locataires de Trianon,

– Morne-Pavillon (le Lamentin) – Association Pavillon en action.

Sur le même sujet

Où donner ?
Lyannaj Capoeira

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L’exposition itinérante TI KRISTOF arrive en Basse-Terre

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Guadeloupe FranceAntilles

 Elle sera inaugurée ce jeudi matin à 10 heures à Saint-Phy, à Basse-Terre.

Après avoir interpellé les petits et les grands sur les dangers de la route, Ti Kristof poursuit son tour de la Guadeloupe en s’arrêtant dans le hall d’accueil de la DEAL, DAAF et ONF à Saint-Phy, à Basse- Terre. Pour rappel, Jérôme Jean-Charles n’en est pas à sa première oeuvre. C’est un projet mené en collaboration avec Me Charles-Henry Coppet. L’oeuvre précédente du sculpteur pour la Sécurité routière a été inaugurée à Wonche, à Baie Mahault. Une sculpture qui rappelle les risques encourus quand on prend le volant alors que l’on a bu trop d’alcool ou qu’on a consommé de la drogue. Il s’agit d’une œuvre mettant en scène le personnage ” Ti Kristof “, qui implore Dieu pour que les humains prennent conscience des dangers sur la route.

L’artiste s’était également exprimé dans le cadre de la sensibilisation du téléphone au volant, puis au respect pour les 2 roues. Cette nouvelle sculpture pour le compte de la Sécurité routière est la 4e et dernière oeuvre de ce projet.

Pour cette à Basse-Terre qui durera 15 jours, du 18 août au 1er septembre 2022, il est prévu deux temps forts :

– Jeudi 18 août de 10h à 14h : propos inaugural et action de sensibilisation sur les comportements à risque avec l’atelier tapis/lunettes ” alcool ” et ” stupéfiants ” et le réactiomètre.

– Mardi 30 août de 9h à 14h : action de sensibilisation sur les comportements à risque avec l’atelier tapis/lunettes ” alcool ” et ” stupéfiants ” et le réactiomètre et le simulateur de conduite d’engin deux- roues motorisés (2RM) .

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Euro de natation: doublé argenté de la France…

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Guadeloupe FranceAntilles

Les Françaises médaillées d’argent au relais 4×100 m 4 nages: Pauline Mahieu, Charlotte Bonnet, Beryl Gastaldello et Marie Wattel sur le podium des Championnats d’Europe de natation à Rome le 17 août 2022 – Alberto PIZZOLI (AFP)

Les nageuses et nageurs français ont réussi un joli doublé argenté mercredi soir sur les deux relais 4×100 m 4 nages qui clôturaient les Championnats d’Europe de natation à Rome, les garçons derrière les intouchables Italiens, les filles dépassées par les favorites suédoises.

Les filles ont montré l’exemple. Pauline Mahieu (dos), Charlotte Bonnet (brasse), Marie Wattel (papillon) et Beryl Gastaldello (nage libre) ont pulvérisé le record de France sur cette distance, avec un chrono de 3:56.36, soit trois secondes de mieux que l’ancien record, mais n’ont pu rivaliser avec les Suédoises, dont la dernière relayeuse, la multi-médaillée Sarah Sjoestroem, est allée chercher l’or.

Les Néerlandaises complètent le podium.

C’était la douzième médaille de la délégation française à Rome mais la fête n’était pas finie.

Quelques minutes plus tard, Yohann Ndoye Brouard, champion d’Europe sur 200 m dos, puis Antoine Viquerat (brasse), Clément Secchi (papillon) et Maxime Grousset (nage libre) ont fait aussi bien que les filles.

Avec un chrono de 3:32.50, ils finissent très loin du relais italien, intouchable (plus de quatre secondes) mais devancent les Autrichiens.

Le bilan final sera donc de 13 médailles (3 d’or, 7 d’argent et 3 de bronze) pour la natation française à Rome, au bout de championnats très réussis.

Une moisson encourageante dans la perspective des Jeux de Paris, dans deux ans.

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BNC, entre modernisation et financement des MPME

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Le Nouvelliste

Des id?es pour le d?veloppement

La Banque nationale de cr?dit (BNC) vient de lancer un nouveau programme d’information et de sensibilisation intitul? <> sur les r?seaux sociaux. Pour le premier ?pisode, la pr?sentatrice Winnie Ropissard a re?u Eddy Ph?b?, cadre ? la direction du cr?dit pour la pr?sentation du programme Pro-cr?dit. Celui-ci vise ? financer les entreprises d?di?es ? la production, ? la transformation et aux services. Lanc? en 2013, ce programme ambitionne d’augmenter le nombre relativement faible d’entrepreneurs ayant acc?s au cr?dit ainsi que le nombre d’entrepreneurs ayant acc?s aux services bancaires. En ce sens, il tend ? faciliter l’inclusion financi?re des m?nages et des micros, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME).

Le montant des pr?ts peut aller de 15 000 gourdes ? cinq millions de gourdes sur une p?riode de 13 ? 36 mois, sans exiger de garantie formelle. La paperasse administratives, qui limite tr?s souvent l’octroi des pr?ts, est r?duite ? sa plus simple expression, indique Eddy Ph?b? tout en pr?cisant que la BNC n’exige pas trop de documents. La banque commerciale d’?tat permet aux entreprises qui n’ont pas de patentes d’acc?der quand m?me au cr?dit, moyennant une promesse formelle de se r?gulariser dans le plus bref d?lai. Le service est accessible dans toutes les succursales de la BNC ? travers tout le territoire national.

Puisqu’il favorise l’acc?s des MPME aux cr?dits, Pro-cr?dit am?liorera leur performance ?conomique, leur productivit? et leur rentabilit? financi?re. Il contribuera aussi ? la formalisation de ces MPME. Parmi les entreprises ?ligibles, Eddy Ph?b? cite en exemple des usines ? glace, des bar-restaurants, des studios de beaut?, des cliniques priv?es de sant? ou des blanchisseries. Il peut s’agir ?galement d’acquisition, de montage et d’installation d’?quipements de production, d’achat de mati?res premi?res ou d’augmentation de fonds de roulement.

Pro-cr?dit vise aussi et surtout les microentreprises. Cela peut ?tre une microentreprise qui utilise l’arachide pour la transformer en beurre d’arachide (mamba) ou le manioc pour produire de la cassave, ou encore la peau de chad?que pour pr?parer la confiture ou la gel?e. Il peut aussi financer l’achat de moulin de pistache (arachide) ou l’achat de pistache ou les deux afin d’agrandir la taille de l’entreprise. <>, se r?jouit M. Ph?b?. La BNC, poursuit-il, finance ? la fois les ?quipements et le mat?riel, leur renouvellement et leur r?novation. Dans le cadre de ce programme, la BNC offre un taux d’int?r?t imbattable, affirme le cadre de la Direction du cr?dit sans vraiment le chiffrer.

Pour ?tre ?ligible, les entreprises et leurs propri?taires doivent satisfaire aux crit?res suivants :1) ?tre majeur 2) avoir au moins un an d’activit? 3) faire partie des trois secteurs cibl?s ? savoir : la production, la transformation et les services 4) avoir un compte ? la BNC. Les secteurs privil?gi?s rentrent dans un cadre plus large de facilitation de la cr?ation d’emplois.

Quels financements pour quelles MPME ?

Intervenant ? la 12e ?dition du Sommet international de la finance en avril 2022 autour du th?me <>, le pr?sident du Conseil d’administration de la BNC, Raoul Pierre-Louis avait abord? le sous-th?me : Quels financements et pour quelles MPME ? <>, a-t-il mentionn? d’entr?e de jeu.

<>, argue M. Pierre-Louis.

Il en veut pour preuve l’enqu?te du Centre de facilitation des investissements (CFI) r?alis?e en 2018 qui d?montre que sur les 1919 entreprises sond?es tombant dans la cat?gorie des PME, 81% avaient un statut d’entreprise individuelle et 39% seulement ont ?t? enregistr?es au minist?re du Commerce et de l’Industrie (MCI). Ces r?sultats signifient que tr?s peu de ces PME sont l?galement constitu?es. De plus, moins de 20% disposent d’un compte bancaire, ce qui rend difficile l’intervention des banques commerciales, d’autant plus que l’absence d’un syst?me d’information efficace emp?che d’appr?cier les activit?s r?alis?es sur une p?riode donn?e.

Malgr? les besoins de financement tr?s importants constat?s, tr?s peu d’interventions ont pu ?tre r?alis?es par les banques commerciales ha?tiennes. Ces besoins de financement s’?levaient ? plus de deux milliards de dollars am?ricains, soit pr?s de deux fois l’?quivalent du total de financement distribu? par le syst?me bancaire ha?tien au 31 d?cembre 2021, rappelle M. Pierre-Louis. Selon les donn?es rapport?es par les institutions financi?res ha?tiennes au Bureau d’information sur le cr?dit (BIC) de la Banque de la R?publique d’Ha?ti (BRH), seulement 3% des emprunteurs sont des entreprises et le montant qui leur est accord?? repr?sente 65,79% du montant total de pr?t octroy??.

D’apr?s les informations fournies en novembre 2021 par la Banque mondiale sur le poids du secteur informel dans les ?conomies en d?veloppement, la <>.

Le programme Pro-cr?dit de la BNC aide donc ? stimuler la cr?ation de richesses en favorisant le d?veloppement des MPME et la cr?ation d’emplois. Il finance les besoins en capitaux des MPME, partout o? elles se trouvent. Faut-il rappeler que toutes les grandes firmes multinationales ?taient pass?es par l’?tape MPME.

Le processus de modernisation se poursuit

Dans le cadre de son processus de modernisation et de digitalisation de ses op?rations, la BNC a entrepris des travaux d’am?nagement de plusieurs plateformes num?riques afin de mieux rendre disponibles ses produits et services. Ce processus facilitera davantage l’inclusion des MPME dans le syst?me financier ? travers tout le territoire national. Le slogan est clair : en tout temps, partout, quels que soient le service et le produit (en anglais : Any Time, Any Where, Any Device (ATAWAD)).

Parmi les produits technologiques et services offerts par la BNC, M. Pierre-Louis cite : les distributeurs automatiques de billet et les guichets automatis?s de banque; les produits de d?p?t, d’assurance et d’?pargne-retraite pour les employ?s des entreprises; les financements appropri?s ? leurs besoins de tr?sorerie; les cr?dits par signature pour la d?livrance de cautions d’exploitation et de march? ainsi que les cr?dits ? moyen et long termes pour financer la croissance des entreprises et les investissements.

<>, s’enorgueillit M. Pierre-Louis. <>, a-t-il avou?.

Le pr?sident du conseil d’administration de la BNC se fait sien les cinq recommandations g?n?rales produites par la Banque mondiale ? l’intention des responsables publics des pays ?mergents et en d?veloppement pour juguler les impacts n?gatifs du d?veloppement du secteur informel sur l’?conomie.

Ces recommandations s’?noncent comme suit : 1) opter pour une approche globale, puisque l’?conomie informelle, qui traduit un sous-d?veloppement g?n?ralis?, ne peut pas ?tre trait?e isol?ment 2) adapter les mesures au contexte national, les causes de l’informalit? ?tant tr?s variables 3) renforcer l’acc?s ? l’?ducation, aux march?s et aux financements, pour permettre aux travailleurs et aux entreprises du secteur informel d’atteindre un niveau de productivit? suffisant pour rejoindre l’?conomie formelle 4) am?liorer la gouvernance et le climat des affaires pour favoriser le d?veloppement de l’?conomie formelle 5) rationaliser les r?gimes fiscaux pour r?duire le co?t de l’activit? formelle et promouvoir la formalisation de l’informel ? travers un m?canisme incitatif efficace.

La BNC, promet M. Pierre-Louis, <>. Il se dit conscient du r?le de banque commerciale de l’?tat assign? ? la BNC et prend ? coeur la mission qui lui a ?t? confi?e, celle d’accompagner <>. ? tous les citoyens, tous les propri?taires des MPME et des grandes entreprises qui ne sont pas encore clients, M. Pierre-Louis les invite ? faire l’exp?rience BNC.

Thomas Lalime

thomaslalime@yahoo.fr

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