Dara Farrell was barely 15 years old when Atlantic LNG started construction of its Point Fortin plant in 1996. Today, at age twenty-one, Atlantic LNG has become the "fairy godfather", so to speak, in her quest to obtain a Masters' degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne.
Dara leaves Trinidad on August 14 on a Fulbright 2000 scholarship, sponsored by the high-powered energy company. And although the traditional Fulbright programme, founded over fifty years ago by Democratic Senator J William Fulbright to foster empathy, a distaste for killing other persons and an inclination for peace among peoples of the world, will continue to be funded by the U.S. government, the new Fulbright 2000 programme is being funded by local and multinational corporations operating in this country.
The eldest child of Garnet and Permilla Farrell of Maracas, St Joseph, is a graduate of St Joseph's Convent in St Joseph. She has recently received an Upper Second Class Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of the West Indies at St Augustine.
Says the excited young woman, one of very few applicants this year, who will be going away from home to live for the first time: "I was looking all the time for the Fulbright Ad so that I could apply for the scholarship, so when it came out my father brought it home to me." Dara was an obvious choice. Her SAT score was 1,540, just 60 short of the perfect score. There were about 15 sponsors yet only two scholarships were awarded, could have been the small number of applicants, says U.S. Embassy officials. Dara's choice for the post graduate degree had a sponsor - Atlantic LNG, a company which focuses on the environment.
Says Esther Le Gendre, Corporate Communications Manager of Atlantic LNG "the company's contribution focuses on children, education and the environment."
The "Atlantic for Children" programme which was launched in 1997, puts in excess of half a million dollars annually into projects for children. "The projects change each year in response to the many ways in which we can promote the holistic development of children nationwide" explained Le Gendre. Atlantic has in the past partnered with the Ministry of Health to support the immunisation against measles of all children under the age of seven, a population estimated at 120,000. RIDDIT, as the project was called achieved an unprecedented 97% success rate in the immunisation of children. "We got to the far reaching areas, with vehicles and nursing teams. A public education effort helped to get to that level. It is a very focused approach where we do a single project each year and we put all the money we have into it."
This year the Coalition Against Domestic Violence Childline, has benefitted through a hotline for children with trained volunteers on call, soon to be a 24-hour service for children who need help. "The volunteers listen, and first try to reach out to the families for support as we do not step into families and move children. They contact someone like an elder brother or aunt, and with counselling help to arrive at a solution."
"Atlantic hopes to set this organisation on its feet and then withdraw and get into another project."
In the field of education, on signing the agreement with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to establish Train 1, Atlantic made a commitment to contribute TT $50 million to seed the National Energy Skills Center (NESC) for training programmes in energy and energy related industries, followed by annual payments of TT$1.5 million for 20 years towards defraying the cost of operating the Center. And although other industrial concerns have partnered the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, says Le Gendre "Atlantic remains by far the largest contributor."
Out of Trains 2 and 3 Atlantic has pledged a further lumpsum contribution of TT$31 million towards the establishment of an Institute of Technology, with annual payments of over TT $0.9 million over a 20 year period towards the upkeep of the Institute. Atlantic's significant financial support has promoted the setting up of several centres which have made tremendous strides in improving the country's assets in human resources.
Also out of Trains 2 and 3, Atlantic has pledged a Chair in Environmental Studies at the University of the West Indies valued at U.S. $100,000. And this is not too far off as Train 2 begins in August.
As "a neighbour of choice" Atlantic LNG strives to align its community relations efforts with the reasonable expectations of the community through an ongoing programme of corporate support, and as such over the last four years Atlantic's community relations efforts in Point Fortin have encompassed a wide range of projects, which include the refurbishment of beach facilities at Clifton Hill and creation of a beach volleyball court, creation of a Resuscitation Room at the Point Fortin Area Hospital and establishment of an Environmental Reference Collection at the community library. The list of community projects is a long one.
And what plans would the sponsors have for Dara Farell, who is keeping her fingers crossed that the option for an extension to complete her doctorate does come her way. "LNG is just committed for the two-year Master's programme but if I get the opportunity I would like to explore going further, but I have to wait and see."
From the company's viewpoint Le Gendre says "as long as she returns to Trinidad and Tobago which is one of the requirements of the scholarship, she becomes a resource that is available to the country, and certainly, if at the time it will make good sense for Atlantic to bring her in, it will happen. But there is no direct link that says we must employ her. I am sure we will be competing with everyone else to employ her."