#Denver, Colorado – May 4, 2020: Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty Latin America” or “LLA”) (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, OTC Link: LILAB), parent company of C&W, today announces that it has established the COVID-19: LLA Employee Emergency Assistance Fund (“Fund”) to provide direct relief to eligible employees and their families who are facing unforeseen financial distress or an emergency hardship as a result of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Fund will be seeded with an initial contribution of more than $300,000 from the Liberty Latin America Board of Directors. Additional funds will be raised through an online giving campaign, which also kicks off today.
President and CEO of Liberty Latin America, Balan Nair, said, “These are uncertain times, but the way we are seeing our employees come together to support one another and lift each other up is a true testament to the culture we have created across our business. Our employees come first, and this is at the heart of who we are at Liberty Latin America. We want our employees to know that we are here for them and their families throughout this crisis and we will be here long after it’s over.”
The COVID-19: LLA Employee Emergency Assistance Fund will be administered by the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. All full-time employees of Liberty Latin America or any of its subsidiaries will be eligible to confidentially apply for needs-based assistance, while donations made through the online giving campaign may be tax-deductible for U.S. based taxpayers.
In conjunction with the launch of the Fund, Liberty Latin America has continued to deliver essential connectivity to customers, communities, and countries in the region when they need it most. LLA is more committed than ever to the Caribbean and Latin America and has engaged in a range of initiatives to support local communities during this pandemic. Some specific examples include:
- In the Caribbean, through the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, Inc., we have funded One on One Educational Services Limited to provide virtual learning access to over 130,000 students across the Caribbeanat no cost to them. The virtual education platform, which offers a wide array of educational content, enables students to continue their studies at home during the COVID-19 crisis.
- In Chile, we have partnered with the government to roll out an educational channel, VTR TV COVID-19, on our grid that creates awareness around the virus and provides practical tools and tips to help stop the spread.Programming includes original informative content produced by the VTR Foundation and is in partnership with the local government.
- Through Liberty Puerto Rico, we have Channel 85 and general programming that includes COVID-19 content focused on education, prevention, and financial support available for individuals and businesses from local and federal governments and private organizations.
- In Panama, we have Channel 19 and +Movil – COVID-19, with programming in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and in alliance with the State Radio and Television System (SERTV).
- And across all our markets we are issuing public service announcements and actively working with local governments to zero rate certain essential services, allowing customers to reach critical government services free of charge.
Those interested in making a contribution to the COVID-19: LLA Employee Emergency Assistance Fund are encouraged to do so by visiting this link to access the secure online donation portal.
The safety of our employees, their families, our customers, and the communities where we operate is our primary consideration. To learn more about our COVID-19 response, watch this video and view our official statement here.
