MESSAGE BY MD

COVID -19 – STATEMENT

 

COVID 19: CTL RESPONSE – 5th April, 2020

CTL’S LEADER APPEALS FOR STRICT ADHERENCE TO COVID-19 GUIDELINES

Statement by Michael Thomas, Managing Director of CTL Home Center

On behalf of the management and staff of CTL Home Center, I am taking this opportunity to encourage all of the residents of these Beautiful Virgin Islands to please strictly adhere to our government’s directives for our protection from the coronavirus. My fellow residents these instructions are not for our punishment or our inconvenience, they are for our wellness protection, our social protection, and our economic protection.

Disobedience to the crowd-reduction initiative, the prescribed hygiene practices and the social distancing practices will result in a number of undesired consequences. 

Non-adherence to these directives means that all of the gains that we may have made toward controlling and slowing the spread of the virus during our first six-day curfew may have been reversed. Any increase of infections or any deaths would necessitate additional and longer periods of curfew, which will result in longer periods of business closures; longer periods of unemployment; significant reduction of money circulation, a significant increase of social unrest and antisocial behavior, that will lead to the eventual destruction of our economy and the total loss of our hard fought for social, political and economic growth and development. This is an untenable situation and is therefore not an option.

My fellow residents of these beautiful Virgin Islands, as outlined, our behavior during this critical time is of the utmost importance to our social, political and economic survival. I am pleading with you, for the safety and security of all of us, please, let us each take personal responsibility for the survival of all of us and the sustainability of this beautiful land we call our home.

Please be safe. May God continue to protect us. CTL cares.

About CTL Home Center: The family owned and operated Clarence Thomas Limited Home Center has served the Virgin Islands community for 50 years. The stores locations on Tortola and Virgin Gorda plus drive through Lumberyard provide the BVI community with all of its home building, improvement and maintenance supplies; lumber, plumbing, electrical, marine and lawn and garden supplies; hand and power tools and small and large appliances as well as an extensive stock of home products; quality paints as well as office supplies and much more.

285602049_10166314692385004_4213751487988383587_n

CTL Donates Sanitizers and Disinfectants To Schools and NPOS

CTL Donates Sanitizers and Disinfectants To Schools and NPOS

CTL Home Center (CTL) has donated hundreds of hand sanitizers, alcohols, disinfectant sprays and wipes to various Non-profit Organisations (NPOs) and schools throughout the Virgin Islands.

This initiative was implemented to give back to the community and to ensure that the students of the Virgin Islands along with the vulnerable population stay safe during this unpredictable time.

Approximately 5884 products have been donated to public and private schools, the Family Support Network, the Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly, Safe Haven, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports.

CTL will continue to do its part in keeping the Virgin Islands safe. #CTLCares

 

Collage of donations (photo attached)

 

For further information contact:
Nekita Turnbull, Marketing Manager at CTL Home Center

 (284) 494-2359 ext 285

279942321_10166221858570004_1937479799220635959_n

Queen’s Baton Relay

It’s been 16 years since our COO, David Thomas held the Baton last for the Queen’s Baton Relay. In 2006 he led a team of cyclists as the president of the BVI Cycling Federation and today he led his CTL family. # Birmingham2022 #b2022 #teambvi #ctlbvi #wevegotit

Picture1

Press Release

CTL Donates Exterior Paint to Recreation Trust

CTL Home Center (CTL) has donated ten (10) buckets of exterior paint to the Recreation Trust. This is in support of their effort in providing a healthy and active lifestyle by maintaining the recreational grounds and facilities throughout the Territory. This donation will go to good use by painting the inner walls of the A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds. CTL is keen on giving back to the community. #CTLCares

Photo of (Left) Mr. Eustace Freeman, Executive Director of Recreation Trust (right) David Thomas, Chief Operations Officer (photo attached)

The Recreation Trust is a statutory organization which falls under the Ministry of Education and Culture and assists the Ministry with the development and maintenance of recreational grounds and facilities throughout the Territory.

Shop Online, pick up at the Loading Bay

MESSAGE BY MD

SPIKE IN LUMBER PRICES

PRESS RELEASE – SPIKE IN LUMBER PRICES

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 – CTL Home Center is informing our valued customers of a significant increase in lumber prices due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and US Tariffs.

The US National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has reported an increase in lumber
prices due to “insufficient domestic production and tariffs on Canadian sources, the price of lumber has staged a staggering increase in recent months, rising roughly 80% since mid-April to an average price above $600 per thousand board feet. This increase will add thousands of dollars to the cost of a typical newly-built home, thereby constraining housing supply, exacerbating affordability woes and limiting housing’s economic impact”.

CTL Home Center’s Managing Director,  Michael Thomas also recognized through his suppliers that lumber prices have escalated in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean, due to the diminished supply caused by the pandemic and the recent additional 20 percent importation tariffs imposed by the United States on Canadian supplies.

Mr. Thomas also pointed out that production in South America, which produces construction plywood has also reduced significantly, due to the partial opening or complete shutdown of mills. This he deduced will increase the cost of construction
plywood as well.

“I believe that it is my civic duty to inform our valued customers about this unfortunate increase in lumber prices caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that will result in increased construction cost for our home builders” Mr. Thomas asserted.
Mr. Thomas added that “the industry is indicating that prices are going to drop but it is not expected to return to pre COVID-19 levels anytime soon.”
CTL Home Center is reassuring customers that our prices will remain the same until it is time to replenish our inventory and we will do all we can to make lumber prices as affordable as possible.

CTL Donates 14 Fans to BFEC

CTL Donates Approximately $5K in Merchandise to Bregado Flax Educational Center

CTL Home Center once again assisted the education sector with the recent donation of approximately $5000.00 worth of merchandise to Bregado Flax Educational Center (BFEC) Secondary Division on Virgin Gorda. The donation included but was not limited to fourteen standing fans, lights and a refrigerator.

The school is still recovering from the damages caused by Hurricane Irma and the air condition units are among the many things that need repairing or replacing. When news of the school’s urgent needs reached CTL Home Center’s Managing Director Michael Thomas, he said donating the items was an immediate and easy decision for him. He said “These students, despite the many post-Irma challenges are still trying their best to continue their education and we the business community should help to make the environment comfortable for both students and teachers.”  Mr. Thomas noted that an investment in education is an investment in our future and encouraged other companies to follow suit.

Chief Operations Officer David Thomas and CTL Virgin Gorda staff member, Trevoi Adams made the donations to Alexander Weekes, Senior Teacher/Administrator and Hilroy George, Principal for BFEC Secondary Division at the school’s campus on Wednesday October 3rd, 2018. Mr. George thanked CTL for the donation as he pointed out how uncomfortable the teachers and students were in the hot classrooms.

With CTL’s policy of good corporate citizenship, over the years the company has consistently donated to the education sector in the BVI. This year CTL donated laptop computers to five outstanding teachers by the Ministry of Education & Culture, reusable bags to teachers at the Ministry’s Annual Teachers’ Training, gift certificates to all teachers at the Robinson O’Neal Primary School on Virgin Gorda, cleaning supplies to students at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and tablets to students participating in BVI Finance’s Little Race to Save.

Other donations this year were made to BVI Diabetes Association, St. Georges Episcopal Church, East End Long Look Seniors, Festival Booth Owners and Rotary Festival Floupe along with CTL’s annual father’s day giveaway,

CTL Home Center’s management and staff take their corporate social responsibility very seriously and are proud and honoured to give back to our community that we work and live in.  The education sector and our seniors remain the main focus of CTL Home Center’s support.

CTL Father's Day Four Dads competing in CCT Daddy's Day Dash at CTL Home Center

CTL Surprises Dad with Fourth Place Prize

CTL Home Center surprised the Dad who placed fourth in CCT’s Daddy’s Day Dash by gifting him with his entire shopping basket.

CCT BVI’s ‘Daddy’s Day Dash took place on 16th June, 2018 at CTL Home Center Fish Bay Store at the end of CTL’s Father’s Day Deal and Dash Sale, where the entire store was discounted up to 20% through the discount wheel.

Four fathers competed in a shopping race for the highest total cost of the items in their shopping carts. There was no designated prize for fourth place at the start of the race, but at the end, Dwayne Rubaine, who placed fourth walked away with a $1,100.00 prize, which was higher than the second and third place winners.

CTL Home Center’s COO David Thomas made the surprising announcement during our LIVE Facebook broadcast of the shopping race. Mr. Thomas said CTL will present the fourth place winner with his entire basket winnings.

CTL Home Center has set the standard for Father’s Day Sale and giveaways with an annual sale for over 10 years. Mr. Thomas said, “our store’s early clients were predominantly fathers and we want to continue to recognize and thank them for their continued support”.

CCTBVI’s Daddy’s Day Dash Winners

First prize went to Phillip Hines of Tortola who received a $2,500 CTL Gift Card, second prize $1,000 CTL Gift Card was awarded to Darren Jones of Jost Van Dyke; third prize $500 CTL Gift Card awarded to Ganesh Surubally of Virgin Gorda, and fourth prize went to Dwayne Rubaine who received everything that was in his shopping cart. The four fathers were randomly selected through topping up $20 or more; signing up for Freedom 1 or any LTE Package, or by paying their bill on time to dash through the aisles of CTL Home Center.

Photos attached. Additional photos and video can be found on CTL facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CTLBVI/

For further information contact:

Eno Soman
CTL Marketing Desk (284) 494-2359 xt 285
Mobile (284) 443-3061

Paint buckets (2)

CTL Home Center Valspar BOGO Paint Sale – April 2018

CTL Home Center held the first ever BOGO event in the BVI and the Biggest Paint Sale ever in the BVI in April 2018.
We were happy to offer such a huge Valspar Paint saving to our community. Six months after the catastrophic hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the BVI, the majority of CTL customers were able to benefit from our four-day paint sale. Some customers reported that they saved thousands of dollars as they finished up their repairs and thanked CTL Home Center for the significant savings.
This was one of many savings offered to our customers since September 2017.

#CTLCares #YourHomeOfSavings #CheckCTLFirst #CTLBVI

 

 

 

 

CTL Staff at gift presentation

CTL Home Center Spreads Christmas Cheer

Clarence Thomas Home Center brought Christmas cheer to children across the BVI as it continues to give back to the community. This week CTL Home Center presented gifts to over 100 primary school students who were affected by Hurricane Irma.

The students were recommended by teachers and principals as those most in need after the Category 5 Hurricane hit the BVI. All students at the Eslyn Henly Richeiz Learning Center were also included in the gift giveaway. CTL staff matched gifts according to the age and gender of each child selected.

CTL Virgin Gorda Staff along with teachers delivered gifts to children on the sister islands and Santa joined CTL’s Tortola staff at the main store at Fish Bay on Saturday, December 23, 2017 to present gifts to children selected from schools on Tortola.

Managing Director Michael Thomas said It means so much to CTL Home Center to bring joy to the hearts to these children because most of them have lost all their worldly belongings. It’s such a wonderful feeling to see their eyes light up when they see Santa and receive their gifts. We felt in our very small way that we helped the children and their parents to have an enjoyable Christmas despite the burden brought on by Hurricane Irma.

 CTL staff said “presenting the gifts along with Bell’s Café tasty treats to the children, parents, and teachers was a humbling and satisfying experience. The smiles and the expressions on the faces of children brought us so much joy”

 CTL Home Center thanks the many principals and teachers who assisted in making this initiative a success.

88DF24BC6F37EC5438C5F515DE497FF7

CTL Home Center Explores Expeditious Alternative Shipping Options

In an effort to speedily fulfill the building needs of the territory, CTL Home Center is engaging alternative shipping sources to supply customers after costly delays caused by the two major shipping companies – Tropical and Crowley.

Both Tropical and Crowley shipping companies are overwhelmed with aid deliveries from the US mainland to Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands and the increased demand for supplies by other Caribbean countries affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Managing Director of CTL Home Center, Michael Thomas stated that at least four of CTL containers were bumped off Tropical and Crowley ships within the last two weeks as a result of the priority given to products for Puerto Rico and USVI – their first stops before heading to other regional destinations. Caribbean countries like St. Maarten, Dominica and BVI are only allotted a certain amount of containers on each of the ships, he added.

“We waited for over 20 containers for a week and a half, including six containing T1-11 roofing plywood” and after a distressing search for a lost container of Sheet Rock (dry wall) “we found it sitting at Tropical shipping facilities in St. Thomas for several weeks.” Mr. Thomas continued.

This delay in shipments has resulted in empty shelves at CTL Home Center and general shortages of building materials, plumbing materials, electrical supplies, and household products.

Mr. Thomas emphasized that it has been very stressful for the staff at CTL Home Center to continuously tell customers that we don’t know when the items they so desperately need will arrive.

“We are extremely disappointed with the situation the shipping companies have put us in, especially at our time of crisis. The people of the territory deserves better” said Chief Operations Officer, David Thomas.

To get the much needed supplies to the territory and his customers in a timely manner, Managing Director Thomas reiterated that he will engage other shipping companies. He added that he expects the challenges with Tropical and Crowley to be sorted out eventually but he cannot wait any longer.

Mr. Thomas has also called on government to consider and positively act on Tropical Shipping’s longtime request to make arrangements for the BVI to become the first stop or “hub” for distribution to other regional countries.