January 26th 2018 – The Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (viNGN) announced that the company had reached another milestone in its overall recovery and restoration efforts of the territory’s all fiber high speed broadband network. The company announced that the post-disaster recovery efforts have now seen eighty percent (80%) of the overall network service back up and running for local Internet Service Providers to connect their customers to the viNGN broadband network.
This latest recovery milestone is in conjunction with the already existing twenty (20) High Speed viNGN Free Public Wi-Fi Hotspots on the islands. With the sharply limited communications options available to the territory after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, viNGN staff began assembling the framework for a robust recovery by establishing the first public Wi-Fi hotspots on St. John, and then continued to establish more hotspots throughout the territory, which have continued to provide critical internet access to Virgin Islands residents, businesses, and community organizations.
viNGN President and CEO Dr. Mark McGibbon noted that the company was mentioned by Governor Kenneth Mapp during the Annual State of the Territory earlier in the week, “I was very appreciative that the Governor recognized the role viNGN played during the territory’s overall recovery efforts after the storms during his State of the Territory speech,” said Dr. McGibbon.
Dr. McGibbon also took the time to highlight the critical role that viNGN’s financial and procurement teams have played and the essential work they have performed to program funds that have enabled the expedited purchase of equipment for the territory’s Wi-Fi Hotspots, along with facilitating the fueling and maintenance of generators at Facility Access Points. These efforts have allowed viNGN to keep Internet services online; and partnering with local vendors to support the entire recovery effort as well as secure materials to respond quickly to fiber breaks throughout the islands.
“Virgin Islanders should be proud to know that our financial team is maintaining fiscal responsibility even during these difficult and challenging times after Irma and Maria to service our local ISPs and deliver free and critically-needed public Wi-Fi,” said viNGN President and CEO Dr. Mark McGibbon. “In 2017 we received an unqualified audit by Ernst & Young. This means our financial records fairly and accurately portray compliance with what are considered Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as well as USVI procurement laws.”
“With these positive compliance results, I’d like to publicly acknowledge the professionalism and hard work of our CFO Cheryl Tobierre and the members of her team Shenel Moorehead, Cindy Obeius, and Aisha Webster. Our Director of Property and Procurement Ken Farrington works closely with Rochelle Lewis and Patricia Jones; and our inventory is managed on St. Thomas by Felix Williams and on St. Croix by Alexander Adams,” Dr. McGibbon added.
viNGN’s recovery and restoration efforts will continue to move forward with the goal of 100% restoration in the coming months; the most up to date Wi-Fi hotspot listing and Partner ISP listings may be found at viNGN.com.
