Wärtsilä donates two
motorcycles to police
PHILIPSBURG--Wärtsilä, the manufacturer of the new generators for utilities company NV GEBE, donated two Harley Davidson motorcycles to the police force on Monday.
Commissioner Roy Marlin, in his capacity of Chairman of the Board of Supervisory Directors of GEBE, explained that the plan for the donation had been born on the night of the transportation of one of the generators from the harbour to GEBE’s power plant in Cay Bay.
Marlin said he had noticed that the motorcycle of one of the police officers assisting the heavy transport was “giving him problems.” He said that he had made a remark about the motorcycle to which the officer in question responded with the suggestion to arrange new motorcycles for the police force.
“I kept it in mind,” said Marlin, explaining that he had approached Wärtsilä, with which GEBE had signed an agreement last December to deliver two eight-megawatt generators, to “do something back” for the community. According to Marlin, things moved fast after that. The cycles were ordered at Harley Davidson and within two weeks they were here.
Marlin spoke of a “big contribution” by Wärtsilä and expressed the hope these motorcycles would last 12 to 14 years too, as the old ones had done. He handed over one key to State Secretary for Justice Erno Labega and one to Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, who in turn handed them over to Police Chief Commissioner Derrick Holiday.
Labega said the donation was “very much needed” and thanked GEBE and Wärtsilä for their “very generous” gesture. “As the Lt. Governor always says, fighting crime and keeping order is a community affair. They have to be involved,” he said.
Richards thanked Wärtsilä for “showing corporate citizenship.” To the police force and in particular Holiday he said: “You can rest assure that with these motorcycles, the police force will be able to ride through our hectic traffic and help keep the island safe.”
Holiday said the “very important gesture” would “help equip the police force with better material.” He said the old motorcycles were “not up to par.” He mentioned that the new cycles would be at the disposal of authorities if they needed escort.
Holiday handed over the keys to Police Commissioner Ademar Doran, who in turn gave them to two officers who tried out the motorcycles.
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