Ms Su Thomas is returning to the United Kingdom (UK) as her contract has come to an end with Digicel. Photo: VINO

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel BVI, Mr Declan Cassidy said that it was a very sad moment for the company to have to lose its Commercial Manager, Ms Thomas but underscored Digicel's support for her as the company pays special respects for family. He also said because of the impact that Ms Thomas has made to the development of Digicel, the door is always opened to her at anytime that she may express the desire to return to work with the company. Photo: VINO/File

Ms Su Thomas shares final moments with some of the senior management staff of Digicel VI before her departure. Photo: VINO

Some friends said farewell to Su Thomas. Photo: VINO

Some friends said farewell to Su Thomas. Photo: VINO

Some friends said farewell to Su Thomas. Photo: VINO

Ms Thomas is returning to the United Kingdom (UK) since her contract with Digicel has come to an end. She said while she would have loved to give it another shot at having another contract period with the company it is really urgent and important that she returns to her biological family. “I must go, though I wish I could have stayed I have to return to my family in the UK. The BVI has stolen my heart by accepting me into their family but it has come to the stage where my family in the UK needs me and I must go.”

Ms Thomas entered the Virgin Islands family some two and a half year ago when she took up an appointment with the mobile phone giant, Digicel BVI and, according to her, having come from the much larger country of the United Kingdom she was overwhelmed at the welcome she had received within a very short space of time after entering the Virgin Islands.

“I accepted a contract that I thought was strictly for work purposes but from the very moment I arrived here I was somewhat spell-bound by the welcome I received.” She said her smooth integration into the society was so much that it made her work much easier.

She said no amount of “thank you” can compensate for her appreciation to the VI population especially over the fact that over her two and a half year stint workings with the communities it has resulted in the company’s growth from strength to strength. “It is nice knowing that I am leaving and the business is in such good shape and I contributed to that in some way. I worked with an incredible team, Declan and the others were so great, I don’t know that there could have been a better experience for me,” she noted.

Being out and about getting the business of Digicel done has been the highlight for her integration with the community and, according to her, all the business partners possess a special mode of doing business. “Our business partners have been integral in seeing the growth of Digicel to the level it is right now and I want to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to them.”

Su Thomas was one of the main driving forcess behind most of the biggest promotions done by Digicel including the most recent summer promotion where the top prize was a Suzuki vehicle.

Being on the ZROD radio on Fridays on the Morning Ride Show with Paul ‘Gadeithz’ Peart was credited as one of her amazing successes. “Paul has such a great personality, he made my job so easy and brought out a side of me that I never really knew existed,” said Ms Thomas.

This was also confirmed by Mr Peart who expressed his pleasure working with Ms Thomas and the Digicel family. This news site has been assured that despite the departure of Ms Thomas the company’s relationship with Mr Peart and the Morning Ride Show will continue.

The access to resources has been cited as one of the major challenges Ms Thomas encountered during her stay. “This is a very small country when compared to the wider world like the UK, Europe, USA and the likes. So the challenge of having certain resources to your finger tips would have been expected but with companies like DHL and the others it was amazing how fast they were able to get certain things at your finger tips. The graphic designers here also have the works well organized to ensure that you get things done much faster than one would have expected,” she noted.

Asked what would bring her back to the VI, Ms Thomas said on the jovial note, “A rich loving husband, I need a rich man to make me his wife and if there is any eligible men out there just give me a call I’ll come running right back to the BVI.” But on the more formal side of things she said, “The people of the BVI who have made me part of their family is every reason I’ll be coming right back to the BVI and there is no questioning of that.”

Speaking exclusively with Virgin Islands News Online, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel BVI, Mr Declan Cassidy said that it was a very sad moment for the company to have to lose Ms Thomas but underscored their support for her as they pay special respects for family. “Su is not leaving on any hard grounds or grouse, she has to reunite with her family and we respect that very much as one of our things here is the respect and promotion of strong family values for all our staff,” said Mr Cassidy.

He said because of the impact that Ms Thomas has made to the development of Digicel, the door is always opened to her at anytime that she may express the desire to return to work with the company. “There is always a place here for Su whenever she decides that she would want to return to work with us here at Digicel.” The CEO assured.

Mr Cassidy also said he specifically admired Ms Thomas’ ability to reach out to the VI community via her public relations skill exhibited mostly on the Morning Ride Show. “I things that’s an arena where she belongs, she is so great on radio, her voice, her ability to grasp your attention is so great,” Mr Cassidy remarked.

Ms Su Thomas said she would be taking a few months off from working as she plans to tour the world for a few months. “Part of my vacation for the next few months includes coming back to the BVI for Christmas. That much I love this place.”