Charitable Flexi is “The One”

For his many years of charitable work with the Paediatric Ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edison ‘Flexi’ Jones has won Republic Bank’s inaugural Be The One Staff Initiative.

The popular entertainer and Republic Bank employee received the largest number of nominations and won over 50% of the vote. He received a $2,500 donation in support of his efforts. The #BETHEONE initiative originated in Trinidad & Tobago and was adopted by Republic Bank (Barbados) in 2019. This year, the Bank included a staff initiative.

For more than 15 years, the “Lovable” singer has made donations to the Paediatric Ward on Christmas morning using personal funds, together with donations from other colleagues and friends. He has given hundreds of gifts, toys, books, clothing and other miscellaneous items to the hospitalised children, and donated fans, and even a television set to the ward. Doctors, nurses and parents of hospitalized children have also benefited.

In their first act as the Bank’s new ambassadors, popular radio host and entertainer Patrick Salt Bellamy and health consultant and patient advocate Krystal Boyea, surprised Jones with a special presentation at his desk.

A beaming Jones thanked his colleagues for nominating and voting for him.

“I believe in a strong brand, a brand that has a purpose, informs decisions, differentiates and propels cultural change within the community. I believe that Republic Bank is a strong brand and has purpose and I would like to congratulate Republic Bank on this excellent initiative. I feel honoured that they would invest in me and future winners so that we can re-invest in communities in terms of assisting the needy and the vulnerable,” said Jones.

His intention in the near future is to form strategic alliances with other like-minded charitable organizers to do even more work in vulnerable communities.

In congratulating him on his win, Republic Bank’s General Manager, Retail and Operations, Sharon Zephirin said, “When you think of Flexi, he is always interacting and engaging in a positive and very meaningful way. You are, my dear, The One.”

Noting that the intention is for the initiative to grow beyond Republic Bank, the general manager invited all Barbadians to adopt the spirit of the initiative.

Speaking as one of the Bank’s new ambassadors, Bellamy said, “What I love about [the Republic Bank team] is the way they contacted me and the initiatives they have planned out; a lot of charitable initiatives and things that align well with my brand and with things that I am trying to do - helping out with children, helping out with people who are less fortunate, making a difference, and empowering people. I think that Republic Bank is doing a great job at that and I can’t wait to see what else we have in store for Barbados.”

Meanwhile, ambassador Boyea explained, “It’s so easy nowadays, especially with COVID, for someone to go about their daily lives with their blinders on, ignoring what’s going on around them. To see so many members of staff that have contributed to Be The One to make change is extremely inspiring.... I am really proud to be a Republic Bank ambassador and I look forward to the next 365 days of doing this great work with them.”