Students Receive Computer Equipment

More than 3,300 desktop computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards and printers have gone to Nova Scotia schools, courtesy of the province's Computers for Schools program.

The items are listed in the Surplus Crown Property Disposal Report, which was tabled in the legislature today, May 10, by Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works.

"We trust this donation helps schools and their students throughout the province," said Mr. Russell. "We have also been able to provide articles that will benefit more than 190 non- profit organizations across Nova Scotia -- items such as tables, chairs, cabinets, desks, shelving and tools that would otherwise have to be purchased, often at full retail prices."

"This office equipment has been very helpful given our limited space," said Rhonda Haines-Richards of the Second Story Women's Centre in Bridgewater. "It gave us the ability to set up personal working space for the volunteers who perform valuable work in our community."

Albert Hill, vice-chair of the Cape Breton Firefighter's Burn Care Society, said a computer desk, stenographer's chair and bookcase will also come in handy.

"The equipment helps us manage the operations of the society, as well as the Atlantic Burn Camp," he said.

In Yarmouth, the Tri-County Pregnancy Care Centre needed equipment to get its operation up and running.

"The desks and chairs were a tremendous help in getting our service off the ground," said Pam Churchill, executive director. "In fact, we couldn't really function without them."

The disposition of surplus items is conducted under the authority of the Surplus Crown Property Disposal Act.

The report lists:

• disposed real property (land and/or buildings);
• items sold at auction;
• items tendered for purchase and removal;
• items donated to non-profit, non-government agencies;
• material deemed to be of little or no value and disposed of or recycled;
• computer equipment destined for the Computer for Schools program;
• scrap waste;
• disposal of surplus land or highway right-of-way.

Gross revenues of $422,112 -- minus disposal costs of $60,261 -- leave a total of $361,750, which is applied to the provincial debt.