Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Ron Hicks, a constituent of mine.
I was recently informed that Ron volunteered his time and business expertise to assist in developing the environmental practices and business skills of a firm in one of the world's most disadvantaged economies.
Ron was a CESO volunteer in Panama. During his tenure at this Panamanian business Ron was able to effect improvements and cost control by closely monitoring parts procurement and equipment failure diagnosis. He personally trained 25 maintenance staff, advised supervisory personnel and effected improvements in corporate environmental practices.
In short, Ron made a substantial difference in the way that this firm conducted its day to day operations. Because of Ron's efforts, the efficiency of this plant was improved which in turn will result in more economic output and growth. This will result in an improvement in employees' wages and their standard of living while at the same time helping to enhance the environmental standards of the country as a whole.
I applaud Ron's efforts. I feel that they represent a concrete example of how a hand up is often just as beneficial as a handout.