BVI News

All-time low participation for Fisherman’s tournament as Carrot Bay festivities begin

Not the actual fish mentioned in the story.

The Oliver ‘Ollie’ Turnbull Fisherman’s Tournament was hit with an all-time low in participants as the Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta went underway on Thursday, August 8.

Member of the Fisherman’s Tournament Committee Levette Walters told BVI News only two fishermen took part in the event.

“We didn’t get as much support as we liked. In the past, an average of nine to 10 fishermen usually takes part,” she said.

Despite the low turn-out, Walters said the two fishermen who participated did their best. They went out to sea early in the morning and returned before 4 pm for the weigh-in.

Robin Smith reeled in the most catches with a combined total weight of 209.5 pounds. Larry ‘Instructor’ Henley caught the biggest fish overall at 7.5 pounds. He also returned with a ‘special fish’ — the tuna.

“Fishing is in their blood, and they look forward to it every year. We have persons that were sad they were unable to participate for different reasons. But, as usual, it is a highly-anticipated event for the Cultural Fiesta,” Walters said,

She continued: “Some people do it for sport, some as their livelihood but it is something that all of our forefathers have been doing and it is part of our culture. And as part of the Cultural Fiesta, it is something that we try to emphasize and keep at the forefront of our celebrations and if we highlight it, it will continue to be around for a long time.”

Bulk of activities kick off today

In the meantime, the Carrot Bay village where the events will be held will officially open on Friday, August 9.

There will be cultural races, donkey races, and a tug-of-war competition.

The Xtreme Band, Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano and OMG band will provide musical entertainment later this evening.

On Saturday, the activities continue with the Traditional Market Day event. Entertainment from Pure Mass Band, Adam O, Pumpa, Jah Cure and VIBE will bring the proverbial curtains down on the activities.

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16 Comments

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  1. Lazy says:

    You are all just to lazy. Better off drinking in town

    Like 5
    Dislike 19
    • @Lazy says:

      You should have been out there. Since you to busy at your keyboard, you are just as lazy. You lazy critisizing snike.

      Like 14
      Dislike 5
    • @Lazy says:

      The weather is not conducive to fishing and, blanket stereotypes don’t help.

      That’s like saying all millennia’s are lazy and entitled, or all BVIslanders/Tortolians are lazy and entitled, when it is factual that they are not, and all white people living here are racist and some of them probably are not, with one exception, most of them probably are. That’s a factual we all must live with.

      You don’t know the educational levels of people or their experiences, or what psychological barriers they may carry that cause them to behave a certain way, contrary to your expectations.

      Which, explains many of our current problems today. Facing actual, real-world facts and truth might be painful, and heaven forbid that we expose ourselves or our families to any painful truth or reality!

      We just wanted to come down or up to the BVI to make a living and remember and wish for the “good ol’ days,” back when everybody knew their rightful, God-given place in the world, or, as we say these days, “let’s make America great again!”

    • Well says:

      How do you explain everyone here having so much more than you? You lazy, jealous fool.

      • @Well says:

        You are drunk with prejudice, hate and ignorance. Go sober up.

        After you have, leave tola for good. We tired of you stealing what belongs to us. Go home fool! See how much you will accmulate there. I bet not very much.

        God bless tola or some like you would still be living out of a garbage dump.

        Like 3
        Dislike 1
  2. Eagle eye says:

    Should have bring koffee or chronixx instead of jah cure,bad pick.

    Like 3
    Dislike 10
  3. Wow says:

    So the culture and tradition that actual brought us to where we are now people are not even participating in . Its sad to see that all the youths just want to grind up on each other like some dam rabbits . !!!!
    How saddd. God bless the virgin Islands !!

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  4. Negative minds says:

    If some of you had taken the time to go down there for yourself you would realize that the weather played a serious role in the low turn out. Didn’t you people see the DDM advisory about the tropical wave. My gosh man. Anything to talk eh.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
    • Retired says:

      I agree that the weather on Thursday was not that conducive for offshore activities. Hopefully the organizing committee will learn to be more flexible for the various Festival events in the future. Re-scheduling the fishing tournament to Friday 9 August would have made sense this year.

      Like 6
      Dislike 1
  5. CW says:

    Look at these STRUPE COMMENTS full of negativity. Maybe it’s the keyboard bringing BVI down, every time you behind it you angry or sad or an expert suddenly

    Like 2
    Dislike 7
  6. Haha says:

    Maybe the other fishermen finally realized that Robin always winning so they stayed on the sideline this time.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  7. Young people says:

    Fishing?? The only fishing them interested Is drugs. Dem want fast easy money dem nah want to work for it anymore

    Like 2
    Dislike 6
  8. NDP says:

    VIP killed everything

  9. Chill Brother says:

    I thought this was about fishing…relax

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