BVI News

BVI to lose millions because of Spring Regatta postponement

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The British Virgin Islands will reportedly lose millions in revenue this year now that its annual Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival is postponed because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Regatta director Judy Petz, however, said she accepts the postponement was necessary.

“The economic impact is pretty massive. Just what comes into the territory [from this event] is usually about $4 – 4.5 million … It (the postponement) is really disappointing, but I think the government made the right decision and we are standing by the decision,” Petz said.

She told BVI News the revenue from the sailing festival would have been spread across multiple local sectors and establishments such as at hotels, food and beverage companies, taxi operators, etcetera.

“It’s a massive setback for the country and the world,” Petz said.

The 49th staging of the event was slated for March 30 to April 5.

Substitute event 

In the meantime, the regatta director stated that a substitute event could take place during the course of this year.

“We are just waiting on an all-clear and we will reconvene with everyone that was involved and put some type of Spring Regatta for 2020,” she said.

Petz said she hopes the substitute event would somehow soften the blow of the postponement.

“It is very hard to figure things out at the moment. It’s a scary situation. Everything was ready. It would be starting in two weeks. We had people who had already been arriving. We had great bands coming; we were doing a cultural day, working with the Department of Culture,” she explained.

Petz said 91 boats had already been registered and the numbers would have been at least 100 this year.

“People were so very excited, and the response from participants and the sponsors had been really overwhelming and supportive. They are very sorry for us who have worked so hard.”

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44 Comments

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  1. Roy says:

    And the downward spiral continues, for the VI.

    Like 4
    Dislike 17
    • Bush Tea Sipping says:

      The safety of our people comes first! This is not the time for playing politics like Trump is doing in the USA.

      Like 20
      Dislike 8
      • Sick of the BS says:

        Sounds like you are being political. The US and Trump are only good when they are bailing out other countries and providing medical care for others. I don’t see People’s hospital providing world wide health care. I don’t even think the building is finished after 10 years so please shut your pie hole.

        Like 4
        Dislike 9
    • CW says:

      Oh look, another selfish Entitled STRUPE COMMENT making it all about you. Have fun explaining why YOU become an outbreak transmitter instead of being smart. Your lack of attention to this matter risks lives of everyone you contact. Grow up!!

    • @Roy says:

      Then you will be the first one arriving at TBL with your bundle in hand and your hateful thoughts in head headed to another location to settle in, prey upon the economics and castigate the locals. Leopards do not change its spts.

    • Prioritise says:

      You’re worrying about the economy?!

  2. Lily Ann says:

    Waaay better than losing lives …

    Like 29
    Dislike 1
  3. wow says:

    not a thing go so nanny cay will lose not the bvi. but what will happen is that we stay healthy a lot longer so thanks for that.

    Like 23
    Dislike 6
  4. wow says:

    for once they will see what its like not to be supported. these white people don’t support nothing local and if they do its because they want something in return. when will we learn??? they talk and look down on us in our own place and we still allow them to do as they please. the thing is they are nothing in there own country but here governments make them gods. come here broke and turn millionaires. that’s crazy do put but anything in the local communities they got everything from.

    Like 24
    Dislike 78
    • Snoppy says:

      “these white people don’t support nothing local”

      Because they aren’t exactly made to feel invited by Tolans

      Like 55
      Dislike 17
      • Hmm says:

        What about when Tolians selling them their lands.

        Like 20
        Dislike 9
        • @Hmm says:

          Until we educate our people to the contrary what you mentioned and are concerned about, our lost of land, and never to be regained will continue.

          Until we elect people of like minds into office who will maintain our best interest first and not their fulfillment of under hand and corrupt money exchanges, we will continue to lose our lands, what little is left.

          The beginning of the selling out of our lands, birthrights and future economic wealth building began decades ago with the ruling party of the self wealth builders, the VIP Party. That is fact!

          You think the current members are of a different and evolved mind set? Nope, absolutely not! Their consciousness go as far as the next bank account instalment, just as their predicessors thought and did.

        • Pass a law says:

          We need to write a law returning all these lands from these racist settlers- to BV Islanders by heritage

          Like 2
          Dislike 2
      • wow3 says:

        how do they make us feel? … I use to work for a white man so am not talking s**t am speaking facts. when you go to the regatta s**t is overrated. I also heard they are looking to start up power boat racing soon. so look out

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        • @wow3 says:

          So if a white man has a bad experience with one local worker that means all local workers are bad? Live and let live and treat people as they are.

          Like 14
          Dislike 1
      • @Roy says:

        Then you will be the first one arriving at TBL with your bundle in hand and your hateful thoughts in head headed to another location to settle in, prey upon the economics and castigate the locals. Leopards do not change its spots.

      • @Snoopy says:

        You are right they support nothing Black owned and operated, that’s their inherent nature. Hisory has taught us that.

        Acknowledge that fact about them and move on developing your country and people. They will never, ever give us anything beyond death, destruction and exploitation.

        That is an historical fact. Know the truths and look not to them for humanistic change out of them. They have no such propensity for human change within them.

        Like 5
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      • See says:

        More white people helped rebuild this place and did more volunteer work than ANY OTHER GROUP after Irma. Get your vision straight . We should be saying thank you instead of this racist jealousy.Maybe we should get off our asses and work harder and be innovative and not be willing to look for the governnent handouts . Get real for once … even if it hurts a little .

        Like 12
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        • for what says:

          you need to hush. After Irma. I am 57 years born here and been doing all the time. you talking two to three years. Hush and go home. Sick and tired of people trying to own where they visit.

          Like 3
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    • Secret Bear says:

      Wow, way to turn a public health crisis into a racist screed. Well done.

      Like 11
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    • CW says:

      YOUR COMMENT IS RACIST. SHAME ON YOU STRUPE

      MODERATORS, WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING OPENLY RWCIST COMMENTS? UNLESS YOU SUPPORT THEM??

      Like 11
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    • Lol! says:

      One of the more racist comments to date. Whoever ‘wow’ is, should quarantined for life

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      Dislike 3
  5. What!!!’n says:

    “WOW”. You must have trouble reading and understanding “these white people” who come to the spring regatta put $4 to $4.5 MILLION into the local economy, taxi drivers , hotels, restaurants etc. “these white people don’t support nothing” , wrong and disgusting racist post.

    Like 70
    Dislike 10
    • true says:

      WOW has a much bigger problem than reading and understanding! Poor thing.

      Like 29
      Dislike 3
    • Liars says:

      If the regatta is postponed, that means the revenue will just be postponed and not lost, eh?

      Seems to me these “expats” (how’s that for a better term?) want to make their cash now and then run off once the virus spreads in this small space.

      It’s a pattern with them. Many disappeared after Irma (especially the Americans) but popped back up again after the UK Govt and the Canadians helped us restore power.

      Like 3
      Dislike 14
  6. over hyped. says:

    This event is over hyped. The organizers can never support their claims. The want local participation, but never support anything local. Saving lives and preventing the spread of covid-19 is more important.

    Like 18
    Dislike 15
  7. WHAT NONSENSE IS THIS?? says:

    So you’d rather gain money and lose LIVES? And if all major countries are in lock down mode WHO THE HECK IS GOING TO COME TO THE REGATTA? Wouldn’t it be a total loss to run the regatta and nobody shows up??? LIKE REALLY?????

    Like 9
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    • ? says:

      Did you read the article? No one was complaining about the event being postponed. In fact the organizer agreed that the government did the right thing.

      Like 31
      Dislike 2
  8. Really? says:

    So someone mentions statistics and everyone s**ts themselves?

  9. Liar says:

    These organizers don’t support local only lip service

    Like 7
    Dislike 19
    • Too True says:

      Dah…. Have you not heard of the Haycrafts? They only paid to rebuild a school which is more than a lot of other local people did!!!!

      Like 31
      Dislike 4
      • ivers says:

        There are some really ungrateful toxins.
        I said some not all there are some really good and genuine ones also.

        Like 10
        Dislike 1
      • ivers says:

        There are some really ungrateful tolians
        I said some not all there are some really good and genuine ones also.

        Like 16
      • @Too True says:

        Nonesense! Though the territory has appreciated and wholely respect Mr. Haycraft’s contributions to a school, it is totally i*******e.

        It does not represent an amicable and fair return for eighty years …. In fact, it is a shame and a disgrace.

        Like 1
        Dislike 5
    • CW says:

      STRUPE COMMENT

      You call bringing $4,000,000 in spending to the BVI directly “no support”? SMDH we going to start calling you “no brain” making STRUPES look smart. Typical BVI, not seeing the big picture unless it’s beneficial to them personally. DISGUSTING

      Like 16
      Dislike 2
  10. Jack Kevorkian says:

    At least government put aside a fair amount of money for these hard times, there is always that reserve fund, amiright?

  11. Me says:

    Why is this even news ?

  12. Hard Hard Blow says:

    Its really the hardest blow all around the world that I have ever seen, but money is no use to us if we dead. Therefore let us all be in this together. Unity is strength.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Human Safety First. I was planning still coming if Allowed maybe July.. I Love Tola. I love All. Health Wealth and Prosperity to All.

  14. Melvina says:

    Human Safety First.. I Love the People of Tola.. All Black White etc. I’m a Black Women from D.C. living in Los Angeles.. Stop the Hate. The Island is Beautiful. Because All People Make it Beautiful.. We Are All One Loving Beings. Whoever feels Pain Against a Race. Stop it. Hug your Black White Friends. We All Need Each Others.

  15. Really Glad says:

    I am glad its postponed. Hope its cancelled. I am tired of these people coming here and capitalizing on our resources under the guise of the Territory’s benefit. There’s is no benefit to the Territory when you consider how they use our resources. They only crying cause their bank account deposits are postponed. They not crying because the Territory is going to lose, they crying because they are going to lose. Period. When you speak truth, they call it racist.

    Like 4
    Dislike 5
  16. cool says:

    all you racists and colonizers can list there names here if u wanna talk crap.

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