Here’s why locals are being locked out of marine industry
Despite boasting one of the Caribbean’s most valuable marine industries, BVIslanders are still being held back by poor access to financing, inadequate training, high operating costs and a lack of early exposure to opportunities in the sector.
Those concerns came to the forefront at a recent marine industry forum examining how locals can secure greater ownership and economic benefits from the sector.
Boat captain Ramone George delivered one of the strongest criticisms, saying the territory has failed to properly introduce young BVIslanders to an industry operating on their doorstep.
“I am very disappointed in the BVI, because our marine industry is one of the top three in the world — to me. And we don’t even push this in the schools,” George said.
He bemoaned young people who leave high school with passion for marine careers but are quickly overwhelmed when they finally encounter formal training. “I’ve been to the [marine] classes at the college. These kids come out of high school with all the passion in the world to do this, and when they get there, it’s so discouraging because now you are in a collegiate environment where you have to learn six months worth of information in two weeks. It discourages them,” George argued.
He also suggested that providing more opportunities could even have wider social benefits, including steering some young people away from crime.
Banks finance cars, not boats
But training and exposure aren’t the only reported hurdles. Finding the money to actually own a marine business may be an even bigger one. Walford Farrington, owner of North Sound Power Boat Services, took aim at local banks, arguing that financing a boat can be extraordinarily difficult.
“The banks in the BVI do not help you in any way when it comes to buying a boat,” he charged. “They’ll help you to buy a car to fool around with, you can’t do nothing with it. To buy a boat, to make money? They will not give you that money.”
He claimed prospective boat owners often need significant collateral, including land, before getting financing. This he says, creates another barrier for young BVIslanders without substantial assets. In addition to these barriers, all stakeholders at the forum acknowledged that young BVIslanders need to invest some amount of curiosity and passion in order to benefit from the industry that is slowly being overtaken by expatriates.
While this may be true, Peter Island Resort General Manager Edward Lindsay warned that enthusiasm alone is also insufficient. He said aspiring operators need business knowledge and experienced mentors to understand insurance, fuel, maintenance and other expenses before risking their money.
“You can’t just say, ‘I want to be a boat captain, I want to have my own business’ without understanding,” Lindsay said. He advised youngsters to lean on the myriad professionals in the local industry, many of whom would happily mentor and steer them in the direction they need to go.
Day charters should be left for locals
Despite the numerous barriers against locals, community leaders who were present at the forum endeavoured to find out whether some parts of the marine industry should simply be protected from outside competition. First District representative Karl Dawson and Junior Trade Minister Lorna Smith asked stakeholders what it would take to keep resorts and charter companies out of the day charter business, thereby leaving that segment of the market solely for locals. Former legislator Shereen Flax-Charles also argued that foreign term-charter companies should be welcomed but drew a hard line at day charters.
“Those companies should not be allowed to have boats doing day charters,” she declared. “That should be reserved solely for the locals.
However, stakeholders warned that without deliberate efforts to prepare and finance BVIslanders, locals could increasingly find themselves watching from the sidelines as one of the territory’s most valuable industries grows around them.
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Learn to swim.
Join KATS.
Race sailboats.
Start in a dinghy.
Work for an established company to build skill and experience.
Get licence and relevant papers.
DON’T just think leaving school is the only qualification.
Marine industry is dominated by the people that are in it because they have skills, experience, qualifications and the ability to deliver a high quality product time after time, day after day and on time.
(All while wearing a smart uniform ha ha!) (And with trousers above their arsehole. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.)
Personal loans from banks for cars and business loans are not the same thing.
Once locals bring to the market place what the people who are successful do then they will succeed.
Schools and education can help but getting the right motivations and attitude is key in any career or buisness operation.
You do realize that right now in white America, amongst youths there is a drug epidemic with opioids, which is far more potent and destructive than weed. Most of them are not even looking for jobs and have given up on life.
Even worse than the crack epidemic of the 1980’s that mostly affected blacks. So don’t come on here and make it sound like only locals have issues.
A lot of locals have gone on to further studies, and when they come back, they can’t get a job. They are told they are overqualified. The system that our people are supposed to be managing is working against us.
I don’t think I came on saying locals have issues. The article did that.
I explained what it takes to succeed in the marine industry or pretty much any career.
I do not know the qualifications all these people you say came back with but if they were Captains or Marine related and have an record of experience, loyalty, staying power… then they will have a job in the VI.
If they have qualifications only and no skills or experience. Then it is harder but there is always an entry level position to work up from. That ia what everyone else in with careers do. Qualifications are not enough.
Not sure where your white/black drug references help. Drugs are always a problem even if you are Premie.
Drugs and boats do not mix and will end up in an owner losing their assets if the employee has them on board.
But this was not about Drugs.
Somewhat oddly, a degree major in Afro American studies is not much use in the marine industry.
I re read Buzzbvi post and I dont see race mentioned anywhere. I dont even know how you know what ethnicity she/he is because there are post that he/she does that are very pro BVIslander. This is some wierd racial deflection instead of taking responsibility/accountability for the reason for locals not having higher representation in the marine field. Buzz seems to have given the blue print but I guess because of who we assume the advice is coming from its racist. wow shm
@buzzbvi i am with you a hundred with your comment well said brother i as a captain went to the college to do a refreshment course and what i notice young men coming to class with pants below their ass, smell like weed, cut up pants stupid hair style and the list goes on and on do you think a decent company will want to employ that sort of behavior and put a million dollars vessels in their care hmmmm come on you all have to be around decent people.
You see if we were told the real history, we would understand that having persons in leadership positions who sell out and Banks that work against the people, we would know this is history repeating itself.
When we go to the poles we have to cast our votes for the right reasons. We live in a finance world we cant put someone who is not train in finance or with clear judgement to run our affairs.
There is no incentive to hire locals when the Labor system works against them. The outside Labor force is cheaper. It was locals who made the moorings the powerhouse it was on the world stage.
@sea….not so, outside expertise and investment made the Moorings into what it is today. Moorings is worldwide and not just in the BVI…
Until you own a business you will never understand that it could never be cheaper to import labour especially skilled labour!!!!!! Modt businesses are forced to pay the extra to import skilled labour because they have a better chance at retention since there are many cases of locals joining your firm, take advantage of all training etc and withib a few months they apply for a Trade License and using your own IP to compete. The IP you invested hundreds of thousands in developing they take it for free and start their own business. There’s 2 sides to every coin my friend. As long as the BVI continues to develop, workers will be imported and there is nothing unfair about it. The persons quoted in the article gave very good ideas that should be considered by locals in any industry. Do the work and it pays off. That is it, that is all!!
Anyone is free to be whatever they want. If you want to be in the industry you need to work hard and start at the ground floor. Present yourself approriately for the YATCHING industry.
You cant take a two week course then expect to walk onto a boat, turn a wheel, mash the throttle and collect $400 at the end of the day.
Anyone is free to be whatever they want. If you want to be in the industry you need to work hard and start at the ground floor. Present yourself approriately for the YATCHING industry.
You cant take a two week course then expect to walk onto a boat, turn a wheel, mash the throttle and collect $400 at the end of the day.
Locals are not “locked” out, it takes WORK a BVI 4 letter word.