Poor swim culture keeping BVIslanders from marine careers
The BVI must make a major investment in teaching children to swim if more BVIslanders are expected to take advantage of opportunities in the territory’s lucrative marine industry.
That was the message from swim instructor and BVI Watersports co-founder Emma Paul, who told a recent marine industry forum that the territory’s swimming culture remains a major barrier to getting young people involved in water sports and, eventually, marine careers.
Paul said a survey she conducted among schools in East End found that about 75 percent of children couldn’t swim. She also discovered that many parents were unable to swim themselves.
According to Paul, this creates fear among some parents about placing their children in sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and other water-based programmes — even when those programmes accept non-swimmers.
“Not enough children at primary school level are coming in and getting the passion because they can’t swim and they are scared,” Paul said.
She argued that efforts to increase BVIslander participation in the marine industry cannot begin only when young people reach college or are ready for internships. Instead, Paul said children must be exposed to swimming and water sports from primary school.
She noted that water-sports programmes are expensive to operate because of the small instructor-to-student ratios required to keep children safe. Beginner programmes can require ratios as low as three students to one instructor.
Paul therefore called on businesses and other stakeholders to provide greater sponsorship for swimming, sailing and other watersports programmes.
She warned that without greater investment, the territory could continue struggling to attract BVIslanders into marine training programmes and careers despite the industry being one of the BVI’s major economic sectors.
“The biggest thing that we need, as we talk about BVIslanders coming into the marine industry, is we need to be doing it at the primary school age. And everybody who’s here needs to think about not just giving internships to children that are coming through, but how they are helping the primary school level,” Paul said.
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More than 20 years ago, a 25 meter pool was built next the school on Virgin Gorda to promote swimming. The deal was that 90% of the funding came from private monies with the govt agreeing to fund the last 10%. Construction got to the 90% stage but the govt never funded the last 10% so the project was never finished. Imagine that, getting a proper pool for BVIslanders at 10% of cost and not finishing the project. Doesn’t get much clearer that govt is simply just not interested in promoting swimming in the Territory.
Not interested in anything to elevate its own ppl, they ACT like they care
If There is No Benefits To Be Derived By Them, Do You Expect Them To Give A Damn??? Keep Dreaming!!!
I mean, this is total BS. There are so many young BVIslanders who can swim and sail. Per capita, we have one of the highest rates.
When the industry started out, it hired many BVI Islanders. When these owners own anything like licenses, they promise the world to the government and their cronies.
And once the cronies beg and beg, they get tired and hire outsiders to their advantage. And officials can’t touch them because of the begging, allegedly.
So please stop insulting our intelligence. BVI islanders will be hired when it’s an advantage for marine companies to do so, or when we get real unselfish representation that stop their cronies from begging.
‘There are so many young BVIslanders who can swim and sail. Per capita, we have one of the highest rates.’ .. honestly the rate here is shockingly low in comparison to other nations. Not sure where you’re getting your info.
This is eactly why the probllem CANNOT be fixed , because people like smart refuse to address the issue. They gave a specific % in the aricle 75% , he retorted with an anecdotal /generic statement , “many can swin”. How many ? There is an issue , someone is giving you the root cause (with a clear example of the pool on what contributes to the cause) and what needs to be done to course correct and get people into the Marine industry and you still refuse to acknowledge . Keep putting the band aid on the cancer sore and hoping that it heals it.
the smart comment persons lacking in reading and comprehension please forgive. our people to busy on partying and breeding for criminals with red flags bright like the sun… so we lacking a lil bit in comprehension..
the young innocent females who excel in school only end up following the “culture” and end up breeding for some lowlife or targeted by known predators at the highschools
and the young boys in our schools end up following the fast life and criminal so they drop out or just stop their education early.
To be fair, this isn’t just a BVI issue, it’s a Caribbean-wide issue. Many of us live surrounded by water but never learn to swim.
While more investment is needed, there are several non-profit organisations, community programmes, and volunteer-led initiatives right here in the BVI that offer swimming lessons and water-based activities. It’s a shame that more locals don’t take advantage of these opportunities.
Swimming is not just a sport or a pathway into the marine industry, it’s a life skill that can save lives. The opportunities are there. Now it’s up to all of us to make sure the next generation doesn’t miss them.
It is also a safety issue. In the marine business, there are all sorts of emergencies where an effective response depends on the professional’s ability to swim!
Too many people more concerned about partying drinking smoking and grinding like animals on the roads but more than half of them can’t swim. Throw them a shallow pool and the tough act melts away. Them only good for sound loud and ignorant whole defending the over sexualized culture of drugs guns and fast life
Can’t swim but can twerk
Can’t swim but got 3+ kids and baby daddies
Sailing and swimming programs were started in the schools in 2006 to complement the pool project in Virgin Gorda with a certified Sailing and Swimming coaches. Ask what happened to those programs when the then Govt changed.
which party vip or ndp? lemme know so i can vote accordingly when the time comes
#fedup
The ‘actual’ BVI Watersports Centre was a RYA recognised organisation that ran school programmes under VIP and yes they opened up swimming, sailing and kayaking to all primary children during term time along with easter, summer and Christmas programmes that saw hundreds of grass roots experiences for any child that wanted to try it out. This led to sailors that went on to race for their territory, gain scholarships to US colleges based solely on their sailing skills, find jobs in the local charter industry, advance their childhood love of the water into international merchant seamanship qualifications and go on to run day charter businesses of their own… to name but a few. Of course the icing on the cake was the attention paid to inclusive opportunities for our special needs young people who excelled when given the chance.
Maybe this helps…..?