Local News
Thad Lettsome: The Sailing Prodigy Making Waves for the British Virgin Islands
In the world of sailing, the name Thad Lettsome is rapidly rising to prominence. Hailing from the British Virgin Islands, he’s currently making waves as he prepares to represent his homeland at the Pan American (PANAM) Games 2023 in Chile.
Born on January 17, 2002, this 17-year-old prodigy is the first sailor to proudly hoist the BVI flag at the Pan Am Games since the 1990s when he represented the BVI in the 2021 Junior PANAM Games in Cali, Colombia.
Competing against a fleet of 14 sailors aged between 17 and 22, Lettsome secured 6th place overall In the Laser class, and 2nd place in the U-21 category, marking a historic achievement for both himself and the British Virgin Islands.
Thad’s journey, however, started years ago in the Optimist class under the guidance of coach Omari Scott at the Royal BVI Yacht Club Youth Sailing Program. His early achievements, including a win in the age 10 and under White Fleet at the International Optimist Regatta in St. Thomas, set the stage for a remarkable sailing career.
Recognizing Lettsome’s potential, he transitioned to larger vessels, including the Zoom 8 and the 13.6-foot Laser. With each step, he continued to rise in the sailing world, achieving successes that hinted at his future greatness.
His dedication to the sport led him to further hone his skills, including training with the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and joining the Canadian Laser Radial National Team Training Camp in Toronto. The guidance of experienced coaches, including Brenda Bowskill, who represented Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympics, has only added to his potential.
Currently attending Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, Lettsome also represents his school in sailing competitions.
His recent accomplishments include a 10th-place finish at the U.S. Laser Nationals in Houston, Texas, followed by a stellar 14th place out of 58 international sailors at the Youth Sailing World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas. He continued to impress, securing 4th place overall in Laser Radials at the CORK International Regatta in Kingston, Canada.
Thad aspires to secure a medal at the Youth Sailing World Championships in the Laser Radial class, while continuing to excel in regattas across North America.
In the long run, his ultimate dream is to switch to the Laser Standard class and win a medal at the Olympics for the British Virgin Islands.
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Tola Radio Battles Legal Dispute Over Shutdown, Calls for Public Support
Tola Radio VI 100.5 FM, known as “the people’s radio,” has been off the air for 14 days amidst a legal standoff with Caribbean Cellular Telephone Limited (CCT). Managing Director Floyd P. Burnett, also known as “Heritage,” is urging public support as the station navigates what he describes as a targeted attack on freedom of speech and locally-owned businesses.
Mr. Burnett alleges that despite meeting all payment requirements and deadlines, CCT refused to accept Tola Radio’s payment and later disabled the station’s broadcasting equipment. “They physically touched our equipment and locked them off, despite written legal letters asking and instructing it not to be done,” he stated.
The dispute follows CCT’s October announcement terminating its service agreement with the radio station. CCT clarified that Tola Radio could retain its services if it became a paying customer, but according to Burnett, his payment was rejected without justification.
The controversy escalated when Burnett claimed an attempt was made to have him arrested and charged with attempted murder. “The public was to wake up and hear the radio off along with hearing I was arrested and charged, but God is greater than man!” he said.
Efforts to secure an extension for relocating Tola Radio’s equipment were also denied, Burnett said. Additionally, an urgent injunction filed in the High Court was postponed by a visiting judge until November 22 without hearing any arguments.
The ongoing shutdown has left eight employees without income, caused significant financial losses, and breached client agreements. Burnett criticized government officials for their lack of action, accusing them of failing to address the issue despite the government being a major client of CCT.
“Like most problems facing the BVI, they can’t [find] no way to help us! Even though the government is the tower people’s biggest client,” Burnett remarked.
Burnett is calling on the public to boycott CCT in protest. “Plug out the phone, plug out the chip, don’t pay your bill! We need to make a statement to corporate BVI today!” he urged.
He framed the situation as a broader fight for “freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of information,” asserting that the attack on Tola Radio sets a dangerous precedent for other local businesses.
Despite the challenges, Burnett assured Tola Radio’s listeners and partners that the station will resume broadcasting soon. “We will be back on air shortly, hopefully before the day is out,” he promised.
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