Local News
BVI Barracudas return with 36 Personal Bests and 23 Top Finishes At St. Thomas Meet
The BVI Barracudas Swim Team returned with 36 personal best times and 23 top-three finishes at their first meet of the year in St. Thomas on February 17.
With 14 swimmers aged between 6 and 16, the team delivered an outstanding performance, securing an impressive total of
Among the standout achievements, three swimmers attained B times in their races, earning them a spot on the National Age Group Motivational Times Chart for their respective age groups. This marks a milestone for the team, particularly in the post-Hurricane Irma era, as four swimmers now boast B times.
Arun Bissoondutt (10 & Under Boys) clocked 40.48 in 50m Freestyle time, while Evelyn Freeman (10 & Under Girls) swam a time of 2:04.37 100m Breaststroke. Charlie Potgieter (13-14 Boys) sped to the finish with a swift 50m Freestyle time of 31.09, and Jack Morris (15-17 Boys) wasn’t far behind clocking 31.48 in the same event.
Despite facing older competitors in the 8 & Under (25m), 10 & Under, and 11 & over categories, the swimmers still secured numerous top-three finishes across the various events.
Notable first-place finishes include Naya Bissoondutt’s (8 & Under Girls) in the 25m Breaststroke with a time of 32.08 and Skylar Steer’s (8 & Under Girls) 25m Freestyle time of 21.94. William Vergel (7) clocked 32.19 25m in the Backstroke.
Second and third-place finishes went to Michael Flax (6) and Laila Flax (9) in their respective events.
Coaches Rebecca and Kyle expressed immense pride in the team’s achievements and emphasised their commitment to continued training and development. The improvement in both times and technique has been remarkable, despite training challenges such as the absence of traditional facilities.
The team’s progress has not gone unnoticed, with parents and members of the USVI Swim Federation acknowledging their improvement and potential for the future.
The BVI Barracudas Swim Team extends heartfelt thanks to the St. Thomas Swimming Association, Inc., and the Virgin Islands Swimming Federation for organising the meet and supporting their athletes. Special gratitude is also extended to sponsors such as Aquatic Rentals VI, Road Town Fast Ferry, and Skeno, the team’s taxi driver in St. Thomas, for their invaluable assistance in facilitating travel to the meet.
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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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