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Virgin Islands Mourn the Loss of Healthcare Pioneer, Mrs. Rita Frett-Georges, MBE

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The Virgin Islands are in mourning following the passing of Mrs. Rita Frett-Georges, MBE, a trailblazer in the healthcare sector and a pivotal figure in the evolution of mental health care in the Territory. The Premier of the Virgin Islands, Hon. Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley, led the tributes, expressing deep sorrow at the loss of a community stalwart whose contributions to healthcare will be remembered for generations.

Mrs. Georges, who held the distinction of being the Territory’s first psychologist and mental health/psychiatric nurse, played a transformative role in advancing mental health services. After furthering her education overseas, she returned to the Virgin Islands to establish the Community Mental Health Programme in 1972, an initiative that brought much-needed follow-up care to patients within the community. Her leadership emphasized preventative, continuity, and rehabilitative care, elements that helped the programme gain recognition as a model system by the Pan American Health Organization.

“She was a visionary leader and a passionate advocate for mental health care,” said Dr. Wheatley. “Her influence on healthcare, especially in the mental health sector, has left an indelible mark on our community.”

Mrs. Georges was instrumental in founding the Mental Health Association in 1975 and was a mentor to countless nurses across the Territory. Many nurses recall her as a pivotal figure in their careers, often crediting her with providing them their start and encouraging further education and professional development. As Chief Nursing Officer from 1987 to 1994, she played an active role in regional and international nursing organizations, including the Caribbean Nurses Organisation and the International Council of Nurses, where her advocacy helped elevate the standards of nursing care in the Virgin Islands.

A stalwart in nursing and healthcare, Mrs. Georges served as a founding member of the BVI Nurses Association, where she held several key positions, including president and secretary. Her involvement in the Caribbean Nursing Association further solidified her reputation as a leader and advocate for nurses in the region, steering local nursing practices towards greater effectiveness and professionalism.

Mrs. Georges’ influence extended beyond the Virgin Islands, as her work and advocacy opened numerous doors for nurses locally and abroad. Her efforts to obtain membership in the International Council of Nurses ensured that nurses from the Territory could benefit from global advancements in the field. Colleagues describe her as approachable, deeply caring, and steadfast in her commitment to patient care and higher education.

Even in retirement, Mrs. Georges remained connected to the field she loved, taking a keen interest in ongoing developments within nursing. Her legacy also includes contributions as an editor and writer for various government publications, where she documented the history and progress of healthcare in the Virgin Islands.

Mrs. Georges’ impact on the Virgin Islands was profound and far-reaching, touching lives locally, regionally, and internationally. She is remembered as a dedicated public servant whose work was driven by a passion for excellence and compassion for others.

The Territory extends its heartfelt condolences to her children, Noni and Kamau, her granddaughter, Eden, her siblings, and the extended Frett and Malone families.

Mrs. Rita Frett-Georges’ legacy will endure, her name forever etched in the history of the Virgin Islands as a pioneer in healthcare and a champion for mental health and nursing excellence.

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Minister Rymer Briefed on Airport Infrastructure Enhancements

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Minister of Communications and Works, Honourable Kye Rymer, has received a briefing on recent infrastructural upgrades completed at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.

The update was provided by Mr Kurt Menal, Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA), who highlighted key improvements designed to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency at the Territory’s main airport.

Among the completed upgrades is the installation of a new luggage conveyor belt and expanded baggage collection area. The upgraded system has a greater capacity than the previous setup, aimed at improving the flow of passengers through the arrivals process.

Mr Menal also pointed to the commissioning of a modern sewage treatment plant, which has the capacity to accommodate up to 500,000 passengers annually. The environmentally sustainable system supports the BVIAA’s broader objectives of expanding airport capacity while meeting international environmental standards.

“The BVIAA continues to meet the safety and regulatory requirements outlined in the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2001 and other applicable instruments,” Mr Menal said. “We are also focused on maintaining an environment that fosters employee excellence and high standards of service.”

The infrastructure enhancements form part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the Territory’s transportation network and prepare for anticipated increases in passenger traffic.

 

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Education

Twelve Primary Schools Advance to Final Round of 2025 Spelling Bee

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Twelve primary schools in the Virgin Islands have secured places in the final round of the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports’ 2025 Spelling Bee Competition, scheduled to take place on 4 June.

The finalists were selected from a group of 17 schools that participated in the preliminary round, which featured a total of 34 students. Competitors prepared by studying a word list comprising approximately 3,000 words ahead of the event.

The final round of the competition will be streamed live on the official Facebook page of the Government of the Virgin Islands.

A recording of the preliminary round is also available for viewing on the same platform, at BVIGovernment.

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BVI Officials Host Panel on Early Childhood Development Challenges and Solutions

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Officials from the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports in the British Virgin Islands recently convened a panel discussion addressing the challenges and opportunities in early childhood development across the Territory.

The panel brought together voices from education, health, and the private sector. Participants included Chief Education Officer Mrs Orlandette Crabbe; Consultant Paediatrician in the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) Dr Natasha Frett; Founder of Imagination Academy VI Ms Sharia de Castro; and Education Officer responsible for Early Childhood Development Ms Kimberly George.

The session focused on the importance of early childhood education and the need for strategic approaches to prepare young children with both academic and non-academic skills.

Chief Education Officer Mrs Crabbe emphasised the value of foundational skills in preparing children for formal schooling.

“In formal schooling we start from the very beginning, but let me tell you what we want,” Mrs Crabbe said. “We want a child that can listen, and follow instructions, who can relate to their peers without throwing a tantrum and falling down because they have to share a pencil or crayon.”

She continued, “We want our centres to be empowered to focus on what matters, and those are those non-academic skills that come about through engagement in a child’s natural environment, which is play.”

Education Officer Ms Kimberly George echoed this sentiment, reinforcing the Ministry’s focus on long-term impact.

“In the Ministry, we worked to add the tagline ‘Early Learning, Lifelong Impact’ because we believe that early learning does have a lifelong impact on our children in the future,” she said. “As a Ministry, we are committed to ensuring that students receive the quality learning experience that they deserve at that level.”

From the health sector, Dr Natasha Frett provided insight on brain development in early childhood and its connection to future learning.

“I am sure many of you would have heard that in the first five years of life, it is very critical for mental and brain development,” Dr Frett stated. “It is during that time that about 90 percent of the brain is being developed, under the age of five. Here we have this opportunity where you have all these neural pathways and connections being formed.”

Dr Frett described this period as “a perfect opportunity to develop certain learning skills—cognitive learning skills, social learning skills—all of these are very important for the age of five because the brain is maturing.”

Founder of Imagination Academy VI Ms Sharia de Castro contributed her perspective from the private education sector, calling for a shift from traditional instruction to more interactive, skill-based learning.

“I think we have to move away from the culture that is quick to put a pencil into their hand and give them a worksheet,” Ms de Castro said. “Instead, give them interactive experiences where their whole body is engaged.”

She explained, “For example, if we are focusing on letter identification or formation, instead of giving them a pencil and asking them to do that, we give them some playdough and ask them to form it instead—because we are building finger muscles and everything that we need for later learning.”

The panel discussion was part of Early Childhood Awareness Week. The full video is available for public viewing on the Government’s official Facebook page at BVIGovernment.

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