Overlooked jobs

It’s not surprising that air-traffic control is a line of work that many young residents have not considered. A Beaconite had not thought of it either until she encountered a BVI Airports Authority recruiter at the Hire BVI job fair last week making his case to the many fresh-faced young jobseekers milling around. The Virgin Islands education system often doesn’t expose students to such fields, so how would it even be on their radar? Clearly, though, it’s one of tremendous importance, given that there are long-term plans to expand the airport and increase the amount of air traffic bringing tourists and business travellers here. Keeping all of these visitors safe when they fly will be crucial. The recruiter said many of the VI’s current air-traffic controllers are older expatriates, and younger Virgin Islanders haven’t yet been trained to replace them. The Beaconite is sure that this is not the only field that will be facing this problem in the next few years. Right now, debate is raging about what the territory’s labour and immigration policy should look like in the future. Instead of harbouring resentment toward the expatriates who already live and work in the territory and who alone have the training to fill vital positions such as these — or calling for the unrealistic prospect of shutting the territory’s doors to the foreign labour it has come to depend on — one focus should be on increased training and recruitment of young people from the VI for some of these lesser-known but vitally important industries. That way, more of the future labour needs of the territory can be met from within.

 

Visitation

A Beaconite is enjoying his new apartment in Fahie Hill, which comes with a small, pleasant yard. On Sunday morning, however, he woke up from a nap to find that he had visitors. Large ones. Five cows were hanging out in the yard happily munching on the grass. The Beaconite kind of likes cows, which he finds to be friendly and gentle even though he admittedly doesn’t appreciate the gifts they leave behind. He also believes that the animals create bigger problems than his when allowed to roam freely: Besides destroying yards and gardens, they pose a dangerous hazard on the roads. The Beaconite, then, hopes that the owners will confine their livestock in the future.

 

Off the beaten path

A Beaconite made an excursion this weekend off the beaten path — literally. She pulled into a nondescript gravelly driveway, crept past a decrepit gate and entered the hauntingly beautiful world of the deserted Prospect Reef resort. In that abandoned lot she found broken glass, beds crushed to smithereens, spiral staircases to nowhere, and standalone kitchens with lonely pots and pans. It’s clear that this once idyllic and bustling vacation spot has fallen into disrepair and has become a spot for teenagers to shoot music videos and goof off. And yet, she finds its abandoned beauty captivating. In the absence of tourists, hotel workers, chefs and dolphin trainers, there is a small community of former employees and fishermen who find refuge in the calming breeze and blue waters. She would go so far as to call it one of the VI’s hidden gems, even in its current state. Who knows, she might even find herself going back there to read, enjoy the view, and try to picture what used to be.