Former teacher starts petition for mandatory swim classes in VI schools
Mr Mather speaking on the Friday, May 21, 2021, edition of JTV’s ‘The Big Story’ with host Cathy O. Richards said, “I started a personal petition that would go to the Minister of Education… that asks that all children who are between the ages of 10 or fifth grade, should be able to demonstrate basic swimming skills.”
Change.org petition is a starting point for idea
“I am not in a position to write a Cabinet paper to my knowledge; I am not in a position to put that into law for it to happen within our schools. The only power that I have as a private citizen is to see if other people agree with what I am saying,” he said.
Mather explained that the first step in his plan is agreeing on the need for more swimming skills in children, and then to find a way for implementation by signing the petition so that it can be presented to the Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7).
Giving some reasoning for the petition, Mather said, “I can recall when I was a child growing up, [the] BVI government would have sponsored Easter swimming programmes.”
He said children would get on buses and go to areas like Cane Garden Bay, where they would have an opportunity to learn how to swim and earned badges in a fun experience.
However, having worked in the local education system, Mr Mather said he has realized that not many children in the territory had the opportunity to learn to swim, “and that has created a bit of stress with me for the lack of a better term,” he said.
Swimming is the gateway to water-based activities
He insists that swimming is a gateway to a number of water activities including sports, sailing, powerboating, kayaking among others which can bring economic returns to the territory.
“There are so many things that can happen within the marine industry, you can be a boat captain, you can be a charter boat captain, you can be a chef and because you are a chef it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know how to swim, you are on a boat.”
He continued, “But I think right now in the BVI, if we want our young people to have opportunities in an entire industry that brings millions of dollars to the BVI, that first step is for them to know to swim.”
Mather's change.org petition to mandate that all youth in the Virgin Islands (UK) should able to swim by age 10 can be found here.
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33 Responses to “Former teacher starts petition for mandatory swim classes in VI schools”
yes, silly statement just to put in context how silly are all those other statements ...
Please tell me of your contributions to British Virgin Islands who ever you claim to be. Always want to bash someone but do nothing for God and country. If you're not helping to build your society positively just SHUT UP and let the Warriors do what they do BEST!
Make something be mandatory in the name of saving life .... what a novel idea... where did I hear about this before?.
Tell me, are you vaccinated? Do you think vaccination should be mandatory? Can we solve that issue first?
Personally, outside the irony I was try to point out, I wouldn’t have an issue if swimming lessons be offered in all schools. But yea.. I also believe the country needs to go back to normalcy and vaccination should be a mandatory.
People always point out the bvi is too small to take any risk with COVID, there inky 12 respiratory devices in the islands, we can take risks like other countries can ... ok, then don’t be like others and make vaccination mandatory...
Hopefully that spells it our for you and all others who don’t get it ...
People are opposed to the vaccine for numerous reasons, the main being that it's a new and untested vaccine. No one knows the long term effects and benefits of the vaccine since it hasn't existed long enough to know. Some people are cautious. There are drugs and treatments that could rival getting vaccinated but research is being surpressed. Opposing views and healthy discussion is being surpressed. If people were allowed to openly discuss things and freely access information they would probably see the vaccine differently. Instead we have all been terrorised by our governments and self-important academic elites for over a year now. The Kool-aid is apparently very sweet.
As for swimming, one can live a full life without knowing how to swim. I'm open to arguing why something should or shouldn't be mandatory since I'm a fan of self-determanism and personal accountability. I would argue make swimming lessons more accessible to all and let people make their own decisions.
If you want to convince people that learning to swim is worthwile, you should lay out the pros and cons and provide accessibility. After that, it's their choice.
The same should be done for the vaccine, lay out the pros and cons and make it accessible. After that, back off. Whenever you try to force people to do something they don't want or impose your views over them, they tend to rebel more whenever they can.
For this entire week Mr. Mather has been bashing. What’s his motive? All of a sudden them want to be seen. Wait, next you’ll here he declaring his candidacy which is his right but this! SMDH
Please check your BVI Love levels. They seem low, based on your ridiculous presumptions.
GO BACK ON YOUR EGGS
Please enlighten or share a link that explains the reasons for that some of money?
Most BVIslanders can't swim. We live on very small islands and have ocean that the whole world envies. But we actively hate it. We destroy the coastline and kill the reefs and mangroves. We look down at all those 'stupid' things like sailing, diving, snorkelling.
Why? Only because we can't do it! We are too afraid! So we avoid it, and pretend they are bad things.
And what does this mean? It means 2/3 of the economy runs on people coming here to enjoy our ocean, but the resident population has no understanding or interest in this sector. So expats and whites work in it, and often make good money, which makes BVIslanders hate them even more and call them racist for living in separate worlds, etc.
If all children could swim when they leave school, all BVI children would be able to see the gold they're sitting on and have the opportunity to go get some for themselves.
Plus, they would realise they live in an ocean paradise that many in West envy for good reasons – and many more would be happy they are born here, instead of feeling excluded in their own land.
This small thing has the power to transform our society over 10-15yrs, unify our society, change BVIslander lives and of course in the meantime, save lives, too.