Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Virgin Islanders used to build everything for themselves - Dr the Hon Wheatley

- said VI education system ‘not very good’ @ preparing technical students
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley, has admitted that the VI education system has a challenge where it is not good at teaching vocational skills, rather, has a focus on training administrative students. Photo: VINO/File
A local construction project. Hon Natalio D. Wheatley said before the widescale importation of skills, Virgin Islanders build everything themselves including housing and boats. Photo: VINO/File
A local construction project. Hon Natalio D. Wheatley said before the widescale importation of skills, Virgin Islanders build everything themselves including housing and boats. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has admitted that the Virgin Islands (VI) education system has a challenge where it is not good at teaching vocational skills but has a focus on administrative training.

Appearing as a guest on the Monday, September 13, 2021, edition of the Umoja show with host Cromwell Smith aka 'Edju En Ka', Hon Wheatley said the lack of technical teaching has resulted in the need for the territory to import skillsets in technical areas like carpentry, masonry, and mechanics. 

VI schools prioritise administrative training

“We have a model of our economy for the last 30-40 years and because of the rapid expansion of the financial services and the Virgin Islanders who went into certain jobs, a lot went into government administration,” he said.

Hon Wheatley said before the widescale importation of skilled workers, Virgin Islanders would build everything themselves, including houses and boats.

“When persons said Virgin Islanders don’t know how to build anything, we used to build everything for ourselves!” he said.

However, the minister noted that with the emergence of financial services, the education systems started to prioritise training for persons to get administrative jobs.

“We don’t want our children doing that anymore [technical jobs], we want them to wear suits and ties and sit down in air conditioning, so we still coping with that today.”

Dr Wheatley said young students have had to fail regular classes in order to take technical skills training classes, since students with good grades were not allowed to do the more technical courses.

More technical training needed in schools

He said there have also been stigmas associated with technical learning; however, things have started to turn around regarding perceptions. He added that programmes will now be developed for students who are struggling academically.

“So we have students who might be repeating a grade and you just keep them repeating. When you see a student is struggling that way, you have to put something in place,” he said.

Hon Wheatley said the Education Ministry is working to have a vocational programme, which was developed at the VI School of Technical Studies, to be extended to the other high schools. He said this would be implemented at least from 7th grade, once they see students struggling academically.

20 Responses to “Virgin Islanders used to build everything for themselves - Dr the Hon Wheatley”

  • Rubber Duck (16/09/2021, 15:29) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Hmm - I am not sure that it is fair to say that we have concentrated on administrative skills - more than we have not learned any skills and go only do routine administration
  • WOW (16/09/2021, 15:55) Like (27) Dislike (7) Reply
    This guy was a lecturer at our college for how many years, he has a PhD. He has been a so-called freedom fighter. He has been the Minister of Education for 2 years and Deputy Premier for over a year. Name one noteworthy thing that Sowande has done over the past 10-15 years for the BVI besides changing his name and acting as Noel Lloyd in a short film.
    • Noteworthy (16/09/2021, 17:28) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Doing something is not noteworthy in itself, to be noteworthy you have to do it well.
      • affirm (17/09/2021, 11:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        I agree, you have to do things that need to be done and do them well, if not exceptionally well.
    • .... (16/09/2021, 18:36) Like (0) Dislike (7) Reply
      He was one of the best instructors at hlscc & if they ever assent the cannabis bill you can say he achieved that goal as a “freedom fighter”
    • Rubber Duck (16/09/2021, 19:08) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
      They give PHDs out like sweeties these days. Only the very insecure use the Dr. thing.
  • WOW (16/09/2021, 16:30) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tech voc is for students who are struggling academically. That kind of thinking is why we have problems in education, and this if from the Minister of Education.
  • Career change (16/09/2021, 16:48) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    Perhaps Mr Wheatley and his colleagues would be better at laying bricks
    • @Career change (16/09/2021, 19:13) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
      Oh, nooooo, their hands is to soft and good for that. I don’t think him and his colleagues know how to use a hammer and nail.
  • hgcccvkdlsl (16/09/2021, 18:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
  • @ D BIG YOUTH (16/09/2021, 18:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    GOOD
  • E. Leonard (16/09/2021, 19:11) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Disclaimer : I’m not an expert on anything and less so on education.

    Dr. Hon Natalio ‘Sowande Uhuru’ Wheatley, R-7, MEC, DP and former lecturer at HLSCC, is on point on a few issues, ie, lack of proficiency in a) craft/technical skills( carpentry, mason, electrician, auto/diesel mechanic, plumber, architectural tech, joinery, air conditioning and refrigeration, IT, surveying tech), b) Virgin Islanders are concentrated in administrative skills area; others, technical skills area and c) a stigma is curiously attached to working in technical areas, especially outside in the sun. True, in the past, Virgin Islanders by necessity had to build every thing. However, a change occurred and the reason for the change needs to be looked at.

    Neither space nor time available here to take an in-depth look into what changed. The best at this point is a very cursory peek. In Slavery, the VI was an agro society; and out slavery the VI was also an agro society. With the flight of plantation owners from the territory, subsequent land owners/small plot holders employ the land to build the peasant economy. Working ground was common place. Then, at some point, parents decided they wanted their children to do something other than working ground. They encouraged their sons and daughters to dress up and head into Town to find work in government and other offices. That is still happening, ie, concentration in admin skills. Parents intentions were well-meaning but clearly there are some shortcomings and unintended consequences.

    Additionally, tourism and financial services busted on the scene in the 60s and 80s, respectively, improving Virgin Islanders standard of living and quality of life. And when a community standard of living and quality of life changes, locals tend, for the most part, to avoid doing certain jobs. Take a quick peek around the VI to see what jobs locals are not into. Clearly, there is dearth of locals in the technical skills area. It is a problem but what is government going to about it?

    The first action should be commissioning an ad hoc committee to explore the issue and make recommendations. Secondly, goals, objectives , strategies and tactics must be developed and implemented to address the issue. Thirdly, government needs to engage experienced, retired local educators, ie, Dr Charles H. Wheatley, former President of HLSCC, among others for advice on addressing the issue. And Fourthly, Singapore, a small, resource-poor, and 270 square mile dot in the China Sea, is always at or near the top in educational achievements. Bench mark Singapore. Develop a plan of action and milestones to address the issue.

    • Ne Timeas (17/09/2021, 11:58) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      @E. Leonard, good points but you are making excuses for Virgin Islanders not engaging in vocational skills. In the past, Virgin Islanders left to scrape for themselves had to look inward and work hard, get creative …..etc to take care of themselves. But in time, Virgin Islanders got lazy, feel privileged and entitled. This attitude and behaviour are resulting in Virgin Islanders missing out on opportunities and being left in the dust. Carroll Bryant: “Some people make things . Some people watch things happen. And then there are those who wonder, ‘what the hell just happened’?” Virgin Islanders are in the latter states. Virgin Islanders need to get woke.
    • Political Observer (PO) (17/09/2021, 16:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      @E. Leonard, deep, thought provoking insight into how the workforce resulted in locals concentrating into administrative jobs and expats into the crafts/vocational skills. Many other commentators have waxed about the lack of locals in vocational education/skills; if memory serves me well, I remember you several years ago penning an article in another local eNews site on the workforce. You mentioned benchmarking Singapore educational system. In Singapore as my research shows, students entering secondary are allowed to choose from among three bands, ie, Express, Normal (academic) and Normal (technical). Truth be told, our people like to work in clean, air conditioned space jobs. Nonetheless, craft jobs, eg, electrician, plumber, mason, carpenter, automechanic, air condition and refrigeration tech….etc pay well and often on average pay better than admin jobs. Prying Virgin Islanders from admin jobs will be a tough row to hoe but needs to be done.
  • Sad (16/09/2021, 20:50) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    It’s always the people have to speak up before this man could do something an then run go do what ever then brag about it new flash the people can’t wait for election to call
  • forward (16/09/2021, 21:27) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    when those older than 60 years pull in a corner and see where we are today it is shameful. our forefathers work the seas: milk the cattle: farm the hillside now we sit back waiting on tourist to sustain our territory(lazyness)...

    progress is good but progress can be detrimental: look at us, the universe filled with a pandemic however we must expose our people for the sake of balancing the treasury
  • @E. Leonard (16/09/2021, 23:14) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thanks for your input the only sensible and constructive comment so far.
  • jeez (17/09/2021, 11:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Only now we notice that we’re not good at vocational training? After how many work permits to bring in skilled labor? For how many decades? We’re also not good at teaching work ethics (show up on time, do your work, be willing to learn, ask questions if you don’t know, follow the rules, stay the whole day, don’t bunk off at lunch time, be respectful of clients , etc.).
  • Failed System (17/09/2021, 20:49) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    The West Minister system of government is a flawed system. For one, there is no independence nor daylight between parliament, legislature, house of assembly….etc and cabinet. The supposed executive branch can pass any bill it wants, for there is little to checks. Through the process of an election or popularity contest, ministers are put in charge of functions that sometimes he/she does not know the difference between pullet and fowl about or a..s in hole in the ground. A lot of waste of time people by circumstances get ministries and become instant experts. Too many show horses, not enough work horses. Just last week a minister was complaining that elected members get no respect. Lol. The presidential system is not much better. The US system is the worst. In fact, it is so popular that no one else adopts it.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.