Boosting schools’ IT and literacy skills through fishing and beaches.

I had heard that the Grand Turk Fishing Tournament was a big event for the island, but I hadn’t expected the crowds it drew to Governor’s Beach this June.

They far outnumbered the visitors from the cruise ships who regularly stroll along the beach.

The Tournament was arranged by a group of volunteers who in the months before approached numerous companies and organisations to sponsor the event.

On the evening before the start of the two day event all the participants, and many residents of Grand Turk, gathered in the Salt Raker Inn to bet on the dozen boats participating from across TCI.

No one has yet explained to me why the auction is called the Calcutta – which I thought was the British name for a very big city in India.

Apart from the attractive prize money for the winners of the heaviest fish in a number of categories all the proceeds went for a bank of computers to the H J Robinson High School.

The Tournament’s organisers raised  a huge $20,000  dollars for the school, which included the money raised from auctioning the fish caught in the two days, generously given by each of the crews, and the support of many sponsors.

With the biggest fish going for over 200 dollars, and many more reaching healthy sums, the atmosphere in the auction tent was competitive but friendly.

The Fishing Tournament only restarted last year after a gap of some years, and is a  great event for the island and Turks and Caicos.

The volunteers who got it going again deserve a well earned rest after giving hours and days of time to encouraging so many participants.

Like all successful events their problem will be that everyone who took part will be anticipating an even bigger party next year!

In the meantime another group, sponsored by the major Beaches resorts in Providenciales, are also doing their bit to support education in Turks and Caicos.

I saw Butch Stewart, the founder of Beaches, recently in Grand Turk, and he told me of the work of his Foundation to help promote literacy within local schools.

The Foundation is also organising a “Pack for a Purpose” Programme, which is encouraging guests travelling to Beaches TCI to bring along supplies to adopted schools, and arranging weekly Reading Road Trips to boost literacy at schools.

Another great illustration of community and business support for the children who represent the future hopes of our islands.