Eleuthera is expected to have a satellite site in Green Castle, Eleuthera in eight weeks. Woodrow Hall, trading as Woodrow Lyle Hall, is expected to complete the work at the original site of the Green Castle Primary School. It will be the completion of the campus, which will offer courses in Construction and Mechanical, Beauty, Fashion, Information Technology and Business. From left to right are: BTVI Board Director, Lionel Sands; BTVI Interim President, Dr. Linda A. Davis; Contractor, Woodraw Hall; BTVI Board Director, Warren Berry and BTVI Associate Vice President with responsibility for Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, Veronica Collie.
A son of the soil has been contracted for the further enhancement of the proposed site of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) in Green Castle, Eleuthera.
Woodrow Hall, trading as Woodrow Lyle Hall, is expected to complete the work at the original site of the Green Castle Primary School within eight weeks, bringing to completion a project that will signal the commencement of technical and vocational training in Eleuthera across trade areas such as Construction and Mechanical, Beauty, Fashion, Information Technology and Business.
Mr. Hall recently signed the contract at a brief ceremony at the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce at which Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera, Clay Sweeting was present. Also present were BTVI’s Interim President, Dr. Linda A. Davis and BTVI Board Directors, Lionel Sands and Warren Berry, both of whom are from Eleuthera.
Minister Sweeting recalled initially meeting with BTVI officials a year ago to discuss the initiative.
“For me, it’s always exciting to see things come together. I want to thank the team for holding to their commitment that if I advocated for the location, they would come through and find the funding to ensure we were able to develop a BTVI site in Eleuthera,” said Minister Sweeting.
He emphasized the importance of BTVI expanding to the Family Islands.
“This partnership speaks to people in these communities being able to find work through vocational and technical studies. Eleuthera is poised for growth. This year, Eleuthera has grown by 8% when most communities only grow around 1% to 2%, so Eleuthera’s growth in one year speaks to the opportunities becoming available to Eleutherans. They just have to be ready for it. That is why it is important to prep the people on the ground through institutions such as BTVI,” said Minister Sweeting.
“I look forward to the swift, excellent work Mr. Hall will do at the new BTVI site in Green Castle. Former politicians always did big, groundbreaking ceremonies, but in Eleuthera, we do ribbon cutting, so in eight weeks, we want to cut another ribbon in South Eleuthera. I look forward to BTVI in Eleuthera,” he stated.
Additionally, Dr. Davis noted that getting BTVI open in Green Castle will benefit the entire island.
“We are proceeding very deliberately and intentionally with this initiative to bring this site at Green Castle to a completion so we can call a place here in Eleuthera ours. We envision a much bigger presence here in Eleuthera as we try to address the skills gap on this island which is just bursting with possibilities,” said Dr. Davis.
Mr. Hall added that he is excited about getting the project finished because of the training that will take place at BTVI, resulting in Eleutherans being equipped with skills.
A team of BTVI officials recently held a recruitment exercise throughout Eleuthera, led by Associate Vice President with responsibility for Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, Veronica Collie.
“We visited all of the high schools. Our intention is to get high schoolers and persons out of school into BTVI, and we are really impressed with the interest we have seen so far. Therefore, it is a pleasure to be a part of today’s signing,” said Ms. Collie.
With hybrid and virtual modes of education already connecting Family Island students to various BTVI programmes, physical campuses will follow in Abaco and Exuma.
Longtime educator and former principal, Andrea Carey, serves as the coordinator for BTVI Eleuthera.