Congratulations to the 21 persons who passed their lifeguard/CPR certification last week. This certification is followed up with them taking an exam in April. Once they pass this exam they will qualify for the Water Sports license.

Thank you to BREDS for helping to organize this training session.

I take it these 21 are the ones who will be eligible to captain a boat or to use as a mate on a boat. Correct?

Sorry just realised that this is to do with the trips up Black River and having all the necessary documents etc.

If Idaho is correct that means we have 21 people without a livelihood for maybe another month or two. That won't help pay for insurance.

Congratulations! Hopefully they will all pass the exam, but at least there will be even more persons around the beach to help anyone in difficulty.

To my knowledge the guys who already mate the captain of the boats are already lifeguards, not sure about the captains though!

I can't believe that you are supporting the red-taping of Treasure Beach, Rebecca. Your post, while seemingly well-intentioned, simply supports the bureaucracy behind all of this. Respectfully 2 thumbs down.

The question was asked about sponsorship for the Lifeguard training and BREDS involvement. BREDS organized the trainers to come to TB, they helped sign everyone up who wanted to attend and some of the training took place at the BREDS office and at the Sports Park. BREDS did not charge a fee for this. However, the trainers were employed by the government. The fee for re-certification was $5,500 JA, the fee for 1st time certification was $8,600. There were several participants who had this fee paid for by their employers if the employer wished for them to be lifeguard trained. Others who wished to be trained were doing it for their own business or boat tour certification.

This works the same as the Team Jamaica training programs. If you are employed in the tourism industry it is mandatory for you to participate in this training. Many employers will pay for their employees to be trained. However, you may also choose to take the program on your own which would make you more employable in the tourism industry and will benefit you by investing in the training program and, therefore, in your future.

Thanks should also be given to Bebe's Place for accommodating the trainers free of charge.

-TBNet

Supporting and dealing with the reality of the situation are two very different things. I don't like all the rules and regulations put on running a business. I could tell you of many many discrepencies, redundancies, what I deem as useless and needless regulations that we need to adhere to. I could tell you story after story of arguments I've had in what seems to me to be endless meetings with government agencies because I felt things were not necessary or unfair as they have the same rules and regulations for the small businesses as they do for the large businesses. And my favorite is persons telling us "what a tourist wants" when they themselves have not had any personal contact with a tourist maybe ever.

But in the end, if you want to conduct a business you need to deal with whatever red tape the government hands to you. I believe that holds true for any country you live in.

So do I support it? Do I like it? Or do I have to comply with it until maybe one day my argument is heard and something will change? My sister always said, "Whether we like it or not, it is what it is."

very well said Rebecca xx are you able to say who the 21 persons are who made this amazing accomplishment? i am very pleased about this :-)