The equipment, according to a press release from Government on September 18, 2020, was donated to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture by Maples Group, which also donated an additional $12,500, and Unite BVI’s donation of $4,270 towards the project as part of their commitment to music education in the Virgin Islands.

The donations were facilitated by the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) as part of its fundraising mandate and in an effort to attract public/private partnership to fund recovery efforts.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) said he was thankful for support and investment towards the Territory’s young people.

The Instrument received include:

The instruments will be allocated to students to practice at home during these times of remote learning due to COVID-19.

New steel band orchestra the new goal!

The school’s music programme is presently housed in a temporary structure on its campus that was contracted through the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) as part of its rebuilding mandate after the hurricanes of 2017. The temporary structure was also a public/private sector partnership with UNITE BVI and BVI Alliance.

Honourable Wheatley said work has started on the further development of the master plan for the rebuilding of the rest of the school including the music classrooms, and that the ministry welcomes all support for this project especially for additional musical equipment.

Minister Wheatley added, “In the meantime, we have an immediate need for further support to be able to work together to raise funds to purchase a new steel band orchestra to complete the available instruments for our students at the high school. So, the ministry and the RDA would welcome new funders to come forward and join our partnership.”

According to the press release, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture will continue to partner with the RDA to rebuild the Territory stronger, better and smarter.

The RDA was established in April 2018, to collaborate with the Government of the Virgin Islands, private sector, the public and civil society to best address the urgent needs of the Territory as a result of the natural disasters that occurred in 2017.