Essay Contest Finalist To Attend CTC-24
K'Nesia Brathwaite, the BVI finalist in the Annual Conde Nast Traveler Essay Contest will be traveling to Barbados this weekend to attend the 24th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC 24).
The Conde Nast Essay Contest is a contest sponsored by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and American Airlines. Now in its 9th year the contest is designed to introduce the benefits of tourism to the children of the Caribbean. It is administered through the school system under the coordination of the National Tourism Organizations of the member countries of the CTO. The contest is open to all primary school students under the age of twelve in each CTO member country. This year's contestants were asked to write an essay of 250-500 words on the topic "Time Capsule 3000; Make believe you are making a time capsule for a traveler in the year 3000 to find. What three things from your island would you put in the capsule and why? How do these things make your island special and unique? How would your island be the same in 3000? What, do you hope would be different?"
K'Nesia's essay was selected by the CTO Selection Committee as the best of the top five essays from the BVI. CTO in turn submitted K'Nesia's along with all the winning entries from each CTO member country to the Conde Nast Traveler Editorial Committee, which shall select the overall winner and a first and second runner-up. CTC-24 will be held at the Sherbourne Conference Centre in Barbados from October 16-19, 2000. The programme of activities organized for the contestants includes: a dinner at which each contestant will formally introduce themselves, attendance at the opening ceremony and at a panel discussion and sightseeing tours. The essay contestants' attendance at CTC will culminate with the announcement of the winning and runner-up receiving cash prizes of $2000.00 and $500.00 respectively. The winning essay will be published in an upcoming issue of Conde Nast Traveler. BVI Tourist Board Product Manager, Lynette Harrigan who is the local coordinator of the contest, had the following comment: "K'Nesia has a very good essay and we think that she should have a good shot at winning the contest, but on the overall her attendance at CTC should broaden her knowledge and appreciation of the Tourism Industry and its importance to our economy. After all, that is what this contest is all about."
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TIME CAPSULE 3000
by K'Nesia Brathwaite
When I look at Tortola today, I see a very beautiful island with white sandy beaches, green hills, loving people and a society that is almost free of crime. It is no wonder why we have so many tourists visiting our little paradise. I believe however, that Tortola might be much different a thousand years from now. So I have decided to make a time capsule for people of the future to know what Tortola is like today. There are many things that I want to put into my time capsule, however there are three very important things that I believe must be included. These are, photographs and videotapes of our beaches, a model of a school and yes, a model of a Tortolian policeman. People might wonder why I chose these three things. Well, I have traveled to different countries and have seen many beaches, but none as beautiful as ours. The most beautiful beach in Tortola is Cane Garden Bay beach which is a favorite of the tourists. This beach has the whitest sand and the rays of the sun makes the water shiny and beautiful. When I look down at it from the hills, it looks like something that I would put on a post card. This beach would definitely have to be included in my capsule. Secondly, I would include a model of a school. We have a very good education system. From what I have heard ours, is much better than many other Caribbean islands ÷ for example we are lucky to have computers even in our primary schools. Students are exposed to the internet at a very early age and our schools have well trained teachers. I would therefore want persons of the future to know what the education system is like today. Another thing that makes our island unique is the peacefulness of our society. I would therefore place in my capsule a model of a policeman not carrying a gun. Policemen in Tortola do not carry guns because our island is almost free of crime. Tourists can walk on our streets at anytime without fear of being harassed or robbed. This I think makes Tortola different from many places in the world. Will a traveler in the year 3000 see Tortola the way I see it now? I think things might be very different then. There are more people moving into our island daily and more development taking place. I think by the year 3000 Tortola will lose almost all of its natural beauty, because, trees are being cut down to build buildings, our sea sides are being developed with hotels, and big roads are being cut through our hills. One thing that I know will not change is our climate. We will always have beautiful sunshine all year round, and that I know will continue to bring tourists from their cold countries to our island.