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We have a policy of employing local staff and funding their training up to PADI Instructor level. Our instructors, dive masters and boat drivers are all Vincentian nationals. We also provide an intern programme to local youths to encourage awareness of the marine environment. Diving with us helps us to maintain this on going project.
In many countries there is usually some level of conflict between the dive industry and the fishing community as both industries compete for use of the same resources - divers want to see fish / fishers want to catch them. In St. Vincent we have tried to assist in working with the fishing community to build understanding of each others requirements to preserve the environment as much as possible whilst maintaining the ability to support wealth generation from limited resources. We actively support St. Vincent fisheries policies, and helps to survey marine resources. We have actively supported surveys of fish and marine environments, environmental impact studies for developments etc.
We operate a No Gloves policy. As divers who wear gloves are more likely to touch and place their hands on the reef - my policy is NO GLOVES when reef diving. (When diving wrecks, caves or drift diving then gloves are permitted for the protection of diver safety).
Young Island resort
Our two owners are Vincentian and as part of their commitment to the staff and community, we participate in several initiatives. Firstly, all of our staff are Vincentian and every year we provide a total of five secondary school scholarships to the children of four staff members and one deceased staff member. We also have a staff medical insurance plan (life, medical, dental and vision) and the company pays 50% of the premium. In addition, we make a contribution every year to the St. Vincent Coastguard’s annual Christmas party for the children and elderly in Calliaqua (the closest community to us). We also make food donations for fundraising activities to the St. Paul’s Anglican Church in our community.
All fruits, vegetables and herbs used by the hotel are locally grown on St. Vincent. They are delivered to us by farmers and suppliers. Pork and goat are raised on local farms and purchased from local butchers. All fish is purchased from local fishermen who bring this fish ashore at the island. Our building materials are local stone, bamboo and grass thatch. The company has an environmental policy which is placed in folders in all guest cottages. Some rain water is used at our laundry. Some laundry waste water is used to water plants. Water meters are checked daily to ensure that there are no leaks. Staff are encouraged to report leaks promptly and to turn off dripping pipes. We have signs in cottages encouraging guests to participate in a towel and sheet reuse programme. We also use energy saving bulbs and solar water heaters on some buildings and use environmental cleaning products.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
