Organizers question summer camp postponement

Government’s decision to postpone the opening of summer camps by at least two weeks has been criticized by some camp directors who questioned the rationale behind the move.

On Sunday, Minister of Health and Wellness Lt Col Jeffery Bostic announced that due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, several restrictions would take effect on Tuesday, for an initial two-week period. Those measures included delaying the start of camps.

However, in an interview with Barbados TODAY, Debra Branker, manager of Welchman Hall Gully where a Back to Nature camp was to begin on Monday, said the measures were “mean” to organizers who have invested time, energy and money into camps.

“Most of the camps are outdoors, they are small and it just  was a bit mean [they] did it without really thinking how it would inconvenience us, because the restaurants can still operate…and it seems like they are very one-sided when they are doing these [directives],” she said, expressing concern that summer camps were being unfairly targeted.

“I don’t think it is fair because they are still allowing the churches to continue and the thing about it is, all of these camps are private and they usually have smaller numbers anyway…. It’s not like government camps that would have like 500 children in one area; if you get 30 that’s a lot.”

Branker added that the decision to pump the breaks on camps was a huge setback, coming just a few hours before they were scheduled to open.

“It’s a death blow. [I was hoping] at least the camp would generate money for an attraction that has been closed for a year and a half, and now we are closed again. I’ve had the most bookings that I’ve had in years for particularly these two weeks,” she lamented.

Director of STEP UP Academie Tracia Agard-Thompson said uncertainty now hangs over her operation, as she contemplates the repercussions of the COVID-19 numbers not improving within the next two weeks to allow camps to open.

“This was so unexpected; most camps were going to start on Monday and this happened on Sunday….The challenge with it is that…it brings about so much uncertainty among parents and for those who have signed up, and the tentative signup is really sketchy,” she said.

Stressing that much more goes into organizing camps than the public sees, Agard-Thompson said: “Before you start collecting funds for camp you have to start to put money in planning for the camp… So, do you continue to invest in the camp that never happens, or do you put out your investment and then you might not get it back?”

Meanwhile, director of the LITE Learning Centre, Billboard Murrell said the postponement will impact the planned curriculum for students who have already been severely impacted by the disruption of the school term caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Realistically, children have only gotten half or less of the school term in terms of physical or face-to-face teaching…. So, yes, we have fun activities but we predominantly try to deal with the academic side to stop what persons call the summer slide – where if you don’t get a good academic programme or reinforcement during the eight to ten weeks of summer, children forget a lot of stuff,” he said.

Murrell added that his operation was now moving into its new home and the delay in having camp will be a major impediment.

“It will significantly impact us financially. We would have at least about 10 teachers working at the camp that would be displaced. [We] are still in a place that is bringing in zero income but all of the expenses except staffing are still there, so it is a significant loss; even two weeks is a significant loss,” he said. (kobiebroomes@barbadostoday.bb)