TUBAL directors are 2007’s Unsung Heroes
Today FirstCaribbean announced the winners of the National Unsung Heroes competition. They are Lyndon and Lavern Bailey, founders of the Tubal Trade and Vocational Institute. This afternoon, the couple was presented with a cheque of ten thousand dollars to help them continue their community work. Seven years ago, Lyndon Bailey used the proceeds from the sale of his pickup truck and personal savings to establish a centre designed to give troubled youths a second chance at an education. Today some one hundred and sixty persons, aged thirteen to thirty-five, attend the institution where they receive courses in computer literacy, automotive mechanics, catering, preparatory Math and English, electrical, and building construction. According to First Caribbean Bank’s country manager Stephen Duncan, this is the first time in the competition’s five year history that a joint team has won.
Stephen Duncan, Country Manager, First Caribbean Bank
“We think it’s a very nice venture the way they started. Using their own personal savings, taking out loans in their personal names to get it going. The struggle has been great clearly for them. They have gotten assistance along the way you know. Government has helped them to pay the salaries of few of the teachers but not all and not all of the expenses are covered. They have used up all their savings to do it and in fact they themselves, I suspect, in their personal lives are struggling.”
“It is actually a success having graduated quite a few children, quite a few young people who otherwise would have probably been on the streets getting into trouble as we have seen the trend has been with young people today. So for us the work that they are doing is very, very important to society as a whole based on the trend that we are seeing with young people, what they are doing by getting people back into school, people who dropped out of the system for one reason or the other.”
Lyndon and Lavern Bailey were chosen from among twenty-two nominees. The Bailey’s, having won the local competition, are now eligible to enter the regional Unsung Heroes contest. That winner and two runner ups will be announced in November.
