BVIOC Executive:L-R:Ephraim Penn, John Lewis, Stephanie Russ Penn, David Thomas, Rey O'Neal, Remco Trevreden and Mark Chapman. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—The British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee completed its first steps towards professionalization with a Nov 19-22 visit by the Netherland Antilles Olympic Committee Executive Director Remco Tevreden.

While in the BVI, Tevreden met with BVIOC executive committee, members of the BVIOC, Shelia Bratwaithe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the acting director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Patrick Harrigan.

“All in all, I’m very pleased with the level of exchange of information that we received,” BVIOC 2nd vice president Ephraim Penn who spearheaded the initiative said. “I’m confident that the report we’ll get from Remco, we’ll have a road map to help us along with our plan to continue the changes we deem necessary to reach the other level of professionalization.”

BVIOC president Rey O’Neal said he was grateful that the Netherlands Olympic Committee could make Tevreden available. He said since elections in Dec 2006, the committee has bee feeling its way with some successes. There was a sports administration course held in May along with different programs. O’Neal said the thinking was that someone who had been through the process of professionalization in a small Olympic Committee, as there are some large Olympic Committees in the Central America and Caribbean region, that have traditions of organization, would be the best example to use.

BVIOC officials along with Remco Trevreden, meet with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Shelia Brathwaite. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

“Although the Netherlands Antilles is one of the oldest Olympic Committees in the region, it was not until Mr. Tevreden got involved that they began moving towards the level of professionalism they now enjoy,” he noted. “Tevreden came from an academic background in sports administration to begin with, whereas most of us here, it’s an avocation rather than a job.”

Tevreden said he saw lots of similarities between the BVIOC and the NAOC five or six years ago. “I was very content to have a meeting with all the members of the executive committee, where we also discussed some practical issues that came to the surface that were discussed openly and transparently, over the last few days which I though were important to discuss which was also food for thought,” Tevreden explained. “I think this got all the board members on the same page. There’s still a lot of work to do. This is not the first step. That was Penn’s sport thesis. I think this is the second step, and there are more steps to take. But, I’m quite sure that taking these steps patiently and strategically, the BVIOC will definitely become a more professional organization.”

Tevreden noted that all Olympic Committees receive the same volume of information and the major international organizations doesn’t take into account the size of a committee as all are treated equally. “Olympic Committees on a daily basis get a lot of information they have to work with,” he noted. “The currently BVIOC structure with only volunteers an a secretary, it’s almost impossible to cope with the information, deadlines and implement certain projects.”

The BVIOC which will hold its next General Assembly on Wednesday, Dec 5, will shortly begin searching for an executive director.