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<span style="font-weight: bold">Jamaican student dies while hiking</span>
Published On:Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
THE grieving parents of the 17-year-old boy who died suddenly while hiking on a Governor General's Youth Award trip on Long Island are awaiting the autopsy results to reveal the cause of death, The Tribune was told yesterday.
In the meantime, officials at the GGYA programme are also waiting for the pathologist's report and will launch their own investigation to determine what, if any, modifications are needed to their courses. "Police in Long Island did their normal inquiries and we are going to conduct our own inquiries and produce a formal report for our board, and based on the outcome we will determine what changes if any might be necessary," said Victor Chandler, chairman of the GGYA's national council which executes the programme. Jonathan Walters, a student of Aquinas College and a Gold Award participant, was taking part in the Bahamas Award Scheme Expedition (BASE) on Sunday when he died.
The 17-year-old was rushed to the Deadman's Cay clinic by car but stopped breathing upon arrival, GGYA spokesman Susan Glinton said in an earlier statement. Yesterday, Mr Chandler said he did not want to speculate on what may have led to the boy's "unexpected" death.
While he noted that the hike was carried out during humid weather, he said the students were not allowed to carry their heavy backpacks and were duly supervised by GGYA personnel. "We feel that we are well organised, we have a fair handle on the need to have adult supervision and we had more than sufficient adult supervision in this instance, as much as one adult to two participants.
"This was totally sudden and unexpected - he appeared to be normal (beforehand)," said Mr Chandler. He said the boy's parents are understandably "shaken by the ordeal."
Jonathan was among a group aged 14 to 25 who were hiking along the coastline on Long Island when the incident occurred. They were accompanied by three adult programme leaders on foot and one in a vehicle.
A total of 59 participants and 35 adult supervisors engaged in this year's BASE, including the national GGYA director, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. The programme has been operating since 1992.
Jonathan, who took part in previous GGYA missions, reportedly moved to Nassau from Grand Bahama about a year ago with his mother Denise Walters, a teacher. A memorial service will be held tomorrow from 7pm to 9pm at St Gregory's Anglican Church on Carmichael Road.
Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes, second from left, on Thursday, July 8, 2010 visits home of mother of Johnathan Walters, the teen-age boy who died while hiking in Long Island.
Pictured from left to right: Minister of Youth Sports and Culture the Hon. Charles T. Maynard, Sir Arthur, Mrs. Denise Walters, former Governor-General Sir Orville Turnquest and Victor Chandler, chairman of National Council Governor-General's Youth Award.
(BIS Photo: Derek Smith)
Published On:Wednesday, July 07, 2010
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
THE grieving parents of the 17-year-old boy who died suddenly while hiking on a Governor General's Youth Award trip on Long Island are awaiting the autopsy results to reveal the cause of death, The Tribune was told yesterday.
In the meantime, officials at the GGYA programme are also waiting for the pathologist's report and will launch their own investigation to determine what, if any, modifications are needed to their courses. "Police in Long Island did their normal inquiries and we are going to conduct our own inquiries and produce a formal report for our board, and based on the outcome we will determine what changes if any might be necessary," said Victor Chandler, chairman of the GGYA's national council which executes the programme. Jonathan Walters, a student of Aquinas College and a Gold Award participant, was taking part in the Bahamas Award Scheme Expedition (BASE) on Sunday when he died.
The 17-year-old was rushed to the Deadman's Cay clinic by car but stopped breathing upon arrival, GGYA spokesman Susan Glinton said in an earlier statement. Yesterday, Mr Chandler said he did not want to speculate on what may have led to the boy's "unexpected" death.
While he noted that the hike was carried out during humid weather, he said the students were not allowed to carry their heavy backpacks and were duly supervised by GGYA personnel. "We feel that we are well organised, we have a fair handle on the need to have adult supervision and we had more than sufficient adult supervision in this instance, as much as one adult to two participants.
"This was totally sudden and unexpected - he appeared to be normal (beforehand)," said Mr Chandler. He said the boy's parents are understandably "shaken by the ordeal."
Jonathan was among a group aged 14 to 25 who were hiking along the coastline on Long Island when the incident occurred. They were accompanied by three adult programme leaders on foot and one in a vehicle.
A total of 59 participants and 35 adult supervisors engaged in this year's BASE, including the national GGYA director, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. The programme has been operating since 1992.
Jonathan, who took part in previous GGYA missions, reportedly moved to Nassau from Grand Bahama about a year ago with his mother Denise Walters, a teacher. A memorial service will be held tomorrow from 7pm to 9pm at St Gregory's Anglican Church on Carmichael Road.
Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes, second from left, on Thursday, July 8, 2010 visits home of mother of Johnathan Walters, the teen-age boy who died while hiking in Long Island.
Pictured from left to right: Minister of Youth Sports and Culture the Hon. Charles T. Maynard, Sir Arthur, Mrs. Denise Walters, former Governor-General Sir Orville Turnquest and Victor Chandler, chairman of National Council Governor-General's Youth Award.
(BIS Photo: Derek Smith)
TOP government officials paid their respects yesterday to the family of the 16-year-old Governor General's Youth Award (GGYA) participant who died while taking part in the Bahamas Award Scheme Expedition (BASE) on Long Island last weekend.
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