Friday’s report that St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) plans to increase its involvement in the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Education Fund is most welcome. Too often the complaint is heard that not enough locals are hired for top positions at businesses on the island, but little is said about the need to prepare suitable, qualified candidates.
The fund has awarded more than US $2 million in scholarships and special assistance since its start in 1987 and trying to better use this opportunity makes all the sense in the world. The studies in question can be at an on-island institution of higher learning like University of St. Martin (USM), but also elsewhere in the region if required.
Building strong relations with schools such as the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) and Milton Peters College/Sundial School is commendable too, not in the last place because SHTA represents the vast majority of Dutch-side employers. Improving the connection between the country’s labour market and what the education system produces remains an obvious necessity.
Part of the reason this may be considered particularly important is that St. Maarten has a one-pillar tourism economy. The destination offers primarily sun, sand and sea, but so do many others in the Caribbean and beyond.
What makes the difference is often the vacation experience that to a considerable degree depends on how visitors are treated, including the quality of service provided to them. Human resources therefore form a key ingredient of the product known as “The Friendly Island” and should indeed receive more attention.
