PHILIPSBURG--Kenny, the positive and engaging young man whose hustle of selling coconuts and renting beach chairs on the boardwalk, touched many hearts around the world, is now setting his sights on a career at sea after earning an internationally recognised maritime certification.
Minister of Education Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs highlighted Kenny’s journey during her "MECYS Matters" livestream on Tuesday, giving him a public “big shout out” for completing his Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) certification.Kenny first gained widespread attention after he was featured by Adonai Dieu (formerly known as Danless Loveless from the show “What Yuh Know” Facebook page on January 28, 2025. The WhatYuh Know host interviewed Kenny during his visit to St. Maarten where Kenny spoke about hustling and maintaining a positive attitude while working on the boardwalk. At the time, he was selling coconuts and renting beach chairs.
The video generated significant engagement online, receiving 1.3k comments, 3k shares and 13k likes, with many viewers praising Kenny’s positive mindset.
“I want to give a big shout out to Kenny,” Minister Gumbs said on her livestream a contented look on her face. The Minister recalled when Kenny had first gone viral. She recalled that during the earlier interview, “everyone agreed that he was very dynamic he was very passionate about what he did and such,” and commended him for now completing his certification.
The STCW certification comes from the international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers. Gumbs explained that Kenny’s achievement means “your boy Kenny is going into the maritime industry which is an industry that I have spoken very often about that I would love to see more young St Maarteners get into.”
She added that the certification sets international standards for training of persons working on the water and “seems to ensure that all personnel working on ships are adequately trained and competent to perform their duties safely and effectively.”
Gumbs also thanked Kenny for keeping her updated on his journey, noting that the two had discussed his ambitions during a meeting at her office. She expressed pride in his accomplishment, saying the certification “opens up a world of possibilities for him and could open up a world of possibilities for others as well.”
The minister indicated she hopes to soon provide updates on how the ministry is working to get more St. Maarteners into the maritime industry.
She also encouraged high school students who are uncertain about their future careers to consider project management. While the field requires its own certifications, Gumbs stressed it is a competency the country “desperately needs on St Maarten,” urging students to think seriously about pursuing it.
