POND ISLAND--Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Stuart Johnson congratulated the four youngsters who have successful completed the Kidz At Sea Foundation Maritime Maintenance Training Programme.
Johnson commended Kidz At Sea for preparing the young people for careers in the maritime sector. “We need to continue to develop our maritime sector by developing our own human resources who can fill the positions that become available,” he said.
Kidz At Sea Foundation is playing “a vital role with the support of the maritime service sector businesses. … Our maritime-yachting sector future and success are dependent on our ability to grow a pool of maritime-ready workforce,” Johnson said.
The country’s marine sector is responsible for more than one-third of employment and gross domestic product (GDP), according to an Economic Impact Study 2012 by KPMG International.
The 2011 direct turnover impact in added value was approximately US $125 million, which equals 16 per cent of the national GDP and amounts to more than 3,500 direct jobs.
“We are in a post-Irma environment and, based on the news coming from our resilient maritime sector, the yachting capital of the Caribbean is ready for the 2018-2019 season,” said Johnson.
