SJPI’s Principal, Ian Drakes (right) and Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, congratulating Kyrell Millington (left), who was the Most Outstanding Student – Certificate in Maritime Operations and Michael Olton (second from left), who was the Most Outstanding Student – Diploma in Maritime Diesel Engineering.
More should be trained in maritime
Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, believes more Barbadians should receive training in the area of maritime.
He told this to the gathering at the Ministry’s Charnocks, Christ Church headquarters where the Minister’s Award Ceremony was held in recognition of outstanding performances by Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) students in maritime studies.
“I have a view that Barbados should be training about five to six times ... the amount of people that we are training. I also have a view that persons who are to be trained in maritime, that I should be able to go almost any place in Barbados and pick up almost anybody who has an interest in the ocean, regardless of their qualifications, at least introduce them to the ocean and be able to train up people to the point where those who want to stay, can stay and those who don’t, well, they wouldn’t stay, but I feel we have to make it open to more people and to broaden the base. Not to broaden the base because we want to broaden the base, but to give people economic opportunity.”
The awardees were Kyrell Millington, who was the Most Outstanding Student – Certificate in Maritime Operations and Michael Olton, who was the Most Outstanding Student – Diploma in Maritime Diesel Engineering.
Humphrey congratulated both individuals who have also been awarded an internship for six months by the Barbados Port Inc. He urged them to give of their best.
“You are the most outstanding students, this is only for that chapter in your life. Be the most outstanding employees. Get to work on time, give 100 per cent every time, be focused, be honest [and] look for other opportunities for growth. Tell us where the gaps are, but be humble in so doing.”
Giving his remarks, SJPI’s Principal, Ian Drakes, thanked the Port for again offering an internship to SJPI students. He encouraged the awardees to “grab the bull by the horns and just run with it… SJPI, we are still striving for par excellence and we will not stop and we keep flying the flag high and we will continue to be very dynamic in our rollout of training for the young persons in this country.” (MG)