Maritime training for at-risk youth in Mt Salem

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

One hundred at-risk youth in Mt Salem, Montego Bay, are to be trained under a joint project being initiated by the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) and Member of Parliament for West Central St James Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams.

According to Ffolkes-Abrahams, the CMI would train the youth for shipping jobs, including some positions on cruise vessels.

"I have spoken with the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) and we are opening June 1, 2014. I have put aside $1.3 million from my Community Development Fund (CDF) to make sure that young people get a chance to attend this programme," Ffolkes Abrahams said.

"The CMI is making preparations to satisfy the demand of the pending logistics hub, so when you have completed your training you will get a job. That is something that is assured," she added.

She said the CMI project would not be adequate to deal with the needs of the residents and as such, a new training centre would be established in the community.

"So you see the post office that is here, the parish council has approved it for our use so that we can open it as a training institute right here in Mount Salem. We are going to call it the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Training and we are looking at having it open for September this year," Ffolkes-Abrahams said.

The MP said she would be seeking to have repairs and clean-up work done for the centre under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme, adding that residents of the community would be employed to work on the building.