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MARITIME FOUNDATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN LAUNCHES AN ONLINE SCHOLARSHIP PORTAL

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Boca Raton, Fl (March 18, 2024):  The ACMF has taken its scholarship and grant application digital with an easy-to-use platform  https://apply.acmfdn.org/

The site which accepts applications from high school and tertiary level students from across the Caribbean, is open from January 1st, with a deadline of April 30th for all applications to be submitted.  “I think students will find the portal easy to use and the platform makes the application more accessible to students across the Caribbean”, says Dr. Brown Metzger, President of the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation.

ACMF has funded full tuition and grants for approximately two hundred scholars and grantees in nine Caribbean countries, namely, Jamaica, Bahamas, Suriname, St. Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Guyana.

With the shipping industry beginning to look at non-traditional sources for talent, the Caribbean is starting to take its place among the United States, China, and the Philippines as a rich source of world-class talent for the cruise, cargo and the oil and gas sectors, including on- and off-shore.

“Our focus is on professional positions”, according to Juan Carlos Croston, Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Manzanillo International Terminal – PANAMA, who also serves as Chair of the ACMF Scholarship Committee.  Mr. Croston continues, “ACMF scholars have demonstrated their talent and the world-class training they receive at our academic partners”.

The Caribbean is competitive in quality of training, diversity of skill sets, and geographic proximity for all workers in the industry.  Jamaica alone churns out hundreds of officer level talent annually, many with Bachelors in navigation and engineering.  Additionally, the country potentially generates STCW-qualified and ratings candidates in the thousands.

ACMF donors include some of the biggest cruise and cargo brands, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruise. Cargo brands include Tropical Shipping, Seaboard Marine, Arawak Port Development, Dubai Port World, Seacor Island Marine, and Crowley, to name a few.

 

About the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF)

 The ACMF is a U.S. non-profit tax-exempt organization, and is the only entity solely dedicated to sponsoring academic scholarships and grants to aspiring Caribbean and CARICOM maritime professionals and seafarers.  The Foundation partners with five academic institutions within the CARICOM: Caribbean Maritime University in Jamaica; LJM Maritime Academy in The Bahamas;

MatPal Marine Institute and Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Off-Shore Training Institute both in Guyana; and the University of Trinidad and Tobago.  Our scholars and grantees hail from

Jamaica, Guyana, The Bahamas, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Grenada.  The ACMF has donated dozens of laptops to help students study remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic; funded emergency grants to students at risk of dropping out due to loss of family income during the pandemic; created an online jobs board (www.acmfcarex.com); and helped build a 100-person capacity Lecture Hall.

The ACMF also hosts an annual Caribbean regionwide webinar, the Maritime Link-Up Webinar, in partnership with CARICOM, attended by hundreds of students to promote maritime careers. Under the leadership of Rick Murrell, President and CEO of Saltchuk, the ACMF’s sea-time initiative for cadets, identifies and funds internship opportunities on vessels to enable cadets to achieve the last bit of training necessary before they can take up permanent jobs at sea.  The ACMF Anchor Awards, held annually celebrates the leadership of the shipping industry stalwarts.

 

Contact: Geneive Brown Metzger, LLD Hon., President

E-mail: executivedirector@acmfdn.org

Website: www.acmfdn.org

Caribbean News

100k cash grant distribution schedules to be released in a week

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Guyana, February 7, 2025 – The distribution schedules of the $100,000 one-off cash grant for regions two, three, four, five, six, and ten will be published within a week.

Finance Secretary, Sukrishnalall Pasha has told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the ministry is currently preparing these schedules, and simultaneously working on completing the verification process for persons who have already registered.

This effort has seen tremendous results, especially against the backdrop of the relatively small team undertaking this initiative.

In fact, within one month, the ministry has been able to verify over 240,000 persons.

“We registered about 271,000 since the beginning of the year, and verified 242,000. Last year, about 390,000 persons were registered and verified. We also substantially completed distribution in regions one, seven, eight and nine,” Pasha said, emphasising the magnitude of this achievement.

Pasha’s disclosure comes on the heels of General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo’s assurance that all Guyanese will receive the cash grant, and that the government is bent on ensuring that the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.

Now that the government’s $1.138 trillion budget has been passed, Dr Jagdeo said the necessary funds are available to resume distribution of the grant.

“[Before], even if the cheques were cut, you could not deliver them or get them cashed because the resources were not available,” he explained to reporters at the weekly Freedom House press conference.

He underscored that this is a monumental project, recognising the hard work of the staff at the Ministry of Finance.

“It takes time. It has to be done diligently and people will get their money. We’re not going to be rushed to do it,” he added.

Last week, the Committee of Supply approved the over $40 billion allocation to support the distribution, of which $30 billion will be disseminated to the 300,000 additional citizens aged 18 and older.

Approximately 121,000 Guyanese have already received their grants.

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Minister Emphasises Importance of Community Tourism

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Montego Bay, Jamaica, February 7, 2025 – Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has emphasised the importance of community tourism, noting that the sector is for everyone and not just for big investors or hotel chains.

“It is for the people, for the communities, for the micro, small, and medium- sized business owners, for the craft vendors, the storytellers, the tour guides, and the farmers who supply fresh produce. Tourism belongs to everyone,” he stressed.

The Minister said that it is against this backdrop that the Ministry of Tourism, through the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), has been investing in community-based tourism, because “we believe” that the heartbeat of Jamaican tourism is in “our communities”.

“When visitors come to Jamaica, yes, they enjoy the beaches, the food, the luxury resorts, but what really stays with them are the experiences, the memories they make through and with our people.  It’s the stories, the warmth, the authenticity of our communities,” Mr. Bartlett added.

The Minister, who was speaking at the official ribbon-cutting and awards ceremony at the Sturge Town Primary School on February 5, celebrating excellence in community tourism, said it is only fitting that Sturge Town, a community that has long embodied the “true spirit of resilience and unity” is being recognised and showcased.

He said that the community, in St. Ann, is a true testament to the importance of community-based tourism and stands on the cusp of being a cultural heritage model for other areas.

The Minister pointed out that even greater things are to come for the small rural community, citing its proximity to several major hotel developments taking place and the tremendous trickle-down benefits that are in store.

“As we gather to celebrate this significant occasion, it is essential that we reflect on our journey and, more importantly, chart a future where our tourism industry is more inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to all,” Mr. Bartlett said.

“When we talk about thriving in 2025, we are talking about communities like Sturge Town, where heritage, culture and natural beauty collide to create something special, something uniquely Jamaican,” he added.

The Minister said that Sturge Town is a perfect example of what community-based tourism can look like, noting that since 2022, TPDCo has been working alongside residents and business interests to develop sustainable tourism opportunities, “not just for today, but for generations to come”.

“We have invested $3.5 million in projects that uplift this community, rehabilitating the Wall of Fame and Free Village Monument, documenting oral histories, providing Team Jamaica and Tour Guide Skills Training, and ensuring that this community has the tools, the knowledge, and the platform to showcase its heritage,” the Minister added.

“Sturge Town is one of Jamaica’s first free villages, founded in the wake of Emancipation. It stands as a monument to the strength of our ancestors and to the vision of men like Joseph Sturge who advocated for the end of the apprenticeship system, helping to establish this former free village along with English Baptist minister and missionary John Clarke. Most importantly, it also stands as a monument to the unbreakable spirit of the Jamaican people,” he said.

 

Contact: Garwin Davis

Release: JIS

Photo Captions:

Header: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, speaks at the official ribbon-cutting and awards ceremony at the Sturge Town Primary School in St. Ann,  on February 5, celebrating excellence in community tourism.

Insert: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, addresses residents, stakeholders and other business interests at the official ribbon-cutting and awards ceremony at the Sturge Town Primary School in St. Ann, on February 5, celebrating excellence in community tourism.

Photos (Garwin Davis)

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Government of Japan Providing School Buses for Three Institutions

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Kingston, Jamaica, February 7, 2025 – Three schools in rural Jamaica have expressed gratitude to the Japanese Embassy, following the signing of grant agreements on Wednesday (February 5) to purchase much-needed school buses.

The funds, totalling $28.8 million, will facilitate the acquisition of two 29-seater Toyota Coaster buses and one 15-seater bus for the institutions under the Government of Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Project.

The beneficiaries are Rest Primary and Infant School, and Bustamante High School in Clarendon, and Port Antonio Primary School in Portland.

Principal of Rest Primary, Dr. Sandra Smith, shared that the institution has been yearning for a school bus for over 10 years.

She said the idea of having a bus was proposed by the Physical Education teacher who desired transport to take students to meets as well as school and field trips with ease.

“Being located in the sugar belt, which is no longer a vibrant industry in the area, our students are often faced with difficulty coming to school because, most times, parents say they don’t have the fare for the bus. Transportation is not frequent… in the area. [So] acquiring this bus, it is a godsend,” Dr. Smith said.

She is hopeful that the bus will improve student attendance and punctuality.

“There are not enough words to express our gratitude to you our valued stakeholders. But the care that will be taken of this bus will speak volumes,” Dr. Smith stated.

Board Chair of Port Antonio Primary School, Paulette Brimm-Smith, said the partnership will have a lasting and tangible impact on the students’ lives.

“The generous gift of a school bus from the Embassy of Japan is more than a contribution. It is an investment in the daily experiences of our children. It will ease the journey to education, create new opportunities for participation and remove barriers that too often limit potential,” Mrs. Brimm-Smith said, pointing out that the support is an example of how access can translate into achievement.

For her part, Vice Chair of Bustamante High School, Delinda Chablal, said the institution is extremely grateful for the assistance.

“Having a school bus is priceless. It will assist us in enriching our students’ experiences by facilitating excursions and field trips, which will not only motivate them to learn about their world but… also help them in developing their interests, which can lead to future careers,” Mrs. Chablal said.

She added that the bus and the opportunities it will provide, will contribute to the students’ holistic development and, by extension, the community’s long-term future.

 

CONTACT: JUDANA MURPHY

Release: JIS

 

Photo Caption: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe (second left), and Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey (third right), share a photo opportunity with Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Yasuhiro Atsumi (right), and the Principals of schools that will be receiving buses under Government of Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Project. The Principals are (from left) Bustamante High School, Wayne Evans; Port Antonio Primary School, Kennecha Davis-Williams; and Rest Primary and Infant School, Dr. Sandra Smith. The occasion was a grant signing ceremony on Wednesday (February 5) at the Education Ministry in Kingston.

Photographer: Michael Sloley

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