CMI Funding
CMI Funding of $310 Million From the USF
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday (February 23) between the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) and the Universal Service Fund (USF) for the provision of $310 million in grant funding to the institution.
The agreement will cover the establishment of a National Maritime Port Operations Simulator Training Centre, a multipurpose laboratory to form a Regional Training Centre and a Geographic Information System Centre at the CMI.
The funding will allow the CMI to offer quality training in areas such as logistics, freight forwarding, immigration and border security programmes.
The MoU was signed during a ceremony held at the auditorium of the Petroleum Corporation Jamaica (PCJ), Trafalgar Road, New Kingston.
In his remarks, Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, said both institutions fully understand their roles in the development of the logistic hub and a world class maritime industry in Jamaica.
“Our focus on bringing the science and technology sectors up to world-class-competitive standards, should result in the desired five in four growth rate that we seek as a country and plot our full development and economic growth,” Minister Wheatley said.
For his part, Executive Director of the CMI, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, said the collaboration between both entities, will result in the empowerment of young people, and the development of the country.
He added that the development “is about providing training systems, and training people for the future. This is about certifying our youngsters for tomorrow.”
The CMI has over the years received scores of international awards for its training programmes, and in 1998, CARICOM recognised the Institute as the preferred centre for regional maritime education and training.
In that same year, a Diploma in International Shipping and Logistics obtained academic recognition from the World Maritime University (WMU), enabling graduates of the course to matriculate into its degree programmes.
