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by pltm
(PLTM) - Interested Virgin Islanders would soon have the opportunity to work on cruise ships, Premier and Minister for Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie announced on Wednesday.
The Premier explained that he has already had preliminary discussions with cruise ship representatives about the opportunity for Virgin Islanders to work internationally within the cruise industry.
In making the announcement at his press conference on August 14, Hon. Fahie said, "When I announced that we were trying to get some employment on the cruise ships...that's just one option. We know that our people all wouldn’t want to work on a ship, but if the option is there, if the opportunity is there that's what we will try to do. And in terms of that angle, we have spoken with all the cruise lines and all of them agree."
In noting that the plan has moved beyond talks, Hon. Fahie mentioned that the Attorney General’s Chambers is working on the required legisation.
"We are now working on a legislation that they want us to have in place. We are in the middle of trying to agree on that legislation to get it to be agreed upon and finalized by the Attorney General, who has done a good job with it thus far, I must state,” Hon. Fahie mentioned.
“What we want to do is we really want to see all our people certified and qualified, and we want to make sure that all our people have an opportunity to get a job if the cruise ship industry has,” the Premier explained.
In noting that the cruise ship industry can be a lucrative source of employment for Virgin Islanders, Hon. Fahie mentioned that the industry currently has 6000 vacancies.
"The cruise ship industry, when we told them that we were doing 1000 jobs in 1000 days, they smiled. They said look we need 6500; we could swallow your 1000 people in one gulp if all of them want to work on ships…It is not just certain jobs in certain stores. We are talking all the way up to be the captain,” the Premier said.
It was also mentioned that cruise ship representatives will be exploring training options and discussing the employment offers during a visit scheduled for September.
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