Bahamas Information Services Updates
Hanna Martin sees great potential in Bahamas maritime sector
By Simon Lewis, BIS
Feb 7, 2013 - 12:44:26 AM

MARITIME TALK – Transport and Aviation Minister the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin speaks during the opening of the National Maritime Workshop at the Our Lucaya Resort February 6. Pictured left to right seated are: Lawrence D. Barchue, IMO representative; Mrs. Erma Rahming Mackey, Seminar Coordinator; Mr. Anthony Kikivarakis, BMO Chairman; Dr. Michael Darville, Minister for Grand Bahama; Pastor Keith Meadows, Grand Bahama Christian Council; and Commodore Davy Rolle, Managing Director and CEO of the Bahamas Maritime Authority. (BIS Photo / Vandyke Hepburn)

FREEPORT, Bahamas  – Minister for Transport and Aviation, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin on February 5 described the maritime sector as one filled with opportunities, actual and potential.

She went further stating that it is a source of great excitement that this partially untapped area holds so much possibility for the individual and collective advancement, growth and success of the Bahamian people.

Mrs. Hanna Martin was in Grand Bahama delivering the keynote address at the opening of the National Maritime Workshop underway at the Grand Lucayan Resort.  The workshop has as its theme “Improving the Standards of Implementation and Enforcement of the International Maritime Organisation’s Mandatory Instruments.”

The Bahamas underwent an IMO Member State Audit back in February of 2011, with the auditors concluding that The Bahamas had met the majority of its obligations, and with respect to the mandatory IMO instruments and code for their implementation, they identified a number of areas of good practice, and areas where improvement was possible.

A number of persons from the public and private sector are participating in the three day workshop being sponsored by the IMO and the Bahamas Maritime Authority.

The Transport and Aviation Minister began her remarks by thanking the IMO for its continued collaboration with The Bahamas in our efforts to develop and modernise our maritime sector to the highest international standards.

She pointed out that our geographic configuration is a significant indicator to us of what we should be thinking about.

“The sea, the ocean exists in abundance all around us. Our waters are a major selling point in our tourism marketing as we would have seen in the most recent commercial shown during the Super Bowl last Sunday where the world was asked to ‘Behold’ the beauty of our waters.

“I wish to congratulate the Minister of Tourism and his team for taking the messaging of our national identity in a new direction,” she stated.

Continuing she added that the waters of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas hold even more promise.

Transport and Aviation Minister the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin and Dr. Darville, Minister of Grand Bahama Island.

“It is because of this fundamental understanding that the Government is now in the process of developing a Maritime Policy which will cause us to maximise this natural resource which exists in abundance in our country: a policy of sustainable exploitation for energy, science and technology and industry generally, fisheries and trade among other things.

“This will create new paradigms in our national development, new niches in our economic model and new and exciting career opportunities for our young bright minds. It is projected that this policy in a first draft will be completed early 2014. It is expected that the policy will create a framework for significant initiatives that will create economic opportunities,” she said.

Mrs. Hanna Martin added that as it relates to those young bright minds that the country is producing in abundance, she would like to point out the role of the Bahamas Maritime Authority in the training and development of young people through the Maritime Cadet Programme, which has trained and certified hundreds of high school students in private and public schools.

And, she also drew attention to the scholarship programme which in conjunction with the Bahamas Ship-owners Association has facilitated advance degree programmes in schools in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“We now anticipate the LIM Maritime Academy, which has collaborated with the College of The Bahamas, will further deepen and expand our national thrust for creating a cadre of highly trained young people in the various sectors of the maritime field,” she said.

 

According to Mrs. Hanna Martin, the vision is that in the near to medium future The Bahamas would have successfully integrated into the diverse maritime workplaces young Bahamians trained in new career paths.

She also advised that her Ministry, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, is now reviewing the management and administrative and commercial structure of the Prince George Dock, the country’s premier cruise ship docking facility, which sees a throughput of some four million passengers annually.

“At the end of this review we expect to see a modern, efficient and self-sustaining port facility which will be the envy of the world,” she stated.

Additionally, she informed that her Ministry is also reviewing port facilities nationwide with a view to creating a more structured port administration which will enhance the local economies and advance the maritime industry nationally.

Workshop participants were also told that the Ministry is now undertaking a study of the feasibility of creating a yacht registry for the registration of yachts worldwide which has the potential of creating new economic streams for The Bahamas.

Likewise, Mrs. Hanna Martin informed that she is in collaboration with the Minister of Financial Services in the creation of a strategic plan for immediate implementation for the positioning of The Bahamas as a maritime centre for cluster economic activities for shipping companies worldwide.

She explained that “in this way we expect to attract such companies to headquarter in The Bahamas thereby creating important and substantive linkages throughout our economy in terms of legal, accounting and array of other services.  This would have the effect of further cementing the country as a global maritime centre.”

Mrs. Hanna Martin pointed out that in achieving any or all of that, we have to ensure that The Bahamas is in constant pursuit of excellence in standards.

“This requires the continuous review or our legislative regime, our active participation at the IMO where The Bahamas currently sits on the Council, our cultural commitment to upholding the highest international standards of safety and security and the procurement of the necessary checks and balances to ensure the we protect our Godly heritage from pollution and other harmful effects,” she stated.

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