REPORT ON NATIONAL MARITIME POLICY IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE ROUNDTABLE SEPTEMBER. 24, 2020
The National Maritime Policy Implementation Committee (NMPIC), held an inaugural Roundtable event to celebrate World Maritime Day 2020. It was the brainchild of the Education Sub-committee and brought committee members and guests together in a virtual session.
The meeting opened with a word of prayer and a warm welcome extended to all stakeholders present, after which Rev. Angela Palacious read the press release for World Maritime Day 2020. In the unavoidable absence of the The Honourable. Dion Foulkes, Minister of Labour, Transport and Local Government, the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Antoinette Thompson, introduced by District Superintendent Mrs. Dorothy Anderson, brought remarks on the theme: ‘The Bahamian Blue Economy’. Ms. Thompson highlighted the importance of this in light of the global economic crisis, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, she affirmed the importance of the NMPIC’s mandate. She applauded the efforts of the members of the NMPIC, which she noted comprised more than twenty-five maritime Government Departments and Non-Governmental Agencies working together to develop our Bahamian Blue Economy, combining the preservation of our environment with economic development.
The roundtable was declared opened, and the designated Sub-committee spokespersons (Enforcement, Education, Environment, Economic Development and Legal) shared some of the outcomes achieved to date, bringing greater awareness to the Bahamian community about the National Maritime Policy, and its attendant goals and objectives. The Agencies regularly seek to update the fifty-eight action points in the Policy to keep the balance between economic development and ecological sensitivity, while enforcing our laws regulating the maritime sector. The question and answer period made the session even more interesting, and the NMPIC looks forward to more roundtable sharing in the coming months. During the October Career’s Month, students, teachers and guidance counsellors will have an opportunity to explore a future in the maritime sector.
The Education Subcommittee launched an Essay and a Poster Competition for school-aged children, and provided information relative to a series of activities that will run throughout the year, geared to all sectors of the community.
The Calendar of Events for the upcoming twelve months will be placed on the Committee’s Facebook (Bahamas Maritime Matters) and Instagram platforms and on the ‘Maritime Matters’ section of the Government’s website (www.bahamas.gov.bs).
The National Maritime Policy Implementation Committee (NMPIC) wishes to encourage more of the Bahamian populace to consider a career in the maritime sector, which is as limitless as the horizon.