Barbados working to improve maritime sector

As Barbados works toward improving the maritime sector, efforts are ongoing to erect a suitable monument in honour of the nation’s seafarers, as well as to enforce and surpass the international conventions locally.

These steps are being taken to not only recognise the contribution of the sector, but also to ensure work standards and safety for present and future seafarers.

Word of this came from the Acting Prime Minister of Barbados, and Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, yesterday at the Church of the Nazarene in Collymore Rock, St. Michael.

Delivering remarks during the service to mark the start of the week of activities in acknowledgement of World Maritime Day to be celebrated on Thursday, September 25, the Minister said that the seafarers are deserving of a public and lasting form of recognition.

He said, “...We take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous work that has been done for Barbados by seafarers... These gentlemen of course braved adverse conditions in order to earn a living for their families, and there is no doubt that Barbados would not look like how it looks today if it wasn’t for the thousands that went on the water as they say, to earn a living.”

This comment came after the brief ceremony held at the Esplanade on Saturday for seafarers, and according to the Minister, “... we are going to continue to do that. The idea is that eventually we are going to erect an appropriate monument. These men and women as well... for so many years, even gave their lives to feed their families, build homes, send to school children...”

Having signed an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) convention in June this year with regard to the conditions of labour at sea, he said that the seafarers in Barbados can rest assured that the necessary provisions are being put in place internationally, but moreover locally, to ensure their safety.

He said, “We also give thanks during this Marine Week for their work and also to make sure going forward that others who decide to make a living as a seafarer can be assured proper conditions of labour.”

And he pledged that with “a vested interest”, the Ministry is actively making sure that on the international front “we do all we can to not only observe the IMO conventions, but on occasion, even surpass them, and in many respects our local labour legislation does in fact do that, so it is about ensuring safety and appropriate conditions at work for those seafarers who have served us so well”.