The Hon. Sen. Dr. Stephen King gave his full support for the Cruise Ship Sector Training Fund at last Thursday’s senate sitting.

According to Senator King, the training fund to be administered by the Saint Lucia Development Bank, is a major step toward addressing youth unemployment in Saint Lucia and will promote business continuity through a public-private sector approach.

“There is business sense employed [in the execution of this program],” he said. “We are providing opportunities for secure employment which will then enable those employed to pay back the loans.”

The training program was also lauded by Senator King for its emphasis on life skills development.

“The development of life skills is very important among our youth. Any training program we provide for our youth must have a life skills component because you must develop their work ethic and instill a ‘can do attitude’ which is often missing, as it is not imparted well in our existing education system. This speaks to the need to reform our own main education system. But this program does that.”

On Aug. 14, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony received approval from the House of Assembly to secure a loan of EC$3 million from the National Insurance Corporation to finance the Cruise Sector Employment Program.

The initiative will enable over two hundred young people to receive training from the Springboard Training and Development Centre, and be provided with low interest loans to facilitate their employment.