The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 900 Bahamians will benefit from the National Training Programme – just in time for thousands of jobs expected to become available in the new few months, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday.

At the official launch of the programme on Monday night, Prime Minster Christie said the PLP was elected to do ‘big things’ for the country and training programme, which will begin next month, is a clear sign of the government’s unprecedented commitment to the development of the Bahamian people.

In fact, Mr Christie said, the first set of graduates from the programme will be able to benefit from thousands of jobs in Bimini and Grand Bahama that will be created over the next year.

“We making moves and doing big things for the people of this country. I recently went to Bimini and met with the developers there and we are moving now to the second phase of that project immediately rather than wait a couple of years.

“So the 400 jobs we were talking about initially will be doubled and tripled over the next year.

“Things are happening. So there is no question that there will be a need for a National Training Agency,” he said.

“Secondly, I indicated that we were going into Freeport and the construction is ongoing now and we hope by the end of December . . . over 1,000 jobs will be created in Grand Bahama.

“Now we have to anticipate and prepare people for these programmes and we have to be aggressive in doing so – there is no question about it. Let people catch us up in what we are doing rather then waiting on us to get it right.”

Mr Christie also said he was recently approached about a “huge” investment for another Family Island that will create hundreds of jobs which the trainees will be ready for.

He said: “Just today I spoke with Khaallis Rolle and Sir Baltron Bethel, they came into my office about a another huge investment that we want to take to the Investment Board as early as tomorrow, for another island destination in the Bahamas where the people are ready to go now.

“The only question we still have is whether or not the Bahamas should be giving the concessions that they want, and so I said to Khaalis and Sir Baltron, we have to go back to the table to discuss with them lowering their expectations in terms of the concessions they wish the government to take.

“But they want to make a major investment that will hire hundreds of Bahamians in a island where they are not hired now.

“What I am saying is there is an acute need for the training agency.”

The first session will start the first week in August and last 10 weeks.

Parliamentarians are currently debating legislation to govern the agency.

Prime Minister Christie said he will see to it that the legislation is passed before the House breaks for summer.

Former South Beach MP Agatha Marcelle is the director of the programme.