The Tribune

By Riel Major

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard yesterday issued a call for all young Bahamians interested in a diving career to contact his ministry.

Mr Pintard stressed the need for more Bahamians in this industry and invited interested Bahamians to pick up applications from the National Training Agency located on Gladstone Road or at the Department of Marine Resources located on East Bay Street. 

He said applications will be accepted starting today and officials expect the initiative to start the third week of this month. He said an orientation will be held during the third week of this month and training will commence the following week. 

“Over the years, there has been a concern raised by practicing fishing vessel owners and operators, as well as new Bahamian investors to the commercial fishing sector, of the challenges associated with finding and employing young Bahamians in the capacity of divers on board their fishing vessels,” he said. 

“In addition to finding and employing the divers, there is another challenge of grave concern to owners and operators, which is the ability to retain divers once employed. In an effort to protect their investment and maintain their fishing operations or businesses, some owners, operators, and new investors to the commercial fishing sector, have approached the government for permission to hire foreign divers.”

Mr Pintard said the diving training programme consist of five mandatory modules and one additional module. The training will conclude with a one-month internship on board a Bahamian certified vessel.

Modules include a month of soft skills training that has been tweaked specifically for the dive and fishing industry, one week of training on the laws governing the industry, one month to receive a diving certificate, CPR and first-aid training, as well as two-week training in the use of air compressors for fishing purposes and air compressor maintenance. The optional module is specific to fish pot construction.

Gregory Bethel, acting assistant director at Department of Marine Resources, said the programme will be free of charge to the participants and noted the entire cost will be covered by the government. 

Mr Bethel said: “As indicated the government will be covering the entire cost of hosting the programme inclusive of that course is all of the dive gear and equipment. I can say that to date the government has already invested some $40,000 with respect to just dive equipment for participants of this programme.” 

The minister noted the increase of foreign nationals applying to the Department of Marine Resources for compressor permits.

Mr Pintard said: “Part and parcel of the requests has been an increase of requests for foreign nationals seeking compressor permits to work on board Bahamian registered commercial fishing vessels. I should indicate that persons are only able certainly as it relates to foreign divers to apply for this ministry for compressor permits after they would have gotten a labour certificate for the Department of Labour and then a work permit from immigration. 

“Fortunately, my colleagues share the view that this ministry holds that they should no longer issue labour certificates and work permits without us working in tandem consulting on this issue.

“In an effort to assist the fisheries sector, the government through a joint effort between the National Training Agency, the coordinating agency, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources along with the Ministry of Health have all gotten together to train and certify interested Bahamians.”