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LJM Maritime Academy graduation ceremony

By Fay Simmons

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

LJM Maritime Academy held its graduation ceremony for 70 students on Saturday.

Valedictorian Ricardo Rahming encouraged his fellow cadets to remember their responsibilities ad “guardians of the ocean” as they being the next stage of their seafaring.

He said: “Let us not forget the responsibility that comes with being mariners, we are guardians of the ocean entrusted with protecting the marine environment, promoting safe navigation and upholding the highest standard of professionalism.”

President Dr Brendamae Cleare noted that the students have benefited significantly from grants, sponsorships and partnerships during their tenure at the institution.

She said: “Our students have been the recipients of their generosity as they prepare themselves for the next phases of their professional and personal lives.

“Graduates, you owe a debt of gratitude to those who provided moral support, scholarship funding, birthing opportunities, financial support for conferences, attendance, promotional events, and part time work experience.”

Mr Rahming said donor funding has allowed him to embark on his travels at sea, venturing out as far as Russia. He added that a strong family background and being dedicated to studying daily has given him the “edge” to becoming valedictorian.

He said: “My experience of LJM has been a challenge and it’s also been an uplifting moment. I started off from rating, that’s the lowest, and I grew gradually went up. Due to the contribution from the donors I was able to go to sea, travelling near and as far as Russia.”

“Dr Cleare has really built me up because I wasn’t always this person, but I’m well rooted with family and my mother has instilled in me some guidelines and rules to operate . So being here I just tried to study every day. That was more than one of my main goals. I have the motto, when someone’s sleeping, you’re working and that’s I believe that gave me the edge.”

Mr Rahming plans to continue his education and training abroad and return to The Bahamas as an officer.

He said: “I just finished up CMU, Caribbean Maritime University in Jamaica. I’ll be graduating November to obtain my Bachelor’s and from there, hopefully, by September, I’ll pass my COC which will make me an officer and I’ll return back to Campbell shipping an officer.”

Devard Campbell, engine graduate, said graduation has been a “long time coming” as he was stuck at sea during the COVID pandemic. He added that he also benefited from the generosity of donors.

He said: “I started off in 2018 September, came straight from high school, I had plans abroad to college but I ended up in the Bahamas at LJM. I was happily awarded the scholarship from the BMCC, from LJM and from Campbells Shipping, they gave me a scholarship to go on board.

“I sailed for 14 months, I was stuck due to COVID but I made it through I pushed and now we’re at graduation. Its been a long time coming.”

Mr Campbell is planning to continue his educational journey and said he was thankful to have made it thus far. He said: “I’m now just finishing up CMU in September or November. But now, I’m here, we had graduation, it’s a good time, I’m thankful.”

Nineteen of the graduates will be embarking on internships. Fifty-four graduates were present for the ceremony, while the others were still on their journeys at sea.