Some 11 students graduated from the Caribbean Maritime Institute on Thursday, November 10 in a ceremony held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston

Students graduated with accreditations from various disciplines including B.Sc in Logistics and Supply Management; B.Sc in Port Mangement; B.Sc in Cruise Shipping and Marine Tourism; B.Sc in International Shipping; Diploma in International Shipping and Logistics; B.Eng. in Industrial Engineering; Associate Degree in Industrial Systems Operations And Maintenance among others.

Of the 140 graduates, 98% have secured employment already, a feat which the Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen, the keynote speaker said ought to be lauded. Continuing, the Governor General said, “The training and instruction at this institution are now over and it is time to leave the safe harbour where you have been fortified. With chart and compass in hand, you must face the wild, mysterious and sometimes treacherous ocean with its deep secrets waiting for you to explore.”

Sir Patrick also reminded them of the possibility of perils at sea while noting the value of their chosen careers. He said that no matter how the world advanced in technology, sea routes will never become obsolete.

“I urge you to use your skills to foster growth and development in your communities; congratulations on the successful completion of your course of studies,” the GG added. The keynote speaker also commended the instructors at the CMI for the support and lectures given to facilitate the achievements of the graduating students.

Also speaking at the graduation ceremony was Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry who added his congratulations to the graduates who had completed their course of study. He highlighted the close relationship between the CMI and the Ministry of Transport and Works, noting that endorsed the expansion mode the Institution had been engaged in over the last couple of years. He pledged his support in advancing the cause of the institution not only in Jamaica but throughout the region and elsewhere in the world.

Officer Cadet Andre Sewell in giving the valedictory address on behalf of the graduates from the cadet programme, expressed that their programme had introduced them to navy training as well as intense physical training which had helped to build their character.

“All of this instilled in us a sense of pride, responsibility, the importance of teamwork and the practice of using our own initiative,” Sewell said. Also speaking was Alex Mercedes, an engineering major and immediate past president of the students’ union, in his valedictory address, urged his companions to let it be known t ‘each and everyone’ that they were graduates of the CMI.

CMI Executive Director Fritz Pinnock announced that the CMI, soon to be known as the Maritime University of the Caribbean, will be instituting a campus in the Dominican Republic to be followed by one in China.