Grantley Stephenson (foreground left), chairman and CEO of Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), and Captain Hopeton DeLisser, chairman of Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), sign the memorandum of understanding between KWL, Security Administrators Limited (SAL) and CMI to develop two security courses to improve human resources in the maritime sector. Viewing proceedings in the background are (from left) Joseph Hibbert, state minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, minister of transport and works, Fritz Pinnock, executive director of CMI, and Captain John Ulett, managing director of SAL. - Contributed

IN AN effort to develop human resources in the maritime sector, the Caribbean's leading multi-purpose port, Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), its subsidiary, Security Administrators Limited (SAL), and Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop two security courses.

The MoU will see the development of a bachelor of science degree in industrial and port-security management that will focus on land, sea and air transportation. The duration of the programme will be three years. An advanced port facility security officer course is also the focus of the MoU.

The MoU was signed at KWL's Newport West offices on March 6. Grantley Stephenson, chairman and chief executive officer of KWL, and Captain John Ulett, managing director of SAL, signed the MoU on behalf of KWL and SAL, while board chairman of CMI, Captain Hopeton DeLisser, and executive director of CMI, Fritz Pinnock, signed on behalf of CMI.

For its part, CMI will have joint responsibility with SAL for developing the curriculum, teaching participants in the programme, ensuring high standards are maintained, as well as carrying out assessments and evaluations.

Captain Ulett explains that the partnership between KWL and CMI will give security professionals a chance to upgrade themselves and to "add greater value to their port environment, as well as to transform security from the perspective of a cost-centre to a value-added service."

KWL is the leading multi-purpose port in the Caribbean and second-largest independently managed subregional container hub, according to Containerisation International's 2006 statistics.

SAL is the main provider of maritime security and related services at the Port of Kingston and is an accredited security organisation of the International Maritime Organisation, offering training for port security officers.

Minister of Transport and Works Mike Henry and State Minister Joseph Hibbert were on hand to witness the signing.