Sea
Soufriere residents are being trained to turn the district’s marine tourism activity into opportunities to earn, through a new project that combines practical skills with a community crime prevention effort.
The Barons Drive Marine Services Project is aimed particularly at young people, preparing participants to pursue employment and small business opportunities in the marine and tourism sectors.
The first group began training on November 10 with First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) at Soufriere Estate. Customer service sessions followed on November 11 and 12 at the Cool Breeze Conference Room.
Training in tourism standards is scheduled for November 16, followed by public liability on November 17. Participants will also have an opportunity to pursue Coxswain Certificate Training, although a date has not yet been announced.
The sessions cover skills and responsibilities relevant to serving visitors on the water, including safety, customer relations and professional conduct.
Behind the initiative is a partnership involving the Soufriere Constituency Office, the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation, the Community Tourism Agency and the Department of Crime Prevention, through the Soufriere Crime Prevention Task Force.
For organisers, the ambition extends beyond preparing residents for tourism work. The project is also intended to support crime prevention by expanding access to training, productive activity and legitimate ways to earn.
That approach places economic opportunity alongside other community safety measures, with the aim of giving residents a stronger stake in Soufriere’s development.
The announcement did not specify how many people are enrolled, whether further places are available or whether employment placements will follow the training. Its immediate focus is equipping participants with skills to pursue opportunities in the local tourism economy.
