First Lady Arya Ali, speaking at the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation’s (ACMF) Gala and Anchor Awards in Florida, emphasised the importance of a strong and resilient maritime sector, which she called the backbone of international trade, as she challenged everyone present to think of ways to build a more inclusive industry, especially for women.
She said that the Guyana government fully supports gender equality and the empowerment of women, highlighting the bountiful opportunities created for women in the sector through her office’s partnership with non-governmental organisations.
“Earlier this year my office in partnership with the Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Offshore Training Institute, a 100 per cent woman owned Guyanese company launched a scholarship programme to afford 100 women in the hinterland technical training in the maritime sector,” she underscored.
The first lady emphasised the importance of creating an environment where women can be identified and selected for career development in the maritime industry.
She also highlighted the crucial role of maritime agencies and organisations like the ACMF in the region’s development, given their significant contributions to educational training opportunities.
“It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the 42 scholarships that have been provided to Guyanese through the foundation for maritime training. As Guyana’s maritime sector continues to rapidly expand, these kinds of investments in local companies and in our human resources will prove to be invaluable to our nation’s development.”
Additionally, the First Lady also noted the global shipping industry’s acute crewing shortage, particularly among officers, describing it as an opportunity for the Caribbean, especially Guyana, to become a major supplier of crews to the global maritime industry.