Cabinet decided during a December 9 meeting that the Paraquita Bay-based facility will receive $1,075,000 that will be channelled towards the Marine Center of Applied Studies.

According to a recent post-Cabinet statement this month, “the remaining $300,000 of the $500,000 that was approved [during a] Cabinet decision of June 12, 2019, will be allocated as follows: $200,000 to be provided for the HLSCC to fund purchasing of the necessary equipment for the Marine Centre’s rebuilding of the facility as the Centre of Excellence in the OECS; and $100,000 to be earmarked for other training programmes in other Maritime certified institutions and agreed work service apprenticeship experience training programmes in the Maritime sector.”

Meanwhile, an additional $600,000 will be allocated in the 2020 budget to cover the cost for maritime training at HLSCC. Part of that sum will also be allocated to other certified institutions, the report added.

College recently received more $$

Less than four days ago, Unite BVI teamed up with government to donate a combined total of $300,000 to fund the Marine Training Programme at the college.

A government-commissioned release indicated that government had donated $200,000 while their co-sponsor pitched in the remaining $100,000.

Since taking office, the Andrew Fahie-led administration has pledged to revamp the marine sector in the British Virgin Islands.