Over 20 boat operators, who participated in an OnDeck training Programme, received certificates at a Boat Captains and Seafarer graduation ceremony held at the Anchorage Hotel in Castle Comfort on Wednesday.
The training was coordinated by Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association (DHTA), Dominica Water Sports Association (DWA), Maritime and hosted by Anchorage Hotel Whale Watch and Dive Centre.
President of DWA, Simon Walsh told Dominica News Online (DNO) challenges experienced were that either the course was too expensive or not conducted at a specific time of the year.
“We have been trying to get to the point where the training could be done here in Dominica, so the problem we had with the training is that either it’s very expensive or done at the time of year where we can’t do it,” Walsh said. “It is over a two weeks course, you cannot do it during the tourism season because here we have these 20 boat captains, all the boat captains in the industry and the cruise ship season has just started. That’s being the big challenge.”
According to him, OnDeck being available in October, made it affordable and accessible. “Once we started working with the Maritime Division they gave approval to this course to meet local requirements, so that sort of removed the barriers that we had before and allow us to take this course,” he stated.
He noted further that the training session was very successful.
“The participants passed all the exams and met the qualifications to meet an international boat captain operating in local waters and then the Maritime Division will issue a local license,” Walsh explained.
Walsh is confident that another course session will be conducted next year.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if another training session is done maybe even next year, because a lot of people heard about this one and were calling me to join in, but you are limited because you have one trainer,” Walsh said. “This certification is good for five years, and at the end of that if they have been operating a boat consistently in that time they will reapply to Maritime and given another course and will be recertified.”
Meantime, Course Instructor, Logan Knight from OnDeck in Antigua said the training was successful and the participants were enthusiastic about it.
“Practically most of the guys have been driving boats for a long time. So it wasn’t difficult at all,” he said.
The training was conducted for two weeks and cost $2,700.
Any component of marine activities is always expensive, including this training course.
Is that $2700 EC or U.S.? That must be one intense course.