FREEPORT, Bahamas -- Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville on July 5 encouraged students participating in the Government’s Summer Employment Programme to learn what they can from the various companies to which they are being attached.The Minister was addressing some 250 students assembled at the Freeport Anglican High School Auditorium. They were participating in a training sessions.

He explained to the youngsters that “this is not the 52 Week Programme. This is Summer Employment and it will be conducted in two sessions.” Dr. Darville pointed out that the first group will be employed from July 9 to August 3 and the second group will be engaged from August 6 to August 31. “This training programme is nothing new to Grand Bahama, but we in the Government saw the need for this programme to continue because of the feedback that we were getting from the business community.

“We have learnt that may of you who may have participated in the past and those of who are going to participate this year will gain valuable tools as it pertains to functioning in the job place. “This is an opportunity for you as future employees in Grand Bahama or abroad, or in the capital to gain important skills that will allow you to be an asset to which ever organisation you are employed with,” he told the students.

The Minister for Grand Bahama also brought greetings from Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald; and Youth, Sports and Culture Minister, the Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson, as well as the Cabinet of The Bahamas, all of whom played a major role is bringing the programme to fruition. He told the gathering that the training session was put in place so that everyone involved in the programme would have an idea of what they are trying to accomplish.

Continuing, he advised the gathering that “this Summer Programme is not a summer camp. It is not a summer camp for us to look after you for four weeks. “This is a very intense programme that we have partnered with the private and public sectors in our community to give you skills that will help you in the future. I want to let you know that the employers are expecting you to perform and we in the Ministry of Grand Bahama are expecting you to gain skills at the end of this programme,” he said.

He then congratulated those students who were selected, pointing out that the programme is not an unlimited programme and there was only so much resources that have been put in place for Grand Bahama this year. “We are looking for you at the end of the day to gain a wealth of knowledge so that you can implement it in your future careers and jobs as you move from where you are now in school to the job market and probably on to further education,” he stated.