Friday, January 19, 2007

BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Ex-sugar industry employees in St Kitts can look forward to increasing their enterprise development skills with assistance from the Ministry of Gender Affairs slated to begin early this year.

Director of Gender Affairs Ingrid Charles Gumbs said her ministry will continue programmes implemented since the closure of the sugar industry.

In 2006, the transitioning workers graduated from a number of courses, the most significant of which were craft and sewing courses. According to Gumbs, the highly successful craft course prepared the ladies to succeed as tourism industry suppliers.

Some individuals who developed their sewing skills, supplied the St Pauls Primary School with uniforms and are now ready to take it to another level by gaining the requisite entrepreneurial skills to open their own businesses.

Representatives of both groups will travel to St Vincent where they will participate in this business management course.

Gumbs said several other non-traditional skill sets will be offered to other ex-sugar industry workers including tiling, plumbing and upholstering. She said this was all part of improving their means of livelihood and fulfills government’s ongoing commitment to help former sugar workers.

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