MP Drs Rodolphe Samuel visit NIPA

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CAY HILL, Sint Maarten — As a result of the passing of Hurricane Irma many areas on the island were severely damaged.

Besides the enormous damage to homes and school buildings many of our hotel properties have also sustained serious damage forcing their closure in order to repair and rebuild.

Knowing that it would be impossible for all the workers in the Hospitality trade to find work elsewhere the Government devised a plan / solution to remedy this negative situation.

The previous Minister of Finance – former Minister Richard E. Gibson – in an effort to help persons have an income during the time that the hotel properties would be under construction came with the idea for the workers to be upgraded / trained during the reconstruction phase, for which purpose the sum of  Eight (8) Million Guilders has been made available.

“This means that hotel workers will be given the opportunity to upgrade their skills. These workers are now being trained and/or upgraded at the Nipa-facility in Cay Hill.”

Some of the areas in which the workers are being upgraded are: general service, culinary arts, Food &Beverage, Front Desk and Customers Service.

The training should last until approximately the last quarter of this year, at which time the hotel is expected to be ready for business.

The intention is that other hotel workers will make use of the ongoing training/retraining program geared towards improving their level of service to our visitors.

“Today I paid a visit to the NIPA in order to be informed of the Training program. The impression gathered from the management and attendees is a very positive one.”

“I was also informed that presently there are about 650 persons attending the training course while there are about another 150 persons who are registered but still have to start. I’m hereby calling on all the employees of the Maho/Sonesta group who have not yet started the program to pass by NIPA.” MP Drs Rodolphe Samuel said.

Much thanks to the Management of the program for the very good job that they are doing in giving the employees hope while raising the level of service that would be of benefit to our hospitality trade.