Programme coming to upskill locals to reduce importing workers

Labour Minister Vincent Wheatley said a programme at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) will be established to further enhance the skills of locals and reduce the need for the importation of labour into the territory.

The initiative comes on the heels of Premier Andrew Fahie’s recent visit to the United Kingdom (UK) for the annual Overseas Territories (OT) Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).

In a report on the visit, Premier Fahie mentioned the need for the implementation of an unemployment scheme.

“We recognise the need for a permanent unemployment scheme to provide a financial and social safety net in the event of a disaster or catastrophic event,” Premier Fahie said. “We would welcome the UK’s technical input on how to implement this for the Virgin Islands.”

In elaborating on the concept, Minister Wheatley said there was a launch several days ago of the ‘Labour and Education Connect’, an initiative which he said will address the issue of skills gaps within the territory.