CMI Making a Positive Impact on Nearby Communities

The Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) is making a positive impact on the growth and development of the communities within its vicinity.

This is according to Executive Director of the institution, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, who was speaking in a recent interview with JIS News.

“Many can attest to the impact of CMI on the surrounding communities. The institution is now transforming places like Port Royal, Harbour View, Bull Bay and western St. Thomas,” he noted.

Dr. Pinnock told JIS News that Port Royal has been transformed into a university town, housing the institution’s residential facility, which has become an economic driver in the once-sleepy fishing village.

Admiralty House, part of the Old Naval Dockyard in Port Royal, was transformed into a dedicated student residential facility through a public-private partnership.

“A private-sector company came in and refurbished the property to take it up to international standards, and the students pay back for it through their rental,” Dr. Pinnock explained.

He noted that the facility has outgrown its 168-student capacity, and the CMI is looking to identify space to add another 300 to 400 rooms.

Dr. Pinnock argued that the Admiralty House housing project, plus the establishment of a campus in the community for training in customs and immigration management, has significantly contributed to the economic sustainability of Port Royal.

He noted that the campus brings 600-800 students per day to the community, with each of them spending $500 to $1,000 daily.

“That is sustainable development and a real investment in the town,” he added.

The CMI has adopted Port Royal and is building a new basic school in the community. The institution has also offered scholarships to students from Port Royal.

Dr. Pinnock said that the Harbour View and Bull Bay communities have also benefited significantly from the growth of CMI, by providing rentals to students. “That’s a market that persons have capitalised on. Return on investment in a Harbour View house has improved,” he said.

He recommends that it would be smart to invest in Harbour View, noting that persons who have done so are doing well.

“We have thousands of students renting homes… . We also have to rent homes for some of our overseas lecturers, so it’s a big demand,” he pointed out.