Dear Editor,
I read recently that 20 Guyanese cadets were awarded the Noble Marine scholarship, a program aimed at strengthening Guyana’s maritime workforce.
Like many Guyanese who were introduced to the now booming oil and gas sector, I was a bit sceptical about what that meant for the future of our younger generation, especially the ones that were not as privileged as their peers. Call me old fashioned, but I was also taught to believe that education was the key to success, and that is a motto I live by to this day.
With that being said, I want to commend Noble Drilling for offering these scholarships to local marine cadets.
Too often great minds and talent get left behind simply because they lack the necessary resources. I’ve seen this throughout my career. From what I read, the program aims to strengthen Guyana’s maritime workforce by fostering local talent. Additionally, the program offers full financial support for studies in the fields of navigation, marine engineering, and offshore operations.
I was pleased to discover that the support for the marine sector was not a one-time occurrence. In 2024, MatPal, Guyana’s first ISO 9001:2015 certified maritime institute saw cadet Safina Lutchman making history as the Institute’s first female graduate in Shipboard Navigation, a field dominated by men. Additionally, 15 marines graduated from the Marine Cadet Program led by the Matpal Marine Institute, highlighted the cadets’ potential impact on Guyana’s economic transformation.
Sounds to me like the sector is prioritizing locals, particularly our budding minds and I could not be more proud.
Margaret Henry
