Hundreds of Barbadians converged on the island’s major seaport yesterday, a place which is off limits to most of them on any given day of the week.
The occasion was open day at the Bridgetown Port when its management hosted Port Day 2013.
Head of market development and public relations at Barbados Port Inc., Freida Nicholls, said the event was an outreach to the community.
“Today we have seen a few hundred people pass through. The response has been quite good. People are coming in and actually looking to see what happens here simply because you cannot just walk in off the street,” said Nicholls.
Commenting on job opportunities in the Port, Nicholls said there was an educational outreach programme where they host career showcases.
“Rather than just focus on jobs in the Barbados port, the scope is widened to the maritime industry and the variety of jobs available across the Caribbean or anywhere in the world.”
Visitors also witnessed a number of demonstrations and boarded Barbados Coast Guard ship Leonard C. Banfield and explored its interiors.
Exhibitors included the Port Health department as well as the Customs enforcement division.
The more adventurous got to cruise from the inner harbour to the Shallow Draught aboard tug boats as well as the pilot boat.
The home porting operations, where cruise passengers board and disembark, were also on show as the cruise ship Azura was in Port.
The day’s activities also included a display by the Barbados landship accompanied by the tuk band Drumming Federation. (LK)
