By: Dawda Baldeh
David White, Managing Director of Cruise Chip Crew, has informed The Fatu Network that over six hundred youths have been given employment letters to work abroad.
According to him, one of the company’s objectives is to create job opportunities for young people in the country.
David said Cruise Ship has been operating in the country for seven years, noting that the Ebola outbreak in 2016 and the Covid-19 hindered their business. He however confirmed that business is back to normal.
“We are here to create jobs for young people in the country,” David White said. “We have employed many young Gambians in our ships who are currently in different parts of the world earning decent salaries.”
Alhagie Bojang, Recruitment Manager Cruise Ship Gambia said they are employing people who have experience in hotel services, saying that if the young people are giving the opportunity to get decent jobs they can develop the country. “With Cruise Ship, we employ young people and pay them good salaries,” he said.
He stated that the Cruise line job are well secured. According to him, ships owners and employees operate under the Maritime Labor Convention 2006. “These are international laws and we cannot do anything against it. Employees’ welfare is well protected.”
“The country has gained itself the biggest name in hospitality service provision, thanks to the natural friendliness of the people, hence known as the Smiling Coast of Africa,” Bojang said.
“Over the years, the company has employed many young people who are professionals by all standards in various departments of the hospitality industry, including bar and restaurant, front office and reception, housekeeping and laundry, cooks and storekeeping.”
He said employers deal with their employees directly after they are permanently employed, adding that the employees’ salaries go directly into their accounts. “Employees are not exposed to any harassment unlike other companies,” he emphasized.
Speaking further, Mr. Bojang said, there is no job in the country that people can compare with Crew Ship, revealing that the company targets to employ five thousand Gambians every year who will be working in different ships across the world.
“The challenges we faced in the previous years was the MLC 2006 that Gambia has not ratified. This has hindered our operations, but thankfully now Gambia has ratified both conventions.
“We have many people who are interested in the job but they have challenges in terms of getting funds to attend the trainings that are required.” He called on the government and private sectors to help create more skills centers for youths so that they can get decent jobs,” he concluded.
