President of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Professor Fritz Pinnock says a special economic zone (SEZ) is to be created at the proposed St Thomas campus of the university.

The president told JIS News that the institution has positioned itself to facilitate training where development is taking place, and that as the university seeks to set up a campus in the parish, it is also looking at marrying the institution with the needs of the industry.

“I am really pleased that the Government endorsed us going to St Thomas to set up another campus. We are now looking at a 364-acre property and we are going to be setting up that economic zone there. We are going to bring a new concept to education,” Professor Pinnock said.

“We are inviting high-end companies to set up within the university. We are not just there to educate people, we are there to integrate education and business, so that will be a research and development centre, a centre for production for the high-end part of advanced manufacturing,” he added.

The president informed that a half of the campus would be used to create the SEZ within the university and that several partners have declared interest.

“Once we get the go-ahead, we will be running with this project. I am very happy that Jamaica is putting education to lead the transformation of investment. Jamaica’s greatest resource is our human capital, so it is good that we are going to put them first,” he said.

He noted that the university will be training and certifying the people and this is an opportunity for the parish of St Thomas.

“To the people of the parish I say, don’t see yourselves as left behind but rather, see yourselves as starting with a fresh opportunity. We can reimagine industry and do St Thomas differently and this is what I see about to happen there…the potential of a green field project,” Professor Pinnock explained.

— JIS