Ocean Blue Jamaica Marine Corps graduates inaugural class under new brand

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Ocean Blue Jamaica Marine Corps (OBJMC) has graduated its first batch of cadets under its present brand which was launched in 2021, with the young graduates from the five-year training course being hailed as prospective leaders embodying the organisation’s mission of service, honesty, and integrity.

The awards ceremony, which took place at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in St James on Tuesday, April 30, saw 42 students from 10 schools and more than 40 volunteer awardees being recognised for their participation in the cadets training course.

During the ceremony, displays of drill and march exercises were showcased by marine cadet members from schools to include Anchovy High and Montego Bay High schools in St James, Browns Town High School in St Ann, and Cedric Titus High and William Knibb Memorial High schools in Trelawny.

Commander Tracy Box, the OBJMC’s director, noted that the organisation has sought to impact 60 schools across Jamaica with cadet clubs, and upwards of 2,500 cadets in the Marine Corps over time.

“At the initial stage we started out with 1,200 cadets in the north-western region, and then quickly expanded to the eastern region. We also went northerly, and then the responses were very good,” Box outlined. “Over the years the numbers grew, where we had over 2,500 cadets in the Marine Corps. We were struggling, and we’re still in the infant stage, and so we ask that you bear with us. These young officers of tomorrow, the future leaders, are sitting in this audience.”

The marine cadets programme was shelved sometime after having being launched in 2015, necessitating its rebranding as the OBJMC in 2021. At the time of its original launch, it was helmed by the Caribbean Maritime University.

In his keynote address during Tuesday’s forum, Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Ferguson of the Jamaica Defence Force’s Coast Guard pointed to the OBJMC’s mandate of integrity and discipline as watchwords that the graduates should always embody in their lives.

“As we gather together today to celebration the inaugural graduation and awards ceremony of this distinguished programme, I am reminded of the many years I would have served as a youth in the cadet corps and all of the valuable lessons I would have learned throughout the years. Similarly, as you sit and stand here to be honoured in this moment, be reminded of the journey that has brought you here to stand before us today and the remarkable achievements of each and every one of these young cadets,” said Ferguson.

“Today we not only celebrate the completion of what I imagine to be a rigorous training programme, but also the embodiment of the core values that define this organisation – integrity, loyalty, commitment, discipline, and respect. These values are not just words; they are guiding principles that shape your character and define our actions. They are the foundation upon which you build your future,” Ferguson added.

In the meantime, Bethanie Bailey, a 15-year-old volunteer cadet awardee who was designated as the 2023-2024 Queen of Ocean Blue Jamaica, described her exposure to the cadet training as an avenue for new opportunities.

“I have been a part of the cadet club since grade eight, and the cadets have opened my horizon so much because a lot of the places I have been to are because of this club. I have been on a ship, and I have gone to numerous camps where I have met a lot of people, and this club is going to give me so many opportunities in the future for scholarships and so on,” said Bailey, a grade-10 student of Montego Bay High School.

“I think the most important thing for me is that, concerning the persons I meet, that I meet someone new all the time and that they help me, whether it is in school or my personal life. I really appreciate the people and what they have done for me so far, and the club itself teaches me discipline, time management, and leadership skills,” Bailey added.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com