WiMAC (Women in Maritime Association Caribbean) was launched in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in April 2015. It is the youngest of seven regional associations of female maritime professionals established under the banner of the International Maritime Organization.
The aim of these associations is to provide a forum for networking and advocacy in support of the IMO’s own program for the integration of women in what is still a highly traditional and male-dominated industry.
WiMAC is governed by an eight-member general council led by the president, Claudia Grant of Jamaica. Other members are from Trinidad & Tobago (two), Jamaica, Suriname, Antigua & Barbuda, Belize and the Cayman Islands. The president and general council serve a two-year term and may be re-elected.
The inaugural conference of WiMAC was held in Montego Bay in 2015 and its first annual conference was in the Cayman Islands in September 2016. The next annual conference is to be held in Belize in 2018. This will probably be in September but the date has not been finalized.
Impetus
The impetus for WiMAC was born out of the 2nd Maritime Women Global Leadership Conference hosted by the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden, in the spring of 2014. Jamaica was invited to participate in this conference and to present a Regional Perspective. Its conference paper, ‘Women in the Maritime Sector: Surviving and Thriving in a Man’s World – a Caribbean Perspective’, was the result of a joint collaboration between the Maritime Authority of Jamaica and the Caribbean Maritime Institute. The findings of this paper were informed by a survey conducted in eight Caribbean states – Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago – involving some 40 female maritime professionals from various sectors of the industry. One of its recommendations was the need to establish a network of national/regional associations in order to:
These findings were very much in line with the IMO and its strategy under the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector Program. In response to the survey, the director general of the MAJ, Rear Admiral Peter Brady, formally asked the IMO to assist the Caribbean Region in setting up its own network of regional female maritime professionals. In response to specific questions from CM, a spokesperson for WiMAC gave us the following answers:
Q. The CSA was one of the first such organisations to elect a female president – Corah-Ann Robertson-Sylvester – but there have been surprisingly few high-profile female members of the general council or higher since then. Why is this? A: We could not say for sure what the issues are, but in conversation with a number of our colleagues, it’s a combination of issues:
Q. What is WiMAC doing to attract more women into the maritime sector? A: WiMAC recognizes there is a general lack of awareness among the average Caribbean national as to the potential career opportunities in the maritime industry. We have therefore included, as one of our strategic objectives, activities to increase awareness. Thus, schools will be targeted to influence career choices. We are also aware that women have entered the industry and have either left or do not see any prospect for advancement. We have therefore also included programs for mentoring and training and education to support and equip women in order to increase their contribution and participation in the industry. The following has also been done:
Also in the offing, in a bid to rekindle interest in science and engineering subjects for our next generation, WiMAC, CMU and the Ministry of Education will launch a national SeaPerch [underwater robotics] program as an important part of the solution. This will take place in January 2018.
This list is by no means exhaustive and we are currently compiling a database of female mentors for the very purpose of inspiring and encouraging women and girls.
Q. WiMAC has close links with the WMU in Malmö. Are there any plans to forge equally close ties with the CMU in Jamaica? A: Prior to the establishment of WiMAC there has been collaboration with the CMU (formerly the Caribbean Maritime Institute) as the paper which provided the impetus for our establishment was co-authored by the CMU’s deputy executive director. Since that time we have collaborated in other areas. WiMAC and the CMU intend to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue several areas of interest including:
Q. What links does WiMAC have with the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association? A: So far our link with WISTA is via WISTA Cayman Islands, whose past president is currently on WiMAC’s general council. However, we see scope for collaboration in the future.
The mission of WiMAC is to foster the development and participation of women in the maritime sector and contribute to the growth of the industry within the region through:
The strategic vision of WiMAC is to be a key resource for the sustainable development of the maritime sector.
WiMAC has 46 members from the following 18 countries: Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Panama, Saint Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, United States of America and Trinidad & Tobago.