MMA promotes safety at sea in schools

Safety at Sea was the subject of a seminar conducted by the Malta Maritime Authority as part of a recent Health and Safety Week organised by the Margaret G. Mortimer Junior Lyceum in Sta Lucija. The seminar was attended by over 880 students over three days.

A number of talks were held throughout the seminar with various topics concerning safety at sea in general. The speakers who addressed the seminar, included Mr A. Caruana Spearing from the Malta Maritime Authority, Captains Wallace Camilleri and Clinton O'Neil from the AFM Rescue Division, Mr John Gera, operations manager from the Civil Protection Rescue Department, Sergeant Richard Cauchi from the Administrative Law Enforcement Section, Mrs Doris Debono and Mrs C. Bondi Cefai, the school's Heath and Safety Teachers and Ms Michelle Debono, also a school teacher, who addressed the topic 'Risks behind the Adventure'.

Commenting on this initiative, Charles Axisa, marketing and communications manager from the Malta Maritime Authority, said: "We are overwhelmed with the success of this three-day seminar and the enthusiasm expressed by the students and by the school's administration was beyond our expectations. This seminar also ushered the upcoming edition of the Maritime Authority's Safety at Sea Campaign, an annual summer campaign that seeks to promote the utmost importance of safety among boat owners and swimmers alike to avoid any accidents at sea.

"Every year, throughout the summer months, the Safety at Sea Campaign seeks to raise awareness among the boating community including windsurfers, jet-skiers, divers as well as swimmers, that everyone is responsible at sea. The Maritime authority seeks to promote this aspect, especially with the younger generation and this seminar was an excellent opportunity for us to put our message to students who are now looking forward to start enjoying their summer holidays at sea."

Currently, the Sta Lucija Junior Lyceum school is organising an exhibition of the projects that the students have prepared on Safety at Sea.

The MMA commends the Head of School Ms Joan Micallef and her staff for this well thought initiative and would invite other schools to follow the example of Margaret Mortimer's Junior Lyceum and set up similar seminars on Safety at Sea.