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Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) is reputed to be one of the best if not the best in providing courses in food and hospitality industry, ranging from Professional Cookery to Bakerv, Meat Industry and Patisserie. And it has the proof its students have won the prestigious Nestle Toque d'Or titel at least eight times.

Toque d'Or has been running for 10 years, of which CPIT has dominated by winning the cookery trophy six times and runner up the other four, while also winning three of the six service competition.

CPIT Director of Communications & Development Jeff Field said they would formulate a special package for Malaysian students wishing to take up the course there, which means cheaper tuition fees, adding that all its courses were meant to train the students for the job market. "Half of the time is spent in the classrooms and the other on job training in real situation. We are actually giving our students far more applied education than anyone else in the same field."

He said this when Tourism Minister Dato Abg Johari Openg with an entourage comprising mostly officials from the Malaysian-New Zealand Business Council called at the Polytechnic Friday (4 Oct) morning.

Abg Jo had earlier briefed the CPIT officials that Sarawak was very interested in training its people to man the hospitality industry especially in the food sector, "...to train them not only to become good chef or good bar tender or waiter but one who is a good entrepreneur as well."

He said the rising tourist arrival each year meant that they would expect more and better services from the providers. He likened a good chef of a restaurant as one who is also a courteous waiter, efficient front desk worker and good entrepreneur, attributes he said would bring in repeated patronage.

Responding to CPIT's positive response to the special package for Malaysian students, Abg Jo said the private sector would now have to talk further on the issue with the CPIT, singling out Datuk Amin Satem to lead his SCCI members with assistance from the MNZBC.

Earlier in the day, soon after arrival from Wellington the same delegation paid a courtesy call on the Mayor Gary Moore at his office at the Town Hall.

In the afternoon, they went to the University of Canterbury where they had lunch and a guided tour of the sprawling campus led by its Pro Vice-Chancellor (international) Prof John Raine.

They also went to Lincoln University famous for its R&D on tourism and recreation, and also forestry, agriculture, parks and the environment, some 20 km from the town centre.

Lincoln University is also responsible for drawing up the 1992/93 Sarawak tourism master plan, Community awareness programme in Miri, Sibu and Kuching in 1998, and the recently completed Damai Review in 2001/02.

In fact several officials will be here in the next two weeks to attend the launching of local alumni association and to present scrolls to its students who prefer to receive them in Kuching.

The delegates being briefed on the carvery course by an official of Christchurch Polytechnic during the visit