Port chairman not leaving

PORT AUTHORITY of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) chairman Noel Garcia yesterday said he was not resigning from his post given the current healthy prognosis of the Port-of-Spain port. Six months ago at a conference held at the TT Manufacturing Association’s (TTMA) headquarters in Barataria, Garcia pledged to resign as PATT chairman if the port’s overall efficiency did not improve by September — the start of the peak trading period for local manufacturers. Speaking to reporters after a workshop at the PATT’s Port-of-Spain offices yesterday, Garcia noted that the corrective surgery performed on the port over the last six months has contributed to positive vital signs being exhibited by the patient.

Asked if he still intended to resign, Garcia replied, “That was a comment made six months ago that if things did not improve, I was prepared to step down. I’m satisfied that we have made significant improvements.” He identified the acquisition of more equipment, a new container management system, the opening of new berths and invitation of tenders for a new management operator for the port terminal as some of the developments which have improved operations at the port.

However, the PATT chairman added that he was prepared to stand by his word (and resign) if the TTMA and the Shipping Association of TT believed that the port’s operations had not improved. Asked if there was any anxiety among port employees about Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert’s announcement that Government planned to build a new $1.5 billion port on lands south of Port-of-Spain, Garcia said it was only natural there be a “little bit of anxiety towards change.” However, he said there has been widespread cooperation and collaboration among all the port’s stakeholders to date in improving its operations and he was confident this would continue in the coming months.