Port-of-Spain port restructuring begins

NEW Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) chairman Derek Hudson said plans to restructure the Port-of-Spain port have begun, and discussions will continue at the port today with all key stakeholders. Speaking with journalists at British Gas’ (TT) St Clair offices yesterday, Hudson said the new PATT board of directors has held one meeting since being sworn in last month, and has started looking at various plans to restructure the PoS port. Hudson said there will be meetings at the port with all key stakeholders, including the Seamen Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU), on these plans in order to determine the best way forward.

“We will take it from there. Work has started and hopefully in the next couple of months, we’ll start to see how it goes,” the PATT chairman said. Prime Minister Patrick Manning said six new ports will be constructed, and this will include relocation of the PoS port. Cap-de-Ville, Galeota, Moruga, Brighton and Point Lisas have been identified as other sites for new ports. Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert said proposals have been made to either relocate the PoS port to the Sea Lots area, or create an artificial island south of the Caricom wharves on the existing port. Imbert said the new PoS port is to be built at a cost of approximately $1.5 billion, and he will decide which proposal will be taken up. The minister also indicated that he plans to bring legislation to Parliament before the end of 2006 to revamp the existing Ports Act to create a Ports Council of TT to govern operations at all of the nation’s ports.