Woodroffe: Privatizing ports is the way to go

The privatization of the regions’ ports is the way forward, says a Chamber of Commerce executive. This, as a government official acknowledged that more efficiency and effectiveness is needed.{{more}}

Senior Vice president of the local Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Woodroffe said that small ports are faced with enormous cost challenges, port security being one of them.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Organization of American States’ (OAS) workshop on Port Statistics, Cost and Tariffs, last Monday, August 27th, held at Sunset Shores Hotel.

“Small seaports are faced with enormous operational challenges…ports have to become far more competitive,” Woodruff said.

“One of the considerations that could be given is perhaps the privatization of ports,” he said.

Woodruff also suggested that a merging of the regions’ ports be considered.

While chairman of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority Restructuring Committee, Sir Vincent Beache, did not hint at privatization, he stressed the need for improved efficiency in ports’ operations.

Sir Vincent remarked that while maritime communication has often taken a back seat to air and land travel communication, the continuous development of the marine environment is crucial to the region’s development.

He noted that the cost of air travel is so high that maritime travel is crucial.

Sir Vincent said that trade could not exist without ports, as he emphasized the ports’ importance.

He said that modern technology has to be used to improve the efficiency at the ports, so that there can be a quicker turn around of ships, making the ports more profitable.

For his part, General Manager of the Port Authority, Paul Kirby, said that ports have to reinvent themselves.

He said that part of this development is that the labour force needs are moving from brute force labour to the need for more highly skilled personnel.

He said that the development of skills should be the strategic response to globalization among other factors that will affect the ports operations.

A total of 32 participants, including 21 from 13 OAS countries, took part in the weeklong workshop, which should end this evening

Carlos Gallegos, the executive secretary of the OAS/ Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP), also addressed the workshop.(KJ)