President of the Shipping Association of Jamaica, Harry Maragh, speaks with United States Ambassador Her Excellency Sue Cobb at the SAJ's 2nd quarter members' luncheon at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. UNITED STATES Ambassador, Her Excellency Sue Cobb has lauded the local port community for the progress made towards improving security at the island's ports.
Addressing the 2nd quarter members' luncheon of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston last Wednesday (June 25), Ambassador Cobb acknowledged the work being done at the island's ports to boost security and encouraged further action to sustain the systems in place and influence necessary action from Government towards policy development and contract approval for port security.
The Ambassador noted Jamaica's efforts to enhance security, even before implementation of the International Ships and Port Security (ISPS) Code by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London in December 2002, including establishment of a security committee, participating in IMO deliberations and consideration of fixed and mobile X-ray machines to allow certification of container contents. In addition, she cited closed circuit television monitors being installed at the wharves, cruise ship terminals and container terminals; standardised ID systems are being implemented; all port workers being subject to vetting; harbour patrols being expanded and the work of the Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition (BASC) Chapter among exporters.
"The US is seeking to provide greater security for our homeland, while at the same time seeking to facilitate the trade that is essential for economic development. We understand that confidence in the supplier is a major criterion for supplier selection; we understand that in transportation, confidence in the supplier is going to be measured by confidence in the security process. This is not just a matter of customer preference or US regulations. There is the absolute imperative to become compliant with the ISPS code by July 2004 - just a year away. The good news is that Jamaica is ahead of the curve," she stated.
Turning to the future, Mrs. Cobb said other ports in the region, for example Panama, were seeking to gain the 'lion's' share of direct and transshipment trade to the US, and she pointed out that several countries in the region, including the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados, were fervently pursuing ISPS compliance in an effort to gain the comparative advantage in the shipping industry. She indicated that another reality was that American investors are "examining very carefully" how countries respond to Code responsibilities, to control of international organised crime and to preparation for acts of terrorism.
She said US government was working with Jamaica and governments throughout the Caribbean to help ensure adequate preparation to deal with the threat of terrorism and transnational crime, while continuing to grow in prosperity and openness.
As part of these efforts, the US Coast Guard and local authorities for the container port have already completed a risk-based analysis and an assessment of vulnerabilities is scheduled for Kingston Wharves this August. Noting that the security master plan was excellent, she said the true measure was not the thoroughness of the plan, but the thoroughness of the implementation.
The Ambassador also advised of the importance for each Caribbean country, including Jamaica, to focus on its own ports before working on a regional solution. She gave the commitment that US Government would continue to work with Jamaica, through training and analytical efforts, support of public/private partnerships such as BASC, and collaborative law enforcement efforts.
In his comments, President of the SAJ, Harry Maragh explained that security was a priority on the local shipping agenda, adding that SAJ was a major partner in the thrust to safeguard the island's ports of entry and had played an active role in the process to strengthen port security and ensure that Jamaica met the established international standards.
"Our role is even more crucial as the government seeks to adopt measures to enhance maritime security by July 2004 in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention) and the new related International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities (ISP Codes)" Mr. Maragh pointed out.
He said in planning for the future growth of the industry, the challenges related to safeguarding Jamaica's national borders, eliminating the scourge of drug trafficking; increasing productivity and efficiency, while reducing costs; matching International Best Practices, and creating a highly-skilled workforce.
