PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC—On Monday, the Trinidad and Tobago authorities Commissioned two new large-scale non-intrusive inspection cell scanners on the Port of Spain, indicating that this might permit for a major enhance in container inspections.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert mentioned the scanners will enhance detection of unlawful contraband, narcotics, and weapons and may course of as much as 25 containers per hour, surpassing the earlier scanner’s 60 per day.
Two extra scanners of the identical mannequin are set to be commissioned on the Port of Level Lisas on the west coast of Trinidad within the coming days. The 4 scanners value US$12.9 million and had been bought after a procurement course of that started in 2023.
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan mentioned the brand new scanners would bolster nationwide safety, enhance enterprise effectivity, and save taxpayers cash.
Authorities plan to scan 75 % of all containers to fulfill worldwide requirements, however appearing Comptroller of Customs Riad Juman is pushing for full screening.
A specialised radiation committee shall be arrange for well being and security.
In the meantime, Sinanan has referred to as for an finish to protracted negotiations between the Port Authority and port employees, saying a decision is essential for the Port of Port of Spain to achieve its full potential.
“We have to put an finish to the lengthy overdue negotiations. I hope that good sense can prevail and we are able to come to the desk with mature options and recommendations,” he mentioned, including that he believes the port might have achieved much more success in 2024 had there not been industrial motion.
Late final 12 months, work on the Port of Spain was severely affected as employees protested the federal government’s resolution to not honor a 12 % wage enhance courting again to 2014.
The employees, represented by the Seamen and Waterfront Employees Commerce Union (SWWTU), mentioned that they had been advised that the memorandum of settlement (MOA) underneath which the 12 % wage settlement had been reached was not enforceable.
Port employees have been protesting since October final 12 months, demanding the 12 % wage enhance for the interval 2014 to 2017, which had been agreed upon with the earlier authorities. The matter is now earlier than the Industrial Court docket.
Sinanan mentioned that the Port of Port of Spain ought to have damaged the file for the (quantity) of containers passing by.
“However due to that two-month interval the place some vessels bypassed us, we couldn’t attain the figures that will have proven that the financial system is a vibrant financial system,” he mentioned, including that the Port of Port of Spain might surpass the Level Lisas port in efficiency.
The Level Lisas port was named joint winner of the Caribbean Transport Affiliation’s Ludlow Stewart Container Port Competitors 2024, alongside Manzanillo Worldwide Terminal (MIT) of Panama.
“If we might get (the negotiations) out of the best way, there’s no motive why the Port of Port of Spain in 2025 can not take that title from the Port of Level Lisas as being the primary port within the Caribbean,” he mentioned.
Addressing ongoing negotiations, Sinanan harassed the necessity for balanced discussions, suggesting employees and the union must be cheap of their calls for and expectations.
“The CPO (chief personnel officer) will put one thing ahead. The unions will then negotiate. What I’m seeing is that we have to come collectively…The port can not pay for one thing that the port can not afford. We need to settle these negotiations, however one social gathering can not simply maintain to a tough place, after which we attain nowhere.”
