Extended hours for Xmas barrel collection

PORT Authority chairman Lyle Alexander today gave the assurance that people who are expecting to receive Christmas supplies through the Port of Spain port will be able to receive them in a timely manner.

Alexander said Christmas time remains a period when the port receives lots of personal cargo, some of it in barrels, sent by TT nationals living abroad to friends and relatives at home.

Alexander did not know whether there was any kind of backlog of Christmas supplies at the port at this time. Saying the authority was expecting “a rush” of people coming to the port to collect their goods, Alexander said the authority is taking steps to deal with this.

Port authority officials said from tomorrow, the hours of operation at it’s one stop barrel shop will be extended. A release circulated on Twitter said the shop will operate from 4 am to 7 pm tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday.

These hours continue from December 17 to 20. The shop will be open from 7 am to 4 pm on December 22. These new times are “to facilitate the delivery of personal effects only.”

The release said trade cargo will not be handled during these extended hours or on December 22. The authority hoped this facility “will be used by our valued customers.” A second official said operations at the barrel shop went smoothly yesterday.