Committee to look at port privatisation

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said a committee will be established to look at the public private partnership of the Port of Port of Spain.

He was responding to a question during a tour of the Bamboo #1 pump site on Sunday, on whether there has been any expressions of interest after the Finance Minister’s announcement of the privatisation of the port.

Sinanan said Cabinet is putting together a committee headed by Public Administration and Digital Transformation Minister Allyson West and will comprise the Works Ministry, Trade Ministry, Finance Ministry, business chamber representatives and trade unions.

“And they will sit down and decide what is the best model for the port. Once that is established then you go out for an expression of interest and then you see who comes forward and then you determine who is the best partner to work with. So at this time, we are way too early for that.”

He noted the proposal moving forward was to have three companies: one for land management of the port; one for inter-island ferry service; and one for port cargo operations. “It is the port cargo operations that are hoping to get a model to encourage the private sector in. And it’s nothing new, it’s happening all over the Caribbean.”

Sinanan also spoke on the public private partnership model while contributing to budget debate in the House last week. He said the ministry is pursuing significant advancements at the Port Authority (PATT) to have its operations and output meet international quality measures.

He added that a key aspect has been the way business is conducted at the PATT. He said a recent example of this came to light when it was brought to his attention that the PATT has a legal matter resulting from the payment of a 30 per cent administrative fee on a contract when the contract in question does not carry that requirement.

He said the need for change is even greater when the institutional issues at the port are coupled with developments in the global and regional environments, in particular the works undertaken in the Panama Canal and the proliferation of Panamax vessels (mid-sized cargo vessels capable of passing through the lock chambers of the Panama Canal).

Sinanan also said there is the intention is to fully operationalise the Inter-Island Ferry Service company to ensure a proper management of the ferry service between the islands. He said that currently, the inter-island service has an operating capacity of 1,800 passengers one way, with a goal to accommodate 3,100 passengers one way (the Jean De La Valette, the MV Galleons Passage and the T&T Spirit)

On Sunday, Sinanan said the Buccoo Reef, which this month was floated out of drydock in Australia, is expected by the end of the year.