State owned companies, such as the Port Authority of T&T (PATT), can operate as efficiently as private sector companies, Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz said yesterday.
Cadiz said in the past there had been no real incentive to make the state agencies efficient because if they needed funds they would just call the Ministry of Finance.
"We have the Port of Port-of-Spain's sister port, Plipdeco, which turns a profit. We can put our heads together and make the Port of Port-of-Spain what it should be," he said when he spoke at signing of a framework agreement on new work place practices between the PATT and the Seamen and Waterfront Workers' Trade Union (SWWTU) at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain.
Cadiz gave the example of the National Helicopter Company which is expected to record a profit of $70 million this financial year. He said other state owned companies can do the same.
"This means if you create the efficiency and the profits, you are now in a position where everyone is connected to benefit from this. That is the intention, for the Port of Port-of-Spain, to be listed in the top ten or top 20 ports in the world, in the region or in the Western Hemisphere. This has to be a port where people want to go to and carry their business," he said.
Some of the main items agreed upon in the new agreement is a work roster system comprising of a continuous 12-hour shift, 24/7 system. This will replace the old arrangement of eight-hour shifts operating from Monday to Friday, with weekend overtime as required.
The new work practices will facilitate multi-function roles to improve overall productivity rates and a productivity incentive programme will be introduced. In addition, there will be a reconfiguration of work gangs for flexibility and productivity enhancement.
PATT CEO Satnarine Bachew said the new work practices were developed after benchmarking against current global port operations.
"The expectation is to have increased efficiency and productivity. This would result in the customer having a better experience, as it relates to reduced dwell time with respect to port operations. These improvements are all part of a transformation programme designed to make the port more competitive in the global maritime industry, more profitable, economically viable and sustainable in the future." he said.
Michael Annisette, president of the SWWTU, said: "We operate in a global environment and cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that the world is not changing. If the Port of Port-of-Spain is to survive in the global market we need to understand international best practices."