Beyond the ferries fiasco

By Raffique Shah
September 14, 2017

Raffique ShahThe sittings of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament that is probing the procurement process of two ferries, maybe three, were broadcast live on television and are said to have displaced the leading “soaps” in popularity among television and radio audiences. Predictably, they generated juicy scandals that implicated politicians and corporate and professional hustlers who feast on the multi-million-dollar, taxpayer-subsidised Port of Port of Spain (PPOS).

However, nothing that was revealed was unsuspected or original. The population knows the culprits by reputation if not names. But it must have given them some delight to see big men and women squirm in their seats as they admitted to inconvenient truths, probably misconduct in public office, and likely corruption.

The miscreants know, though, that soon another scandal will displace the ferries fiasco from the media headlines. They will quietly retreat into their mansions that were built on ill-gotten gains, monitor their bulging bank accounts and other assets that are outperforming the national economy, and plan their next raid on public funds through lucrative contracts or professional fees, matters not which party is in power.

The ferry service between the islands will continue to be unreliable at best, maybe chaotic, but say what? Those who paraded before the JSC knew all along that it was never intended to address the real problems with the sea-bridge, or call to account those responsible for its failures.

Indeed, in their haste to waste time on this useless probe, the parliamentarians no doubt forgot that in another incarnation merely three years ago (2013-2014), the then JSC charged with probing statutory authorities and state enterprises conducted a comprehensive inquiry into the administration and operations of the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT), which included the inter-island ferry service.

That JSC was chaired by independent senator Victor Wheeler, and included on its 12-member panel Bhoe Tewarie, Tim Gopeesingh, Alicia Hospedales, Kevin Ramnarine and Lester Henry. It held a number of meetings, summoned port officials to appear before it, examined documents, accounts and plans, and reported to Parliament with the number of recommendations.

Specifically pertaining to the sea-bridge, it found that “…in addition to receiving government subsidies for the Inter-Island Ferry Service, the PATT also receives funding from the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). Notwithstanding, it was noted that the PATT suffers an annual loss of approximately over $200 million.”

Between 2005 and 2013, total revenue for the ferry service was $639.5 million, while expenditure amounted to $1.997 billion. In other words, the ferry service over which many interest groups and individuals with dubious agendas are waging war, loses approximately $200 million a year. When this sum is added to the $200 million annual loss in port operations (mostly cargo), some $400 million of taxpayers’ money “drowns” in the murky waters off the port every year. That’s more than a million dollars a day.

Globally, port operations are a good indicator of a country’s trade, hence the state of its economy. Many ports are huge profit centres (Shanghai and Singapore are two leading examples), contributing substantial revenues to their national coffers. In T&T, the PPOS has never made a profit-or if it did, no one remembers when.

That relatively small port employs 770 monthly-paid workers, 44 of them senior managers, and 816 daily-paid workers. I should add that “dock workers” are among the highest-paid in the country’s workforce. Add sundry contractors and consultants, and you get a clearer picture of why PPOS was “born to lose”.

The 2014 JSC report noted of the sea-bridge annual loss: “…The most obvious strategy for increasing revenue is to increase passenger and freight fees. However, we are mindful that current economic and political conditions may render such an option as untenable or politically unattractive…”

So no government will increase the ferry fares, rein in the wanton wastage (overtime payments are astronomical), or rationalise the country’s ports, all because of politics.

Readers should note that the annual subsidy for the air-bridge is approximately $150 million, the water taxis absorb $40 million, and PTSC $140 million.

So while irregularities in the procurement process are relevant to any examination of the failures in the ferry service and port operations, there are more fundamental issues that need to be addressed if we want to staunch the bleeding of public funds at both these entities.

I intentionally provoke an unholy war by advocating the phasing out of PPOS as a cargo port, and the expansion of Port Point Lisas (PPL) as the main cargo hub, with La Brea being secondary. PPOS will be reduced to servicing the inter-island ferries and cruise ships. Increase the ferry fares by maybe 50 percent. And scrap the water taxi service, or completely remove the subsidy it enjoys.

Such radical changes would free up huge acreages of prime PATT real estate that can generate profitable rents. And the city of POS would also be freed of convoys of container-cargo trucks that clog it main arteries every day. With minimal infrastructure enhancements, PPL can become an efficient and profitable port.

I welcome debate on these proposals.

3 thoughts on “Beyond the ferries fiasco”

  1. I like that proposal in shifting the PPOS to Pt. Lisas (the industrial area)and focus on the existing PPOS as the port for ferries and cruise ships. This touched a nerve for me Raff with respect to Caroni.
    After that Spence report for the rationalization and diversification of Caroni and the Rampersad plan with respect to scales of proportion to sugar production i.e., international, regional and domestic. I focused on the industrial diversification of Caroni i.e., Sugar complex (USM), bagasse complex (BC) and the fermentation complex (Caroni) taking into consideration of the topography of the lands. Why? separate cost centres would focus and be accountable for their operations and costs. No point belabouring on this issue as Caroni is unjustifiably defunct. Let me just step in here with respect to the Fermentation complex. A fermentation house producing 45000 gallons of ‘wash’ yielding 6000 gallons of high proof alcohol. The lees and slops instead of going into the Caroni river was reversed and the river water was brought into the cooling ponds of the distillery and the waste was now irrigating the rice project because of the inherent nitrates, phosphates and potash (liquid fertilizer). The fermentation house is now converted from a batch process to an incremental process allowing the production for quality vinegar and bakers yeast and tapping off the carbon dioxide emissions as a refrigerant. The value added products generated from the molasses as a primary waste product an eye opener. and xanthan gums and gluconates further down stream. But some ‘jackasses’ sitting at the management and board level whose contacts cannot deal with import substitution seen by local import houses objected and killed a golden egg. Those members sitting at management and board levels seek their outside interest firstly rather than the local industry growing allowing for the sons and daughters of indentured labourers spearheading research research and development for the existence of a sustainable industry. Similarly with the bagasse complex besides particle boards animal feeds would enhance feed stock for the agricultural diversification programs. Like wise the sugar complex can be scaled for regional or domestic production depending on current market demands adding to refined syrups, cordial etc. as potential products. I can go on and on but this would be of no avail.
    I empathize with you here because vision is in short supply in T&T where there seems to be no let off from yesteryear to current times.

  2. Let’s not compare the ports of Shanghai and Singapore to Port of Spain. These ports are modern, progressive and technical leaders of the world. They cater to thousands of ships per year because of their strategic locations, massive trade with other countries and as fuel stops. They also provide modern off shore docking with the latest equipment for servicing, off loading and reloading.
    Let’s not put T&T on an international standard to which it will never belong. This article outlines the primary reasons which support this conclusion : corruption, overstaffing,passenger subsidies, management and worker incompetence, government bungling,location and unrealistic staff compensation.
    The recommendations regarding Point Lisas as the main cargo hub with La Brea being secondary are extremely worthy of consideration for all the reasons outlined, but brilliant ideas are always ignored in T&T, especially if these ideas challenge the status quo.

  3. The PNM, together with the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union under the leadership of Vernon Glean have had direct play into what the port have become. The union was used as an antagonist by the PNM against the oil workers, whenever the direction Trinidad should take come to a national discourse. Nepotism have historically played a part of PNM’ administration, the UNC is of no exception. The salaries paid to management and hourly workers have always been very high, yet we don’t hear the tightening the belt cry directed to that sector, why? is it because of a voter base? Lucky Jordan personels have become very rich, from the overtime wages paid to the Dock workers in general. Yes, Trinidad need radical change on the port, but is the PNM willing to pay that political price while empowering Point Lisas and La Brea? an unholy war you have provoked indeed Brother Raf, are you asking for a PNM strong hold to be broken? major push back i expect you to get for this column of truth, but then remember Trinidad was created on corruption and every cook and crook are well entrench.When the Trinidad Gov’t approaches the IMF and World Bank, subsidies given to state businesses will have to go, i can see a lot of Trinbagonians on their knees praying for the price of oil to increase on the World market, I’m also seeing weeping and gnashing of teeth, December, we will see, according to PM Rowley.

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