MPA
Saturday, July 26, 2014
The Montserrat Port Authority (MPA) was the recipient of the prestigious Novaport Cup awarded by the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) at the recently concluded 17th Annual General Meeting of PMAC hosted by the St Martin Harbor Group of Companies, during June 25 – 27, 2014, at the Westin St. Maarten, Dawn Beach, Resort and Spa, St. Maarten.
Commencing in the year 1987, the Novaport award is presented annually by PMAC to the Member Port which has exhibited the most improved performance when compared to the previous year. The competing members are benchmarked in port operational efficiency based on comparative cargo volumes, operational efficiency, standards and best practices.
The Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) conducted the comparative analysis of the participating PMAC members for the period 2012-2013 and adjudged Montserrat victorious. The Saint Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) was successful in winning the top spot for the previous two years with Barbados winning in 2010 & 2011. Montserrat previously held the award in 1998 and 2003.
Mr. Joseph O’Garro, Manager of the MPA, accepted the award, with humility. He indicated that it was a consummate effort by the dedicated team of Management and Staff of the MPA and he feels honored to be given the opportunity to have led this dynamic team during the 2013 year.
Mr. O’Garro who joined the MPA in April 2013, has focused on improving the MPA’s internal culture, improving the internal atmosphere in the workplace and the efficiency with which it operates, as well as the way in which its employees interact with the public.
“The values and culture at the MPA are built around customer service, teamwork, accountability and respect for employees,” he says. “That’s not to say those values were not part of the operation prior to the commencement of my tenure, however it is part of my mandate to strengthen all those values and generally improve the culture of the organization and in so doing the productivity and efficiency of the MPA.
“I want to make sure the workplace is a satisfying and productive one, because, as we all know, happy employees are productive employees.
The seventeenth Annual General Meeting has been one of the Association’s largest, due to the participation of forty-six (46) delegates representing eleven member ports, six (6) Associate Member companies, and ten Technical Speakers and Presenters.
The AGM afforded participants the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue on a range of subjects including:-
• Inter-island LCL Initiative
• Evolution of Cruise Tourism and Its Impact on Cruise and Cargo Operations
• Sustainable Harbor Development through Holistic EIA and Environmental Monitoring and Management Plans
• Competency Based Training and Certification of Dockworkers Automation of St Maarten Harbour
• Electronic Freight Exchange Platform for Shipping in the Caribbean and Latin America
The major objective of PMAC ( http://pmac-ports.com ) is to improve the proficiency of member ports and the quality of services offered to their users, specifically through the facilitation of relevant training designed to maximize human resources, develop worker competencies, and meet the ever increasing challenges of the global environment.
Moreover, amidst developments within the maritime industry, the Association strives to remain relevant by providing critical services to members, which entail the sharing of experience, information and ideas, training and development, as well as lobbying, advocacy and representation at governmental and multilateral levels.
The Montserrat Port Authority was featured in the January 2014 issue of Business World Magazine in the article “The Port of Possibilities - Montserrat project’s success is vital to island’s future” - http://www.businessworld-international.com/brochures/2014/jan/mpa/#8
The MPA will also be featured in the inaugural publication of the PMAC flagship magazine PORTSIDE to be published in October 2014, with a photographic depiction of the rebuilding of Montserrat's maritime infrastructure.
