The Montserrat Port Authority (MPA) following its participation at the recently concluded 17th Annual General Meeting of Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) hosted by the St Martin Harbor Group of Companies, during June 25 – 27, 2014, is reporting that the MPA is the recipient of the prestigious Novaport Cup award.
This is the third time the MPA has won the award which was made the PMAC meeting held at the Westin St. Maarten, Dawn Beach, Resort and Spa, St. Maarten.
Since 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.
Joseph O’Garro, MPA Manager
Mr. Joseph O’Garro, Manager of the MPA, in a release explained that he accepted the award, with humility on behalf of the consummate effort of a dedicated team comprising Management and Staff. He said he feels honored to be given the opportunity to have led this dynamic team during the 2013 year, which he joined in April 2013.
He explained that since he joined the MPA, he 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.
He continues, “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 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.
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.
O’Garro reported that 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
He said 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 MPAwill 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.
