PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES X-RAY EQUIPMENT

Prime Minister P.J Patterson launched two important pieces of X-ray equipment for the Kingston and Montego Bay Port on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2004.

In launching the x-ray equipment, Prime Minister Patterson thanked US Ambassador Sue Cobb for 'the significant assistance and support from the US Embassy to our initiatives to restructure and upgrade our port security systems', a requirement to retain the status of a viable international maritime getaway. He went on to highlight the fact that the launch marked a most important component of our port operations related to the security of the island's as well as the continued viability as a competitive player in maritime transport, foreign trade and the transhipment market.

In July of 2003 the Port Authority, the Agency under the Ministry of Transport and Works responsible for maritime matters, signed a contract with two US based companies for the procurement of X-ray Inspection equipment to be deployed in our port security system. That purchase include:

• 5 VACIS Cobalt 60 Gamma Ray Systems for inspection of containers and
• 5 VACIS Pallet Cobalt 60 Gamma Ray systems for inspection of packages

The first of the two X-Ray systems was the one launched on March 2nd.

The events of 9/11 have made sure that security at the Jamaican ports are accorded great priority. This because the country has always been sensitive to obligations to protect the integrity of the country's foreign trade transhipment market. When one considers the ravages that the international drug trade, the smuggling of small arms and contraband including the movement of nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological can unleash on a country's economy, then the security measures are more than well needed.

By ensuring the Port's security, Jamaica protect its ability to participate in international trade, particularly with its major trading partners - the US, Canada and Europe which could be jeopardised if the Government lacks the capacity to ensure that the sector is not used as a vehicle to carry out terrorists acts against another country. All this against a background where there are restrictions being placed on imports to the US, Canada and Western Europe from countries that are not taking appropriate measures to build their capacity to prevent terrorism.

New security measures include:

• stepped up security measures at the island's international airports
• the new mechanisms to improve significantly the capacity of immigration service to process visitors entering and leaving Jamaica.
• The new security measures at the cruise ship ports
• Placing security cameras in customs; the recent ratification of the Palermo Convention on Transnational Organised crime
• The anti-terrorism Bill now pending before Parliament
• Legal authority to carry out investigations as appropriate on possible terrorist activities
• The ability to be able to exchange information with foreign authorities and
• To prosecute alleged terrorists and their supporters when found within Jamaica's jurisdiction.
  

Advanced and sophisticated standards for port security are not optional - they are an imperative. In order to meet these new standards, each country participating in world trade are required to implement new measures to prevent and suppress terrorism against ships and to improve security aboard and ashore in order to reduce the risk to passengers, crew and post personnel on board ships and in port areas and to vessels and cargoes.

Jamaica has always taken the business of security seriously and so far X-ray inspection of containers in the Ports of Kingston and Montego Bay is an important component of these measures. The collaborative efforts of the private and public sectors have done a great deal in terms of assisting in this regard.

Jamaica's ports continue to do well - last year for instance the country's ports accommodated 3,843 ship calls handling 25.08 million metric tons of cargo. The Container Transshipment Port recorded throughout volumes of 1.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU's), the first achievement of a million TEU's Growth of 5% is projected for this year. Additionally, 491 ship calls were made to bauxite ports transporting 11.49 Million metric tons of cargo.

Jamaica remains among the top producers of bauxite related materials and is a critical player in the international aluminium industry. The island's output of bauxite and alumina is shipped overseas and hence port operations are a vital part of the infrastructure that supports the industry. There is a new and dynamic phase of expansion in this particular industry. Just recently, the JAMALCO plant completed a 25% expansion (250,000 tonnes involving over US$115M) and ALPART is in the final stages of a 150,000 tonnes expansion.

With respect to Cruise Shipping, long term arrangements are being negotiated by the Port Authority of Jamaica with the industry players and will require expansion of port facilities in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios and the full revitalisation of Port Antonio.

The transhipment port is internationally known as one of the major modern ports in the Americas, and a leading Hub Port in the Central American and Caribbean region. From an initial investment of J$11.8M assets were valued at J$13.7B as of March, 2003.

As of 2005, countries of the hemisphere will consolidate the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) establishing the largest free trade area in the world with a population of 800 million and having enormous transhipment potential for our port sector. Industry experts have forecast container throughput handled by Caribbean and Central American ports at 21 million T.E.U's in the year 2010.