Advisory Council for Public Infrastructure Ministry sworn in

…to recommend policies to improve maritime transportation

The Public Infrastructure Ministry has revived the Transport and Harbour Department Advisory Council, and the group has been installed with a mandate from Government to modernise transport services offered to the public.
This is according to Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson, during the swearing-in ceremony at the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s boardroom. Ferguson said that the resuscitated Council would work in tangent with the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD).
“I firmly believe that rather than everything coming to the Ministers, the Advisory Council must be able to function independently, [and] provide me with the necessary direction of the T&HD. The T&HD really needs the assistance and, as the Minister, I cannot do it alone…so once you have the competent people on the Advisory Council, they will be in the position to give us the necessary guidance and direction, so as to make informed policies to charter this particular organisation forward,” Ferguson said.
She further challenged the new Council to address a number of areas, including the staffing and administration of T&HD and enhancing the operations and services offered. In addition, she charged the Council to formulate policies and regulations aimed at improving efficiency.
Ferguson also noted that the resuscitation played into the Government’s mandate of accountability. In addition, the Minister referenced that the law relating to the functions of the Department made provision for an advisory body.
“What I would like to see is us moving away from the purchasing of tickets. The current arrangement is that if you are travelling to Essequibo and you turn up at Parika, you now have to turn up at the ticket booth to purchase a ticket. So I would like to see us moving away from that and doing it online. Technology is advancing. So I would like to see this council bring it to my attention. The other thing I would like to see is a reduction of the travel time,” she added.
According to Ferguson, safety issues will also form a major part of the Council’s mandate. Enhancing safety procedures and reducing travel times on T&HD vessels were cited as other areas of opportunity.
The Council will be chaired by Basil Blackman, while the other members will be T&HD head Marclene Merchant, as Deputy Chair Ayesha Edwards, Leon Castello, Louise Williams, Sandra Jones, and Saheed Sulaman.