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THE
PATH WE HAVE TRAVELLED
By Ludlow A.
Stewart, CSA Past
President
Delivered at a CSA panel discussion in Grenada, October 19, 1999
In order to understand
the present and address our future, we need to know our history; we need to
recall the path which brought us here. And for us to address the future we
need to be aware. Aware of changing circumstances; aware of our ignorance;
aware of our responsibility to facilitate change. We need to be aware of the
fact that the world will not wait on us. Therefore, we fall behind at our peril.
The Caribbean Shipping
Association developed out of one territory’s success in port development.
Historically, Caribbean life and economic development depended on shipping.
Most everything that was needed here had to come on ships and almost all we
produced left on ships. So in a profound way, we literally depended on
shipping and the ports for survival, more so than people in continental
countries.
The Caribbean Shipping
Association was formed out of interaction and alliances between Caribbean
shipping people, mainly Shipping Agents and Private Stevedoring companies.
The Association became a reality because the men of the Shipping Association
of Jamaica were willing to share, openly and freely, their experiences in
successfully negotiating with the trade unions. The establishment of the CSA
was made possible because the members of the Jamaican Association were smart
enough to see that unity and the exchange of ideas and concepts could help
to develop a strong Caribbean shipping industry.
Despite the fact that
our Caribbean Association was formed by individuals and national
associations who had to battle the strident trade unionism of lions like
Butler (in Trinidad); Gairy (in Grenada); and, Bustamante (in Jamaica), the
CSA was at first somewhat of a pussy cat. It bore little of the fighting
characteristics of the Associations which comprised its membership. In fact,
the CSA was a politically docile organization, unwilling -- perhaps even
afraid -- to be publicly controversial.
Meetings of the CSA
were, characteristically, philosophical and intellectually stimulating. As
an organization, the CSA was a gentle, quiet body which few people in the
Caribbean even knew about -- neither government nor private sector. In
short, as far as public issues were concerned, the CSA had no mouth and
therefore had no clout. But it was doing a lot, quietly, for the development
of regional shipping. This is the history and I do not expect that
intelligent minds will confuse my recalling history with criticism. I am not
here to be critical. My task is to put this great Association in a
historical context.
By the time the
Association celebrated its 10th anniversary, our yearly meetings were firmly
established. Other territories saw:
* real worth in having
a forum which allowed discussion and debate of issues and trends in
shipping;
* real value in
interacting formally and informally with people of other countries of the
Region who also worked in shipping;
* real benefit in the
intellectual discourses and deliberations that had become a feature of CSA
general meetings.
By this time
(that is, by its 10th. anniversary), the Association was fairly well known in the shipping industry
of the wider Caribbean. It had taken ten years but the CSA was beginning to
gain acceptance as an organization through which development could be
inspired; promoted; and, assisted. Early in the second decade of the
Association’s existence, new developments and some bold changes were
pursued.
In fact, in1981, for
the first time in the CSA’s history, representatives from Regional and
international shipping interests were addressed on the Association’s
policies and plans. By that year, the CSA had thrown off its uncertainties
about being controversial and publicly declared its support for the recently
announced Caribbean Basin Initiative even while some governments,
organizations and individuals were still uncertain about their position on
this USA initiative. Indeed, the Association was criticized for its support
of the CBI by some who later came to support that initiative.
By 1982, the CSA had
developed and presented its first training seminar in Barbados. Over the
years, these training opportunities have been expanded and are now permanent
in the Association’s calendar of events.
The CSA had obviously
matured and had established its credibility. Symbols were developed and the
CSA flag flew from flagstaffs at the venues where we met, while our meetings
were in session. A gavel, the symbol of authority of the chair, was acquired
and symbolically handed over to the new President when he took office. These
symbols are no longer in evidence today but, at the time, they expressed
seriousness and a sense of history. The CSA had established its own
immortality. Members may wish to discuss whether these symbols are important
and whether today they are worthy and relevant enough to be revived.
In 1983, with the
emphasis on development and the need to expand the CSA’s influence on
Regional maritime matters, audience was obtained with the then CARICOM
Secretary General, Roderick Rainford. The Secretary General was informed
about the CSA’s activities and its desire for membership on the Maritime
Transport Committee. This was a formal introduction of the CSA to CARICOM
and a relationship was established where a representative from the CARICOM
Secretariat attended most CSA meetings and addressed a number of CSA
plenaries and Group meetings.
The CSA was already
being recognized as the voice of the Caribbean shipping industry and the
Association was by this being invited to attend meetings and conferences;
and, to address regional and international trade and business groups.
Interests from outside the region registered for our meetings, as Observers
and many subsequently became members.
Whilst the founding
fathers of the CSA must be commended for their foresight in establishing and
guiding this Association through the early years; and those that came after,
for sustaining and building on those foundations, today (1999) the
Association is at a cross road. We have moved from being an Association of
Shipping Agents and Private Stevedores, to a truly multinational,
multi-faceted Association, with a mouth and with clout.
All the players in the
mainstream of the shipping industry are today represented in this
Association. The Agents and Private Stevedores are here; the port and wharf
owners and operators are here; shipping lines and operators of ships are
here. I also see cargo consolidators, truckers, lawyers. I see people who
manufacture and sell equipment. I see organizations that provide allied
services; information and software for the shipping industry of the
Caribbean. And we are all working together in harmony and, sometimes, in
unison. We have even contemplated whether to add another group to broaden
our membership base.
In 29 short years this
Association has come from nowhere to the point where we are regularly
addressed by Prime Ministers and Ministers of Government.
* We are training
shipping personnel in seminars and via satellite.
* We have our own
publications: a Handbook of Caribbean Ports; the Caribbean Shipping Journal;
and, of course, our own quarterly newsletter. Our news releases are
published all over the Caribbean and in respected international
publications.
* We are the only
Regional Association with membership in both private and public sectors;
from all four language groups; and, from North, Central, South America and
the Caribbean.
Yes, we have come a
far way. The question I now put on the table is: Where do we go from here?
Let us first accept
one basic fact. The Caribbean Shipping Association is all of us – we here in
this room and the members who couldn’t make it to the meeting. The Caribbean
Shipping Association is not the General Council nor is it the Secretariat.
And so there is little the CSA can do without the broad, solid support of
the membership.
As individuals and as
members of the CSA, we must recognize that we now live in a different age.
We must accept that we live in an era driven by technology. We cannot get
away from this fact; we cannot hide from reality.
We cannot afford to
isolate ourselves from the technologies of our time while the rest of the
world use the same technologies to get ahead. We need to be aware. We need
to be conscious about the demands of our time.
*The world of today
has embraced new management systems for example, ISO-9002 – (Business
Management System). * Much more is demanded of the manager, not only in
shipping but in every aspect of business. We need to be aware of this,
otherwise we will not expose ourselves to the training required to make us
viable in this changing world.
Our principals, our
customers, our staff have increased expectations. More is demanded of us –
in terms of efficiency, quality and effectiveness. How will we deliver if we
are not conscious of this? How will we survive in business if we are not
aware of what is required to allow us to deliver?
For example, the world
of today has adopted environmental issues as central to all aspects of life,
note ISO-14002 – (Environment Management System). The environment is no
longer something that the ‘do-gooders’ in our midst talk about.
Environmental issues have been moved to the board room table. Are we aware
of this? Are we aware that soon we may not be able to do business with the
wider world if we do not have in place systems for caring and protecting the
environment. And, if we are aware of these new trends and developments, are
we prepared, as of now, to meet the new expectations? Are we prepared to
take up these challenges?
And how are we going
to do it? Realistically, how are we going to use the technologies of the day
to meet the expectations of our principals and our clients? Are we going to
try and live in the 21st century with the methods and approaches we had
already exhausted in the 20th century?
Do we seriously think
we can continue to train people in the same old way, using the same old
methods that were used to train us? To use the words of our Training
Coordinator: “There has to be a revolutionary change to our training
methods.” Are we prepared to change?
I wonder about this,
for example, when I see initiatives to design and implement new approaches
bogged down simply because individuals do not make the time to fill out
simple questionnaires.
I fear for our future,
when I see senior managers, like ostriches with their head in the sand,
ignoring training opportunities being offered. Are we as managers prepared
to lead? Are we as managers prepared to read?
As managers and
leaders, are we prepared to assist and empower this Association to bring us
all into the 21st century? We do need to ponder these points seriously and
urgently.
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