One of the busiest Presidents in CSA history declares ...

Mission Accomplished!

Fernando Rivera accounts for three years of toil - 2006 to 2009

2009, October 21: Fernando Rivera was perhaps one of the busiest Presidents the CSA has had. He traveled a lot for the CSA, ensuring that the Association was seen and heard in any forum that regional shipping and trade was to be discussed. Long were the lonely hours in flight and bothersome airport security checks as Fernando Rivera took the plans and message of the CSA to the region and the world. In the end, after the three year maximum service allowed by the CSA constitution, the 14th President of the Association remarked “ … it’s like a full time job”.

Fernando Rivera turned the CSA and the role of President into a full time job. He rarely turned down an invitation to represent the CSA, even when he bent under the weight of his other full time job at Harbor Bunkering. As far as the 14th President of the CSA was concerned, he was elected to give it his best shot and he was determined from day one to do just that.

On October 14, when he handed over the reins to President-elect Carlos Urriola-Tam, Fernando Rivera declared mission accomplished.  He said:

When I first addressed you three years ago, I told you all that I had three main objectives:

• To improve our training programme.

• To improve our relationships and partnership with other organizations in the region.

• To improve our security within the region with emphasis on small territories.

TRAINING

"As regards Training, we broke new ground by negotiating and signing a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.

"We have developed a year-round training programme with the help of not only the Catholic University but also the CSA Cruise Committee, the Caribbean Maritime Institute, the Dutch Caribbean Training Centre, the Puerto Rico Shipping Association, the US Coast Guard and others. I have something very important to say when I talk about security later on.

"We implemented training seminars/workshops after each CSA conference. These workshops have been directed mainly at the shipping industry in countries hosting our conferences and, as such, participation of local persons have been free of cost. courtesy of the CSA. These workshops have been expanding and improving. In fact, the CSA broke history during my tenure by hosting the largest single training event in its history when we had a workshop in Cartagena in May of this year immediately following our Caribbean Shipping Executives Conference.

"In support of our expanded training initiatives, we developed a special section on the CSA website for training information and opportunities. Now by a click of your mouse, you can see what training events are available in the Region for the development of your human resources.

"We have started discussions with one of our new members Svitzer Salvage with a view to collaborating with them in their Training programme on salvage issues.

INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

"We expanded our reach and influence by establishing working relationships with other Caribbean organizations. The CSA has been a long time partner with CARICOM where we have observer status; and with the Association of Caribbean States, with which we are a Social Partner.

"During my tenure, the CSA signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Organization of American States Committee on Ports. We became an Associate Member of the Port Managers Association. We developed a working relationship with Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) and Florida Ship Owners Group with respect to our Port Award competition. We also developed an excellent relationship with the United States Coast Guard and the US Navy."

PORT SECURITY

As regards work completed with respect to beefing up the port security of the region's sea terminals, especially in the smaller Caribbean states, the outgoing CSA President accounted in his year-end report.

"As you know we have worked very close with the US Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy addressing the security issues in the Region and to find ways in which we can help our members and more importantly to see the needs of every territory in the Greater Caribbean. Today, I can tell you that we are close to a start in working on the CSA Security Assessment Council that we have discussed during the last three years. As previously reported we had three security seminars in Puerto Rico with the collaboration of the USCG during the months of January, February and June and with the participation of FSO from territories such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, The Cayman Islands, Antigua and Puerto Rico.

"The result of these seminars was the creation of an Assessment Report for all participant territories. Included in this assessment is the current security situation in their ports; what are their current needs regarding equipment and training; and, plans to improve in this area. As of today we have received assessment reports from four territories. We expect to receive the others within the next few weeks. Once all are received, they will be sent to the CSA and will be kept very confidential.

"Once we have all the assessments, it is my recommendation to the new President to name the Security Assessment Council so we can begin looking at viable alternatives to help those territories with their most important needs. We have a commitment from the US Coast Guard and the US Navy to be our consultants and to work with us in this project as a partner and not as a law enforcement unit and I can attest that those are really their intentions.

"My friends, we have worked very hard on this and we should take advantage of this project. I encourage all other territories that did not attend the seminars in Puerto Rico to let us know that they want to participate and we will supply all the necessary documents.

"My gratitude to the USCG and the US Navy for all the cooperation and assistance that we have received.

"My dear friends, the time has come for somebody else to run this organization and I have to be very pleased with the selection of Carlos Urriola-Tam as your new President. Carlos is very knowledgeable but, what is more important, he cares very much about the organization and its members. To Carlos our new President, I wish you the best of luck and, as I said, I will be here to give you unconditional support in any matter or situation you may think you need my help.

"No doubt, this was one of the best and most challenging experiences of my professional career. I thank you for the opportunity to serve. "

 * NEW PRESIDENT INSPIRED, ENERGIZED ... more

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