By Sue-Ann Wayow
CONTAINERS filled with cargo are taking too long to be processed at the Port in Port of Spain.
As a result, the consumer will have to pay the high price for goods due to additional costs incurred.
Member of Parliament for Mayaro Rushton Paray is calling on Finance Minister Colm Imbert to bring an immediate solution to what he said was a growing crisis.
“Red tape is causing delays in the release of shipping containers from the port of Port of Spain to importers and manufacturers,” he stated in a release on Wednesday.
Paray said, “The hold-ups are being caused by the slow pace of processing at the Container Examination Station (CES). This has caused a major backlog, with many containers being held back by more than a week. The undue waiting interval is having a ripple effect, with hauliers and other service providers being adversely affected.”
The setback was unwarranted especially at a time when many businesses were struggling to stay afloat in the aftermath of the Covid-19 shutdown, the Opposition’s Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry stated.
The Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber of Industry and Commerce has written to port authorities asking for a meeting to discuss their issues and to make proposals as to how port time could be decreased.
Paray said he supported that call.
“Failure to settle this matter expeditiously could lead to a further increase in the cost of living, with consumers having to absorb the costs of port storage and demurrage charges,” he said.
Chamber looking forward to meeting with port
Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber President Mukesh Ramsingh speaking with AZP News on the matter said he was still awaiting a response from the port after the Chamber wrote to them on Monday.
He said the Chamber has received numerous complaints from business owners whose containers have remained additional time ranging from two weeks to six weeks having to pay between US$1000 to US$5000 in demurrage.
Ramsingh said, “We cannot blame the global supply anymore. The cost of freight, most of which come from China has decreased greatly and the supply chain is a bit normalised.”
Consumers should expect to see a decrease in shelf prices in the coming months as businesses began paying less since about last year November he said.
Ramsingh said, “For past, present and future, no business should have to incur extra cost due to the system at the port.”
He said once a meeting was allowed, the Chamber would be making suggestions to have more efficiency at the port.
Ramsingh also told AZP News that containers were being checked 100 per cent which was unnecessary and contributing to the backlog.
No reason is being given by the port for the delays which Ramsingh is hoping to find out at the meeting.
He said the port was equipped with scanners to detect contraband goods and that process was not painstakingly long.
Ramsingh said business owners at times had the option of having the containers inspected at their premises and have no problem paying the overtime cost for that.
However, that option is not being allowed currently he said.
