( l - r ) Urriola-Tam, Rivera

Newly elected president of the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA), Carlos Urriola-Tam, said it is his intention to ensure that the CSA continues to be the place where members go for solutions.

Addressing delegates at the recently concluded 39th annual general meeting of the CSA held in Suriname, Urriola-Tam said he is cognisant of the fact that revenues and volumes are down and morale is sinking. Despite this, however, he said the CSA, unlike many other groups, has the resources for finding solutions.

"The volume and high quality of the information, analyses and ideas which have flowed through the CSA have enlightened, empowered and encouraged us in our daily tasks of building successful maritime organisations in our respective territories. The CSA has been, for the shipping industry of the region, a one-stop-shop for growth and development," Urriola-Tam said.

The new president assured delegates that he would build on the foundation laid by the 14 presidents before him over the last 40 years to carry out the process and improve and expand with the support of the respective territories.

Inspired

"Be assured that I am inspired by the growth that has taken place in this association over almost 40 years. I am encouraged by the quality of the membership of General Council and the intellectual capabilities which this association possesses in its membership. I am energised by the challenges that lie ahead and I am humbled by the confidence which you have now expressed in me," Urriola-Tam expressed.

Immediate past president, Fernando Rivera, reflecting on his three-year tenure, declared it a mission accomplished. Rivera stated that when he took office three years ago, he had three main objectives: to improve the training programme; to improve the relationships and partnership with other organisations in the region and to improve the security within the region with emphasis on small territories.

He noted that the association was successful in accomplishing the tasks that were set. The CSA, he stated, broke new ground with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico to develop a year-round training programme along with the CSA's Cruise Committee, the Caribbean Maritime Institute, the Dutch Caribbean Training Centre, the Puerto Rico Shipping Association, the United States Coast Guard, as well as other organisations.

"We implemented training seminars/workshops after each CSA conference, directed mainly at the shipping industry in countries hosting our conferences. 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," Rivera said.

Other accomplishments, Rivera pointed out, included a memorandum of cooperation with the Organisation of American States Committee on Ports, membership to the Port Managers Association, the development of a working relationship with the Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) and Florida Ship Owners Group with respect to the CSA's port awards competition as well as the development of an excellent relationship with the United States Coast Guard and the US Navy.

Port security

On the issue of port security, Rivera said the CSA has worked closely with the US Coast Guard and the US Navy to address security issues in the region and to find ways in which the association can help its members and, more important, to see the needs of every territory in the Greater Caribbean. To this end, the CSA is on the verge to start working on the CSA Security Assessment Council.

In concluding Rivera said, "No doubt, this was one of the best and most challenging experiences of my professional career."

The 2008-2009 members of the Caribbean Shipping Association's General Council (from left): Cassandra Brown, secretary and membership services manager; Robert Foster, Group A chair; Francis Camacho, Group A representative; Carlos Urriola-Tam, vice-president; Grantley Stephenson, Group B chair; David Jean-Marie, Group B representative; Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester, immediate past president; David Ross, Group C representative; Fernando Rivera, president; Clive Forbes, general manager; Michael Bernard, Group A representative; Cyril Seyjagat, Group C chair; and Ian Deosaran, Group A representative.