US donates special ID card-producing equipment for ports

Jun 02, 2018 News

From left- Minister Annette Ferguson, Ambassador Perry Holloway, Director General of MARAD, Claudette Rogers and Minister David Patterson with the equipment yesterday.

The US Embassy has donated equipment that will produce special access identification cards for port workers.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, through its Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), received a Transportation Workers Identification Card System (TWIC) from the United States Embassy in Guyana.
The ceremony took place at the Kingston office of MARAD.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, disclosed that “in 2014, a team from MARAD paid a visit to Louisanna where they benefitted from the US Transportation Workers Identification Card System called TWIC and discussion as to how the Maritime Administration can implement such a system at its port facilities.
“In Guyana, the card will be known as PSAC, pronounced as “P-Sac” which means Port Security Access Card.”
Minister Patterson further stated, “The purpose of the machine is intended to produce identification cards for all employees working at port facilities and reduce the security checks for other stakeholders who frequent port facilities.”
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, said, “Since 2010 the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) has provided over $437M in funds for training and equipment in the Caribbean. Today’s handover of equipment to MARAD is yet another piece of technical assistance designed to help ensure our mutual security in the region.”
Ambassador Holloway also stated that the “ID card will allow MARAD to have greater governmental oversight on who is allowed access to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code complaint facilities in Guyana.”
Persons desirous of working as port security officers will have to go through and complete four modules of training in ISPS Security, First Aid, Security Communications and Skill at Arms.
The handing over ceremony was done in the boardroom of MARAD.
Also attending the handing over ceremony were the Annette Ferguson, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure; Director General of MARAD, Claudette Rogers; Permanent Secretary of MOPI, Kenneth Jordan and other representatives from MARAD, MOPI and the US Embassy.

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