TT government denies 14-day port closure; opposition MP provides proof

Works Minister Colm Imbert has denied that the Port of Port of Port of Spain will close for 14 days during the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April, noting that the port will suffer "only a brief interruption" and not a 14-day shutdown.

But opposition MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh has produced the proof after Imbert called him "irresponsible" for making the statement in in Parliament.

Gopeesingh produced a document written by the Port's CEO and sent to business people advising them that, "It is important that port users note that we will be unable to handle any general cargo, paper or car vessels for the period April 9-22, 2009."

Several business confirmed that they have received the same letter but the man who sent those letters is now claiming that claims of a 14-day closure are incorrect and the matter will be cleared up. But in news release he said, "The reality is that the two cruise ships that have been chartered to provide additional accommodation for the large number of visitors expected to for the Summit are scheduled to arrive in Port of Spain at 5 p.m. on Monday April 13, 2009 and to depart at 1 p.m. on Monday April 20, 2009, that is for a period of seven days and not for 14 days and falsely alleged by Dr Gopeesingh.

"Further, during that seven-day period that the cruise ships will be in the port, the port will not be closed down and container operations will continue, except for a brief period over the actual three-day period of the Summit, which is the weekend of April 17-19."

He added: "Dr Gopeesingh's statements are thus highly irresponsible and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms."

In a response to Imbert Monday Gopeesingh stood his ground, saying that his information came from a bulletin issue by the Port. In a news release he categorically denied claims made by Imbert in the media.

Noting the minister's claims there was a "mix up" and the port won't close for 14 days Gopeesingh accused Imbert of merely responding to the opposition's shocking disclosure and he eproduced the supporting evidence.

"The fact is that I quoted DIRECTLY from a Port Bulletin #53 issued by Port CEO Weiger Koonstra issued just last week on January 14. That is where the information came from and it is clear that the shut down of the Port as per this bulletin, would have taken place for two weeks," Gopeesingh said.

The Caroni East MP said when he raised the matter in Parliament Friday both Imbert and Information Minister Neil Parsanlal were present and ta no time did Parsanlal refute or even refer to the Port's shutdown in his response, "nor did Mr Imbert bother to respond".

He said the three-day shutdown that Imbert has now announced is "a placatory response to the public's concern over the previously announced two week shutdown. I am certain the decision to limit the shut down was taken only after the UNC raised the issue and it was highlighted so prominently in the media," Gopeesingh said.