Maritime Policy for St. Lucia

THE conference room of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ports Services in Union is currently hosting the inaugural Maritime Transports Workshop.

Christopher Alexander, Director of Maritime Affairs at the St. Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority (SLASPA) said the purpose of the three day workshop is to explore the possibility of managing efficiency and environmental friendliness in the maritime sector with the aim of producing a national maritime policy for Saint Lucia.

The three day workshop is facilitated by SLASPA, through the government of St.Lucia, with technical assistance from the International Maritime Organization and World Maritime University. A number of government ministries and agencies are on board including the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and Customs and Excise.

Alexander said: “We want shipping to prosper, to provide more and better employment and to drive innovation, so that it can serve a flexible, sustainable and competitive environment.

“Today, we are faced with a different set of challenges. Globally, we are grappling with the effects of rapid technological shifts including the emergence of mega vessels, an industry-wide manpower crunch, and at the same time, the need to tighten environmental regulations. It will be an increasingly complex environment for maritime players. Nonetheless, I am confident that we will continue to do well if we can embrace that same ‘can do it spirit’ and commitment”, Alexander noted.

Saint Lucia’s economic development has relied heavily on maritime transport and as a coastal state had to depend on over 80 percent of trade through its maritime domain ports of call. It was no coincidence, Alexander said that development historically had taken place close to water. The key to economic prosperity goes through trade and very often trade relies on seaborne transport.

Alexander said: “We should not forget passenger traffic; with increases in cruise ships and the expanding ferry services from the French islands and the important Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) with the influx of hundreds of yachts. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Maritime Transportation committee is still trying to complete an introduction of Regional Ferry Services”.

He added: “This is a two way relationship between this sector and the overall economy; on the one hand the maritime sector depends on economic activities to prosper, on the other hand our border economy cannot prosper unless we have a well-functioning maritime sector”.

Alexander said the respective authorities had taken strategic decisions in the maritime sector with the advent of Maritime Boundaries Delimitation Agreement with Barbados and now the ongoing discussions with St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He added: “I must applaud the leadership of Mr. Crispin Auvergne, (Ambassador) June Soomer and the other government agencies for the success of the negotiations. The benefits are numerous, from resource exploration, fisheries to navigational rights”.

Alexander took time out to acknowledge Vidal Jules of the Attorney General’s Office who he said, had worked tirelessly and patiently alongside the Maritime Division in an effort to modernize the maritime legislative framework of Saint Lucia “as we manoeuver to establish an Open Ship Registry”