The dispute between the marine pilots and their former employers in Freeport has been taken to another level, with a top official of the International Marine Pilots' Association (IMPA) telling an international conference that there are "dismal standards" for pilotage in Freeport Harbour.
Throwing his support behind the Bahamas Marine Pilots Association (BMPA), Nick Cutmore, secretary general of IMPA, told delegates at the 22nd IMPA Congress in Panama that he was shocked to learn about the situation in Freeport as it relates to pilotage when he was invited there by the BMPA earlier this year.
Cutmore said, "You'll remember a battle at the International Maritime Organization over new rules they wanted to introduce over pilots, following, amongst other things, an accident involving one of their vessels in Canada. Notwithstanding the fact that the vessel in question had a steering failure, and the fact that the authorities in Canada were already investigating it, the distinguished delegate from The Bahamas decided they needed new rules for your profession.
"Imagine my surprise, then, two weeks ago, to find in The Bahamas' own backyard as far as pilotage is concerned, dismal standards, no oversight, commercial expediency, a
long list of accidents and just plain stupidity.
"The pilots there are trying to form themselves into one cohesive group and shake off the sloppiness ...They are struggling and they have all resigned their posts to press the issue. I would like you to think about that. That's a staggering leap of faith. I am pleased we have a representative here from The Bahamas and I hope you'll be able to hear him on Friday," said the IMPA secretary general.
Fifteen marine pilots resigned their posts with the Freeport Harbour Company and the Bahamas Oil Refining Company International Limited (BORCO) in early March, alleging concerns over a lack of sufficient training and oversight, and committing themselves to forming an independent pilotage authority that would allow them to provide their piloting services to large vessels entering Freeport Harbour free of commercial pressures.
Their former employers, the FHC and BORCO have denied any safety issues exist at the harbor, and refute the pilots' claims that independent pilotage is necessary to ensure safety of the vessels entering. They have stated that the pilots are being motivated by profit alone, and they have hired replacement pilots.
The companies assert that business is continuing as usual, but the former pilots say that there are not enough pilots and they do not have sufficient experience.
The BMPA pilots have been seeking to obtain a business license which would give them the opportunity to continue to provide their piloting services, but have struggled to do so given what their attorney, former GBPA in-house counsel, Carey Leonard, called "unusual" delays in the process.
Yesterday, BMPA Managing Director, Erin Carey, said they see "no solution" to the situation, as yet, and they continue to believe there are too few pilots operating at present.
"All we have requested is that the government issue us a license to pilot as a company. All of the pilots are already individually licensed. We are waiting for the Ministry of Transport," said Ferguson.
Guardian Business sources close to the matter have previously alleged that at the heart of the situation is concern over the loss of revenue to the Freeport Harbour Company if they allow private marine pilots to provide services, rather than collecting the service fees themselves.
In a statement issued yesterday, Minister of Transport, Glenys Hanna-Martin, suggested that the government does not consider the matter resolved.
"The government through several ministries has been in dialogue with the relevant stakeholders and we are hopeful of an amicable solution for all concerned," she said.
Offered an opportunity to respond to Cutmore's comments yesterday neither the FHC or BORCO chose to do so.
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