Policy to clarify role, says Mumu

By MELYNE BAROI
A PORT policy is needed to clarify different functions and operations of port agencies to prevent misinterpretation of roles, says secretary for Department of Transport and director for capacity development project Roy Mumu.
Speaking at the first 2022 joint coordination committee meeting last Wednesday, Mumu said that the capacity development project carried out by the Japanese International Corporation Agency (Jica) was the tool for this development.
“The policy will guide us (port agencies) and enhance the roles responsibilities of each agency, he said.
“Through this project, we have done the first inventory of more than 200 wharfs both nationally declared and private.”
Mumu said there was an ongoing confusion of the alignment of agencies and, as a result, mixed up of their roles as well.
“By making this new policy, we can identify which activity would be given to a government agency, state-owned enterprise and a statutory authority and that alignment would further clarify each duty,” he said.
Mumu said that the data collected will not necessarily involve the commercial functions of the agencies but general day-to-day duties only.
Jica expert and project team leader Tasuyuki Shishido said that the findings of the phase one of the project had shown that there was need for more entities to join the JCC meeting as clear communication was good for progress.
“We also need a sustainable model that can last over time and gender inclusiveness is important so we embrace different views,” he said.
According to Shishido, phase two of the project started in April and would see seminars covering the governing of ports as well as training conducted in Japan and Indonesia to address the issues identified in phase one.