EDITOR, The Tribune.
As a young Bahamian whose parents sacrificed to send me to school to become a professional, I always try to examine issues that come up in the public with an objective eye. I saw this Pilots Resigning issue come up lately in my very own city Freeport. Obviously, I became concerned because if Pilots resign who will bring in the boats?
My first thoughts were, my god man they make all kinda money so why they resigning and some people out of a job? But then I said my Ma mussy send me to school for a reason, let’s look at the facts and see what come up.
Basic google searching and I realised couple things, like the fact that Pilots are considered on the skill level of surgeons, specifically trained lawyers, and forensic accountants as examples, so they are really highly-trained specialists.
This was interesting to me because I had no idea, then I found that Pilots have university degrees, and take many years to train in harbours, so you can’t just say you ga find a next pilot it really takes time. Most important thing I realised about pilots is that they are compared to like police, fire and rescue service, because they have to protect the harbour. The first thing that popped in my head is, would I want the Police to work for the container port or BORCO, Definitely not.
After all is said and done, when you hear it at first it sounds crazy right to resign ya “good” job, but when you really look at it, these Pilots are actually onto something.
Now I know we have the potential to subscribe to black crab syndrome and say why they want to do that to them good, good companies, but seriously who in Freeport actually trusts these companies? We know better!
The long and short of it is, I am a Bahamian, and a professional, and honestly the pilots are more skilled professionally than I am and the average lawyer running around robbing people lol, so if they think the Harbour is unsafe, and they have some facts to back it up like the ship anchor on BTC cable thing that keeps happening, and a guy that they say probably shouldn’t be Piloting if he is not well, then who else do we have as professionals to ask about these issues and protect the harbour if not them. And if you listen to them or their spokesman, the Ferguson guy from TV, who I definitely trust to speak truth, they seem to have a point, and the whole world of pilots backing them up.
So the real question is why we don’t support them if we “Believe in Bahamians” even the government look like they working with them, and that’s a first!
Should we really trust Hutchinson Whampoa or BORCO over these Pilots, they seem pretty sensible to me, and I am a professional, and would want just like anyone else to be recognised for my worth and have my opinion respected as a professional. That is the whole point of going to school. So when you listen to them again remember that we are Bahamians and we are all we have. So if the best of the best in our maritime field say the place isn’t safe, then I say we look at it again.
GRAND BAHAMIAN
PROFESSIONAL
March 6, 2014.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 10 years ago
Some pilots have degrees from Maritime Colleges, not universities.
And there is nothing wrong a Pilot association. But the issue is Ferguson led these guys off a cliff and he did so prematurely. Every negotiation has it's issues. Many begin with a solid "no". The thing is to stick to your guns and allow the process to unfold. This dude got the first rejection and decided to extort his wants form the Port and Borco. Now they've all left their jobs and have nothing to fall on. Port and Borco will replace them and operations will go on. And all because Ferguson is too in experienced to know how to properly negotiate....
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