The Minister of Infrastructure Development, Jimmy Lusibaea has told Parliament reforms being carried out by the Solomon Islands Ports Authority are visible.
He made the remark yesterday in response to a question by the Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga, Matthew Wale who asked for an outline of the reforms being carried out by the Ports Authority.
Mr Lusibaea said the reforms are in the areas of Finance, Leadership, Experience and People skills, Operations, Corporate Services, Engineering, Commerce, and Social and Economics.
He said in the Finance Reforms, there is a review of tariff as for many years the Solomon Islands Ports Authority has the lowest tariff in the Region.
There is a shift from charging the Length Overall of vessels to Gross Registered Tons (GRT) to bring it into line with other regional ports.
Mr Lusibaea said under the reforms, a Xero Accounting System has been introduced which speeds up the whole accounting process and ascertains SIPA finance receives sustainable improvements.
The Leadership Reform, Mr Lusibaea said, aims at changing the attitudes and behaviours of management and employees and at bringing focus to organisational goals and objectives.
He added the reform in the area also helps employees to see the big picture and to appreciate the part they contribute towards achieving organisational goals.
MID Minister Lusibaea said the Reform in Experience and People skills involves the experience and exposure to managing in a business environment that includes the ability to implement, manage change and meet deadlines.
He said the reform in the same area also encourages employees to be part of decision making and focusing on SIPA development in the next five years, adding it also provides mentoring, coaching, and recognition of achievements and rewarding high achievers.
On the Operations Reform, Mr Lusibaea said to ensure greater efficiency and a faster turn-around of ships, a 24-hour shift system for around the clock work has been introduced.
He said the system controls overtime and results in the saving of 13-point-2-million- dollars.
And Mr Lusibaea added SIPA now has a dedicated and a restricted zone for dangerous goods.
He said reform on Corporate Services has brought staff advances under control and will be phased out eventually and ultimately will result in the creation of extra 228 jobs for young School drops.
Mr Lusibaea explained a policy on gender equality has been put in place with more women are now in the Ports employment, adding SIPA aims to have 40 percent of its workforce in all areas to be females.
