Kingston Wharf 75th Anniversary

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020 33 KINGSTON WHARVES 75TH ANNIVERSARY from basic port facilities to having world-class facilities – we now have modernbuildings and furnishing, and people are expected to dress and act withproper decorum,”Paulaobserves. “Operationally, we are very safety and security-conscious. The com- pany has spent a lot of money on safety gear and personal protective equipment, and conducts safety training regularly. Barrels and small- cargo deliveries have been relocated to our external warehouses, making operations on our terminal and other facilitiesmore streamlined,”she says. Paula also points to the growing reputation of the company.“We are involved in several aspects of ship- ping and have an international status that has brought us several prestig- ious awards. Socially, there have beenmajor changes, staff interaction and customer relations have been revolutionised,”Paula concludes. “We keep our external partners abreast of the progress of their ves- sels by providing hourly reports. There are too many changes and positive improvements to mention all. Additionally, you can accessmost of our services online and via email, and through assigned company phones,”Paula underscores, adding, “These seemmundane, but this was not the case in the early days. “I am very proud of the growth and development of the company, and I am proud to have been able to experience and be a part of the positive changes,” she declares. Terminal Manager Valrie Campbell says of Paula, “I have worked closely with Paula for almost two decades. She has consistently been an exceptional team player who is like the glue that keeps the workforce fully connected. She re- lates well to all categories of staff. She is also fun-loving and the life of the party. ” GARFIELD PARRIS, CORPORATE HISTORIAN MAKING HIS MARK Senior accountant Garfield Parris’ name is synonymous with payroll, as he is the man who controls the purse strings, so to speak, for hun- dreds of KWL’s skilled workers. After a short holiday stint with KWL in 1994, the Kingston College alumnus was so extraordinary that he was called back for an interview. He was offered a permanent job after he aced the entrance test. “I started at Kingston Wharves in the hectic Christmas season in what was then called theWharfage Department, now known as Client Services. The system was manual, so the charges on each bill of lad- ing (BL) were manually worked out and written on the back of the BL. The bills of lading were then taken to one of two cashiers who would collect the charges,” Parris recalls. KingstonWharves’technological growth has allowed many of those functions to be carried out electron- ically today, but what has remained the same is Parris’ dedication. “KingstonWharves Ltd has been an evolving company that tries its best to change with the times and apply the necessary technology to allow the company to better and more efficiently serve its customers,” Parris notes. Parris has moved through the ranks at KWL. After starting out as a wharfage clerk, he would re- ceive numerous promotions. He attained the position of wharfage supervisor. Several years later, he made the transition fromWharfage/ Customer Service to the Accounts Department, holding the position of accounts payable clerk, then ac- counts billing clerk, accounts paya- ble supervisor, assistant accountant, accountant, and his current position of senior accountant. He would go on to complete a marketing degree at the University of Technology (UTech) and achieve certification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, even as he honed his accounting skills. His current job functions are crit- ical to the financial strength and efficiency of the organisation. They entail preparing monthly accounts, general ledger and subledger, ap- proving purchase orders and in- voices, compiling quarterly Jamaica Stock Exchange reports and consol- idating monthly group financials, among other important activities. “Persons at the highest level of the company motivate you to play a role in achieving the organisation’s goals and to strive to attain your personal goals. When I started, the camaraderie that existed among the staff was great and we functioned in a very collaborative manner, with employees working well together across departments, because most personnel understood the impact of their work on another department,” he says. Chief Accountant Dean Panton describes Parris as, “Well experi- enced, dependable and flexible,” elaborating,“He is our utility player; we can place him anywhere in the department and he excels”. “When it comes to the history of the organisation, Parris can tell you anything that occurred in the past. He can tell you about accounting policies and principles and how they came into being, and why something was being done a par- ticular way. In this way, he helps to preserve the institutional memory while assisting the department to evolve,” adds Mr Panton. Parris is indeed the de facto cor- porate historian. He highlights changes in the company techno- logically, administratively, socially and physically over the years. “The types of cargo have evolved intomore containers andmotor ve- hicles, in addition to the other cargo categories. These are handledmore efficiently than in the days when you had sugar vessels, cement ves- sel, and paper rolls that would be offloaded with specialised equip- ment. Gangs had to stop working when it rained. Also, sugar and ce- ment vessels were very labour-in- tensive; workers could spend days on the port working one vessel. In the earlier days, the company did not own the stevedoring functions on the port. These were done by independent stevedores who had their equipment on the wharf, and so it was difficult for Kingston Wharves to derive a good share of the earnings from this area of the business,” he recalls. Modernisation started under the leadership of Robert Kinlocke when the company bought two container top loaders to assist in receival and delivery, Parris relates. KWL, during that time, also bought its first Gottwald crane, which was later sold after the management changed from GraceKennedy. This was the catalyst for KWL to invest greatly in equipment. This process would be significantly ad- vanced under former CEO Grantley Stephenson, to where KWL is now a well-equipped company, he notes. Parris is also more than just an- other team member; he is also a shareholder in Kingston Wharves Limited. He is also an avid cricket lover and a person of faith. He is the office pastor on whom everyone re- lies to say a word of prayer at official functions and during challenging times. Parris expects to continue giv- ing excellent service to Kingston Wharves for the foreseeable future. MARALIN SPENCE, A QUIET STRENGTH IN THE CLIENT SERVICES Client Services Supervisor Maralin Spence has been a steady presence in the Client Services Department for many years. When you see her, she is always well put together; not a hair out of place and cloth- ing pristine. She can be outspoken, but you don’t often hear her voice. She works with diligence to carry out the important work of the de- partment and Kingston Wharves Limited. “Driven by the intrigue of the ocean and vessels traversing the regions of the world, I took the ini- tiative of seeking a job at Kingston Wharves Limited. Having gotten the opportunity to serve, I knew I had to reach my goal of being one of the best workers at Kingston Wharves Limited,” notes Maralin. When she joined the staff of Kingston Wharves, she was only a youngster. However, with her youth came a passion and an unflappable enthusiasm that have served her throughout the years. She started out as a junior clerk, then promoted to senior clerk, and later to client services supervisor, her current po- sition; always impressing with her dedication. “My journey began in the Claims Department. I was later transferred toWharfage and then to the Cashier Department. Both divisions are now merged as the Client Services COMMITTED CONTINUED FROM 32 Garfield Parris - corporate historian. PLEASE SEE COMMITTED , 34 A match made at Kingston Wharves, Maralin Spence and husband, Latham Spence celebrate their long service recognition.