Longstanding Director General of the Maritime Administration, Claudette Rogers was on Wednesday removed from the position and handed another designation as adviser, the Ministry of Public Works confirmed.
She has been replaced by former Harbour Master, Stephen Thomas. The ministry in a release said that on Wednesday at a meeting with the senior management, which was followed by meetings with the staff at the head office and the boat house, Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works announced the appointment of Mr. Thomas as the new Director General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the repositioning of Ms. Rogers as Adviser on Maritime affairs.
The immediate task of the administration in that within the next 10 days to conduct a review of all its systems, functions and to assess the capacity and skill sets of its employees. According to the release, the announcement of the new appointments as well as the policy directions that were given were warmly received by both the management and rank and file workers. The release claimed that various members of staff expressed gratitude for the role Ms. Claudette Rogers played and wished her well in her new role as Advisor while remaining a member of the Senior Management Division at the Administration. “Similarly, words of welcome were offered to the incoming Director General at every engagement held,” the statement read. According to the release Edghill held separate meetings with senior management at his office, staff at MARAD’s headquarters and the boat house officers at Stabroek. Thomas served over three decades in the ports and maritime sector, with the majority of it being as a senior officer with the Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD) and the Maritime Administration Department. Thomas Served as Cadet, Mate and Captain on T&HD and other companies’ vessels. The ministry said he possesses intimate knowledge of the various maritime and riparian communities, their culture and economic activities and is familiar with the port and maritime issues throughout Guyana and the major stakeholders.
