Charlestown Nevis (October 3, 2006)
The Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) has announced the appointment of Mr. Spencer Hanley as the new General Manager of the Authority effective October 1, 2006.
Chairman of NASPA, Mr. Laurie Lawrence who made the announcement on Monday 2, expressed that the Authority was pleased to fill the void and that Mr. Hanley brought a wealth of experience to the position.
“Not only in management but he also has a fair amount of knowledge in terms of port operations, having worked at the Miami Port and having worked at Customs here in Nevis back in the 70’s,” said Mr. Lawrence. “So I am extremely happy that we could find someone with experience, someone of the caliber of Mr. Hanley to take on this very challenging job.”
Mr. Hanley, a son of the soil was education at the Charlestown Secondary School. He taught for a while before venturing into the financial sector. Although he spent 24 years in the United States, he did not forget to contribute to the development of his homeland, by rendering services to his fellow Nevisians through Bernuit Lines, Tropical Lines and more recently Ameri-Jet.
According to the Chairman, Mr. Hanley came to the port at a time when the financial situation was difficult. “We are still a very young organization, still trying to turn a profit but I believe that with his experience he will be able to propel the port forward, trying to attract new businesses and help to market it so that we could start to turn a profit in the very near future,” said Mr. Lawrence.
The new General Manager in expressing gratitude to the NASPA Board for giving him an opportunity to serve, observed, “Indeed I am excited about this opportunity. It is something that I’ve always relish. I’ve always been one to be around port and commerce whether it be airport or seaport; just the movement of people and goods has always fascinated me.”
Mr. Hanley who has a Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Suffolk University in Boston, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Florida International University in Miami, said, “From my days at Customs in Nevis to my years living in Miami, I’ve always been around Bernuit Lines and Tropical at the airport in Miami where I worked at the Miami Based Aviation Department for quite a number of years. It is of interest to me to be indeed, involve with port and what better port than the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority.”
Mr. Hanley called on the general public and in particular, the stakeholders to give their fullest support to the Authority and to work together as a team. He explained that it was a challenging time for all, saying, “If we are to move the port forward, then we need the support and commitment of everyone, not just myself, not just the staff at NASPA but all of you, the general public. So we ask for your blessing. We know that it’s a lot of work to be done.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Lawrence pointed out that the newly appointed members of the Board of Directors brought a range of experiences. “I think, with Mr. Hanley’s background and with the quality of the board, I believe we are in good sted in terms of promoting the Port Authority and making it a very successful business venture.
The board recently met to familiarize themselves and to put its future into a new direction. The members are, Mr. Laurie Lawrence, Chairman, Mr. Wendell Huggins, Mr. Calvin Fahie, Mr. John Cornelius, Mr. Sean Springette, Mr. Miguel Mills and Mrs. Ermine Queeley-Evelyn.