CNNs Lou Dobbs is always pontificating about national security,
especially when it comes to international trade but on March 27 he
was frowning on an extra port security measure.
Almost two weeks after reporting that American seaports are
backlogged with incoming cargo, Dobbs seemed puzzled as to why the
U.S. government would sanction pre-screening of U.S.-bound cargo at
a port in the Bahamas which could speed up cargo processing.
Why in the world are we, 90 miles from the
U.S. mainland, why are we issuing contracts and putting cargo
through the Bahamas? Dobbs demanded of John Meredith, an executive
for Hong Kong-based shipping company Hutchison Whampoa. Merediths
company was recently awarded a contract by the federal government to
screen U.S.-bound container ships for radioactive material while the
ships are docked in Freeport, Bahamas. Hutchison Whampoa, which has
been around since the 1800s, operates in 54 countries and 42 ports,
according to its
Web site.
But while Dobbs presented the Hutchison ownership as a security
threat, the Associated Press reported how the measure increases port
security and could speed up imports by reducing security
bottlenecks.
The
Associated Press
reported on March 27 that any positive reading for radiation would
set off alarms monitored simultaneously by Bahamian customs
inspectors at Freeport and by U.S. customs officials working at an
anti-terrorism center in northern Virginia.
On March 25 the
AP
reported that cargo pre-screened at foreign ports under the
container security initiative can be processed faster through
American ports.
When Meredith responded that shipping companies often choose the
Bahamas as a transit hub for international cargo and that U.S.-bound
cargo would still be inspected upon arrival at American ports, Dobbs
told his guest he was out of time.
The CNN anchor then smugly rebuked Merediths attempt to illustrate
his points. I told you, we didn't have time for history lessons.
I'm sorry that you chose to use your time in that way, Dobbs chided
his guest.
Thirteen days earlier, Dobbs himself alerted viewers that American
ports were nearing full capacity with incoming cargo.
We are importing so many consumer goods now that some experts say,
in fact, we will have to build the equivalent of the Port of New
York and New Jersey each and every year for the next decade to keep
up with that pace of imports, Dobbs complained on his March 14
show, introducing a report by correspondent Christine Romans.
Industry groups say without dramatic productivity gains in this
country's ports and investments in port and rail infrastructure, a
congestion crisis is inevitable, Romans warned in her report.
CNNs Dobbs Scoffs at Extra Port Security
March 28th, 2006 2:00 PM
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