| The last two weeks there has been an uproar | | | | should allow foreign companies to manage |
| over who manages our ports. The uproar began | | | | operations at our ports? I do not think so. It is |
| when it became public that the British company | | | | one thing for a private company to out source |
| Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., who | | | | jobs out side the US and another for our |
| manages terminal at 6 US ports was being bought | | | | government to do so. If you look at the approval |
| out by Dubai Ports World. DPW is owned by | | | | numbers for the President and the Congress you |
| Dubai which is one of the 7 Emirates of the | | | | see that 65% to 70% of the people are not |
| United Arab Emirates. Since then there has been | | | | happy with the quality of jobs they are doing. We |
| many statement made that have no bearing in | | | | would all agree that it would be wrong to out |
| fact. Any debate needs to be based on facts and | | | | source these positions to people in other countries |
| not fear and political posturing. While I believe that | | | | who might do the job cheaper. Below are the top |
| no port operations should be managed by | | | | 4 reasons I thing we should not allow out sourcing |
| companies from out side the United States, I do | | | | the operations of our ports to companies out side |
| not agree with using false information to promote | | | | the US.1. Government: We are all familiar with the |
| that position.Fact 1. DPW is not buying 6 American | | | | concept of government of the people, by the |
| ports. All ports in the United States are owned by | | | | people and for the people. Ports are part of our |
| the states they are located in. In fact no part of | | | | government. The management of operations of |
| the ports are owned by companies inside or | | | | our ports should be done by our people and for |
| outside the US. That said there are terminals, | | | | our people.2. Security: Our ports are one of the |
| warehouses and other facilities that are leased to | | | | most sensitive access points to our country. Even |
| companies both inside and outside the US. DPW is | | | | though we manage the security do we want |
| buying P&O P&O which runs shipping terminals in | | | | people from foreign countries having access to |
| New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, | | | | every detail about how one of our ports is run, |
| Miami and Philadelphia.Fact 2. None of our ports | | | | how to access the port, possible vulnerabilities of |
| are managed by companies inside or outside the | | | | the port and access to how the ports security |
| US. Our ports are run by government bodies | | | | operates.3. Taxes: Our ports are run by taxes |
| called Port Authorities . Many local Port Authorities | | | | and fees charged to the citizens of the US is it |
| contract out the management of individual | | | | right to take tax money and give it to companies |
| terminals inside the port. Many times these | | | | outside the United States. Even though some of |
| terminals are leased to the company that | | | | those taxes are paid by the shipping company |
| manages them.Fact 3. There are companies in | | | | that uses the port. Those taxes are figured into |
| America that can manage operations at our ports. | | | | the price of the goods and passed on to the |
| I have seen several articles and many postings in | | | | consumer.4. Economics: Many of our Port |
| blogs that say that our port operations are | | | | Authorities do not want to manage the day to |
| managed by foreign companies because there are | | | | day operations of our ports therefore they out |
| no companies in America that do that kind of job. | | | | source the management of the ports to private |
| The truth is that two of the 10 largest port | | | | companies. Should our government be out |
| management companies are located here in the | | | | sourcing quality management jobs to companies |
| US.Fact 4 The U.S. Coast Guard, Customs, port | | | | outside the US just because they pay their people |
| police and the Department of Homeland Security | | | | less.If you are interested in signing the petition to |
| for all terminal operators. The operators | | | | ask our elected officials to require the |
| themselves are not responsible for security. That | | | | management of the operations of our ports to be |
| being said there is a lot of information about how | | | | by companies located here in the US then visit |
| our ports are operated and possible vulnerabilities | | | | this site. |
| in the hands of companies out side our | | | | Ford is a syndicated writer and president of |
| country.Does facts 1, 2, and 4 mean that we | | | | American Common Sense. |