More than three decades of excellence Paul Marsh - Port Worker of the Year

More than three decades of excellence

Paul Marsh - Port Worker of the Year

When Paul Anthony Marsh got his first job at the Kingston port at the tender age of 17, he had no idea that 36 years later, he would earn the distinction of being the Shipping Association of Jamaica's (SAJ) most valued worker for the year 2014.

Marsh's exemplary service record saw him beating a vast pool of his peers to win the prestigious annual award. Nominees were assessed from among the SAJ's pool of registered and casual workers. Operations managers and supervisors at both Kingston Wharves Limited and KCT Services Limited independently assessed each worker in areas such as quality of work, skills, and competence and safety compliance, while staff of the SAJ assessed workers on teamwork, knowledge of, and interest in the job and time management.

Marsh joined SAJ in 2005 as a stevedore and, over the years, became a reservoir of knowledge and an inspiration to his colleagues, highly regarded for his excellent work ethic. Today, he is a top lasher, leading a gang which has been nicknamed the 'Navy Seals' for their speed, expertise, and efficiency in lashing or tying ships' containers together with metal bars. Lashing/unlashing a ship is necessary because without the bars, the containers would fall into the ocean.

Marsh's team has earned the reputation of always being first on the job when the ship needs to be 'un-lashed', getting to the gates of the ports before dawn so that they can tackle the job and get it done quickly. They are experts on handling bulk cargo, over-height cargo, and lifting heavy-duty cargo such as trucks, using cable, steel, and chain lashing. They are often called upon to assist when cargo/containers need special handling.

Marsh knows that having a ship stuck in port for an extended length of time is bad news for everyone involved, and so he often reminds his crew of how important it is that they all do a good job.

"When a ship is tied up in the harbour, it doesn't make any money. It has to go to sea and make the money. So, we as a team, have got to get the ship out. If we idle on the job, is not we alone will feel it. Everybody who works on the port and depends on it is going to feel it," he noted.

proud of his award

Reliable, well-liked and respected by many on the ship's terminals, the 53-year-old Marsh is proud of his award and sees it as a sign that his hard work and dedication have paid off.

"It's a real honour and a sign of success for me," he said of his being named Port Worker of the Year. He explained that he has always been interested in learning everything he can about his chosen field.

"From the time I came into shipping as a youth, I always watch and see how my seniors handle themselves. I learned a lot, especially from a former colleague, Roy Dawkins, who taught me how to lift or move certain heavy-duty cargo. I didn't just sit down, because I believed that one day, one day, it would pay off for me," said Marsh.

Co-worker and friend, Oliver Daley, who is also a member of the SAJ 'Navy Seals' says the honour bestowed on his crew leader is well deserved.

"Mr Marsh is a number one worker. We follow his footsteps and get up early and go to look our work. We don't wait on jobs. This isn't an easy work, it's very physical and rough and you have to go hard," said Daley.

Marsh is especially pleased that his work ethic is so highly admired and respected by many across the terminal. He is also proud of his safety record and the fact that his fellow port workers call on his skill and experience for difficult jobs. He also is very happy that he is able to play a role in guiding newly-hired port workers once they come through the rigorous SAJ training process and are assigned to work crews.

"This is my life and my work. I tell youngsters coming up, that it's not easy, but if you are dedicated, it will pay off," said Marsh.