Forum Archive Index - October 2003

["Gordon Hossack" <hossack@xtra.co.nz>]

Hi Marilyn, I don't think that we should look back longingly at the Brent Layton era as Chairman of LPC.   Dr  Layton and  Mr Viles[former Managing Director] will be remembered for failing twice. Firstly, failing to retain important customers for the LPC, secondly failing to to get a working agreement with their staff.  I don;t think that Port Company staff at Lyttelton are very different from staff at Ports of Auckland, or Port of Tauranga, or any other port around the country, and the other ports are doing well.

 

All the news announced at the AGM was well signalled in the company report, including the amount of remedial work required on the wharves.Another legacy from the former management regime. Although to be fair, ther may have been "pressure"  from the major shareholder [Christchuch City Council]  to pay out special dividends at the expense of the Port Companies infrastructure requirements.

 

As as far as  suitable experience at Board level, the two incoming Board members have  suitable experience in Shipping,Stevodoring, Transport amongst other things. Previous  [and now outgoing] Board member Erin Baker appeared to have minimal experience in these fields. I wonder if Noddy or Big Ears could tell us how she got the job.

 

To answer the question posed in the Company Report  "Is the glass half full or half empty"?.......I think that the glass is now half full.

G.....