Port Of Spain Research Articles

Story of Three Cities: Three Aspects of Post-colonial Landscapes

The aim of this paper is to scrutinize the effects of (post)-colonialism on the lives and landscapes of three different cities – Paris, Dubline, and Port of Spain, each of which is described in The Arcades Project by Walter Benjamin, Dubliners by James Joyce, and Miguel Street by V. S. Naipaul. Benjamin wants to show the map of an early capitalist city to criticize mass influences of Phantasmagoria of the capitalist market and encourage the mass to confirm their class consciousness. To achieve this purpose, it is definitely important for Benjamin to show the ‘facts’ as they are, not opinions or ideologies. This is one of the reasons why he uses ‘montage’ as his writing technique. Contrary to the general belief, Joyce always has much concern about his homeland. The main theme of his Dubliners , paralysis, is designed to depict the sufferings and miseries of Irish people under the British colonial suppression and exploitation. Meanwhile, Naipaul portrays the lives of Indian immigrants in the Caribbean society who have been confined in poverty, helplessness, and weariness. The fact that their immigration as indentured laborers was implemented for the colonial nations shows the negative effects of (post)-colonialism. These three works reaffirm that colonialism isn’t beneficial to either colonizing or colonized nations in that it brings illusion on merchandise, moral hazard, and cognitive distortion.

Did I Make the Right Career Choice?

Special Section: The Value and Future of Petroleum Engineering JPT asked several active young professionals about their career path thus far and what they liked about petroleum engineering. Here are some of their answers. Feeling Lucky Carter Clemens, BP I lucked into the petroleum industry; I did not know much about it before choosing it as a major at the University of Texas. It has allowed me to live and travel to distant countries I never thought I would visit—whether it is Abu Dhabi, Port of Spain, Cairo, or Aberdeen, the oil industry has an incredible reach to some interesting locations. It has also enabled me to pursue engineering while spending a lot of my time outside instead of in front of a computer screen. When I was riding around with well operators in Wyoming and Colorado, I thought of how lucky I was to not be in a cubicle. There is something special about being on a well-site surrounded by snow in Wyoming or watching a sunrise from a rig in the middle of the ocean—you can’t get that with most industries. Personal Satisfaction Bruno S. Rivas, Mexico National Hydrocarbons Commission Petroleum engineering is more than get-ting oil out of the ground; it means delivering the energy that the world needs to fight poverty, increase human wellness, and accelerate growth in a sustainable way. The oil and gas industry has given me the opportunity to interact with professionals from all over the world, to exchange different experiences, to solve problems in a responsible and efficient manner, and to inspire future generations. With no doubt, if I had to decide again what to study, my choice would be oil and gas; it is certainly not an easy path, but realizing that I’m generating a positive impact on others’ lives is a personal satisfaction. Let’s Talk Climate Change Angela Dang Atkinson, Encana Corp. I love saying, “I’m a petroleum engineer and I believe in anthropogenic climate change.” It catches people off guard and begins a nuanced conversation about energy. It is an opportunity for me to talk about the importance of incremental change and that there is no silver bullet in solving the world’s energy challenges. As Harvard economics professor Ed Glaeser states, “Once we start thinking that there’s a silver bullet…we lose the fact that we need to be working day by day, over decades, to effect change.” We, the oil industry, are among those working day by day to effect change—whether we are increasing the use of recycled fracture water or finding creative ways to reduce emissions, these are the types of incremental gains on the way to better energy solutions. This nuanced conversation should not primarily exist in 150-character tidbits online. It is up to us to have that conversation in a grassroots manner, face to face, with our community.

Are larger and more complex port more productive? An analysis of Spanish port authorities

Several Spanish ports have grown substantially in recent decades. Ports in Spain are heterogeneous in that they differ substantially in terms of complexity, size and traffic mix. We measure the productivity of Spanish port authorities and identify the drivers of productivity taking into account this heterogeneity in order to provide more meaningful estimates of efficiency and productivity change. Using a sample of 26 ports observed over the period 1993–2016, we classify these ports into two different groups according to their overall size and their importance in terms of individual outputs. Segregating the sample into these two distinct groups permits us to draw a more precise picture of the consequences for productivity of the changes that have occurred in the sector in Spain over the last quarter of a century. Using Data Envelopment Analysis techniques, we calculate and decompose Malmquist productivity indexes using a metafrontier analysis. We use these indexes to estimate an Arellano-Bond Generalised Method Moments model to explain the differences in productivity change. Our results show that the group of large and complex port authorities had a considerable technological advantage, being closer to the metafrontier on average than the other group. Relative size, which can be interpreted as a measure of complexity of the port authority, has a strong positive influence on productivity growth. Specialisation in solids, container cargo and general bulk also increased productivity growth, but specialisation in liquids has no effect.

Water-Injection Techniques Increase Recovery in Conventional Gas Reservoirs

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 191206, “Exploiting Water-Injection Techniques for Increasing Gas Recovery in Conventional Gas Reservoirs,” by Keval Darvesh Rambaran, SPE, Sarah Tammie Chin Chee Fat, SPE, and Lugard Evans Layne, SPE, University of Trinidad and Tobago, prepared for the 2018 SPE Trinidad and Tobago Section Energy Resources Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 25–26 June The paper has not been peer reviewed. Primary gas recovery for a volumetric reservoir ends when the reservoir pressure declines below the value required to flow gas to the surface at the sales-line pressure. Secondary gas-recovery techniques can then be used to increase the recovery. The most common of these techniques is gas compression, but another feasible technique that is rarely explored is water injection. This paper evaluates the incremental benefit of water injection in a conventional gas reservoir when compared with gas compression. Introduction An operator hopes to increase the recovery in Reservoir TM-20 in the Sorrel Field offshore Trinidad and Tobago by use of water injection once the technique is deemed more economical than gas compression. The wells in the reservoir are drilled from the Tamarind Platform, which also acts as a hub for the separation of fluids from fields in the immediate vicinity. Gases and liquids are piped through separate lines, with the liquids heading to the onshore liquid-processing facility. However, the company can modify the platform separators to operate in three phases and use the produced water for injection. Company records show that the average water-production rate from the platform is approximately 5,000 BWPD. If the shut-in wells were to be opened, roughly 10,000 BWPD of produced water and 15 MMscf/D of gas would be added for each well until liquid loading, thus increasing gas output significantly. Field History The Sorrel Field is a retrograde gas-condensate field located in the Columbus Basin, which has been producing from the TM-20 reservoir since 1998. The reservoir is a faulted sandstone formation of good quality that is divided into two hydrocarbon-bearing segments and underlain by an active aquifer. Segments 1 and 2 have been producing from Wells X and Y and Wells A and B, respectively, as shown in Fig. 1. Unlike Segment 1, primary gas recovery in Segment 2 ended because of a decline in the reservoir pressure, thus making it a suitable choice for water injection. Segment 2 is a wedge-shaped structure bounded by two faults, with both faults being interpreted as sealing. Production in Segment 2 began in April 1999 with a reservoir pressure of 4,732 psig. It ended in January 2014 because of an inability to flow at the sales-line pressure of 950 psig.

Wittgenstein

Wittgenstein Andre Bagoo (bio) They bought Wittgenstein an outfit to wear on chilly nights. Both men felt he liked it so much (he jumped wildly when presented with the unicorn-patterned onesie) they went back to the pet shop for seven more: one for each day of the week plus a spare for laundry days. They took pictures of him in his pajamas for his Instagram, tagging the pet shop. In all the posts, he stared at the camera. He was a black and white mongrel, between a husky and a pariah, very foxlike in the face, the kind of dog you might see running up and down the pavements of the city looking uneasily from side to side wondering where its next meal was coming from, except he had been rescued by them. On nights when Enzo was at work, James would take pictures of him tucked into his dog bed with blankets and cushions and send these pictures to Enzo, saying GOODNIGHT XO. On nights when Enzo was not at work, they would tuck Wittgenstein in together, a process that involved cuing up and singing "So Long Farewell" from The Sound of Music. They called the part sung by the youngest von Trapp, Gretl, "Wittgenstein's part." In the new apartment, the location of which they chose solely because of him (the landlord was pet-friendly; it was close to several parks and pet shops), they developed a morning routine with Wittgenstein taking his place in the breakfast nook, being fed bits of sweetbread and ham. When Enzo left for work, he would tell Wittgenstein he was now "in charge," while James would open the window overlooking the plant-lined driveway so Wittgenstein could position himself to watch. As he drove past the window, Enzo would cry "Wittgenstein! Wittgenstein! Wittgenstein!" and the pet would start twirling like a hurricane. They decorated the apartment sparingly, opting to match the existing palette (which happened to suit Wittgenstein's fur). They went to Mode Alive on Frederick Street in Port of Spain and picked out large wooden signs coated in chipped paint. One said LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED; another DOGS WELCOME, PEOPLE TOLERATED; and another TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT, BUT ALSO DREAM; NOT ONLY PLAN, BUT ALSO BELIEVE. They briefly worried about whether people would think these signs corny, then dismissed such thoughts. Enzo felt having textual elements in the décor matched the fact that James was a writer, while James liked the way the signs were distressed, reminding him of the country house he'd spent August vacations in as a child — a rustic place he associated with love, the kind of place he hoped they might one day retire to together, spending days reading classic West Indian novels under mango trees and nights drinking wine under the starlight amid wildflowers and small golden frogs. They carried their haul to their truck lower down the street, strolling through the shadowless heat of the city. When they got home, James searched the internet and discovered the [End Page 101] sign about dreaming and believing was a quote from a once-famous French writer, and it seemed the sign was meant to hang over his writing desk, he was meant to be a writer, and they were, all three of them, meant to be together in this new place which they had moved into after only knowing each other for six months because James had been evicted from his old place and they both liked the idea of raising Wittgenstein together. They didn't think it too risky to move in so soon. This was how things had worked out. It was meant to be. In the initial months, the apartment filled with music. They blasted "Dog Years" by Maggie Rogers. They played "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine (though observing that their dog days were, luckily, not over). When they went to a yard sale on Alfredo Street, they found old CDs. They picked out Hounds of Love by Kate Bush and began playing that on loop to the chagrin of their neighbors Frank and Betsy, who often glimpsed them frolicking...

Black Feminism Embodiment: A Theoretical Geography of Home, Healing, and Activism

Abstract This paper aims to uplift a story by a queer Black woman activist residing in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Using various narrative analysis techniques, this paper also explores the tales told to understand how queer people in the Caribbean create a home of recognition and belonging, as well as analyzing the ejects of how queer, Black, transnational sharing of stories promotes survival and activism. Utilizing a Black feminist framework, this paper seeks to interrogate homeplace for queer people of color, as well as the spaces where activism lives, how it is enacted, and what that means for positive identity formation and healing from a toxic, homophobic environment. The piece is grounded in Black feminist work such as Demonic Grounds: Black Women and the Cartographies of Struggle by Katherine McKittrick (2006) and bell hook’s (1990) “Homeplace: A Site of Resistance,” as well as other feminist texts such as Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldúa (1987). By highlighting Ann’s story, the goal is to analyze the impermeability of borders within spaces, identities, and activism, as well as examine the ways that geographies can be mapped onto the bodies of Black queer women and their health.

The Contribution of the Caribbean Court of Justice to the Development of Human and Fundamental Rights

On the 16 April 2005, after a period of gestation of about one hundred years, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was inaugurated in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.1 The establishment of the Court was received by many as one of the most important events in Caribbean legal and political history as it was expected both to end the long lasting post-colonial legal and judicial dependence of the Caribbean on the UK2 and to strengthen Caribbean integration vis-à-vis the challenges posed by globalization at the end of the Cold War.3 In the words of its first President, Mr Michael de la Bastide: The establishment of this Court is certainly a landmark event in the history of the Caribbean. … The Court has the capacity to make an important contribution to the integration movement in the Region, and … to give to the people of the Caribbean ‘the full benefit of what a final Court can do to transform society’.4

“Send love inna barrel”: Mixed-media Installation, Kingston, Jamaica

"Send love inna barrel"Mixed-media Installation, Kingston, Jamaica Kelley-Ann Lindo (bio) In this installation, which was showcased at the National Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston (Jamaica Biennial 2017), I am investigating what is referred to as the "barrel children syndrome" within Caribbean culture. The term is used to describe children who have been "left behind" by one or both parents who have migrated. Transforming discarded used shipping barrels into both cultural and sculptural objects, the work stages interactive moments that express profound complexities, connections and distances all a part of an individual experience—an individual kind of point of view. The suspended barrels become channels through which these relationships and experiences can be re-enacted and reflected upon. It is activated by two people sitting speaking to each other from either end. The work attempts to raise questions about migration, Caribbean family structure, and the material relationship between experience, memory, story, and identity. It highlights everyday experiences often taken for granted, just as the materials are, to create a shared experience for the viewer—an inclusive individual experience. [End Page 56] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. "Send love inna barrel" Installation 2017, National Gallery of Jamaica Photographer: Stephanie Channer Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 2. "Send love inna barrel"Installation 2017, National Gallery of Jamaica Photographer: Stephanie Channer [End Page 57] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 3. Detail, "Send love inna barrel" 2016, Alice Yard Photographer: Nadia Huggins [End Page 58] Kelley-Ann Lindo Kelley-Ann Lindo, kelleyannlindo@gmail.com, has been educated at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Art (B.F.A. in Painting, 2015). She has worked as a gallery assistant at the CAGE Gallery and as a curatorial assistant at the National Gallery of Jamaica, and she is currently a lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts and assistant visual arts coordinator at the Multicare Youth Foundation—all in Kingston, Jamaica. She has been artist-in-residence at Alice Yard, Port of Spain, Trinidad (2016), at NLS, Kingston, Jamaica (2017) and at Blaqmango Consultancy, Kingston, Jamaica (2018). Her work has also been exhibited at the Barbados Museum & Historical Society (Arrivants Exhibition, 2018), the National Gallery of Jamaica (Jamaica Biennial 2017), Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts (Final Year exhibition, 2015), and the College's CAG[e] Gallery (2014). Lindo produces large, mixed media installations, but also works in drawing and print media and in video. Her website address is http://kelleyannlindo.wixsite.com/kelleyannlindo and her Instagram handle is @kelleyannlindo. Copyright © 2018 The University of Mississippi

Spatial Tourist and Functional Diversity on the Volcanic Island of Gran Canaria

The conducted research is focused on spatial, functional and landscape diversity, the existing tourist potential and the possibilities for further development of a small, volcanic island of Gran Canaria. The discussed island was compared against other islands of the Canarian archipelago (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma, El Hierro). Similarly to the remaining Canary Islands, the economy of Gran Canaria is predominantly based on tourism (approx. 4,5-5,0 million tourists visit the Canary Island annually and approx. 2,8 million come to Gran Canaria). Additionally, Puerto de la Luz transhipment centre in Las Palmas plays a very important role because of the goods imported from overseas. It is one of the largest ports in Spain (it reloads almost 2 million containers per year) also being an important Atlantic refuelling station. Apart from tourism, an important role is played here by agriculture, primarily the cultivation of bananas and tomatoes, which represent the most significant export good of the archipelago. The conducted spatial research showed an extensive diversity. This situation is, to a great extent, influenced by the climate. The northern part is cooler and dominated by agriculture, whereas the southern one is much warmer and characterized by a well-developed tourism infrastructure. Site inspections performed out along the outer contour of the island resembling a circle. Numerous architectural and urban sketches, urban analyses and photographic documentation were made. Community surveys were carried out. For a researcher, it was extremely interesting to answer the questions whether Gran Canaria is different from the other Canary Islands, especially in the functional and landscape context, and if so what exactly these differences consist of. What is Gran Canaria in particular characterized by and what kind of role it plays in the economic sector of Spain?

Port competition through hinterland accessibility: the case of Spain

While immediate port hinterlands remain relatively captive, distant hinterlands are fiercely contested. Where road is the dominant mode, transport costs are a function of distance which is therefore often the key determinant of port choice. Where distance is sufficiently long to enable rail to compete, other factors become important, such as terminal availability and frequency of rail services. Many ports are increasing the use of rail transport to ease port congestion, reduce transport costs or decrease environmental externalities. The question this paper poses is to what extent has the development of inland terminals and container rail shuttles influenced the ability of Spanish ports to compete for distant hinterlands? The paper analyses competition between three major container ports in Spain: Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia. We use GIS to produce a set of maps which identify relationships between the locations of the main logistics platforms, the configuration of the terrestrial transport infrastructure and the provincial origin/destination of the maritime container traffic and its inter-port distribution from 2008 to 2013. We use longitudinal data on port shipments from inland regions to investigate the changing spatial distribution of port hinterlands and then we map these changes against road and rail traffic flows, in order to explore if a correlation exists between the market share of ports in contestable hinterlands and the use of rail shuttles to key inland terminals. We find that while some inland terminals have been successful in consolidating traffic on rail services, ports (e.g. Valencia) have been able to capture distant hinterlands even with a low usage of rail. This suggests that the use of rail is not the key driver behind successful capture of distant markets, but rather distance remains the primary determinant of port choice. In future, the port of Valencia should seek to increase its growth volumes in areas where its traffic is currently less concentrated, around rail terminals.

Cost-Effective Production Metering and Allocation in a Mature Offshore Oil Field

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 180887, “A Cost-Effective Methodology for Production Metering and Allocation Using Real-Time Virtual Metering in a Mature Offshore Oil Field: A Case Study of the Greater Angostura Field,” by Italo Raffaele Acuna, BHP Billiton, prepared for the 2016 SPE Trinidad and Tobago Section Energy Resources Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 13–15 June. The paper has not been peer reviewed. This paper describes how the use of production-modeling tools, coupled with field pressure/temperature-data-acquisition systems and programming software, served as a means to improve production allocation and surveillance on a real-time basis in the Greater Angostura Field. The complete paper discusses a practical approach to obtain accurate real-time well-production rates without the need for purchasing costly flowmeters for each well. It also demonstrates how virtual metering can be used to identify production-optimization opportunities in the production system more readily. Introduction The Greater Angostura Field is located 25 miles offshore Trinidad and Tobago. The field was developed in three phases: Phase 1, which includes the Kairi, Canteen, and Horsts fields; Phase 2, which includes the Aripo gas development; and Phase 3, which was scheduled to have been completed by the second half of 2016. At the time this paper was written, the Angostura development consisted of 21 producers and seven gas injectors. The facilities and gathering system included one manned central-processing platform (CPP), four unmanned well- protector platforms (WPPs), and one gas-export platform (GEP). All wells have dry production trees and are distributed as follows: Canteen 1 (C1) WPP: five producers and two injectors Kairi 1 (K1) WPP: three producers and two injectors Kairi 2 (K2) WPP: nine producers and three injectors Aripo (A) WPP: three producers The production from the wells in each WPP is commingled in each platform’s header and routed as follows: Canteen 1 (C1) WPP: one subsea production flowline to the low-pressure gathering system Kairi (K1) WPP: two subsea production flowlines to either the low-pressure or the high-pressure gathering system Kairi (K2) WPP: two bridge-connected flowlines to either low- or high-pressure gathering system Aripo (A) WPP: one subsea production flowline to GEP The oil produced from C1, K1, and K2 is processed on the CPP and pumped to shore. The gas produced from these three WPPs is distributed to export gas. The production of the Aripo WPP is sent directly to the GEP for sales.

First reported enterovirus D68 infection in pediatric patients from the Caribbean region: evidence of spread from the U.S. outbreak

ABSTRACTThe 2014 enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreak in the United States raised concerns about the introduction of the virus in the Caribbean region. The objective of this study was to provide rapid evidence of the introduction of EV-D68 strains in the Caribbean region during the 2014 outbreak in the United States, using a relatively simple phylogenetic approach. From October 2014 to May 2015, four EV-D68 cases from two countries (Bermuda and Dominica) were detected at the regional referral laboratory at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) based on molecular testing of respiratory specimens. All cases were children presenting to hospitals with moderate respiratory distress. No cases of acute flaccid paralysis were detected. Phylogenetic analysis of the Caribbean strains showed more than 99% similarity with the 2014 U.S.-outbreak strain, providing evidence of the introduction and circulation of the virus in the region.

Age, Education, Experience and Negotiation Orientation

This paper reports multinomial logit regression results obtained from analysis of a set of survey data collected in the Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, as part of a cross-cultural negotiation research project. The findings of the study support the hypotheses that age, education and experience, among other variables, are statistically significant variables for increasing the probability in respect to changing negotiation orientation from a competitive to win-win one.

Road fatalities in Trinidad: A geographic information system approach

This paper aims to examine road fatalities using a GIS approach in Trinidad in an effort to provide recommendations on how road collisions and the number of casualties can be mitigated. In order to achieve this, the paper has examined a number of maps of Trinidad. The study examined data generated from maps of Trinidad using the Arc GIS Maps 10 software. Different variables were used to manipulate the data and these were road incidents by administrative area, municipalities, population density and socio economic status in Trinidad. The data generated represented the period 2005 to 2011 from 355 locations across Trinidad. From the data analyzed, it is clear that there is a positive correlation between the number of fatalities and the economic status of an area as well as the population of the area. From the data represented in the maps, it is clear that in regions with high population and numerous intersections such as City of San Fernando, Tunapuna, Port of Spain, San Juan, Laventille, and Diego Martin the number of road fatalities was high. The findings established in the study can allow for change in: (i) Road Traffic legislation and control measures and (ii) infrastructural redesign and implements. Key words: Geographic information system, Trinidad, road traffic fatalities.

A Methodology for Measuring Sustainability of Dry Ports Location Based on Bayesian Networks and Multi-criteria Decision Analysis

The decision of where to locate a dry port requires the analysis of the whole logistics supply chain, with the objective of transferring the largest volume of goods possible from road to more energy efficient means of transport, like rail or Short Sea Shipping, that are less harmful to the environment. However, such decision ought to cope also with the sustainability of the site inland. The objective of this article is to investigate the variables influencing sustainability of dry port location and how this sustainability can be evaluated. We propose a methodology based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Bayesian Networks (BNs). MCDA is used as a way to establish a scoring, whilst BNs were chosen to eliminate arbitrariness in setting the weightings using a technique that allows us to prioritize each variable according to the relationships established in the set of variables. In order to determine the relationships between all the variables involved in the decision, giving us the importance of each factor and variable, we built a K2 BN algorithm. To obtain the scores of each variable, we used a complete cartography analysed by ArcGIS. As case studies, the sustainability of all of the 10 existing dry ports in Spain has been evaluated. In this set of logistics platforms, we found that the most important variables for achieving sustainability are those related to environmental protection, so the sustainability of the locations requires a great respect for the natural environment and the urban environment in which they are framed.

How should the Sustainability of the Location of Dry Ports be Measured?

The global economic structure, with its decentralized production and the consequent increase in freight traffic all over the world, creates considerable problems and challenges for the freight transport sector. This situation has led shipping to become the most suitable and cheapest way to transport goods. Thus, ports are configured as nodes with critical importance in the logistics supply chain as a link between two transport systems, sea and land. Increase in activity at seaports is producing three undesirable effects: increasing road congestion, lack of open space in port installations and a significant environmental impact on seaports. These adverse effects can be mitigated by moving part of the activity inland. Implementation of dry ports is a possible solution and would also provide an opportunity to strengthen intermodal solutions as part of an integrated and more sustainable transport chain, acting as a link between road and railway networks. In this sense, implementation of dry ports allows the separation of the links of the transport chain, thus facilitating the shortest possible routes for the lowest capacity and most polluting means of transport.Thus, the decision of where to locate a dry port demands a thorough analysis of the whole logistics supply chain, with the objective of transferring the largest volume of goods possible from road to more energy efficient means of transport, like rail or short sea shipping, that are less harmful to the environment.However, the decision of where to locate a dry port must also ensure the sustainability of the site. Thus, the main goal of this article is to research the variables influencing the sustainability of dry port location and how this sustainability can be evaluated.With this objective, in this paper we present a methodology for assessing the sustainability of locations by the use of Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Bayesian Networks (BNs). MCDA is used as a way to establish a scoring, whilst BNs were chosen to eliminate arbitrariness in setting the weightings using a technique that allows us to prioritize each variable according to the relationships established in the set of variables. In order to determine the relationships between all the variables involved in the decision, giving us the importance of each factor and variable, we built a K2 BN algorithm. To obtain the scores of each variable, we used a complete cartography analysed by ArcGIS.Recognising that setting the most appropriate location to place a Dry Port is a geographical multidisciplinary problem, with significant economic, social and environmental implications, we consider 41 variables (grouped into 17 factors) which respond to this need.As a case of study, the sustainability of all of the 10 existing dry ports in Spain has been evaluated. In this set of logistics platforms, we found that the most important variables for achieving sustainability are those related to environmental protection, so the sustainability of the locations requires a great respect for the natural environment and the urban environment in which they are framed.

Playing Mas on Campus: Dance and Public Demonstrations at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad

In Trinidad, the act of playing mas in Carnival is about transformation and the intersection of traditional characters with contemporary social issues. When the mas moves from the streets of Port of Spain to a university campus, dance and theatrical performance become a means for students to engage with social issues in public spaces. In February 2014, the performing arts students of the University of the West Indies St. Augustine campus played mas to raise awareness for several issues in the department. The students claimed a lack of adequate class space and proper consultation in developing these resources. The students carried handmade placards with slogans, danced, chanted, and sang as they lined the road to campus. Some students even performed ballet and modern dance sequences learned in class on the sidewalk to demonstrate the need for more rehearsal space. Later in that same month, students also producedThe Old Yard, part of the annual Trinidad Carnival celebration. The event featured “dramatic displays and exhibitions linked to cultural research within and outside of the University of the West Indies” (UWI St Augustine Campus 2014). Both performances utilized dance to communicate how socio-economic issues impacted daily life on campus and within a national performance community. By applying historical and ethnographic frameworks, I explore how the students use the act of playing mas as a means to negotiate their identity as performers and students in a university setting.

Pan! Our Music Odyssey

Written by Kim Johnson; co-produced by Kim Johnson, Jean-Michel Gibert and Barthelemy Fougea; directed by Jerome Guiot and Thierry Teston (Port of Spain, 2014; 90 minutes)

Techbits: SPE Effluent Discharge Management Workshop Addresses Standards and Regulations

Techbits The SPE Trinidad and Tobago Section recently hosted an Applied Technology Workshop (ATW) on oil and gas effluent discharge management in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event brought together petroleum and petrochemical industry professionals involved in generating effluent discharges to the receiving environment, regulators, and those involved in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of treatment systems for effluent discharge. The goals of the workshop were to Explore regional and international legislation as applied to effluent discharge in the oil and gas industry and compare with the local regulatory framework in Trinidad and Tobago. Define the compliance issues of water pollution rules in Trinidad and Tobago specific to the oil and gas industry. Obtain the industry best practice for effluent treatment and disposal with emphasis on large oil and gas drilling and production operations both onshore and offshore. Explore the available technology and its applicability to achieve compliance. There was a consensus that urgent collaborative action is needed among all stakeholders. The path forward received endorsement from the country’s regulators (the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs [MEEA] and the Environmental Management Authority [EMA]), operators, and service providers. The areas of focus in the workshop included legislative reform, use of applicable technology, and availability of resources. Legislative Reform Participants discussed the Trinidad and Tobago legislation pertaining to effluent discharges. There were also presentations on experiences setting effluent discharge standards in the North Sea using the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Northeast Atlantic or OSPAR Convention, for possible use as a framework. The topics of discussion about legislative reform centered on the following: Are our current water pollution rules relevant and appropriately framed in the current environment? The consensus was that there is an opportunity for the review of the current Water Pollution Rules created in 2001 and amended in 2006. For example, there is the need for ambient water-quality standards coupled with discharge standards. Current discharge standards were deemed to be stringent by some presenters compared with other jurisdictions such as OSPAR. OSPAR is using a holistic or risk-based approach in regulating effluent by the use of mixing zones and impact-based ambient water-quality standards vs. technology-based discharge parameters. To develop new ambient water-quality standards, a baseline study must be conducted on the receiving environment of Trinidad and Tobago.

HOW SHOULD THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE LOCATION OF DRY PORTS BE MEASURED? A PROPOSED METHODOLOGY USING BAYESIAN NETWORKS AND MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS

The global economic structure, with its decentralized production and the consequent increase in freight traffic all over the world, creates considerable problems and challenges for the freight transport sector. This situation has led shipping to become the most suitable and cheapest way to transport goods. Thus, ports are configured as nodes with critical importance in the logistics supply chain as a link between two transport systems, sea and land. Increase in activity at seaports is producing three undesirable effects: increasing road congestion, lack of open space in port installations and a significant environmental impact on seaports. These adverse effects can be mitigated by moving part of the activity inland. Implementation of dry ports is a possible solution and would also provide an opportunity to strengthen intermodal solutions as part of an integrated and more sustainable transport chain, acting as a link between road and railway networks. In this sense, implementation of dry ports allows the separation of the links of the transport chain, thus facilitating the shortest possible routes for the lowest capacity and most polluting means of transport. Thus, the decision of where to locate a dry port demands a thorough analysis of the whole logistics supply chain, with the objective of transferring the largest volume of goods possible from road to more energy efficient means of transport, like rail or short-sea shipping, that are less harmful to the environment. However, the decision of where to locate a dry port must also ensure the sustainability of the site. Thus, the main goal of this article is to research the variables influencing the sustainability of dry port location and how this sustainability can be evaluated. With this objective, in this paper we present a methodology for assessing the sustainability of locations by the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Bayesian Networks (BNs). MCDA is used as a way to establish a scoring, whilst BNs were chosen to eliminate arbitrariness in setting the weightings using a technique that allows us to prioritize each variable according to the relationships established in the set of variables. In order to determine the relationships between all the variables involved in the decision, giving us the importance of each factor and variable, we built a K2 BN algorithm. To obtain the scores of each variable, we used a complete cartography analysed by ArcGIS. Recognising that setting the most appropriate location to place a dry port is a geographical multidisciplinary problem, with significant economic, social and environmental implications, we consider 41 variables (grouped into 17 factors) which respond to this need. As a case of study, the sustainability of all of the 10 existing dry ports in Spain has been evaluated. In this set of logistics platforms, we found that the most important variables for achieving sustainability are those related to environmental protection, so the sustainability of the locations requires a great respect for the natural environment and the urban environment in which they are framed.