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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st DECEMBER 2009
Question
"What connection, if any, did the Harbour Master have with the introduction of Portfolio Solutions/Bluestream (TM) safety management systems into the department?
Did the system work well, and was there any conflict with the introduction of Windows XP as an operating platform, particularly in respect to online documents management systems?
How much has the company been paid to date, and has the company ceased trading?
When Bluestream (TM) system failed in 2007 at a crucial time, what provision was put in place to get it running, who provided assistance to get it running , and did the department have to source another system, if so, at what additional cost?
Could the Minister confirm that the company Portsfolio Solutions (TM) is/was registered at 21 Howgate Avelon Park JE2 3FG, and that the HarbourMaster is/was a Director of the company?
Answer
The current Harbourmaster was not involved in the purchase of Portsfolio safety management software system by Jersey Harbours. The software was purchased prior to his employment as a civil servant.
He was a non-executive director of the company when he was subsequently employed as Deputy Harbourmaster at Jersey Harbours. Permission to continue his directorship and links with Portsfolio Solutions were explicitly incorporated within his contract of employment.
The non-executive directorship was re-confirmed by Act of the then Harbours and Airport Committee in 2005 which concluded that, on the basis that Jersey Harbours had no further commercial dealings with Portsfolio Limited, save with regard to the maintenance of existing software and that when the time came to review this software an alternative package would be sourced from another company, it could see no reason why the non- executive directorship should not be permitted to continue.
The software was indeed successful and a core part in the implementation of an overall safety management system at Jersey Harbours, and subsequent compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code. The safety management system software did not conflict with Windows XP. There was an issue with an associated document management system which had been provided at the same time; however this was not part of the safety management system itself and was not upgraded.
For the supply and 5 year maintenance the company was paid approximately £8,000 initial cost in 2001 and then £1,400 per annum thereafter until 2006.
The licence was not renewed for 2007. The decision was taken to move to the SHE system, aligning more closely with Transport and Technical Services, at an initial setup cost of £12,000.
The Jersey Company was registered to the address at Avalon Park and dissolved in 2006, the UK Company to an address in Southampton dissolved in 2007. Information on the company's trading dates, directors and registered addresses are freely available from both Companies House in the UK and the JSFC Companies Registry.