by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - A critical gap analysis is currently being conducted at the Port Authority of Guam after lawmakers raised concerns relative to security clearance requirements and other issues related to hiring of its employees.

Legislative Committee on Transportation chairman Senator Tom Ada says security at the Port can't be taken lightly, noting, "Security begins with ensuring that we have people who have been properly cleared and at least the threat of disruption at that port with respect to the personnel working down there is minimized." During Wednesday night's oversight hearing, senators questioned Port management on issues ranging from hiring, Transportation Workers Identification Credential cards and whether security has been breached.

General manager Mary Torres says of 374 Port employees, 25 do not hold a TWIC card, nor are they required to. However, she says the ultimate goal is for everyone to obtain such credentials to have access to secured and restricted areas. "I know what was explained to me was that ultimately they would like most people in the port to eventually have TWIC cards," she stated.

Torres admitted that of those who are required to have a TWIC card, three employees don't have them, as the Transportation Security Administration determined they were ineligible. Operations manager John Santos said the lack of a TWIC card for those specific employees requires them to be escorted. He adds once an employee gets hired, it's the employee's responsibility to apply for a TWIC card, but there are some cracks in the policy of informing the employer.

"So if I apply for a TWIC card, I think within 30 days, I'm supposed to get a notice back, the question would be how does the employer know and that's why we're trying to set up a policy in place so it doesn't fall through," he said.

But Senator Ada pointed out that there are gaps in place as one of the individuals who lacked a TWIC card was put on payroll, but the Port was unaware he didn't have a card until five months later. "So I'm just trying to point the fact that I'm glad that you're doing a gap analysis - because boy, I see some big gaps here," he said.

The gap analysis couldn't come soon enough as TWIC cards that were first issued in September 2008 and last for five years are set to expire. Meanwhile, relative to the recent cargo checker at the Port working without a TWIC card, Torres says pending final resolution as to whether the TSA will deny the employee a TWIC card, she ultimately has the authority to terminate the employee.