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Barbara
Olton,
Manager,
Int'l Operations
The Port Authority
of NY & NJ
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JC:
9/11 was such a horrible disaster, where does the Port Authority
stand now and whatıs the future?
BO: First
and foremost, we were quickly back in business. Our ports are not
closed. Our airports were shut down only very briefly. We are working
very hard to promote New York City as a destination in coorporation
with New York City & Co. and New York State. We are working
very hard to rebuild the downtown transportation network, especially
our PATH station which was destroyed as you know, looking forward
to eventually linking that with the New York City subway stations.
The
Port Authority is working with other entities to look forward to
planning the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. We are working
closely with the States and with other organizations that have been
appointed.
JC:What kind of design might it be?
BO: I think there are many suggestions on the table, many proposals
and interests, but whether it will be a office building and a memorial
or something else, it will be a while before there will be any plans.
JC:By 9/11, How many Chinese companies rented space in your
buildings?
BO:Sorry I have to check on the numbers. There was a time in
the early to mid 1990s when there were more Chinese companies in
the World Trade Center than companies from any other country in
the world. Japan actually had companies that rented more space,
but there were more individual Chinese companies. We are very interested
in China and the China markets.
JC: How would you explore that market?
BO: As you know, the Port Authority is responsible for the
three major airports in the region. We have tunnels and bridges
and we oversee the industrial ports in New York and New Jersey.
The Port and the airports depend heavily on intıl companies , intıl
air carriers and intıl shipping lines, to bring cargo and passengers
to our region. In order to maintain relationships with the Chinese
air and sea carriers, we have an office in HK, and a director there
of the PRC HK and Taiwan and we have also established an office
in Shanghai, a satellite office to our Hong Kong office. That was
opened in 2000, so it's fairly new.
JC: What is your objectives?
BO: Our objective is to make sure we have an environment
here in the Port Authority that is conducive to bringing in Chinese
business to New York, to assist the cargo movement and passenger
movement from China, HongKong and Taiwan to come in to New York.
Our airports, Kennedys and Newark, two international airports, the
port of New York and New Jersey, particularly in Newark and Elizabeth,
but we also have ports in New York, in Howland Hook and Brooklyn,
and those ports are served by carriers which are Chinese carriers
and other carriers that carry Chinese goods.
JC:Thank
you very much, Barbara.
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