SAJ regrets death of Noel Hylton
THE SHIPPING Association of Jamaica (SAJ) regrets the passing of its former general manager, Noel Hylton, OJ. Hylton joined the SAJ in 1966 at the height of one of the most momentous periods in the history of Jamaica’s maritime sector and remained in charge of the operations of the association until 1975, when he was seconded to the Government to establish the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ). He led the implementation of one of the first major transhipment hubs in the Caribbean in the Kingston Container Terminal. He received the SAJ’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
During his tenure at the PAJ, Hylton continued to work closely with the SAJ, and was supportive of the association’s modernising role in industrial relations on the Port of Kingston, which has led to one of the most stable and advanced shipping sectors in the hemisphere. Hylton also helped the port to achieve rapid expansion, and the development that is now underway is a continuation of the work that began during his tenure and is in large part due to the foundation that he lay.
President of the Shipping Association, Denise Lyn Fatt, hailed Hylton as a man who will be remembered for the unmistakable mark that he has made on the Port of Kingston.
Honorary managing committee member and past-president of the SAJ, Charles Johnston, who worked closely with Hylton since 1966, remarked that “there have been great changes between 1966 and the present, and while many have contributed, I think it is fair to say that Tony (Noel) Hylton has been at the centre of every change and development in this industry. He (was) a man of vision, a man of action, a giant of our industry.”
Kim Clarke, the immediate past president of the SAJ and someone who worked very closely with Hylton over the years, remembers him as an unparalleled industry stalwart whose impact will live on. “I will personally miss his immense insight and wit,” said Clarke.
Group CEO of the Shipping Association Trevor Riley said that the shipping industry in Jamaica has benefited from the great contributions of Hylton. “He has a well-deserved place in the history of the shipping industry, and has laid the foundation for the great logistics-centred economy which we are becoming. May he rest in peace.”
Paul Scott, a former president of the SAJ who recruited Hylton to work at the Shipping Association in 1966, recalled that “Tony (Hylton) joined the SAJ during my involvement with this wonderful organisation where I got to know him well ... He was instrumental in improving its efficiency and operations, and t he capability of its management team.” Scott added: “He contributed much to the growth and development of our ports and shipping industry.” Former General Manager Alvin Henry recalled working with Hylton as an important participant in the Muirhead Commission of 1997 and t he Joint Industrial Council for the Port of Kingston. “The fact that we became the successful transhipment port and cruise-shipping destination marked by a stable industrial relations climate is owed largely to the work of a dedicated band of professionals, among whom Noel Hylton stood as a strong partner.”