Ports authority ready for the millennium bug

All systems at the airport and seaport are now Y2K compliant except the Security Access Control System, ruling out any possibility of a computer shutdown brought about by the millennium bug.

The Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Y2K Task Force made sure that all software, hardware and embedded systems are able to process dates near and beyond Jan. 1, 2000 correctly.

According to the task force, CPA’s Y2K repair process followed the United States General Accounting Office’s five phases, which were likewise adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The ports authority hired the services of an independent contractor to ensure that all information technology such as software and hardware used in all its systems (all three airports and seaports) are Y2K ready. In addition, the embedded systems work was accomplished using in-house personnel and resources.

Funding has been identified to upgrade the Security Access Control System and the tentative completion date is Oct. 1, 1999. In case repairs to the system should be delayed, a contingency plan has been tested and is in place.

A drill will be conducted by the ports authority in October and November to make sure that all the different sections at Saipan International Airport will be running smoothly.

Specifically, the Saipan International Airport Tower will carry out its own test to find out what adjustments must be made this early should any problem arise.

The ports authority had to beat the June 30, 1999 deadline to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration rule to ensure that airport operations has updated its software when the computers are set to fail in the year 2000.

The millennium bug could jeopardize airport operations because it may fail to fix dates, calculate transactions and perform other operations, thus, various government agencies have to make sure that their systems are Y2K compliant.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has created a coordinating body to ensure that the computer millennium bug would not disrupt government operations at the turn of the century . Computer experts have been hired by officials of various government agencies to help fix the system and not be caught off guard in the year 2000.

At the seaport, the U.S. Coast Guard has asked owners of ships and marine facility managers to make sure that they are Y2K compliant to prevent the occurrence of any disaster due to the year 2000 computer glitch.

As part of its marine safety campaign, the U.S. Coast Guard asked owners and operators of the vessels to answer a survey prepared by the International Maritime Organization to find out the preparations they are doing for potential Y2K-related system failures.