Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Bill Tweahway who is currently in the United States is expected to address executives and members of the Association of Liberian Shippers in the United States (ALISUS) at a Town Hall meeting scheduled to be held On Sunday, September 29, 2019.
According to a dispatch from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States, the NPA boss will have the opportunity to meet with Liberians residing in the United States who are tirelessly contributing to the national revenue through paying taxes by means of using the Gateway to the Liberian economic, the Freeport Port of Monrovia.
Those Liberians, mainly refugees who were relocated in the United States as a result of the Liberian civil war using their hard earned resources by shipping used cars and personal effects for business as a mean of creating jobs for friends and family members.
The meeting, according to the Secretary General ALISUS, Mr. Philip E.P. Woods,II, is being arranged through the office of Hon. Sekou B. Korleh, Director of Government and International Affairs, at the NPA, and further noted that the NPA boss has consented to meet with the shipping sector thru the Association of Liberian Shippers in the United States (ALISUS) the umbrella organization of Liberian owned businesses involved in the shipping sector with the objective of fully contributing to the Liberian economy through the provision of efficient shipping related services, shipping is the direct link between Liberian businesses and individuals in both countries.
The membership of ALISUS has been encountering multiplicity of challenges both in Liberia and the inspectorate process of BIVAC in the US. These challenges have thrown many US based Liberians and other businesspeople out of business, inflicting tough cost to doing business in and with Liberia. We are specifically asking for this meeting during your visit now to the US to help address the aspects of the challenges that are NPA related which include the followings:
- The undue delay caused by APM Terminal port operations resulting to the loss of resources to our businesses. The unreasonable five (5) days free time to clear a container, including holidays.
- The very high rate of theft of customer’s asset and those owned by our businesses by persons working directly or indirectly with operations of the Port, especially during destination inspection of containers.
- Restriction on number of importers’ representative access to provide additional and reliable security for the contents of their containers during destination inspection.
- The unscrupulous manners in which Liberian Exporters investments are kept in APM Terminal possession, and are secretly shared in the label of auction, leaving Liberians in Banks and other debts, without reaching out to the importers or exporters on record.
- Increased cost of processing clearance documents and associated activities solely due to inefficiency at the NPA and all other relevant agencies and ministries.
- The GTMS/CTN Tracking that make no sense when all Shipping Lines has their own tracking sites.
- The unscrupulous manners in which Liberian Exporters investments are kept in APM Terminal possession, and are secretly shared in the name of public auction, leaving Liberians with Banks loan and other debts, without reaching out to the importers or exporters on record including shipping lines Demurrage charges
Mr. Allieu D. Golafale is the Chairman of ALISUS, which is governed by a Board of Directors, the leadership is promising to make shipping much better for its members and customers.
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