Big Deal At NPA, But
What appears to be a big deal in any normal business practice is allegedly ongoing at the National Port Authority over the management of the Free Port of Monrovia.
At the center of this alleged big deal is the Managing Director of the NPA, Matilda Wokie Parker and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Concessions headed by Richard Tolbert, also Chairman of National Investment Commission or NIC.
They are being accused by APM Terminal, a Swedish-American Company which also runs the shipping company, MAESK-Line worldwide of delaying the contract to manage the Port after winning the bid more than three months over a French based company, Borlorri.
According to APM Terminal, the delay is a result of efforts by Parker and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Concession to award the management contract to a giant Dubai-based company (name not disclosed).
The NPA Boss and Committee are also being accused of receiving “huge brown envelopes” from the Dubai Company allegedly brought in by Matilda Parker, thus causing some nervous moments for APM Terminal.
But both Jacob Walker, Director of Public Affairs at the NPA and Dr. Richard Tolbert, Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee described the entire information as alleged as totally untrue.
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The NPA and IMC did confirm that APM Terminal won the bid about two months ago, and that negotiations were ongoing for modalities to hand over the contract to APM Terminal.
They also denied being knowledgeable about a Dubai-based company being favored or envelopes distributed. They also denied being knowledgeable about a Dubai-based company being favored or envelopes distributed.
Dr. Tolbert described the process so far in the ongoing negotiations as very fast, noting that other processes have taken close to a year for conclusion.
He assured that the ongoing process may be concluded by June. Dr. Tolbert also disclosed that it will cost fifty-million U.S Dollars to re-do the dock facilities at the Free Port of Monrovia.