The Liberian Senate is conducting an inquiry into a new cargo tracking regime at the National Port Authority (NPA) due to concerns that the measure has economic complications in an economy that is already in worse condition.
Following a request through a communication by Grand Cape Mount County Sen. Varney Sherman, the Senate has invited the NPA, the Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions Holdings and the Liberia Chambers of Commerce (LCC) to submit themselves to the investigation
The NPA and Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions Holdings are are parties to this new cargo tracking regime at the Liberian port of entry, but the LCC is the institution that recently alarmed the new measure.
Sen. Sherman’s communication requests the Senate to invite the NPA, the Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions Holding and the Liberia Chambers of Commerce to give evidence of a cargo tracking regime at NPA.
He observes that the cargo tracking regime at NPA has been an alarming issue of the LCC and has been reported in various newspapers here.
The Senate Chairman on Judiciary and member of the Committee on Commerce and Industry reminds the Senate that the LCC which has alerted the public to this new cargo tracking regime is an institution that has so many business groups under its umbrella.
He names the Liberia Business Association, the Fula Business Association, the World Lebanese Cultural Union, the Indian Association, Bankers Association and Custom Brokers Association, among others.
According to Seb. Sherman, the House of Representatives Committee on Contract, Concessions and Investment has invited both the NPA and the Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions Holdings because of the seriousness of the matter.
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“I therefore urge the Liberian Senate to take the same initiative as the House of Representatives by having our committee on Commerce and Industry to investigate into this regime before it takes effect,” Sherman notes.
He informs his colleagues in the Senate that in November 2018, the Sierra Leone Port Authority cancelled a cargo tracking regime it had with a private company.
However, Bong County Sen. Henry Yallah made a motion that the communication be received by plenary and send to the committee to report in two weeks.
By Ethel A. Tweh –Edited by Winston W. Parley
