The Movement with Integrity for National Development (MIND), a Civil Society Organization (CSO) has condemned any attempt to cancel the contract of Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions (GTMS) between National Port Authority (NPA) which has been tracking cargos and containers arriving in Liberia through the Cargos Tracking Note (CTN) system.
MIND in a release said, an investigation has revealed that GTMS has been effective and efficient over the years tracking items on board of cargos which arrived at the Freeport of Monrovia with all necessary information regarding the security of items on the cargos from the points of loading abroad making Liberia compliant with anti-terrorism measures in its maritime operations.
MIND noted that the United States Coast Guard announced that it was removing the conditions of entry on vessels arriving in Liberia into the United States waters, which has been in place since 2005 due to the fact that Liberia had been found to be one of the countries not maintaining effective counter-terrorism measures at its port.
MIND stated that as the result of GTMS Holdings, a maritime company known for its prudent work in cargo tracking and potential of terrorism activities and illicit products amongst others, has saved vessels arriving from Liberia the embarrassment of the special security measures upon arrival in the United States since 2018.
MIND lamented the attempt of the Minister of Commerce and Industry Amin Modad recommended to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to cancel the contract of GTMS and fronting for Med-Tech Scientific Limited while NPA is reviewing GTMS’s contract for renewal, undermines international compliance.
MIND stressed that GTMS has the capability through CTN advanced data declaration and the full integrity of data from shippers of import and export freight and the fact that Minister Modad is seeking cancellation of its contract, it should be condemned in the term.
The group said during a public hearing last Wednesday at the Liberian Senate, it was demonstrated that Minister Modad and others are really fronting for MedTech but seeking for the cancellation of GTMS based on the high cost of charges for goods during port clearance.
MIND stated that the Managing Director of GTMS Madam Aminata Bangura clarified that GTMS has nothing to do with goods charges rather than ensuring that cargos and containers coming to Liberia are saved and without security threat to the country.
It maintained that Madam Bangura also revealed that when business people go abroad to purchase goods, they sometimes under declared the actual cost of goods abroad, but GTMS can provide the data of pricing of goods abroad to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to determine the traffic on these goods in collecting effective government revenues from the business community.
The group is appealing to President Joseph N. Boakai to maintain the contract of GTMS in Liberia to carry out its good work of tracking cargos and illicit goods in containers as well as making Liberia compliant with International Maritime Standard of Operation in the marine sector.
MIND cited that it was because of GTMS that US$100,000,000 worth of illicit drugs and guns with ammunition were discovered at the Freeport of Monrovia.
