31 December 2008
The management of Bureau of Maritime (BMA) has clarified report carried in the December 29th edition of this paper under the caption "BMA Upbeat Over Huge Revenue Success," noting that the information as published is inaccurate.
This paper quoted the Commissioner of the BMA, Binyah Kesselley as telling media executives last week that its revenue generation was encouraging and that amount was not received from ship's registry, instead is money paid to the United States and later transferred to the Central Bank of Liberia.
But instead of what was reported relative to the issue of the US$12.9m revenue, the BMA said, "the amount represents the total receipt to the GOL as of the date of the press conference, December 23, 2009. The press was informed that the amount was likely to increase by the time the year comes to a close, as billings and collections did not occur simultaneously."
Other than what was reported, the BMA clarified that after the Agent sends out the billings and does the collections, GOL's share of the revenue goes directly to the designated Account of the CBL at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, saying "the key message is that BMA is not the recipient of the revenue collected for the Government but the CBL."
"As per the issue of Liberia not receiving a fair share of the revenues generated as reported", BMA said its Commissioner alluded to the fact that the distribution is a direct result of the existing Agency agreement between the GOL and LISCR approved March 18, 1999 and subsequently enacted into law later that same year.
Hence, the existing structural deficiencies have to be addressed a priori, as the contract comes up for revision and renewal.
Clarifying the issue of renovating the former Coast Guard Head Quarters to be used as "Regional Research Center," the Commissioner said, "the nations of Cote D'Ivoire; Guinea, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia make up the West Africa Sub-Region of the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center (MRCC) to coordinate rescue activities of vessels in distress in the territorial waters of countries making up the zone."
This, he said, is just one of five rescue coordinating centers in Africa set up by the International Maritime Organization some eight years ago in Florence, Italy.
The Liberia Region MRCC, he said, has already been renovated and is to be equipped by the IMO and staffed by the BMA. Recruitment for the staff is underway and training is to start soon.
This complex is expected to be dedicated in April 2009 by Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the Secretary General of the IMO.
As regard the shortage of Seafarers as reported by this paper, BMA said "it is in line with its effort to renovate the Liberia Marine Training Institute (LMTI) in Marshall City and train seafarers to enter the shipping workforce, noting "The core message was by 2012, an estimated 80 thousand seafarers will be needed according to statistics of the IMO. Even though the number new ships being built could drop due to the global economic crisis, seafarers will still be in demand."
According to the BMA, the need to renovate the LMTI allows Liberia to take advantage of this manpower shortage and ensure that qualified Liberian Seafarers are employed in the global shipping marketplace. The effort to recruit a contractor is underway.
Clarifying the issue of the Minister of Defense and the BMA Commissioner planning trips to solicit help in the LMTI renovation process, the Commissioner said that he and the Minister of Defense would be soliciting assistance for maritime and coastal security, consistent with the transition of Liberia from a Nation with a Maritime Program, to a Maritime Nation.
These travels, the Commissioner said, would be in the New Year, and would allow for both organizations (BMA and MOD) to obtain the necessary equipment and infrastructure to create an effective team for the manning and protection of our territorial waters.
Regarding the blacklisting of the Liberia Port by the US Coast Guard as reported ", the BMA clarified that Liberian Ports are yet to be compliant with the International Shipping and Port Security Systems(ISPS) Code.
This in part has been due to the inability for Liberia to respond to a list of questionnaires submitted to the country since 2004, hence, the black listing of the Liberian ports by the US Coast Guard.
Nonetheless the Commissioner said, port security is now a top agenda for the country, and the BMA along with the NPA are now working closely to ensure Liberia becomes ISPS compliant. That means fencing of the port; lighting; equipping security, and many other aspects relevant to the port security.
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