APM Terminals, BIVAC Risk Summon

-For Allegedly Rejecting Local Currency

By Reuben Sei Waylaun

The managements of APM Terminals and the Bureau Veritas, Inspection, Valuation, Assessment and Control (BIVAC) are expected to be summoned by the plenary of the House of Representatives for reportedly rejecting the local currency for transactions.

Rep. Dixon Wlawlee Seboe

The looming decision follows a communication from Montserrado County electoral district sixteen Representative Dixon Wlawlee Seboe.

The managements of the two international companies were previously advised not to reject the local currency because Liberia is a dual currency nation and as such; the two currencies (the United States and Liberian dollars) should be accepted for transactions at all times, decision the two companies are reportedly rejecting.

In his communication Thursday, the Montserrado County lawmaker informed his colleagues that since the committee of the House of Representatives on Banking and Currency met with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), APM Terminals and BIVAC, the two companies continue to reject the local currency.

According to Seboe, the committee mandated APM Terminals and BIVAC to accept the Liberian dollars for transactional purposes, but they have refused to adhere to the mandate of the joint committee, thus showing ‘blatant disregard’ to said mandate and ‘disrespect’ to the House of Representatives.

The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) stalwart wants the plenary of the House of Representatives to invite the two companies to show reasons why they shouldn’t be held in contempt by that august body.

Following the reading and deliberations, the communication was forwarded to the leadership of the House of Representatives to investigate before inviting the companies.

In a related development, the Communication officer of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL), Caesar Morris has admitted that the two companies continue to reject the local currency for transactions.

Morris made the disclosure in an interview with a team of journalists Thursday at a local hotel in Sinkor.

According to Morris, he wonders why those companies continue to reject the local in the country when they are not doing same in other countries where they operate.

It can be recalled Bomi County electoral district two Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe sent similar communication complaining the two companies of rejecting the local currency for transactions.