ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCYTHE PRESIDENT
ALHAJI DR AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH
ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMISSIONING
OF CONTAINER SCANNING MACHINES
AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II QUAY
TUESDAY, 5TH APRIL 2005

Mr. Speaker
Honourable Ministers
Honourable Members of Parliament
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Board and Management of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

The commissioning of the Container Scanning Equipment in the Queen Elizabeth II Quay marks a milestone in Sierra Leone's tireless effort in ensuring that the port is made free of arms, contraband goods, including drug and related substances. This is very significant as 40% of world trade in goods comes through the port.

You may recall that after the September 11,2001 incidents in the United States of America, a conference was convened under the sponsorship of the United States of America in December 2002 which was attended by all Ministers of Transport and Communications of the 164 countries that constitute the International Maritime Organization (IMO), including Sierra Leone's Minister of Transport and Communications.

Among the decisions taken at the conference was the amendment of Chapter 11-2 of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention, with a view to providing port facility security plans and their implementation for the port of contracting governments of the IMO.

The conference also adopted other provisions in the 1974 International Convention for the Safety Of Life to further enhance maritime security. These new requirements now form the international framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts which threaten security in the maritime transport sector.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

Since the inception of the ISPS Code, my government has cooperated fully with the International Maritime Community in efforts to implement all the provisions of the code. It was in this connection that my government designated the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration as the overall coordinator of all the agencies in Government.

In addition, my government also appointed Port Maritime Security International Ltd (PMSI) of the United Kingdom, together with Intertek Foreign Trade Standards to carry out Port Facility Security Assessment of (i) Queen Elizabeth II Quay; (ii) Kissy Oil Jetty; (iii) Nitti I and Nitti 2 in the Imperri Chiefdom. The companies are also to draw up a port facility security plan covering the same ports.

At this stage it is gratifying to note that port facility security assessment and port facility security plans in the various ports in Sierra Leone have now been completed. In furtherance of the effective implementation of the ISPS Code, my government contracted the services of PMSI and Intertek to install container-scanning machine in the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. Henceforth all containers entering through the port of Sierra Leone will be scanned to ensure that they are arms free and also free of contraband goods, including drugs.

Arms and ammunition and explosives are tools normally used by terrorists in the implementation of their diabolical plans. With this in mind, and my government in concert with other development partners have now successfully installed the container scanning equipment within the port of Freetown.

The equipment will also greatly facilitate the work of the National Revenue Authority since goods declared on manifests will now be accurately verified to minimize under-invoicing. The scanning machines will go a long way in minimizing delays in the examination of containers by Custom Officers. I should note that a good number of Sierra Leoneans will also benefit from training on the operation of the scanners and already quite a few have been employed.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You will be pleased to know that with the various security measures which are now in place at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, the United States Department of Home Security, United States of America Coast Guard have issued a Port Security Advisory Note on 9th November, 2004, thereby confirming that Sierra Leone is now in full compliance with the ISPS Code.

This is welcome news as the Rutile operations have been re-launched and therefore the International Maritime Community will have no doubt about ships coming in and out of the Rutile area.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

It now gives me the greatest pleasure to commission the container scanning machines which will no doubt help create a secure environment in our ports, enhance the ability of the National Revenue Authority to raise more revenue and also make it possible for the work of the Ports Authority to be more transparent and in the process generate more revenue and deliver efficient service.

I thank you very much for your attention.