Media Center
(July 5, 2010) - Bureau of Maritime Affairs Breaks Ground For new Corporate Headquarter.
Sunday, July 4, 2010 was a historical day for the Liberia Maritime Program, when Her Excellency Madame Ellen Johnson broke ground for the Corporate headquarter of the Bureau of Maritime Affairs. The ceremony took place on the campus of the Liberia Marine Training Institute (LMTI) in Marshall City, Margibi County.
Making remarks, Commissioner Kesselly welcomed the President and guests to the LMTI and said that breaking ground for the Bureau of Maritime Affairs headquarter is a fulfillment of a dream that started a while ago. He promised to accomplish and execute a mandate that President Sirleaf has set for the Liberia Maritime Program and said it is an honor to follow her service and leadership and that he will not let her down. He estimated that the headquarter will cost about 3 million dollars and will be completed in 18 months.
Also speaking during the program, the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime Affairs, Hon. Eugene Fallah Kpargar praised Commissioner Binyah Kesselly and his staff for the able manner in which they are running the Liberia Maritime Program. He said he has no doubt that Commissioner Kesselly has brought credibility to the Liberia Maritime Program and from all indication, it is time that the Maritime Program takes a bold step in constructing its own headquarter. As we all know, the Liberia Maritime Program is a giant competitor in the Global Maritime Industry but after 62 years, now is the time for Liberia to have her own headquarter. By so doing, this will send a clear message to our global competitors that Liberia is now ready for business. He thanked the Government of Liberia thru the President, Commissioner Kesselly and the Bureau of Maritime Affairs for the innovation that has been set forth and challenged other Public corporations and autonomous agencies of government to follow the good examples of NASSCORP and the BMA.
Climaxing the program, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf observed that about four years ago when she visited the LMTI campus to see what was left of the institute, most of the buildings now renovated were all in a state of disrepair. The grounds and facilities were all part of the symbol of the difficult years of conflict and destruction. That is why, when she appointed a new Commissioner, she challenged him to reactivate the Maritime Program and take it beyond where it was three decades ago. Not only should it become a source of revenue for the national budget but it should also become an active facility to train Liberians to work on board thousands of ships that fly the Liberian flag. This she said, Commissioner Kesselly has been responding to. She commended him for his decision to build the BMA headquarter on the Maritime grounds and that breaking ground today is not only a fulfillment of that, but also a fulfillment of a bigger promise of this government to reactivate those facilities that will being pride to Liberia.
At the end of the program, the Commissioner accompanied the President on a guided tour of the facility.
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