The Gambian public is informed that the Gambia Government has approved a public private partnership concession Albayrak and Negmar Consortium of Turkey.
The object is to expand the Banjul Port facility and construct a deep sea port at Sanyang. We are informed that Maritime Transport Business Services (MTBS) of Netherlands is the Transaction Adviser which assisted the Government in the bidding process through the PPP Technical Evaluation Committee comprising representatives from OP, GPA, GPPA, GRA, MOJ, MTWI, MOFEA, MOTIRIE, GIEPA and the PPP Directorate at the Finance & Economic Affairs ministry.
Foroyaa will try to interview each of these institutions to find out who participated in the bidding competition and how the winner won. No information has been given so far on the criteria utilized in the bidding exercise.
This is why Foroyaa maintains that the government is putting the cart before the horse. Those who guide the government should be properly guided by a Public Private Partnership Act in order to protect a national interest.
For the information of the reader, Foroyaa has engaged in a Google search for the identities and activities of these two companies. May be the Turkish government and the Gambia government will help us with our search which is yet to be conclusive. As it stands Albayrak is the only one we could trace through Google search and so far nothing links it with the building of port facilities. As for Negmar Consortium, we cannot trace it through Google search.
Foroyaa will therefore begin with GIEPA, the investment promotion agency that guides the government in its bidding process, to guide the government in the selection of Albayrak and Negmar Consortium.
We hope that the government, all institutions and the public at large will see the need for the enactment of a Public Private Partnership Act to guide the protection of the national assets and ensure that all investments will serve the national interest.
