By Mariama Njie
Members of clearing and forwarding agents in The Gambia last week started an indefinite sit-down strike over unpaid money they said must be settled otherwise they would not go to work.
The Association members accused Maersk Gambia Shipping Line of owing them an unconfirmed amount of money after working for the Shipping Line to get containers out of the sea port in Banjul.
Speaking at a news conference in Banjul, the association’s president Sulayman Joof said: “we informed Maersk to either refund back our deposits or we will continue a sit-down strike to next 30 days. We have informed all our members not to go Maersk line to release a container and anybody who go there we will take disciplinary action against such agent.”
Mr Joof accused the Shipping Company of calling the police for his members for striking but added “we are not going to compromise with Maersk Line and nothing will let the matter go until they start doing things right as there should not be any condition attach in returning someone’s money.”
He urged the government to engage Maersk Line Gambia, because the extra charge is a cost to business, adding that the government should look at all this thing in the ports whether they are reasonable.
“The key issue we are having with Maersk Line is the deposit refund, shipping do request for deposits when paying your handling charges in order to clear container which will be refund to you upon returning the container in good condition.”
“Recently Maersk Line introduced payment with cheques, they decided that they are going to introduce a banking system, were all deposit refunds will be sent to our bank accounts and a copy of our cheque,” he said.
He added: “We told them that it is not possible because a deposit is not a payment, a deposit is something that you keep, upon finish agreement you return the money.”
He argued that Maersk Shipping doesn’t spare a dalasi to anyone; saying “therefore must pay us back.”
He said they have engaged them on several occasions but still the problem is not solving which even has gone to an extent that customers do accused agents for eating their deposit money whilst it is not the case.
