Investigative Reports

Ministry of Information Spends 600,000 US Dollars to Fix a Decade Old Radio Station

According to a contract signed by the Minister of Information, Culture...

How Somalia is trying to Stifle Somaliland – US ties with an Online Troll and a pseudo-Charitable Organization

In February, June, and  August 2022, Mr. Okeke-Von Batten filed Lobby Disclosure Act...

DP World Berbera ‘Extremely Disappointed’ by The Minister of Trade’s Interference of its Operation of Berbera Port

In an apparent response to a request by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Hon. Mohamoud Hassan Saad (Saajin) on behalf of a private company – The National Flour Mill Company, DP World Berbera Director Mr. Sanjay Badam started his letter with his company’s extreme disappointment by the Minister’s letter.

The locally owned National Flour Mill Company is based in Berbera and has recently come online as the largest flour plant in Somaliland. The plant’s locally made flour under the Wataniya brand is available in Somaliland markets.

The letter describes the issue as a matter between two private parties – DP World and NFMC and should be resolved directly between them. Although Somaliland Chronicle has not seen the Minister’s letter to DP World, the matter seems to center around Geele or porters fees at Berbera port currently managed by DP World under a thirty-year concession.

DP World reminds the Minister that fairness matters in its operation and that it cannot discriminate between customers by offering unique discounts to any customer and that the National Flour Mill Company should pay the Geele fees like any other customer of Berbera Port. Continuing on the point of discriminating between customers, the letter states “This is the first time globally, we have received a letter from a Minister ordering special treatment to a private company that will put all other traders in the country at a disadvantage”.

In addition to basic fairness, the DP World letter states that if one customer is allowed to not pay the porters or Geele as known locally, all others will do the same and will result in the loss of nearly 700 jobs.

The letter’s final point reminds the Minister that DP World is currently managing the port under the agreement it signed with the government of Somaliland which stipulated that it has full freedom to change tariffs at the port and increase them on a bi-annual basis and that it cannot simply alter the tariff structure of the port at the request of the government without carrying out a full analysis of all tariffs at the port.

DP World Berbera and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Hon. Mohamoud Hassan Saad (Saajin) did not respond to inquiries for this report.

Latest

Misconception on Las Anod Conflict in Somaliland at the UN Security Council

Press Release of Somaliland Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation...

In the Light of Upcoming Elections, Looking Back the Transition to Direct Elections in Somaliland

Somaliland transitioned from indirect to direct elections in 2002....

Newest Anti-Somaliland Front: Las Anod War

There are times when people lose touch with reality...

Sahamiye Foundation: Charity Founded by Somaliland Couple Enhancing Education

Sahamiye Foundation is the dream of Hargeisa entrepreneurs Ismail...

Stay Connected

Don't miss

Misconception on Las Anod Conflict in Somaliland at the UN Security Council

Press Release of Somaliland Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation...

In the Light of Upcoming Elections, Looking Back the Transition to Direct Elections in Somaliland

Somaliland transitioned from indirect to direct elections in 2002....

Newest Anti-Somaliland Front: Las Anod War

There are times when people lose touch with reality...

Sahamiye Foundation: Charity Founded by Somaliland Couple Enhancing Education

Sahamiye Foundation is the dream of Hargeisa entrepreneurs Ismail...

Garad Abdiqani’s Son Arrived in Hargeisa & Appealed to Sool insurgents to End Conflict

The intellectuals of the Sool community in Hargeisa gathered...

Misconception on Las Anod Conflict in Somaliland at the UN Security Council

Press Release of Somaliland Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation Ministry on UN Security Council’s June 7th Statement. The Government of the Republic of Somaliland welcomes...

In the Light of Upcoming Elections, Looking Back the Transition to Direct Elections in Somaliland

Somaliland transitioned from indirect to direct elections in 2002. Since then, it has successfully conducted two House of Representatives (HoR) elections in 2005 and...

Newest Anti-Somaliland Front: Las Anod War

There are times when people lose touch with reality and thus analyse, assess and interpret matters not as they are in real truth, but...