CAMPAIGN AGAINST ROBERT CLAIRE'S REQUEST TO STOP SHIPPERS CLEARING CUSTOMERS GOODS IN FREETOWN, SIER

This is a letter of Petition to all Sierra Leoneans living abroad and in Freetown who uses the services of Rockel Shipping Company Limited or ship to Freetown.  We have been forced to draw up this petition and bring to your attention the current situation with regards Shipping, Clearing and intended Freetown Customs new rules.

We, Rockel Shipping Company currently collect your goods from your homes in the UK, Ship them to Freetown, Clear them through Customs and your recipient or yourselves collect your goods from our office in Freetown.  This process has been in place since we started our operations in 1991.  So far, it has been one of our best selling point to you all and has proved to be very convenient for all our customers particularly those with older relatives in Freetown.

The current Issues

·         In the past 2/3 years Robert Claire our shipping competitor in the UK has been campaigning to convince Customs Officials in Freetown to stop Rockel Shipping Co Ltd an indigenous company from Sierra Leone from clearing your goods through customs because Rockel has overtaken them as the No. 1 shipping company in the UK shipping to Freetown.

·         Recently Robert Claire went to Freetown and made some allegations against us. As a result of this one of our January 2011 container has been detained by the commissioner of custom. According to the commissioner, the container was held for investigation but no written statement for the reasons and allegation has been forwarded to us. The sequences of Events surrounding this container at the port are as follows;

i)             9/2/2011- container was scanned

ii)           11/02/11 Container was inspected thoroughly (100% inspection) and valued.

iii)          Between 12/02/11 and 20/02/11 the Commissioner took charge of our container.  We attended the Port daily awaiting his decision.

iv)         21/02/11 the Commissioner ordered another 100% inspection which was done and container valued again.

v)           21/2/2011- to date awaiting release order from Commissioner.

Repercussions

If the new procedure that Sierra Leone customs wants to impose on the %u201CInstruction%u201D of Robert Claire was to go ahead, the result will be:

·         You or your recipient will have to go individually to the Quay to clear your goods.

·         The chance of your goods being tampered with through theft could be as high as 90%.

·         You or your recipient will have to spend days at the Quay to clear your goods.

·         We will not be in any position to guarantee the safety and security of your goods.

·         Rockel Shipping should cease being a competitor to Robert Claire.

Customers Action

We believe that Robert Claire is trying to use politics to win market share.  This is wrong.  We should not let a non Sierra Leonean dictate Sierra Leone%u2019s shipping and clearing policy.  We believe that for customs to delay our containers for up to a month because of a statement made by our competitor is damaging to our business and a disgrace to our Country.  Our customers who are Sierra Leoneans are suffering as a result of this.  The long and short of it is we CANNOT allow an outsider to make a mockery of hardworking Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone or the UK.

To show your support to the above petition please do any of the following:

(i)                  Sign the Petition form below and return it to us.

(ii)         Call us and give us your email address or send us an email address and we can forward you an electronic copy that you use to can reply or/and circulate to your friends, relatives and colleagues

(iii)       Use other electronic methods to assist us in circulating the petition, e.g. email, facebook, phone, etc.

(iv)       You can also do a letter of your own and send it direct to customs, the government, etc., make contact with relatives who are involved in any way with the government or customs.

Remember, if we allow this new procedure to be implemented you as customers will be greatly affected.