Africa-Press – Gambia. The Chief Executive Marketing Officer (CMO) of Bell Bottling Company, Borry Darboe, has urged The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) to regulate the smuggling of beverages into the country, posing a threat to Gambian Industries.
Speaking to The Voice on Tuesday, Mr. Darboe appealed to GRA’s Commissioner General, Yankuba Darboe to do something to tackle smuggling. He laments that Bell Bottling Company is faced with illicit importation of beverage products, which, according to him, are mostly untagged beverages.
He alleged that the continuous flow of unchecked beverage products into the country continues to pose threats to the local Gambian Industries. ‘’Every day we are on the lookout to help not only our company but the state against unscrupulous people bringing all kinds of products into The Gambia unchecked or protocol not followed, leading to loss to the state,” he decried.
Mr. Darboe pleaded with GRA to revisit ECOWAS protocols by protecting local Industries, stating that those ‘’unscrupulous businesses must be watched’’ because they do it for themselves.
He accused those who smuggled goods into the country as selfish people who avoided taxation and were not ready to comply and they did not come through the borders.
Mr. Darboe pleads with President Barrow’s administration to protect local industries so that they can grow, claiming that it is a nightmare for a local industry to transport its products to Senegal, describing such an adventure as ‘’frustrating.”
“If you start it, you will stop, for there are ECOWAS protocols laid, but Senegal is pushing their products here,’’ he said.
He went on to say that if the company has support from the government, its volume of production of beverages will increase, and in so doing, the company will pay high taxes for the development of The Gambia.
He discloses that his company has employed one hundred Gambians, but is looking forward to employing three hundred Gambians if fully established in the country.
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