The manager of Palm Spring Resort, Najib Kamal says he is in no dubious deal with the Government of Liberia and clarified that he has met up with all his financial obligations.
Besides, Kamal in a statement issues yesterday said as a person who manages a reputable entity, up to date, the Palm Spring Resort has invested over US$5M in the hospitality industry in the country and has all its receipts and relevant documents intact.
Some receipts were put on display by Kamal’s representative as proof of his settlement of debts but it remains unclear whether he has an operational license or the entity has met the required investment portfolio to operate a gaming industry.
This paper carried a story in its Tuesday, August 31, 2021 edition captured, “Palm Spring Manager To Face Court Trial For Defrauding Gov’t” but in his statement, the manager of Palm Spring said The Inquirer reported that the ‘manager was wanted to face criminal charges due to some financial irregularities’ which was a misrepresentation of the story’s contents least to speak about the headline.
However, Kamal stated further that the report which the paper alluded to from the General Auditing Commission has been clarified over a year ago and all necessary reconciliations were effected.
But, the National Lottery Authority Regulation 6.2 (a) (b) (c) of the 2014 Act from which the GAC drew its conclusion provides that, “ An application for a license shall only be approved upon presentation of satisfactory evidence to the Authority that the entity and provides adequate capital to finance the sports betting and adequate financial capacity available to pay liabilities.”
Over the years specified in the audit, the GAC ordered the Palm Spring Gaming to settle the unpaid fees within a given timeframe after the issuance of the audit report with receipts to its office for validation and for that the GAS mandated the NLA to initiate a review process of license issued to Palm Spring Resort to ensure full compliance with the regulation.
The Palm Spring Resort said it is believed that such report was cleverly planted by some of its competitors who see his fast moving business as a challenge to their survival pointing out, “As a company with over 20 years of operating in Liberia, it has always upheld the spirit of good business practice in an open market.”
The Management said at no time has Mr. Kamal been wanted though he is said to be deliberately stalling a US$5 million trial in the Debt Court on grounds that he is sick; yet he says the company believes in fair business practice as key hallmark and encourages clean competition.
Kamal bragged that currently, the Palm Spring has the largest single investment in the betting industry at the moment and is aimed at expanding its operations to other parts of the country soon.
Though the clarification made by the foreign-owned gaming business did not mentioned whether it has also settle its alleged indebtedness to the employees who staged series of protests over delays in payments coupled with bad labor practices, another case pending judgment before the court, the manager said the business’ aim is to buttress government’s efforts in helping to reduce the unemployment rate in the country