LOCAL NEWS
SINOE COUNTY – Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) has firmly dispelled circulating rumors and categorically refuted allegations suggesting that it intends to terminate the employment of over ninety security personnel in Grand Kru County.
Mark Threason, the company’s Communications Officer, stated that the information currently circulating on social media and reported by certain news outlets is false and misleading.
By: James Marking Suah
He confirmed that dismissal letters will be issued to only three security personnel due to administrative reasons and alleged violations of GVL policy, in alignment with the laws of Liberia.
The GVL Communications Officer indicated that Bestman Nyan, Jacob Sieh, and Bestman Siedee are the individuals against whom the company’s management will take immediate administrative action, as they are alleged to have posted and escalated the misleading information on social media.
He added that the specific administrative reasons will be detailed in their respective suspension letters, which will be issued at the appropriate time at their regular muster grounds across the various estates.
Mark Threason emphasized that the dissemination of such information without contacting management appears to be an attempt to tarnish the company’s reputation. He made these remarks during a telephone interview with the Liberia News Agency over the weekend.
It can be recalled that recently, Bestman Nyan, one of the security supervisors, accused the multi-million-dollar oil palm company of planning to suspend or dismiss more than ninety security personnel, including some supervisors within the department.
In a strong statement, he said the security department is willing to challenge management’s pending decision by any legal means available.
Bestman Nyan explained that the company’s Department of Security has raised concerns with management regarding the lack of protective equipment needed to enhance and strengthen their operations, which he alleged has been ignored for years.
He added that the requested logistics include pepper spray, batons, handcuffs, adequate uniforms, and certain allowances stipulated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to him, the issue was previously addressed with the former Human Resources Officer, Bandu Parsco Weeks, but no action was taken. The matter was later taken to the Labor Court in Grand Kru County.
He further explained that the former Labor Commissioner of the county ruled in favor of the workers, stating that management had allegedly engaged in unfair labor practices. The company subsequently appealed the decision to the Circuit Court for further adjudication.
At the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Kru, Nyan stated that the resident judge, Peter W. Gbeneweleh, again ruled in favor of the workers in accordance with their CBA agreement.
Speaking again via telephone with the Liberia News Agency, Bestman Nyan emphasized that since September last year, the matter resurfaced at the Supreme Court of Liberia.
He said the Court ruled that three hundred and thirty thousand United States dollars should be paid to the security department by GVL management, a ruling he claimed the company has failed to honor.
He noted that these issues are the reasons the company plans to dismiss them, allegedly in response to their pursuit of legal action against GVL.
