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Headlines
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Written by T. Saye Goinleh
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Tuesday, 10 July 2012 03:27 |
The Management of the Liberia Company (LIBCO) of the Cocopa Rubber Plantation in Nimba County has come under sharp criticism for its failure to provide better dwelling place and quality education for its employees and their dependent.
The criticism was made recently when some members of the House Committee on Agriculture toured the Cocopa concession area after receiving complaint from the Nimba Legislative Caucus, citing bad living conditions at the plantation.
The head of delegation, Monserrado County Representative Josephine George-Francis told reporters after their inspection around the plantation, the committee realized that there was lack of proper housing, schools, and health facilities characterized by poor sanitation. She said for a company like Cocopa, after more than sixty years its employees are still sleeping in tiny structures with leakages.
According to In Profile correspondent in Nimba, Rep. George-Francis appeared extremely dispersed when she saw that schools in Cocopa are only at junior level. She explained that she was particularly dismayed seeing children that should be in school taping and conveying cup lumps on their heads.
“We cannot allow big company like Cocopa to continue operating this way. I think we need and must review this plantation social agreement,” Representative Francis noted.
At certain point of the tour, the American General Manager of the plantation, Charles Trippe, Jr. was seen kneeing before the committee members in an apparent bid to ask for forgivingness.
The committee suspects firm action against Cocopa when it reports findings to Plenary of the House. The visit of the delegation to Cocopa was prompted by a recent petition from the Nimba Legislative Caucus to Plenary, complaining of appalling conditions and bad labor practices at the company and a need to review the plantation’s social agreement that was last signed in 1949.
The LIBCO Management however declined to speak to waiting reporters on the committee’s findings. No reason was given for management’s refusal to talk. Those representing the Cocopa Management on the tour included its General Manager, Charles Trippe, Jr. and former Internal Affairs Minister Harrison Karnwea, the company’s Management Consultant.
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