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UNMIL, Gov't to Monitor Rubber Movement

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
September 14, 2006
Posted to the web September 15, 2006

By Sallu Swaray

The Chairman of the interim leadership of the Guthrie Rubber Plantations Task
Force, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Christopher Toe, says the Government of
Liberia, UNMIL and UN-police will begin to control the movement of rubber from
the Guthrie Plantations beginning September 16.
Speaking at UNMIL weekly press briefing on Wednesday at the Pan African Plaza
in Sinkor, Dr. Toe said his focus was to see the application of rule of law and
the establishment of government's presence at the plantations in Bomi County.
He indicated that they had continued to operate in an exclusive and
participatory environment but stressed that under no circumstances are they
going to use force at the plantations.
Dr. Toe said they had appealed to all parties not to doubt their resolve but to
bring stability to the Guthrie community and to ensure that those activities
that are in the national interest and the community were implemented.
He emphasized that the principal role of the Interim Management Team is to
improve the economic viability of the plantations saying, the establishment of
the rubber buying station is the first step while the major challenge would be
the aggressive creation of job at the plantations for the community residents
as well as ex-combatants who are desirous of working within a legal
environment.
Among other things, Dr. Toe said that under brushing and training of tapers
were already in the pipeline. He appealed to every one involved in the process
especially ex-combatants and community residents to continue to cooperate with
the Interim Management Team.
Dr. Toe said what ever negotiation made by the government were in the interest
of the Guthrie inhabitants and Liberians in general.


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