Liberia: Senate Orders APM Terminals to Carryout Community Service at William V.S. Tubman High School to Serve Contempt of Legislature
MONROVIA – In accordance with Article 44 of the Constitution of Liberia and Rules 60 and 61 of the Senate Standing Rules, the Liberian Senate held the APM Terminals in contempt for obstructing the Legislative functions of the Senate Standing Committee on Labor and, on October 7, 2020 found them guilty.
Accordingly, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Honorable Albert T. Chie, pronounced the decision of the Senate ordering the APM Terminals to perform “community service” at the William V. S. Tubman High School on 12th Street, Sinkor, as reasonable sanction.
On October 15, 2020 the President Pro Tempore set up an Ad Hoc Committee headed by Maryland County Senator J. Gbleh-bo Brown. The mandate of the Committee was to work out details of the community service to be performed by the APM Terminals and to further look into the complaints of the employees against the Management of the APM Terminals. Other members of the Committee include Senator Conmany B. Wesseh of River Gee as Co-chair, and Senators Saa Joseph, Steve Zargo, Morris Saytumah as members.
In pursuit of its mandate, the Committee held meetings with the Management of APM Terminals, the representatives of the aggrieved workers and the Authorities of the William V. S. Tubman High School and made appropriate recommendations to the Leadership of the Senate which were endorsed.
With respect to the community service, the APM Terminals has undertaken to perform the following at the William V. S. Tubman High School:
Provide and install sixty-four (64) units of protective iron bars to classroom windows; and
Provide at least two hundred (200) pieces of student arm-chairs.
As regards to the complaints of the employees against the Management of the APM Terminals, the Ad hoc Committee took due cognizance of the appointment of a new Minister of Labor, who has assured the Senate Leadership that he is making as a matter of high priority, the investigation and resolution of the labor dispute between the Management of the APM Terminals and its workers.
“In so doing, the Senate Leadership urges the Minister of Labor to oversee the conduct of an impartial investigation and resolution all of the employees’ complaints in an expeditious manner. The Senate shall continue to monitor the investigations with keen interest.