Monrovia – LonestarCell/MTN has reacted sharply to a story in the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper, linking it to lobbying with the House of Representatives on One Cent per Minute Call.
The GSM Company in a release said it is not involved in any discussion with the committee set up by the President and the House Speaker and has not and will not intentionally destroy the economic viability of the country solely for profit making.
“Lonestar’s position has been and always will be that GSM operators offering promotions for long period of time must be made to pay taxes to the Government of Liberia and not operate in a manner that reduces government of Liberia taxes, but increase their profits,” the Company said in a release.
LoneStarCell also clarified that the letter written by the CEO of the Company to the House of Representatives was in good faith and as a means of finding solution to the saga.
It maintained that its Deputy Chief Executive Officer did not lie under oath as being reported in some quarters.
At the same time, LoneStarCell MTN said politicians like Benoni Urey as Chairman of the Board of LoneStarCell, does not run the day- to-day activities of the Corporation and must not be associated with its operation for any political gain.
“Paying Government legitimate taxes must be the bottom line and the concern of all in these difficult times. Playing politics with tax collections is really dangerous.
LoneStarCell regrets that it is being punished for its compliance, while the competitor is growing its subscribers’ base at our detriment; this ploy to further devalue LoneStarCell position in the market is counterproductive to government’s revenue collection, our operation and the many Liberians in our employ,” the company lamented.