MONROVIA – Bridgestone Americas, the parent company of Firestone Rubber Company Liberia says it “fully respects the rights of its employees to freely engage in the political process, as long as it is peaceful, law-abiding, and in compliance with the company’s Code of Conduct and other employee policies.”
The company made the disclosure in a brief statement issued Tuesday amid reports of the Liberian Government’s coercion on the company to dismiss Mr. Patrick Honnah, the company’s public relations officer, who is also a fierce critic of the government.
Bridgestone Liberia in its statement said, its policies do not prohibit employees from expressing their political views social media or making personal comments not affiliated with the company, and participation in political events.
The Weah-led administration,
according to one source at the Executive Mansion officially requested the
Management of Firestone Liberia, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, to terminate
the services of the company’s Communications Manager Patrick Honnah, terming
him as anti-administration.
Multiple sources within the corridors of the President’s Foreign Ministry
office informed FPA that representatives from the Office of President Weah held
an hour-long meeting last Tuesday morning with the Firestone Management with a
one-item agenda, which was to formally request the company to terminate the
services of Honnah for his critical stance on social media and his Punch FM’s
website against the President while in the employ of the company.
The source named in attendance representing the Office of the President,
Minister of State Nathaniel McGill, Legal Advisor Archibald Bernard, Advisor
Charles Bright, Executive Mansion Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundo, and
Minister of State without Portfolio Trokon Kpui.
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