The House of Representatives has cited the Ministers of Justice and Labor to receive recommendations for implementation in a case of potential national security threats and gross violations of the rule of law at Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.
The recommendations came from its joint committee on Mines, Energy and Natural Resources, Investment & Concession, Labor, National Security and Judiciary.
The plenary’s decision was triggered by a joint committee report following a complaint from Grand Bassa County Electoral District 5 Representative Thomas Goshua.
Goshua informed the plenary that he received a complaint from an employee of the company alleging that on June 4, 2023 a group of people, believed to be in the employ of Bea Mountain, engaged in violent activities wherein they mobbed and beat-up several of their colleagues including expats and the company’s lawyer who was nearly killed in Kinjor.
In a progress report submitted by the joint committee Tuesday, it says after a lengthy deliberation of the matter, the joint committee probed that the allegation by Mr. Goshua was established as truth and the committee came out with its findings and made some recommendations.
In its findings, the he Joint Committee noted that strike actions has a negative effect on the day-to-day operations of business and in most instances, make it difficult for employees to get to work and for entities to conduct business.
“This can spell bad news of a nation and have bad economic effects on the employer, the employees and the government,” the report observed.
It argued that the laws of the nation call for protection of all citizens and residents living in the country and that government must be able to protect all citizens, residents, and concessions within its borders.
The report recommended that to avoid crisis, the management of BMMC must be ever ready to dialogue and negotiate with its employees on matters that border on their welfare in a timely fashion and not to wait till tension build up.
“Under the doctrine of Respond eat Superior, most commonly used in tort, it holds an employer principally and legally responsible for the wrongful acts of an employee, if such acts occur within the scope of the employment or agency,” the Joint Committee noted.
In its findings, the House’s Joint Committee has invoked respond eat superior and held both the employer and the employee accountable for the riot at the Bea Mountains.
“The relevant government ministries must do everything possible to maintain peace and stability and ensure safe environment at the company by instructing the key government actors to act timely.
However, the joint committee recommended that the security issues flagged at the company are of primary focus; employees, expatriates and concessions are to be accorded maximum security under the laws; absolutely no employee or expatriate shall attempt to provide self-protection anywhere in the Republic of Liberia. Protection under the laws of Liberia is the responsibility of the Government of Liberia; the Government of Liberia, through the Liberia National Police shall help beef up security at BMMC, as a means to add weight, strength or power to the company’s security apparatus.
