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Politics News

Citizens want SDPL manager quit

Some residents and civil society activists in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties have submitted a five-count petition to the House of Representatives, calling for the removal of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia’s General Manger, David Parker.


The petition, dated May 3, 2018, and signed by 50 citizens, among others, claim Mr. Parker brought in his own chief of security in person of Thomas Walker who instituted a malicious attitude that resulted to torturing of one John David and Gibson of Demah Town, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties, respectively.

In the petition submitted to the House of Representatives chairman on concession recently, the group, headed by Samuel Brown notes that since the appointment of Mr. Parker, there have been series of instabilities at the plantation, ranging from death to alleged torture.

Brown has been a strong critic of SDPL operations since the company started work in 2010. At some point, one of his relative was accused by the company of attacking a Malaysian at the plantation.

The petitioners in their statement claim Mr. Parker hired the chief of Security, Thomas Walker who instructed the alleged torture of John Davies and one Gibson in Damah, leading to beating a town chief in Madina.

“The inability of Mr. Parker has brought several unrests in and around the plantation; students demonstrations for school buses, demonstration by contractors for delay in payment, citizens demonstration that led to the burning down of two security booths at the plantation, among others.

“In view of this, we are calling on the plenary to inform the authorities in Malaysia of these as reasons to remove David Parker for the sake of peace, security and harmony”, the petition reads further.

Copies of the petition have been forwarded to Speaker Bhofa Chambers, Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Legislative Caucuses, Minister of Justice, Cllr. Musa Dean and the House Chairman on Labor, respectively. “Mr. Parker as a general manager lacks confidentiality and traditional approach toward our people on the ground.”

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–Editing by Jonathan Browne

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