By P. Clarence Jackson in Bong, Liberia latifahkpah172@gmail.com
Gbarnga– Normal working activities was early Wednesday morning (September 12, 2018) disrupted at the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) near Liberia’s central city of Gbarnga, as a number of aggrieved contractors stormed the main offices.
The contractors, who have been staging a go slow action, are demanding one month salary arrear owed them and better working condition.
The aggrievedcontractors said, the management have paid others for the month of August, but is doing nothing to pay them..
They are also demanding regular employment status and increment in salary among others.
They accused the Director General of the Institute, Dr. Marcus Jones of dong nothing to employ them despite working as contractors for more than five years.
Dr. Marcus Jones, CARI boss
One of the aggrieved Contractors Moses Sulunteh said, the administration usually pay others and delay their payment, a situation which he said has made it impossible for the children to go to school.
“We will continue this action, until Dr. Jones give our money and change our statuses from contractors to employees,” Sulunteh vowed.
“We are also here for employment because we cannot be working for years and up to now we are not employed,” another aggrieved contractor Ruth Binda said.
“I have been working with CARI since 2006, but management is yet to employee me. Since 2006, I am not employed, I don’t know why I think President George Weah, Representative Edward Karfiah or Senator Dr. Henrique Tokpha will have to come because we will not stop our action until our demands are met,” the aggrieved CARI Contractor explained.
When contacted, the Director General of the CentralAgriculture Institute Dr. Marcus Jones who spoke to a local radio station in Gbarnga admitted that management owed the contractors, but described their action as un-grateful.
Dr. Jones said, administration was doing everything to pay the workers.
“I have told them that their Checque is presently at CARI should send people here but it will have to go to the bank for days before you receive your money
“ I even sent the finance team and the team explain to them, I also told them that I will work to ensure that their salaries begin going into their accounts, but they wouldn’t listen to me.
Dr. Jones also said, there are professional staff at CARI and other people who salaries goes directly into their accounts but this is not with their contractors.
Commenting on the issue of increment in salary, Dr. Jones said, he does not have any authority to increase salary at CARI without a mandate from the Board.
“I can understand the problems they are going through, but we are working things out, and it is also good to be clear that there are certain things that will take some time..
The action by the aggrieved contractors prevented vehicles from leaving and entering the main Compound of CARI.
Although the Contactors vowed to remain on go also until their demands are met, it is not clear whether they will continue their action tomorrow.