The Ministry of Labor has explained reasons to the business community for the issuance of Regulation #17 increasing Work Permit fees from USD$450.00 to USD$1,000.00.
According to meeting held last Thursday in Monrovia at the request of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC), Labor Minister Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe clearly explained that the regulation is meant to give effect to section 1507-(1) (2) of the Labor Law of Liberia which provides that no alien is permitted to work in Liberia unless said alien is in possession of work permit and that there is no qualified Liberians to occupy such vacancy.
The Minister explained further that this law was meant to give preference to Liberians for employment opportunity in Liberia. He also said that the regulation is in line with Article 8 of the Liberian Constitution which states "The Republic shall direct its policy towards ensuring for all citizens, without discrimination, opportunities for employment and livelihood under just and humane conditions..."
Finally, the Labour Minister told the LCC delegation that promoting employment for Liberians especially among the youth is one of the steps under the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) of the Government of Liberia to reduce poverty and sustain peace in Liberia and therefore, called upon the business community to fully cooperate with the Ministry of Labor in complying with Regulation #17 of the Labor Law of Liberia.
The LCC delegation in turn appealed to the Labor Minister that the regulation should be gradually enforce amongst other reasons, be a clear criteria for the issuance of work permit taking into considerations, qualification, the number of work permit to be issued to alien working with business entities, job directory of the Ministry of Labor should contain records of Liberians who have been dismissed by employer for fraud, theft, and unemployable conditions in previous areas of work.
They advised government to implement some quick impact programs for skill acquisition and wealth creation in the micro, small and medium enterprises and that government needs to introduce policies that would enhance economic development. ,
The Liberia Chamber of Commerce further stressed its concerned that the Labor Law of the country is discriminatory, restrictive and contradict investment promotion.
The LCC executives appealed that holders of pervious work permit that are determined not qualified by the Ministry of Labor should be given 12 calendar months to wine-up and find suitable Liberians. In reaction, the Labor Boss said there are more good people in Liberia than
bad people as such; jobs should be advertised to give Liberians the opportunity over others to work in their own country. He promised to
convene another meeting with the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC) to deal with the concern raised by them.
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Bravo Minister Gongloe,I hope this employment law will be enforced.It will help alleviate the unemployment our people are facing to some extent.
What for Christ sick, will this discrimination not be change in our Labor laws? Is the minister of Labor trying to say, the bussiness Community in Liberia prefer to hire immigrants over Liberians, or is it Zenophobia? Please tell us Mr. Minister, where in the word did you get such Evil placed in you heart?
As a born Liberian,full blooded, I will say, this is a disgrace! that you will do such a thing to Immigrants living in Liberia.For me as a Liberian immigrant Living in the U.S, I can not imagine such a discrimination against me,and any other Liberian,or immigrant in general for that matter in America, or Europe.That will mean, thousands will go hungry in Liberia it self if laws like that existed here. What a shame?
If Liberians want to work, many of them will go around to find Jobs as it is the case now. However, many of our people depend on arms and instead of looking, they just sit down and call over sea, for money as if money can fall down from the sky.
So my conclusion to you Mr. Minister is, please bring down the cost for work permits in Liberia, and the Legislature must bring some changes to the Labor laws. That is, Liberians qualify, should be given the chance to be employ and if, they do not apply for the Jobs, then these employers can employ any qualify immigrant or immigrants that apply for such positions. The Ministry of Labor can also look at statistics of every employer to see if, they are farely employing Liberians, and not just immigrants. By doing that, you can reduce the ricks of employer's discriminations.Just increasing prices for work permit to $1,000 U.S, is totally base less.And I hope it comes to higher up government officials, who knows how they made it through, as students and employees in foreign lands. God have mercy on that Zenophobic Labor minister of Liberia.And change his mind as he sleeps tonight in Liberia.
I am bit confuse. I thought it was the Bereau of Immigration and Naturalization under the Justice ministry suppose to give work permit, citizenship as well as resident permit. I thought the Labor ministry is responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Can some one please tell me the role of the Labor ministry in Liberia cause I am confuse.
My self, do not understand his role in the raising of work permit fees. I thought the same thing Sultuesoccer. This is the Bereau of immigration Job as far as I know it in every country, I have ever live in. Anyway, mabe Liberia labor ministry has been given that assignment due to some deficiencies at the Bereau or, this Labor minister just don't know his job assignment.
Yguluma, your name is so strange in the Liberian environment...Are you a truth Liberians? All truth Liberians that went out in the neighboring west African states got their marks from that job seeking tactic employed by Min. Gongloe. This is not strange in West Africa. If your father came from Guinea or Nigeria, I will advice you to visit these states to look for a job. From this assessment, you will see why Min. Gongloe wants Liberian jobs for Liberians only.
Grow up to the reality in West Africa!!!
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