The_Open_Door_deel1

-290-
1976 ULC's operations were (temporarily) suspended - by the
Government. On March 24, 1976 another logging company, the
"Brazilian Afro Logging Company" (BALCO) sold its concession
rights to the U,L.C. (without Government approval). On April 23,
1974 BALCO had already assigned the Vai Kone area of its
concession area to the U.L.C. (32,400 acres).
BALCO had obtained a timber concession agreement on May 31 , 1973-
The company was given a concession area (Area "A") of 74,500
acres in Baworobo Chiefdom, Maryland County, and 68,000 acres in
Webbo Chiefdom, also in Maryland County, With an Addendum to the
concession agreement BALCO acquired an additional concession
area of 40,000 acres in Bopolu District, Lower Lofa County and
32,400 acres in the Vai Kone Chiefdom, Grand Cape Mount County
(December 12, 1973). According to the company, operations
commenced effectively in the middle of December 1973 in Maryland
County but after complaints of Bell Timber Company that BALCO
intruded into Bell's concession area the Minister of Agriculture
stopped BALCO from operating in the area. The area subsequently
assigned to BALCO was evacuated by the latter after it
was found out that it. was an area surrounded by other concessionaires
who, still according to BALCO, refused them passage
to their concession area through their concessions (particularly
LEVCO and NACA).
In February 1974 BALCO withdrew completely from its concession
area in Maryland County and the company commenced operations in
Lower Lofa County. This brought the company in conflict with the
Liberia Mining Company which had been granted the area years
before. It is worth mentioning that it was not only BALCO which
intruded into LM's concession area. Other logging companies
exploiting the timber in LMC's concession area were Tropical
Farms, the United Logging Company, St. Paul Joint Venture and
the Mecca Logging Company (65). After a period of which not much
is known BALCO was sold to ULC on March 24, 1976.
Conflicts of interest and Liberian internal politics
BALCO was owned by a rich Lebanese businessman of Liberia, Nassi
Charara (84?), and four Liberian partners: Alfred Sayeh (6?),
Joetta Fully (4?), Anthony Gorgla (3?), and Willie W. Cooper
(3?)- The participation of these Liberian nationals caused sevei
problems In 1974 as one of these Liberians, Alfred Sayeh was
Assistant Minister of Agriculture (for Forestry) and as it was
found out that Joetta Fully was a daughter of George Fully, alsc
working in the Ministry of Agriculture (Bureau of Forestry, Chi<
Conservator of Forests).
The same applied to the other two Liberian Shareholders, Anthon
Gorgla, Inspector General of Forests, and William Cooper, mappe
An investigation held by the National Security Agency into