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allied to the Tolbert clan but who for various reasons could not
get a government position. It would be unfair to suggest that all
those who benefited from this political patronage and/or nepotism
did not qualify for the jobs they obtained. Many of them were
intelligent and had been trained at institutions of good
reputation (mostly abroad) . The main reason for their
recruitment, however, had been a political one. The following
examples are illustrative and can easily be added to:
- Richelieu W. Dennis (nephew of President Tolbert) nominated
President of the International Trust Company (16);
- Lafayette K. Morgan (former Minister of State without
Portfolio) appointed General Services Manager Bong Mining
Company (17);
- Joseph S.O. Goleman (former ambassador and Chief of Protocol)
appointed Section Head, Industrial Relations Department,
Buchanan, LAMCO J.V. (18);
- R. Francis Okai (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs)
elected on the Board of Directors of the International Trust
Company (19);
- Thelma Goll (niece of Frank J. Stewart, Director Bureau of the
Budget, member of the Tolbert clan) employed as Resident
Manager, Monrovia, of the LAMCO J.V. (20);
- Joseph K. Acqui (foster son of Richard A. Henries) elected
Vice-President of the International Trust Company (21);
- James A, Gbarbea (former Minister of Lands and Mines) appointed
Director of Personnel Bong Mining Company (22);
- T. Nelson Williams (former Deputy Minister of Information,
Cultural Affairs and Tourism) appointed Public Relations
Officer, LAMCO J.V. (23);
- Ben Page (former Deputy Minister of Information, Cultural
Affairs and Tourism) appointed Public Relations Officer, Bong
Mining Company (24);
By giving in to political pressure the foreign companies
supported the regime. Discussions which the present author held
with expatriates working with some of these foreign companies as
well as experiences described by other authors clearly indicate
that this "co-operation" was not always voluntary.
Understandably, these companies are more interested in an
(objective) recruitment which uses education and training rather
than political relations and social class as its main criteria.
However, it will be clear that although this "co-operation" at
times resulted from political pressure it still provided the
foreign companies with certain facilities and privileges which
are bound to have had a positive impact on their day-to-day
operations, and thus on their financial results and economic
gains. That this will not necessarily have been to the advantage
of the country and its population in general goes without saying.
Also the opposite holds true. Both Presidents Tubman and Tolbert
exerted pressure on foreign investors to dismiss or not to
recruit those (Liberian) employees which, for some reason or the