The_Open_Door_deel1

XI
At times these were far from selfless engagements as in the case
just mentioned of Firestone or in the examples of the construction
of the ports of Monrovia and Greenville when the U.S. and
the German Governments, respectively, granted the Government of
Liberia multimillion dollar loans to facilitate the export of
products by the Liberia Mining Company and the African Fruit
Company, owned respectively by American and German interests.
Even at the end of the 1970's the Liberian attitude towards
Firestone is one of a love/hate relationship which occasionally
renders the U.S. rubber company the national scapegoat.
Though indeed in the past the company has played, and continues
to play a dubious role, it would be very unfair to look only at
its record since activities were made possible and in some cases
even encouraged by the political environment.
The awareness among Liberians that the diffusion of the wealth
generated by the business activities of the concessions had been
highly uneven was suppressed during the Tubman era. It was
activated with the swearing in of William Tolbert as Liberia's
new President upon Tubman's death in 171. President William
Tolbert soon declared:
"Our minerals, forests and other natural resources are
Le.ing steadily depleted. Our environment is Leing polluted
and yet, our people receive comparatively insufficient
direct or indirect, immediate or future
compensation," (ll)
and within a few years the renegotiation of the illustrious 1926
Planting Agreement with Firestone had started and a general
policy of "Liberianization" introduced. This policy officially
aims at replacing expatriates in foreign-owned companies by
qualified Liberians. Yet President Tolbert praised the Open Door
Policy on various occasions for being successful and incessantly
confirmed his Government's commitment to keep the basic principles
of the Open Door Policy intact.
Although he failed to effectuate the opening of the Wologisi
mines in Lofa County - the Wologisi Iron Concession having been
signed as early as 1967 - which cannot be said to have been due
to lack of incentives provided by the Liberian Government,
Tolbert was successful in stimulating a real influx of logging
companies. At present over 40 companies are exploiting the
country's rich forests.
At the end of the 1970's the opponents of the Open Door Policy
- whose number was on the increase - became increasingly vociferous
in their protests against the huge profits reaped by the
mining companies, the rapid dwindling of the forest reserves,
and the exploitation of labour on the rubber plantations. Unfortunately,
the knowledge of many Liberians of the exact role
foreign investors have been and are still playing in the national
economy is very often based upon fragmentary information, popular
beliefs, distorted facts and also class interests, since
loyalty to the Government or identification with a certain group
of citizens is, in Liberia, very often incompatible with a critical
mind. As a result, misunderstanding and ignorance prevail,