The Vai Town Bridge linking Waterside with Bushrod Island, which collapsed several months ago, will soon be reconstructed by a Chinese construction company in Monrovia.

Addressing a regular press conference recently at the Ministry of in Monrovia, Deputy Information Minister for Administration, Cletus Sieh, said the collapse of the bridge, is posing inconveniencies to motorists and pedestrians commuting from the Bushrod Island and Somalia Drive areas to central Monrovia.

Mr. Sieh revealed that the government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Public Works, signed an agreement on September 24, 2008 with a Chinese firm - China Chunk Wan International Construction Corporation, popularly known as CHICO to reconstruct the bridge.

He put the cost of the reconstruction works at US$14,584,977.00. He disclosed that the money for the reconstruction is being provided by the World Bank and the duration for the project is two years, commencing from the date of its launching.

 The Acting Information Minister indicated that reconstruction work has already begun and that over 300 Liberians are expected to be employed.

NICOM Striking Workers & Management Sign MOU

Some 200 employees of NICOM Distillery Company located on Lynch Street have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the management to end a strike action that recently brought production activities at the company to a standstill.

 Recently, a group of employees staged a strike action to coerce management into paying their delayed salaries, as well as increment.

The workers spokesman, Nanue King, told journalists that their salaries have been delayed for three months, while proposed increment commencing from August has not been forthcoming.

She alleged that despite several appeals, NICOM management continues to pay deaf ears, adding: “And so, as workers, we are left with no other alternative but to stage a strike action to compel the management settle our salaries for the months of August and September 2008.”

Labor Ministry officials who were invited by the striking employees managed intervened and helped calm the tension on the company’s premises.

Both management and workers have agreed to enter into dialogue, with immediate payment of August salary which, according to NICOM Manager for Operations, Rupert Taylor, was delayed for weeks due to temporary shutdown and shortage of raw materials.

He claimed that shipment for the supply was also delayed but gave no reasons. Mr. Taylor however extolled the Labor Ministry for its intervention which culminated in the signing of an MOU between the management and the workers.

The Administrative Manager of NICOM, Joseph Kankah, pointed out that this was not the first time management had misinformed their members on factors that led to the delay in the payment of salaries in addition to the increment promised.

Mr. Kankah assured the employees of fair labor practices and discouraging them from engaging in unnecessary strike actions detrimental to revenue generation.

Meanwhile, reports from NICOM speak of mass duplication of its products, especially the “Jumping Deer and Gold Medal Wine.”

Mr. Taylor, who led a team of journalists on a tour of NICOM production facilities recently, said the company, despite the unwholesome business practice, remains the best when it comes to sterilized quality products.

“Some unscrupulous individuals in the New Kru Town and Redlight areas are illegally duplicating NICOM beverages, using its trade mark stamps and cover staplers”.

“Complaints have been forwarded to the Ministries of Justice and Commerce, as well as the Liberia National Police, to intervene and prevent these unscrupulous behaviors which are posing serious health hazard and economic threats to the company,” he disclosed. 

The company says it has introduced several new methods, including the use of shrink wrap and protective seal to distinguish its products from duplicated ones in order to curb the threat posed.