The closure orders from the Tax Court of Montserrado County sent to Nathaniel Gildersleeves, acting sheriff of the Court on Monday, July 30, ordered that the premises of Libercell Atlantic Wireless Inc. be sealed up and closed to the public pending full payment of its balance arrears and other obligations with the government are met.
According to the Court’s order, Libercell owes the government of Liberia the sum of US$1,469,926.40 in tax arrears and US$88,195.58 as six percent on balance judgment due the government of Liberia.
The Court’s closure order was signed and approved by Edwin S. Sommah, clerk of the court and Eva Mappy Morgan, assigned Tax Court Judge.
For now, Libercell will remain shut down and off air until it clears itself of the debt owed government.
Compounding the company’s woes, the Libercell employees claim that the company is indebted to them in the amount of US$33,000.00 for salary arrears, including their allowances. According to them, said amount was part of a mutual understanding recently reached with the company’s management. The aggrieved employees have issued a stern warning to their employers, threatening to take the matter into their own hands should management fail to financially settle them.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Observer on Monday, the spokesperson of the aggrieved workers, Morris Karr, said, “The management of Libercell has refused to pay us our arrears for a period of two months. They owe us, but do not want to pay. Some of us have to pay the school fees of our children. We need our money.”
“We have been negotiating with them for two weeks. We have been talking to them to see reason to meet up with their obligations. We are very frustrated. We don’t know what to do,” Karr said.
Responding to government’s closure of the company and what that meant to them as employees, the workers, through their spokesperson, said they “love the step taken by government.”
They were, however, concerned about their arrears; thus calling on government to ensure that what is due them; is paid them
“Every employee is affected by this problem. We are about 110 persons, including on-site and off station employees,” he said.
The management of Libercell, when contacted, declined to comment on the matter. They said they were not in the mood to speak with the press. Meanwhile, the company’s network will be offline to mobile subscribers until all debts and fees to the Government of Liberia are settled.
