Sierra Fisheries MD Denies Accusations
Managing Director of the Sierra Fishing Company Limited Mr. Bassam J. Mohamed has denied vehemently, accusations laid against him and his company by some fishmongers who claim they have been unfairly treated in terms of equal business opportunities as against their Lebanese business counterparts. The fishmongers made this claim after the MD ordered that all credit facilities to them be stopped and all commodities be instead bought on a cash basis.
According to the concerned fishmongers, consisting of women both young and elderly, they consider the decision taken by the Sierra Fishing Company management to stop crediting them fish as unfair.
The women confirmed they owe the company for earlier credits but said that should not in anyway result in such a stringent decision from the management of the fishing company as they have been with the company for a long time “in both rain and sun shine.”
“We want the company to review their decision because it is not deliberate on our part in not paying back the debt,” said one of the women who refused to give her name.
The women also accused the company of unfair price treatment, saying that the MD, who is a Lebanese national, sells the fish to their Lebanese compatriots at a lower price. The fishmongers also complained about the large number of Lebanese in control of the company and said the Lebanese workers have no pity about their condition but that the Sierra Leonean workers who have an interest in their welfare are few and are only given menial jobs.
However, responding to some of the accusations, Mr. Bassam Mohamed said customer satisfaction is their watch word. “So I see no way where we can institute selective justice or opportunities when we depend on them as our partners to a very large extent,” he said.
The Lebanese merchant confirmed that the company stopped at one point in giving fish to the women on credit, noting that most of them refused to pay at the end of the day leaving the company with debts of over two billion Leones.
“We are doing business to make profit in the country and to sustain the business but with this type of attitude of deliberately refusing to pay back their debt is not good for any business that wants to grow including theirs,” he said.
On the issue of unfair employment at the company, human resources manager, Mr. Mohamed A. Sesay denied the allegation and said that “even though we have a good number foreign expatriates, we the Sierra Leoneans are in the majority he said.
Head of Corperate Affairs, Mr. Allam Sharafedine said they do not put race into play when serving people at their company adding that they operate on a cash recovery basis so they do business with anyone who has the money.
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