The International Transport Workers’ Federation has issued the following statement from ITF General Secretary David Cockroft. Commenting on Charles Taylor’s departure from Liberia, Cockroft said, “We’re more than glad to see the back of that villain and hope that his accomplices will also be swept from power. Any cleansing of the mire of corruption and violence that is Liberia must include the removal from their maritime posts of the justly UN condemned Benoni Urey and Agnes Taylor, and a reassessment of the cosy contract signed by Liscr and the Liberian dictator.”He continued: “Putting aside the joy of all decent people that Taylor is out, there are some issues about where the Liberian register goes from here that continue to concern us. These include the lack of any rule of law in Liberia and, by extension, the ships flying its flag. Compliance with international law and the rooting out of corruption must be one of the immediate tasks facing any new government, and the retention of FOC status does not bode well for that mission.
“Liberia must develop sources of sustainable income generation and the $18 million provided by the flag, as well as being a drop in the ocean in terms of its reconstruction, humanitarian and developmental needs, does not meet that need.”
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