This clarification was made in reaction to this misleading publication this week, a source closed to this outlet also noted that Mr. George Haddad has since been out of the importation of rice business since 2008, stressing that he has no link with the K&K.
According to GNN investigation, the Haddad Group of Companies which operates the Bridgeway Corporation has not been in such business; the importation of rice for over 14 years and further noted that such information being released in the public is misleading and has no iota of truth.
Hundreds of aggrieved rice dealers during the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 29, staged a violent protest on the Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia by setting road blocks over the unfavorable business practices and the scarcity of the country’s staple food on the local market.
The marketers, mostly elderly women, were seen chanting anti-slogans like “We want rice; No Rice, No Car Going, Your Open Your Stores, We Want Rice”, among others.
They also held placards with inscriptions: “Enough is enough, we want rice; Where is the rice; Local rice dealers are tired of paying transportation for rice; No rice, no work; Government please give us rice, We are hungry and out of business”, among others.
The protestors also blocked the main entrances of two major rice importers the K&K and Fouta Corporation in Vai Town-accusing the owners of allegedly hoarding and creating artificial shortage of the commodity on the market, claiming that the importers were reportedly planning to increase the price of a bag of 25kg rice from US$13 to US$15 in the midst of extreme hardship and poverty in Liberia.
“The K&K Trading is owned by a Lebanese businessman only identified as Mr. Kadouh and not George Haddad has been reported in the media this week”, our source from Bridgeway Corporation who declined not to be named in a chat with the GNN via mobile phone said.
Other importers of the product include Fouta Corporation owned and operated by Mr. Cherif Abdallah and the Supplying West Africa Traders (SWAT) of Mr. George N. Nehme. These companies are among the highest importers of rice in the country.