LIBERIA – Recently, President Weah threw jabs at opposition leader and Alternative National Congress’ Standard Bearer Alexander Cummings about the status of soft drink giant, Coca-Cola in Liberia.
The American company shut down its activities in the country a few years ago and in an apparent jab at Mr. Cummings who’s a very successful former Coke administrator, Weah said, “People say they worked for Coke at the highest level but could do nothing about the company departure from Liberia.”
The President told the audience at the D. Twe Memorial High School soccer pitch where he launched the distribution of life jackets for Liberian fishermen, that Cummings did nothing to bring Coke back to Liberia, and had to take the (President) and his and partners’ efforts to have it return to Liberia. He did not call Cummings by name, though, but his antic was applauded by his supporters.
And after double-checking the president’s revelation, we found out that Coke has not returned to Liberia as claimed by the Liberian leader. From what we investigated and gathered, the firm being referred to by the President is not Coca-Cola, nor does it produce Coca-Cola products.
We have investigated that what is seen at the former factory of Coke in Paynesville, is an establishment put together by a few Liberian-based Indian and Lebanese entities that include Sethi Brothers and Fresh Frozen Food; and that the kind of soft drink produced by them is not Coke.
Coke is a trademark of Coke Cola America. The Coca‑Cola Company is a public company that trades its shares on the New York stock exchange – so is ‘owned’ by thousands of shareholders and investors around the world.
So, in short, President Weah was wrong to say Coca-Cola has returned to Liberia.
