The_Open_Door_deel1

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It thus facilitated the immediate export of the produce of this
plantation to the U.S. war industry, which worked at full
capacity. During the construction of the airport, named
Robertsfield, U.S. seaplanes landed at Lake Piso, near
Robertsport in Grand Cape Mount County. This necessitated the
construction of a road connecting Monrovia with Robertsport,
Unfortunately for Liberia the construction of this road was
discontinued before it was finished - immediately after the
completion of Robertsfield,
When on January 4. 1944 William Tubman took over from Edwin
Barclay there were no ports in the country, despite Firestone's
commitment under the 1926 Plantation Agreement. Furthermore, in
the early 193O's President Barclay had granted a concession to
the Danish-Liberian Syndicate including agricultural development,
road construction and the building of a pier at Monrovia (11).
However, before handing over power to Tubman, President Barclay
had obtained the promise of the U.S. Government that it would
construct a modern port at Monrovia.
The country's only publicly owned road, which could be used by
cars, was the Monrovia - Kakata road. In addition, there was a
network of privately owned roads on Firestone's Harbel
plantation, within the triangle Monrovia - Kakata - Harbel.
Nevertheless, in 1944 travelling in Liberia in general was still
done in the traditional way - as it was done in the centuries
before the arrival of the settlers and the Firestone Plantations
Company. Thus, the tribal population continued to use foot paths
through the dense tropical forest and to cross "monkey bridges".
They also continued to supply porters for itinerant Government
officials and guests, and to carry them in hammocks, obligated
by law, for travelling into the interior. The easiest way to
travel along the coast was by means of canoes and surfboats
which, besides, continued to play their role in Liberia's
international trade - except for that portion which was now
channeled through Robertsfield (12).
In the century after the arrival of the first settlers (1822 -
1919) no changes can be reported in the field of transportation.
In the quarter of a century following the arrival of the first
car in Liberia (1919 - 1944) there was little progress. The
changes which took place in the following one third of a
century (1944 - 1977) - modest though they were - might be termed
revolutionary. However, as will be seen, it is doubtful whether
they would have been brought about without foreign assistance.
After 1944 the development of the much needed infrastructural
facilities (notably transportation) made tremendous progress.
Road construction was carried out at an accelerated and
unprecedented pace. Very poor secondary roads existed between
Kakata and Salala (24 miles) and, deep into the interior of the
republic, between Ganta and Sanniquellie (25 miles). In March
1944 the U.S. Army started the construction of a road linking
Salala with Ganta. This road would make it possible to travel
from Monrovia to the border town of Sanniquellie since there
already was an all weather road between Monrovia and Kakata.