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EBOLA Politics
VOL 8 NO.638
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
See PG 2
CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source:
Research, Policy and Planning Department,
Central Bank Liberia,
Monrovia, Liberia
WEDNESDAYJULY9, 2014 L$90.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$91.00/US$1 L$92.00/US$1
L$92.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
TUESDAY, JULY15, 2014
WEDNESDAY, JULY116, 2014
Politics pg.5 & 6
JFK RELEASES ONE HEATH
WORKER, REINTEGRATED
WITH FAMILY
EBOLA
SURVIVOR

ITS OFFICIAL: ROB SIRLEAF WILL CHALLENGE
WEAH, SANVEE, NEYOR AND OTHERS
I ACCEPT
I care that here in Montserrado, homes get fooded when it rains, and families have to endure long nights
without sleep. I care that the lack of roads, bridges and other basic essentials which make life better have
pushed rural Montserrado farther from urban Montserrado. I care that we must solve the overcrowding
of our prisons. We must develop programs of rehabilitation that will provide second chances especially for
our young offenders. Serving time ought not to necessarily consign anyone to a life of crime.
Robert Sirleaf, Senatorial Candidate for Montserrado County
I WANT TO
INVESTIGATE
NIMBA CRISIS
Says SIMEON FREEMAN; REJECTS
PRESIDENT SIRLEAF Appointment

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Spot News FrontPage
Monrovia -
T
he Liberian government spends millions
of dollars annually on the purchase of
brand new vehicles since it made it a
policy prohibiting the purchase of used
vehicles.
Between 2006 and 2013, the Liberian Government
is said to have spent US$55.3 millions on buying
very expensive vehicles that have no link to
improving the lives of the people but these
vehicles end up having short lifespan as they are
used for private initiatives outside Government
work.
Government offcials and others having assigned
vehicles use them for private work, making these
vehicles to encounter default problem where they
are in turn repaired by the Government.
Some government vehicles are used for
commercial purposes loaded with passengers
when travelling from Monrovia to the leeward
counties.
Others use Government vehicles to transport
materials for construction of their private
homes while government provides the fuel and
maintenance cost of these vehicles.
Mary Broh, head of the General Services Agency
responsible to safeguard government assets upon
taking over promised to ensure that individuals
do not misuse state assets but she is yet to bring
anyone to book for misuse of state assets.
Until frm actions are taken against individuals
who use government vehicles for private mainly
commercial activities such as transporting
materials and passengers outside state function,
the government stands to continue spending
millions on vehicles as other priority areas will
not be addressed.
THIS IS WHY GOVERNMENT
VEHICLES DO NOT LAST
PONDERING
REUNION
Chelsea open discussions to bring Didier Drogba back to
Stamford Bridge as a second choice striker and coach
Page 2 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
Monrovia
L
iberia is facing the hectic task of battling the outbreak
of the deadly Ebola Virus which has claimed 94 lives as
of July 13, with Montserrado County accounting for 42
deaths, Lofa 49; Margibi 2, and Bomi 1, according to the
Ministry of health and Social Welfare in a report entitled Liberia
Ebola SitRep no. 60, as the virus continues to spread, causing panic
across the country.
Donations and goodwill from donors and friends to Liberia are
forthcoming -the world Health Organization recently donated assorted
materials and safety equipment, European Union, Nigeria and others
are amongst the list of those identifying with Liberia during these
troubled times. The Chinese and others have also provided materials
and safety equipment to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to
fght Ebola.
Few days ago, Nigeria announced a commitment of US$500,000 to
Liberia to help tackle the Ebola crisis and before that funding reaches
Liberia, the Ebola fght is getting goodwill with vehicles plying the
streets bearing inscription such as Ebola Response Team but why
nurses and other medical practitioners are refusing suspected Ebola
patients rather than chasing from one community to another to get
patients remains a mystery.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has released numbers for
hotlines informing the public to call those numbers in case anyone is
sick and showing symptoms of the virus warning family members to
stay away from touching such people showing symptoms of the virus.
Ebola Response vehicles are roaming the streets of Monrovia but
onboard the vehicles are not health workers wearing protective gears
in readiness to receive suspected patients, but offcials wearing suits.
Some of the vehicles, FrontPageAfrica has learned are being used as
transport for employees instead of monitoring hospitals for suspected
cases.
Suspected patients who make their way as far as the referral John
F. Kennedy Medical Center where an Ebola center is operational
are kept waiting at the entrance for long period raising doubts as to
whether the vehicles roaming the streets are in search of suspected
patients especially when suspected patients are rejected right in the
hospital compound.
On Wednesday, right under the nose of the man spearheading the
massive call for support to the fght against Ebola in Liberia, Assistant
health Minister for Curative Service, Tolbert Nyenswah, a suspected
patient was kept lying in front of the Cholera unit now operating as
Ebola treatment center.
Medics keep suspected patient waiting
Barely few hours before the commencement of a reintegration
ceremony for Mr. Claudius Banarwolo, an Ebola survivor who
contracted the disease from a colleague nurse at the Redemption
Hospital few weeks ago, an unknown man suspected of the deadly
virus was quickly rushed at the JFK Cholera Unit by his brother who
claimed that his relative has been vomiting with blood and showing
consistent signs of weakness at their West Point residence.
Banarwolo and his family members were joyfully awaiting a
reintegration program after he successfully completed a 21 day period
battling the Ebola virus he contracted from a nurse weeks ago when
the suspected patient arrived shortly.
The arrival of the suspected patient quickly drew the attention of some
residents of the 24th street community where the JFK Cholera Unit is
situated as many rushed to take a glimpse at the patient who was lying
squarely before the entrance of the unit vomiting with blood while
awaiting heath workers to attend to him.
The brother of the patient who preferred not to be named informed
FrontPageAfrica on the scene that since two days, his sick brother has
always complain of cold in his body and earlier Wednesday morning
the situation became worse as his brother began vomiting profusely
with blood and was weak to move around.
They say we must not enter
He told FPA that after transporting his brother from West Point to the
JFK main entrance by means of a taxi cab, securities and some heath
workers did not allow his brother entry to the hospital through the
main gate but redirected them to the cholera unit.
Said the patients brother: I transported him from our house until I
reached to the JFK. I felt that he had cold thats why I carried him
through the main gate but the people send me this side. My brother
told me he was feeling cold but after that he started vomiting with
blood thats why I brought him here but they say we must not enter.
Upon arrival at the Cholera unit on 24th street, Sinkor, in the full
presence of some medical doctors and Health Ministry authorities
including Assistant Minister for Preventive Services Tolbert
Nyenswah and some members of the media the patient and his
brother were initially asked by heath workers assigned at the unit to
follow what they termed as normal procedure in the Ebola response
system.
For perhaps failing to contact the Ebola hotline for an ambulance to
pick up his sick brother from their West Point residence, for nearly
thirty minutes, the suspected Ebola patient was seen lying abandoned
by heath workers while he vomited with blood at the entrance of the
JFK Cholera unit.
After several consultations among members of the Ebola response
team posted at the time, two heath workers later arrived from the fence
of the Cholera unit to attend to the patient who was then sprayed with
disinfected substances before being taken in for further medical care.
Patients did not come the right way
Explaining the action of the health workers not to promptly attend to
the patient, the Chairman of the Case Management Committee Dr.
Moses Massaquoi told FrontPageAfrica that the patient did not come
the right way for medication because he should have called the Ebola
response unit through the hotlines for an ambulance to transport them
to the hospital.
Said Dr. Massaquoi: We dont just treat patients. We go through
investigation. You might have seen me closing the door. It did not
mean we are not running through the system. As soon as we ran
through the system and we got the information, we took him in even
though he was not brought in the right way. So we did not refuse him
thats why hes now considered a case.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is operating the Ebola
center at the JFK and is also in control of all the donations for Ebola
including the vehicles and other safety equipment.
From the recent deaths of nurses and a Ugandan Doctor, it seems the
Ministry is not doing enough to protect nurses and also provide them
the necessary tool and incentives to fght the virus.
Howre Liberias Neighbors treating Ebola?
The Ebola various has become a sub regional crisis affecting three
west African countries with common borders-Liberia, Guinea and
Sierra Leone.
Another neighboring country not affected so far, Ivory Coast is taking
every step to prevent the entry of the deadly virus on its soil.
Ivory Coast on Tuesday blocked 400 refugees who fed to Liberia
from returning home because of fears they could spread the Ebola
virus, a UN offcial said.
The decision violated domestic and international law, the offcial
added but the country said it could not allow the refugees in because
of the Ebola "pandemic" in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The three neighboring countries have seen the worst outbreak of
Ebola the world has ever seen with 603 people dead so far. There is
no cure or vaccine for Ebola, which spreads through contact with an
infected person's bodily fuids.
In Sierra Lone according to travelers along the border, centers have
been setup at major entry points and upon entering the Sierra Leonean
side of the border from Liberia; travelers are screened before entry
into that country.
For example the Bo-waterside border of Liberia with Sierra Leone in
Grand Cape Mount County has no such center on the Liberian side of
the border where people moving from Sierra Leone and entering the
country are screened for Ebola.
WHO Opens Coordination center In Guinea
On Tuesday, the WHO announced that the organization African
Region plans to activate a coordination center in Conakry, Guinea.
"The center will act as a control and coordination platform,
consolidating and harmonizing the technical support to the West
African countries including assisting in resource mobilization," WHO
announced on its website.
WHO Said personnel at the coordination center will comprise a
direction, regional advisers, epidemiologists, communications
experts, social mobilization specialists, data managers, administrative
offcers, and other support staff.
WHO also noted that the three countries most affected by the Ebola
outbreak -- Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone -- are reviewing and
updating their Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) national response plans.
The center will boost Guineas fght against the deadly virus and with
Sierra Leone already having centers along its main border points with
Liberia to screen travelers; Liberia now has to step up efforts to fght
the virus.
With patients having to wait for long period before been attended
to by medics, many Liberians are shunning hospitals for fear of not
being pronounced as suffering from Ebola.
Some Liberians now prefer getting treatment at home fearing that
based on the fact that symptoms of Ebola are also symptoms of other
common diseases at frst glance during visit to medical facilities in the
absence of testing, they could be perceived as having Ebola.


Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 3
Ben Kolako, benkolako@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
GHTING CORRUPTION:
WE MUST GET SERIOUS
FrontPage
Commentary
COMMENTARY
L
iberia is endowed with so much wealth. Resources
such as timber, iron ore, rubber, diamond and gold
have long been in abundance. The recent discovery of
oil is an impetus. These resources should serve as a
blessing to beneft the majority of the people. Instead, they have
turned out to be a curse. Majority of the citizenry continue to live
in miserable poverty.
Liberia is nearly 167 years old. It is Africas oldest independent,
but least developed nation. The country lacks far behind in just
almost everything. The war has exacerbated the situation. The
provision of electricity and water after the war is still a mystery.
Corruption now seems to be the overriding mission for public
service. The practice has permeated our nation and society so
much that it is now systemic. Fighting corruption appears to be
one of the most diffcult challenges facing this nation.
The Government of Liberia fulflled international prescription by
setting up the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to
investigate and prosecute acts of corruption in both the public and
private sectors as well as create awareness about its ills. But the
LACC can only succeed when there is political will and support
of the citizenry.
Though the Commission hasnt achieved much in keeping with
public expectations, it has made some gains amidst inadequate
budgetary support, governments continuous reluctance to
penalize offcials making false declaration of their income, assets
and liabilities, the gross interference of the Executive exonerating
some offcials accused of improprieties, delays in the prosecution
of corruption cases at the courts, and the unpatriotic behavior
of some citizens paid agents to discredit the good work of the
Commission.
Fighting corruption involves collective efforts, but the
government bears the greatest responsibility. There has to be
political will which is still mind-boggling. Public perception is
that government is not serious about the fght against corruption
and that its professed commitment is cosmetic. This may seem
myopic, but the government must get little more serious if we are
to succeed.
The Executives defense of the former Chairman of the Board
of Directors of the Liberia Airport Authority, Musa Bility, a
corruption indictee, is a bad omen.
The Executive demonstrated similar behavior when former
Finance Minister, Augustine Ngafuan was indicted in a General
Auditing Commission audit report of 2010. The LACC at the
time issued a strongly worded statement describing it as grossly
incompatible with Governments professed war on corruption as
public enemy number one. Such action undermines the work of
integrity institutions like the GAC and LACC, and renders them
irrelevant and weakens the fght against corruption.
It is only prudent that the Executive refrains from exonerating
offcials accused of improprieties in the discharge of their offcial
duties and responsibilities. Rather, such offcials should be
suspended and given their day in court.
Section 10.4 of the Administrative Code of Conduct for members
of the Executive Branch of government prescribes punishment
such as summary dismissal for political appointees and
suspension for non political appointees whose declarations are
found to be false upon verifcation. The LACC has submitted two
reports on the verifcation exercise to the Executive, indicting
some public offcials for false declaration perjury. Actions are
yet to be taken. Are we really serious?
Instead, these corruption perpetrators resulted to hiring elements
within the media and civil society to discredit and erode public
confdence in the work of the Commission. As you fght
corruption, corruption fghts back.
The reaction of legislators to the asset declaration regime is
disappointing. They have outrightly and dreadfully refused
to submit to the process. This attitude was also exhibited by
the judiciary until in recent times when the Executive made it
mandatory in letters of appointment of judicial offcials.
The process of prosecution is tedious and challenging. The
docket of Criminal Court C which deals with theft and related
offenses is overcrowded. This is why the Commission continues
to advocate for the establishment of a Fast Track Court to assist
with the speedy adjudication of corruption cases.
The prolonged delay of cases on appeal at the Supreme Court
is also worrisome. Since 2010, the case involving the former
Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, Albert
Bropleh still lingers at the Supreme. The case of former Police
Director, Beatrice Munah Sieh Browne and others continues to
hang on at the Supreme Court since 2012. Why?
The rate of corruption is alarming. Transparency Internationals
Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 ranked Liberia at 83 out of
177 Countries. The ranking gave Liberia a score of 38% of 100%.
The index ranked 177 countries/territories by their perceived
levels of public sector corruption.
The former leadership of Cllr. Frances Johnson Allison did its
best considering the challenges it faced. That leadership made
the Commission functional and successfully prosecuted two
major cases at the circuit courts. The LACC was frmed on its
opposition to some pronouncements by the Executive and was at
times denounced by some offcials within the Executive.
The LACC now has a new leadership headed by a renowned
human rights activist and lawyer, Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr. This
leadership is sensitive to the expectations of the Liberian people.
It has embarked on the process of re-orientating and rebranding
the Commission for which Liberians will appreciate and be proud
of its work. Lets welcome and give them a chance.
v
EDITORIAL
v
ON WEDNESDAY AT the Cholera Unit of the
John F. Kennedy Medical Center man was rushed
to the facility after being rejected at the main
entrance of the John F. Kennedy Hospital because
he was showing signs of the deadly Ebola virus but
was abandoned at the gate of the unit where many
health workers and officials of the ministry of
health watched him vomit with blood without doing
anything to help him for more than 30 minutes.
THE MAN WAS rushed in by his brother who
claimed that his relative has been vomiting with
blood and showing consistent signs of weakness at
their West Point residence.
THE SICK MAN was seen vomiting with blood
and as soon as they got to the facility his brother
tried calling for help from the health officials but
they only stood there, hands folded, watching the
man die.
THE ARRIVAL OF the suspected patient quickly
drew the attention of some residents of the 24th
street community where the JFK Cholera Unit is
situated as many rushed to the scene just to take
a glimpse at the patient who was lying squarely
before the entrance of the unit vomiting with blood
while awaiting health workers to attend to him.
THIS ACTION ON the part of health workers on
duty at the time of the mans arrival is broad day
wickedness and it exposes how health officials
in Liberia continue to loathe people affected by
the deadly virus leaving them to the fate of death
including health workers themselves.
TO KNOW THAT upon arrival at the Cholera unit
on 24th Street, Sinkor, in the full presence of some
medical doctors and Health Ministry authorities
including Assistant Minister for Preventive
Services Tolbert Nyenswah, the man was left lying
in pain for over 30 minutes is disheartening.
IS THIS HOW WE TREAT people who are sick
with deadly diseases in our society with people
trusted to manage our health sector just standing
by with their hands folded and instead the patient
and his brother asked by heath workers assigned
at the unit to follow what they termed as normal
procedure in the Ebola response system? What
kind of Ebola Response Unit do we have that will
leave a patient in pain to die simply because of not
following proper procedures?
THE MAN PERHAPS was being punished for
failing to contact what they call the Ebola hotline
for an ambulance to pick up his sick brother from
their West Point residence.
IT IS WRONG THAT for nearly thirty minutes, the
suspected Ebola patient was seen lying abandoned
by heath workers while he continued to vomit with
blood at the entrance of the JFK Cholera unit.
IT WAS AFTER SEVERAL consultations among
ITS A SHAME
members of the Ebola response team posted at the
center, that two health workers later arrived from
the fence of the Cholera unit to attend to the patient
who was then sprayed with disinfectant before being
taken inside for attention.
DR. MOSES MASSAQUOI justified why the health
workers did not instantly attend to the patient when
he was brought in.
MASSAQUOIS JUSTIFICATION WAS that the
patient should have called the Ebola response unit
through the hotlines for an ambulance to transport
them to the hospital.
SAID DR. MASSAQUOI: We dont just treat
patients. We go through investigation. You might
have seen me closing the door. It did not mean we
are not running through the system.
AS SOON AS WE ran through the system and we
got the information, we took him in even though
he was not brought in the right way. So we did not
refuse him thats why hes now considered a case.
THIS IS A SHAME and it shows that health
authorities in Liberia really do not know what they
are doing hence the rapid spread of the deadly
disease. This indeed is a shame!!!
Liberian Health Authorities gambling
with Peoples Lives
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
AMERICA IS RIGHT ON
DUAL CITIZENSHIP ISSUE
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DITORIAL TEAM
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB
The Reader's Page
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER
The Liberian people paid the price for their poor judgment
in electing a do - nothing Legislature, so nobody should be
surprised that they want new leadership. Politics is a quid pro quo
relationship: constituents in a democracy vote for someone in order
to receive through his/her representation the developmental aid and
other assistances their areas need from the government.
It is a transactional affair; you elect someone, and expect that
person to get things done for the community. And frankly Robert
Sirleaf has demonstrated that he has the empathy and compassion
to get things done for the communities in the county. He wasnt
compelled to get involved in the various projects he initiated and
completed in various neighborhoods.
If the enthusiastic crowds he is drawing anything to go by, the race
for Monsterrado County between him and Ambassador George
Weah would be a tug - of - war. And thats great for the county,
our people deserve to have caring, capable and credible legislators,
and we believe either of those two gentlemen would perform a
wonderful job; the people will decide with their votes.
CHARLES SAYWON TOP COMMENTER WEST
AFRICA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
What are we thinking when we try to petition people for public
service. Have we done our home work properly before coming up
with such a crirical decision that will either spoil or be good for our
nation. Or, are we carried away by just receiving little things from
their pockets as bits to blind oue eyes. My fellow Liberians, let
us think twice before taking such decision. If we want to petition
someone for any public offce, we should take a clear look at
other countries' examples. For example, Ngeria, if a man should
be petitioned for any public offce, that person must have done
something very rewarding for the people in general not just a few
handfull and you turned that as development for that locality. What
is football pitch for which you are selling your own birthright.
Can't you think through the Holy Book, the Bible, what happened
between Esau and Jacob. I don't need to go far you know the rest of
the story. Please, let all of us as Liberians put Liberia frst and not
just a little thing that will go away sooner or latter. May the Lord
Jesus saves our nation from the hands of the wicked ones!!
PLEEBOCOLLINS25 (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
Liberians are so desperate for leadership and for simple basic needs
that they will turn to their oppressors for help. Liberians are a
laughable people and hypocritical too. This Robert must be having
delusions of grandeur and think that we want him. Lliberians just
want to eat and if he will buy them food , they will vote for him.
Don't confuse that with love or confdence in Robert Sirleaf.
OBEDIAH WEAHWEAH CUTTINGTON GRADUATE
SCHOOL
This is democracy, we need to respect everyone opinions and
decisions. I think our constitution give the right to everyone
who meet the requirement to via for any public offce. I support
Mr.Sirleaf senatorial bid!
ROB SIRLEAFS COMPLEX QUEST TO BECOME MONT.
COUNTY SENATOR
PHIL GEORGE TOP COMMENTER UMASS LOWELL
This story is very intriguing. Robert Sirleaf is not the UP candidate
but he may run as a independent candidate? Wouldn't this weaken
his mother's party (UP) chance of taking the seat? This brings
to mind some interesting questions. If he wanted to run for the
seat, why didn't he compete in the UP primary and become its
candidate? Did the party think that he stands a poor chance of
winning the seat in the general election, so they decided to go with
another candidate? Anyways my thought is that because President
Sirleaf is very unpopular in the country right now for political and
economic reasons, a UP candidate stands a very poor chance of
wining the seat no matter who it is. Also if Robert Sirleaf runs he
will loose because the entire Sirleaf family is unpopular on account
of President Sirleaf's dismal leadership.
MAXWELL HOOKS STRAYER COLLEGE
Are these guys "nuts", petitioning Robert Sirleaf for a senatorial
bid irrespective of his mother's inability to govern with glaring
evidence of poverty in every quarter of Liberia? When will
Liberians learn to face reality and stop this hunger-driven politics...
look a man in the face and say, NO, IT's Enough? You sit in your
little corners and quarrel, grumble about ills, corruption, Ellen
failure to improve your lives, Robert Sirleaf extortion of NOCAL's
millions yet you petition the man to be your senator. Will he make
any difference than his mother? WOW Liberians!! I thought we
were, by now have been politically reawaken....hehehehehehe!!!!
The Editor,
T
he US Embassy Public Affairs offcer is right and that
is how the US deals with the issue of US citizenship
or dual citizenship for that matter. Your only evidence
is if the person in question uses a US passport that
states one's citizenship when they enter and leave Liberia But
don't let that fool you. Try messing with that person and Uncle
Sam (as in arrest, jail or kill/murder) will come after you. So
that should help put this dual citizenship question to rest for now.
A lot of Liberians and other nationalities take up US citizenship
because it offers countless opportunities for self-improvement
(education, economic and political) that Liberians never had in
their own country. Even most ordinary Liberians now living in
the US on "Green Card" enjoy a high standard of living than
they ever had in Liberia; hence, that is why the estimated 75, 000
Liberians living in the US are not willing to go home now, even
if offered free plane tickets.
Go home for and to what? Go home to poverty, unemployment,
a broken healthcare and education systems, no electricity and
safe drinking water, deathtrap roads, a health hazard capital city
(Ebola outbreak) raw human waste fowing in the streets and
into homes this rainy season? Go home to a
rotten juduciary and overcrowded prisons because Liberians in
the US who are used to a better life would start fuming at their
government and would be arrested and sent to to jail. Go home
to what? Please!
Tens of thousands of Liberians who beneft from this American
Dream can now proudly boast of owning their own homes, of
course good paying jobs with lifetime retirement packages of
pension, or social security retirement checks if one reaches 65
years, two checks for those who served and are serving in the
US Army or who retired from working in the US government,
lifetime healthcare benefts for you and dependants if you are
a veteran of the Army, good education opportunities for your
children, and much more.
Where in Liberia can one get such opportunity except if you go
into government to join the other crooks that see government as
their ticket to wealth on the backs of the poor masses
Now, before you start denying Liberians with US citizenship
their natural birthright as Liberians, you need to think again.
The US has not and will NEVER take from you your Liberian
passport when you become a US citizen. Because during the
process leading to the day you take the oath of US citizenship
before a US judge or even from the US President, you swore that
you told the truth to all the questions you answered about your
past, including that you never committed war crimes, crimes
against humanity and human rights abuses anywhere in the
world (just ask Tom Woewiyu now.)
And after becoming a US citizen, and if later it is discovered
and proven that you lied about abusing human rights prior to
falsely and fraudulently obtaining your US citizenship, not only
will you go to jail, but you are then DEPORTED back to your
country of natural birth, and the WHY the US doesn't take from
you your Liberian passport because you might need it one day
to go back HOME, to your country of origin/birth. Then, does
Liberia still tell you that you are not a Liberian so go back to
the US, even for the many war refugees who were forced to fee
I'VE TO THINK: ROB SIRLEAF SENATE
BID DECISION IN GODS HANDS
WHERE ARE THE TIPOTEHS,
FAHNBULLEH AND OTHERS
WHEN WE NEED THEM?
The Editor,
T
hanks FPA for this kind of journalism. This is gross
human rights abuses by our government, and enough
to arouse in Liberians the outrage to take to the streets
in righteous indignation of mass sustained street
protests until change comes to Liberia. So where are the human
rights advocates of yesteryears, the so-called "progressives"
and opposition politicians that these crimes against our people,
mostly the poor and tribal people are being committed but not a
single voice heard on their behalf?
We call now on all Liberians to organize starting this July 26 and
take to the streets in the spirit of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther
King and Mahatma Ghandi and all those who believe in human
rights to stand up for our people, the forgotten, the voiceless who
are dying in Ellen's gulag South Beach Prison of Death. Why
are these crimes being committed against our people with such
conspicuous silence from those who were making political noise
against Tubman, Tolbert, Doe and Taylor? And all of this under
a leader who "won".the prestigious Nobel Peace award which
symbolizes freedom, human rights and press freedom? All of
this in Africa's frst "democracy"? Where is the moral conscious
of the Liberian people, the clergy who are quick to jump up and
shout haleluja to denounce abused tribal protesters.
Where are Togba Nah Tipoteh, Henry Boima Fahnbuleh Jr.,
Amos Sawyer, Dew Mayson, Dusty Wolokollie, Comany Wisseh
that challenged Tolbert, Doe, Taylor but can't stand up against a
woman who does not even have the armies of her predecessors?
You all are helping to sow the seeds for the next political storm
that is slowly gaming steam by your silence. And don't sing
the same song of "we were trying to bring about change from
within" for those of you in this government. Get out now or be
swept away in the storm. It is gathering gradually. It is just a
matter of when. Justifcation? Corruption, injustice and human
rights violations are legitimate reasons for regime change in
Liberia. You have been warned. An unlinkly hero of a Samuel
Diesis waiting in the wings if you fail to champion the cause of
the poor and voicless and Ellen's "chicken rouges" languishing
in jails.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington, DC, USA.
Liberia as a result of the war and who didn't leave on their free
will?
And these are the issues that worry Liberians instead of the
issues of life, survival and death, of bread and butter confronting
our nation? All I say is that vote against them if you feel they
have lost all claims to their Liberian birthright. As for me I am
frst and foremost and forever will be a Liberian, but will take
whatever citizenship that offers me a better life than my country
can provide me, even if it came from the devil.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington, DC, USA
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 5
u
Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontPageAfricaonline.com
Monrovia-
R
obert A. Sirleaf,
son of Liberias
President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf
has fnally settled the dust on
speculations that he wants to
run for senator in the pending
October 2014 elections for
the countrys most populous
county Montserrado.
After giving his supporters
a runaround following their
petitioning ceremony held in
his behalf on Monday, Sirleaf
at a quickly arranged forum
that was held on Wednesday
in the vicinity of the
Monrovia College on Camp
Johnson Road in Monrovia,
said his decision to accept
the challenge from the people
of Montserrado County to
represent them, stems from
the fact that they are in dire
straits and need a deliverer.
On Monday, I heard the
people of Montserrado
County loud and clear;
through their petition, they
told me about their lives, and
hope for a better tomorrow,
said Mr. Sirleaf.
And so, with the abiding
faith in the Almighty, and a
belief which is deeply-rooted
in the will of our people for
progress, today, I Robert
Alvin Sirleaf announce my
candidacy for Senator of
Montserrado County. And
we will go on this journey as
an Independent candidate.
Sirleaf said his decision to run
for the coveted seat, which is
being contended by the likes
of soccer legend George
Weah of the opposition
Congress for Democratic
Change (CDC), long time
youth activist Benjamin
Sanvee of the Liberty Party
(LP) and human rights
advocate Ali Syllah of the
ruling Unity Party of which
Sirleafs mother the President
is a member, is because
he is concerned about the
livelihood of the people.
I care that a public servant
must put the interests of the
people frst always serving
the cause of the people rather
than the cause of self, said
Sirleaf in a speech almost
coined after the historic
campaign slogan of United
States President Barrack
Obama Yes We Can.
Continued Sirleaf: I care that
here in Montserrado, homes
get fooded when it rains, and
families have to endure long
nights without sleep. I care
that the lack of roads, bridges
and other basic essentials
which make life better have
pushed rural Montserrado
ITS OFFICIAL: ROB SIRLEAF WILL CHALLENGE
WEAH, SANVEE, NEYOR AND OTHERS
I ACCEPT
farther from urban
Montserrado. I care that our
environment is changing, that
erosion is rapidly wiping out
historically important places
and communities, and that we
need affordable housing and
better sanitation.
The Presidents son who
many supporters believe
have walked in a honorable
path since his mothers
ascendency to power by
creating opportunities for
many young people, through
the building of sport pitches
around the county, has been
lashed at by his critics for
not serving in the interest
of the people when he held
two key positions as head
of the board of directors of
the National Oil Company
of Liberia (NOCAL) and as
senior advisor in the offce of
the President; both positions
he resigned in 2013.
Sirleafs critics have alarmed
that he has been ruthless
in wielding his power as a
presidents son and has been
accused of being a de-facto
prime minister who has
virtually sold out most of
Liberias oil blocks during his
tenure at NOCAL wielding
more wealth for the ruling
family, something he dares
them to prove.
Some Liberians are angry
that the Sirleafs wants to use
the winner takes all tactics
to continue to subject the
people to poverty and critics
vow never to allow him
succeed in his quest to take
the Montserrado seat come
October.
We are tired with the
Sirleafs. At the Central Bank
of Liberia, you have a Sirleaf;
at the National Security
Agency, you have another
Sirleaf; the Sirleafs have
failed the Liberian people,
said a placard wielding
opponent to the Sirleaf
candidacy, James Fallah.
You have Madam Sirleaf,
who is the president of
Liberia and today Liberians
are coming to make decision
in Montserrado County
and we see another Sirleaf
coming with promises and
we say, these are rhetorical
promises.
Marred by protest from
his opponents, Sirleafs
acceptance of Mondays
petition saw him surrounded
by his friends and well-
wishers who chanted slogans
as the man who has been
shrouded in debate for
see page 6
I care that here in Montserrado, homes get fooded when it rains, and families have to endure long
nights without sleep. I care that the lack of roads, bridges and other basic essentials which make life
better have pushed rural Montserrado farther from urban Montserrado. I care that we must solve the
overcrowding of our prisons. We must develop programs of rehabilitation that will provide second
chances especially for our young offenders. Serving time ought not to necessarily consign anyone to a
life of crime. Robert Sirleaf, Senatorial Candidate for Montserrado County
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
months on whether he would
be brave to challenge the
CDCs candidate in a race for
Montserrado County, fnally
made it clear that it was not
about him but about the many
underprivileged in the county
whom he said have been
poorly represented at the
level of the legislature.
I care that in all these
areas the Montserrado
County Development Fund
will beneft the people of
Montserrado and prioritize
their wellbeing and welfare,
he said.
Rural and urban Montserrado
are not separated by age,
gender, religion or political
views. We are separated by
opportunity. By Thinking
Forward and working
together over the next 9 years,
I know we can continue to
close the opportunity gap
and build a stronger County,
a more prosperous County, a
County we can proudly call
one Montserrado.
Apparently following in his
mothers footstep, Sirleaf has
a soft spot for market women
and promised to make a
change in their status if he
wins the elections in October.
I care that our mothers,
brothers, and sisters who
sell in markets have not
just a better marketplace
but also access to daycare,
playgrounds, and a safe
environment where their
children and grandchildren
can learn and play, he said.
The son of the President
said he is concerned about
the increase in crime the
dilapidated condition of the
prisons in the county and the
level of youth unemployment
and wants to change it.
My brothers and sisters, I
care that our homes and our
communities should be safer
places, where streets are
better lit and our women and
children can feel secure, he
said
Continued Sirleaf: I care
that many of our children
in Montserrado are haunted
by the dangerous effects of
teenage pregnancy, crime,
and drug abuse. I care that
our youth, like other young
people around the World,
will not only have a chance to
play and be healthy in body,
but will also go to community
centers with high-speed
internet and computers where
they can sharpen their minds
and expand their horizons. I
care that we must solve the
overcrowding of our prisons.
Sirleaf said policy makers
must develop programs of
rehabilitation that will provide
second chances especially for
young offenders adding that
the welfare of the elderly is
also important to him.
Serving time ought not to
necessarily consign anyone
to a life of crime, he said.
And I care that when citizens
serve their country, when
they retire, their country must
repay them with special care
and attention, and treat them
with the respect, recognition,
and the dignity they deserve.
Sirleaf said even though he
had not served in an elected
position before, he has
always tried to contribute to
the development of Liberia in
the best possible way he can
which has yielded noticeable
results and asks that he be
given a chance to lead the
county at the level of the
legislature.
With the help of friends, I
have tried to address some
of these needs To truly
impact the lives of our people
for a better tomorrow, doing
projects that impact real
people in real communities,
he said.
Continued the former
NOCAL board chairman:
My brothers and sisters, I
have tried to act more than I
speak; to praise more than to
criticize; to build up and not
tear down. My brothers and
sisters, I have tried to show
that any position of privilege
can, and should be used to
improve the living conditions
of our people, knowing that
caring for others does not
only change lives but makes
oneself better. And it gives
hope hope that is tangible;
hope through change that you
can see, hope you can feel;
hope that speaks through
actions and less through
words.
The younger Sirleaf wants
to bridge the gap between
the rich and the poor and
he wants to be the bridge
connecting religions in the
county and this he said is his
ardent desire.
I will strive to reach across
our differences in age,
gender, religion and political
parties because we should not
be divided by these, he said.
I will listen to them, listen
to their dreams, their hopes,
their aspirations and together
we will Think Forward to
make those a reality.
LP contender Sanvee,
speaking to FrontPageAfrica
welcomed the entrance of
Sirleaf into the race adding
that it now creates a level
playing feld which makes
Montserrado a no mans
territory as the CDC has
claimed.
The reality is this is good
for our democracy. We need
an honest and spirited debate
and this can no longer be
called a no go zone, he said.
We were the frst to step
into the race last July when
everybody else was scared
because they felt it was a
one way thing but we turned
Montserrado County into a
battle ground, that is why you
see the likes of Robert Sirleaf
declaring their intention to
contest. We believe we are
going to win. We are not
scared. Our people are tired
of the establishment and
Weah is also a part of that
establishment.
The race is now an open
one with the last speculated
contender confrming his
participation and as the
campaign season heats up,
many expects it to be the most
ferce political battle of the
entire special elections, to be
held throughout the country
to replace ffteen Senators in
what seems a crowded race.
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 7

ALPHA DAFFAE SENKPENI, daffae82@gmail.com
F
RONT
PAGE
DIASPORA
F
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PAGE
COUNTY NEWS
S-O-R-R-Y, IS BETTER
THAN $1 BILLION

T
O AFRICAN
grocery store owner
Musa Kromah, who
immigrated to the
United States 11 years ago to
escape civil war in his native
Liberia, Philadelphia is "well-
known" back in his home
country.
In fact, he said, "all Liberians"
have family members in the
city. Greater Philadelphia has
the largest Liberian population
of any U.S. metro area,
according to a November 2008
report from the Brookings
Institute think tank.
Recent U.S. Census Bureau
fve-year estimates put the
number of people of Liberian
ancestry in Philadelphia at
3,769, though community
leaders estimate that the
numbers are over 5,000.
"If you ask them, 'Where
they choosing?' they choose
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,'"
said Kromah, 40, a resident
who owns two stores near
the site of the July 5 fre
that killed four children and
displaced 42 others on Gesner
Street near 65th in Southwest
Philadelphia.
Population estimates and
theories about why these West
African immigrants chose the
area as their home vary. But the
community, some said, is close
and peaceful - a far cry from
the protests July 7 where about
200 people clashed with police
in the aftermath of the Gesner
Street fre. Kromah said the
area used to be "gangster" but
is now booming with African
businesses. They pay taxes,
work hard to survive and
support one another, he said.
"In every society, there is good
and also there is bad," he said.
"But the African community,
immensely, has contributed
toward the society - especially
the city of Philadelphia."
Yayey Dukuly, 29, of
Bensalem, who works at
another family-owned African
market on Woodland Avenue,
said the community - which
also includes some Sierra
Leoneans and Nigerians - is
trusting and everyone seems to
know one another.
But while the city has become
home, some in the community
say that their move to
Southwest Philadelphia has
not been without diffculty at
times.
Some residents say the city
does not respond to their needs
in a timely manner because
they are African. Then, there
are the other losses they carry
- most recently in 2008, when
a fre on nearby Elmwood
Avenue near 64th Street killed
seven people.
Last Wednesday, more than
two dozen protesters marched
about 5 miles to City Hall
from Southwest Philadelphia,
demanding "answers" to the
fre on Gesner Street.
Alphonso Seke-Horton, 50,
of Yeadon, said some in the
community were likely only
expecting the mayor to express
his condolences and state he
was sorry for their loss.
"Look, sorry, s-o-r-r-y, is better
than $1 billion," Seke-Horton
said. "I don't know whether in
the Western world, but in the
African community, sorry is
Southwest Philly home to Liberian community
valued more than $1 billion."
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock,
director of outreach at the
Welcoming Center for New
Pennsylvanians, a nonproft
agency that works with
immigrants, said when civil
war broke out in Liberia in
1989, resettlement agencies
chose to locate immigrants in
Southwest Philadelphia. That's
because there was already an
African community in the area,
partly because of the colleges.
Dahn Dennis, president of
the Liberian Association of
Pennsylvania, placed the
number of Liberians living in
the Philadelphia area at about
5,000 to 10,000, with more
than 30,000 in the state. Dennis
added Liberians were drawn
because of cheap housing and
resettlement programs.
"You want to go somewhere
where you're comfortable in,
you want to go somewhere
where you can relate to the
other people," said Patricia
Awo, 28, of Upper Darby.
Now, for neighbors such as
David Cassell, 46, of Eastwick,
the focus is on improving
the community and moving
forward.
"We try to see how we can be
united," Cassell said. "How we
can be one."
LAST RECOURSE
G
rand Bassa County
administration
says the Liberian
construction
company hired to refurbish
and modify the famous Doris
Williams Sports Stadium has
reneged on its responsibility
stipulated in a contract signed
by the two parties in 2014,
thereby leaving them to fling an
offcial complaint to the County
Attorney recently to begin legal
proceeding against the company.
Grand Bassa County
Information Offcer, Eddie
Williams, told FrontPage Africa
that the construction frm,
CJ Construction, Inc, was on
Monday, July 14 summoned by
the County Attorney who then
listened to the discussions and
justifcation of the two parties.
CJ Construction was represented
at the meeting by its Managing
Partner, Mr. James Johnson, who
has often told FPA in the past
about his many failed attempts to
getting the county administration
reasonably accept some terms
outside of the contract which
will enable his frm continue the
stadium project.
At the end of our discussion
and all that, he (Mr. Johnson)
agreed that immediately they
will continue working and
those technical points that are
debatable will be dealt with
later but those structures
landscaping and playing pitch
- that may not be questionable
will be completed, Grand Bassa
Information told FPA.
According to the contract signed
on 24th July 2012 between the
Grand Bassa County Project
Implementation Unit (PIU)
and the CJ Construction, Inc
represented by its Senior
Managing Partner, Mr. James
J. Johnson, the project was due
to last for 12 months beginning
August 1, 2012 and ends August
1, 2013 (a 365 day period)
except the owner of the contract
(the PIU as stipulated in the legal
contract as the owner) terminate
or extend the contract.
According to Mr. Williams, on
two occasions CJ Construction
was given dates to fully complete
the project, with October 2013
and January 2014 being the two
separate periods of completion
but all to no avail even though
the County administration and
the frm have both acknowledged
that the total funds for the project
has been disbursed.
$538,482.00 has been reportedly
received by the company while
only 10% retention fee which
is US$53,482.20, according to
the contract intended to cover
latent defects that may be found
to exist in the work for a total of
60 days period, still remains with
the county.
On several occasions, the
construction company has
negotiated with the county so
that 25% of the retention fee is
given it in other to complete the
project though the county has
often turned their demand down
considering the legality of the
contract.
CJ Construction Managing
Partner, Mr. Johnson insists
that the meeting at the County
Attorney Offce was to mitigate
issues about the contract and
that the parties had a fruitful
meeting and arrived at a mutual
understanding considering those
things the county needed to do
and recognized some changes
that was not in the base contract.
For now, the company says it has
abandoned it request for some of
the retention fee and will carry
out the work to meet the deadline
of October 2014 given during the
July 14, 2014s meeting.
The county administration says
before their recent complaint to
the County Attorneys offce,
over fve conferences to sort
out the sticky issues over the
project stalemate were held and
now insist that it will considered
more legal actions if the recent
meeting outcome relapse.
This is an understanding we
have, in an event where he fails
to live up to this obligation the
only recourse we have is the
law, Eddie Williams said.
But Mr. Johnson says little is left
to complete the project, naming
a bleacher and two toilets as
the structures he has to complete
before the deadline and it will be
left with county administration
to contract another company
to do other parts left. He said
continuation of work will start in
couple of days.
Our supervisor is mobilizing
and accessing the project to
know require materials and
where we need to start from
again, Mr. Johnson told FPA in
a telephone interview.
RESIDENTS UNHAPPY
Residents are disappointed over
the status of the project after
many hailed the Liberian frm
for the level of work it carry
out when the project kicked off.
Some are also asserting that the
alleged kickbacks to county
offcials may have prompted the
delay.
We know that the corruption
will not stop; I believe that
the company has given a huge
portion of this money to some
of our leaders because they help
them win the contract. This
is why we have delays in our
project in Bassa, Enoch Garway
told FPA.
Another Buchanan resident
asserted that Liberian companies
are not up to the task and they
also lack the sense of nationalism
when implementation comes
into play.
We know many Liberians are
just selfsh and only interested
in getting it out of public funds
and thats why they connive with
corrupt people to fail us, Sam
David asserted.
But the company has previously
claimed that unprecedented rain
falls, acquisition of materials,
and the lack of suffcient skill
workers in the county were
hindrances that stalled the
effciency in their work.
Some residents termed the
company excuses as fallacious
while the county offcial
spokesman said the frms
justifcation for the delays
is questionable because the
administration has done all to
ensure the work is effectively
carry out.
However, the companys
Managing Partner said there will
always be individual who will
make contention of everything
while brushing aside fears that
the situation over the Doris
Williams Stadium project could
have an adverse effect on his
companys reputation.
I do not think so, because they
(Grand Bassa) met their goal.
The county used the stadium
for the intended purpose; they
held the county league matches
and celebration all we (CJ
Construction) need to do is focus
on completing the work, he
said.
CJ CONSTRUCTION SUMMON OVER DELAY OF BASSA STADIUM PROJECT
Page 8 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
F
RONT
PAGE
EBOLA
EBOLA SURVIVOR
JFK RELEASES ONE HEATH WORKER, REINTEGRATED WITH FAMILY
Monrovia-
T
ears of joy was the
scene of the John F.
Kennedy Medical
Center (JFK)
Cholora Unit when doctors
fnally released a heath worker
who contratced the deadly
Ebola virus from a nurse at the
Redemption Hospiatl in New
Kru town.
Family memebrs and
wellwishers of Mr. Claudius
Banarwolo, a Physician
Assistant who was assigned at
the Redemption Hospital prior
to his illness turned out in their
numbers to grace what many
may referred to as a new day.
Banarwolo was quarantined
at the Cholora unit of the JFK
since June 28, 2014 after he
was tested positive of Ebola
but managed to battle the virus
till another test was conducted
by doctors which proved him
negative .
At the reintegration ceremony
Wednesday July 16, 2014, at
the entrance of the Cholera
unit of the JFK which is
hosting several Ebola patients,
Banarwolo termed his relaese
as a complete miracle while
giving praises to God for
sparing his life.
Said the physician Assiatant:
I want to be very greatful
today. What happened here
is a complete miracle. It is
only God that kept me alive
because it was strenious and
pathetic. I was living while
people pronounced my death.
I want to be very greatful to
God for doing everything
possible to be back outside
here to expereinece the outside
breeze.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister
of Health for Preventive
Services Tolbert Nyenswah
termed Banarwolos survivor
as a clear manifestation of
hope for patients who will
arrive quickly for supportive
treatment of the Ebola virus.
If you have a family man who
is infected with the disease,
come up very early and then
we can put him in isolation and
give him supportive treatment
so that we can go forward. This
is a clear manifestation that
if you come to the treatment
center on time you can get
supportive treatment and be a
survivor for Ebola, Minister
Nyenswah noted.
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 9
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
F
RONT
PAGE
POLITICS
Monrovia
U
nity Party
senatorial aspirant
in Bong County,
Ranney Banama
Jackson, says supporters of
the party in the county are
enduring constant threats from
the partys Secretary General
in the county Arthur Bestman
over the scheduled re-run
primary.
Jackson during a news
conference in Monrovia
claimed Arthur Bestman, the
partys Secretary General in
the county, has been involved
in threatening his supporters
of the party and has vowed to
disrupt any re-run primary.
My attention is being drawn
to the wave of threats minted
against partisans of the party in
the county who are in support
of my campaign and other
sympathizers from various
political divide by a handful
of followers of Mr. Arthur
Bestman, Jackson said.
Jackson also claimed that there
had been series of meetings
by Bestman and Co in a bid
to disrupt the re-run of any
primary conducted by the party
in the county. There have
been series of meeting held at
Serengeti where youths were
assured of ransom when the
riot is orchestrated, Jackson
told newsmen.
Chunk of falsehood
The former Bong
superintendent described
as chunk of falsehood
insinuations by Bestman when
he appeared on the Truth
Breakfast Show and accused
Dr. Charles Clarke head of
the investigation panel set up
by the party of receiving
bribe to thwart the result.
Mr. Bestman appeared on
Truth FM on July 11 and
accused the partys chairman
Dr. Clarke of receiving bribe to
blind his eyes to the realities.
He also falsely accused Rep.
Corpu Barclay of leading a
standoff, which according to
him, resulted to Mr. George
Wisners inability to announce
the result of the process,
Jackson said.
Jackson urges supporters to
remain calm
Meanwhile, the former Bong
superintendent used the
occasion to urge supporters to
remain calm and said people
with little understanding
of politics would do all
in their powers to ensure
UNITY PARTY SUPPORTERS IN BONG
UNDER THREAT OVER RE-RUN PRIMARY

marginalization of the majority
will. He also used the occasion
to call on the Liberia National
Police through the Ministry of
Justice to ensure the protection
of supporters of the party in the
county.
Up to press time efforts exerted
by this reporter in contacting
Bestman to address himself to
Jacksons claim proved futile
as his telephone was persistent.
Delay in announcing candidate
will cost UP
If the on-going crisis in the
Bong County chapter of
the ruling Unity Party (UP)
over who should be its fag
bearer for the October 14
special senatorial election is
not resolved in the next few
weeks, political observers say
the party would have made
itself a less contender in the
impending race.
For now, supporters of
the party in the county are
confused and it is therefore not
surprising that many of them
have become willing tools
for swelling campaign rally
grounds of other senatorial
aspirants. A typical example
was the parading of motorbikes
by Congress for Democratic
Changes candidate Augustus
Jonathan Flomo on Sunday
where many UP partisans seen
adorned in CDCs uniforms
and caps and directing affairs.
While the other major aspirants
namely, incumbent senator
Jewel Howard-Taylor of the
National Patriotic Party (NPP),
Franklin Siakor of Liberty
Party (LP), Mator Kpangbai
(Independent), James Gbarbea
of Alternative National
Congress (ANC) and James
Karbee Saybay (Independent)
are seriously mobilizing and
making great inroads in the
county, supporters of UP are
behaving like the sheep without
the shepherd.
Many of them say they have
become more confused with
the unfolding scenario, amid
report of a re-run of the
partys primary following a
recommendation presented
to the National Executive
Committee after aspirant cried
foul over June 27 primary in
Gbarnga.
The latest dogging the party in
the county is that supporters
of aspirant Henrique Flomo
Tokpa are threatening to disrupt
the re-run of the primary.
On this day, your great mother brought you to this world of many
wonders. On the same day, your journey to a successful lifespan
began. May your birthday and every day be flled with the warmth
of sunshine, the happiness of smiles, the sounds of laughter, the
feeling of love and the sharing of good cheers. Happy birthday to
you Miss. Mariama M. Massaquoi from your best friend
Stephen D. Kollie and the entire FrontPage Africa team.

Page 10 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Al-Varney Rogers alrogers2008@gmail.com 0886304498
F
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PAGE
POLITICS REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
`MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, CULTURE AND TOURISM
P. O. BOX 10-9021 - CAPITOL HILL
1000 MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA
Offce of the Acting Director of Public Affairs
Cell#: 0886-585-900
July 15, 2014

Public Service Announcement
It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism
(MICAT) that a number of media entities operating in the country have either not renewed their
permits or are not registered with the Ministry as provided for under the law. And as such, the
Ministry wishes to inform media Managers, Publishers, Station Managers, Operators of Digital
Satellite Television Stations, and cable communications to renew their permits or register their
entities as soon as possible.
Failure on the part of any media institution to renew its permits or register their entity as
provided for under the law renders the operation of the entity illegal.
As provided for in the New Executive Law Chapter 31 Subsection 31.8 (d) & (e) No
Journalist or media institution shall be permitted to practice journalism in Liberia who has not
registered with MICAT.
In keeping with its statutory mandate to regulate the media environment, MICAT is working
along with the ministries of Finance, Commerce and the Liberia Telecommunication Authority
(LTA) to ensure full compliance with the regulation relating to the annual renewal of permits
and registration of media institutions across the country.
As such, no media entity will be allowed to get a license or document from the Ministries
of Finance, Commerce as well as the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), without
displaying a permit for the current year from MICAT.
This announcement takes immediate effect as of todays date.
Signed: _________________________
C. Anderson Chea
Acting Director of Press and Public Affairs/ MICAT
REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
`MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, CULTURE AND TOURISM
P. O. BOX 10-9021 - CAPITOL HILL
1000 MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA
Offce of the Acting Director of Public Affairs
Cell#: 0886-585-900
July 15, 2014

Public Service Announcement
The Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) cordially
invitees all reporters, managing editors, station managers, and foreign journalists to its
Thursdays regular press briefng, Novemberv19, 2013 in the Charles Gbenyon Press
Hall, beginning at 11 am.
The Press briefng will principally be addressed by Hon. Axel Addy, Minister
of Commerce and Industry. Minister Addys presentation will focused on issues
surrounding the trade and commerce activities of the country.
Also in attendance will be the Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refning
Company (LPRC), Hon. T.Nelson Williams. He will speak on the latest progress made
at the corporation.
Members of the press and invited guests are to be seated not later than 10: am.
Signed______________________________
C.Anderson Chea
Assistant Director for Press and Public Affairs




Monrovia-
T
he Political Leader of the Movement for Progress Change (MPC) Simeon Freemen has
rejected his appointment to the board of the Grand Bassa Community College by President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Speaking during a press conference barely 24 hours after the appointment by the President
Freeman said the purpose of public job is to infuence the lives of people and help them realize their
aspirations but not about him gaining personally.
It is not about me getting a car, its not about me getting money, its about being of service, so
anything that defeats the goal of me being of service, then I am unwilling to be contained by a
position, he said on Wednesday.
These are backdrop that I am not going to accept an appointment as board member at the Grand
Bassa Community College.
President Sirleaf on Tuesday made several appointments in government, with the political leader of
the MPC being among those who benefted from the President appointment.
In an Executive Mansion release, Freeman was named member of the board of Bassa Community
College.
But Freeman thanked President Sirleaf for the appointment at the Bassa community College yet
added that his acceptance of the position could be a hindrance to the fow of cash at the college.
Freeman added: I received a lot of calls that I have been appointed to the board of the Grand Bassa
Community College. We want to thank Ellen for the appointment and we really do appreciate the
appointment.
Freeman continues: There are few issues, one, the Grand Bassa Community college has had huge
fnancial challenges and that was under the Chairmanship of senator Findley the pro-tempore. Im
not sure if my acceptance to the board membership as critical as I am will release the fow of funds
to the Grand Bassa Community College.
The MPC Political leader said that he has a strong desire to serve his people but not on the terms of
President Sirleaf.
Freeman added: The Grand Bassa Community college is patterned on some of the things we spoke
against, the University of Liberia and all other Universities are basically Academic focus and art.
He continued: So you have a lot of young people doing sociology, political science, Public
Administration at the bachelors level and they are not being employed and at the associate level you
also have people doing the same thing. So I dont think my presence on the board of the community
college will change the curriculum.
Freeman said, if the President is sincere, she should give him the opportunity to handle bigger
challenges the country is faced with.
The MPC political leader recommended to be the chairman on the committee that will investigate
the Nimba crisis.
I want to test the sincerity of Ellen as per this appointment, the people of Liberia have bigger
challenges to which people like Simeon Freeman can contribute, Freeman added.
Freeman continued: I want to form part of the committee that will investigate the crisis in Nimba
and in three months I will give a report, I want to be chair of that committee.
Freeman said, when given the authority he can assist government in dropping the U.S rate to sixty
in two months.
If this government is serious I can work on a simple mechanism and drop this rate to sixty in two
months, if you work with me I can do that I can give you clear approaches, Freeman added.
Freeman said, with his education and experience he can better help the government in reducing the
money it spends on recurrent expenditure.
We spent 80% of our national budget just on government bureaucracy, I can assure you that we can
reduce recurrence expenditure to ffty-percent within three months we can save 200 million dollars
and spend it on the people of Liberia, those are things that I want to be a service to my people,
Freeman added.
Continued Freeman: I am a very assertive person, so I dont take position to sit and talk. I want a
position where you say I give full authority to do this within two months; you have an access of two
hundred million dollars because Im going to have a clear policy on vehicles, travels and on the issue
of capital fight if those issues are done, I Simeon Freeman with the capacity I have will better serve
and be a help to our country.
I WANT TO INVESTIGATE
NIMBA CRISIS
SIMEON FREEMAN; REJECTS PRESIDENT SIRLEAF APPOINTMENT
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 11
REGIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS
F
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PERSPECTIVE
T
his article intends to
look at the regional trade
agreements (RTAs) that
develops protectionist
measure to discriminate against
certain parts of the world trade and
create transaction costs because
the need for customs offcials
to analyze the origin of goods.
Notwithstanding, regional trade
agreements are also politically
and economically risky because
preferential treatment is becoming
merely a reward for governments
pursuing non trade related
objectives.
Let us keep in mind that regional
trade agreements naturally die
especially when countries formerly
had bilateral trade agreements
enter into plurilateral. For instance,
on May 01, 2004 fully 65 RTAs
become defunct as 10 new members
joined the EU (Viet .D. Do &
William Watson, p-8). More RTAs
have life on paper then in reality
.However, free trade arrangement,
are diplomatically useful and have
minimal real consequences. The
question then is why do members
of RTAs become member of
multilateral trade agreements?
In Africa, intra-trade is not as
common from the 1980 to 2000
the share of internal trade in
ECOWAS and Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC)
grew approximately fourfold,
from 2.5 to 11 per cent (Lerand
Bartels & Federino Ortino,
Economic Analysis & regional
trade Agreements, P-13). Crawford
& Laird concluded in 2001, the
overall numbers do not point to
clear evidence of diversion alone
from imports from non-numbers of
RTAs. In ECOWAS adopted the
West Africa Common Industrial
Policy to increase intra-regional
trade from 12% to about 40% in
2030 (ECOWAS, 2010).
This is in fact disappointment from
multilateral trade agreements in
the WTO that does not give Africa
fair and equitable negotiation like
the western part. For example, the
recently published fourth report
on assessing regional international
integration in Africa (African
Development Bank, African
Union, UN Economic Commission
for Africa, 2010) stressed the
important of regional trade for
development and poverty reduction
in Africa. Are RTAs stronger than
Multilateral Trade Agreements?
Unquestionably, trade with regional
neighbors expands exchange of
good and services across borders
through the adoption of single
or similar rules and regulations.
But is there certainly something
intrinsically different to regional
trade compared to trade with the
rest of the world in terms of its
development potential? If so,
what are these differences and
how can they subjugate in order to
maximize the development impact
of trade in Africa?
Trade facilitation
Africa at the moment is paying up
to 40% extra on transport itself
on goods from the consumer end.
When combined with the rest
of the world it is average about
10%. Therefore, Africa remains
uncompetitive not because of any
insurmountable reasons especially
things that can be removed without
additional investments. Studies
show that if regions like western
and southern remove these types
of barriers to trade and have trade
facilitation measures, Africa can
have an additional US$ 43billion
of trade annually. This will help
Africas booming informal trade
into the formal economy.
Trade facilitation can provide
important opportunities for West
Africa thereby increasing beneft
from open trade and contributing
to economic growth and reduce
poverty in the region and Africa
as a whole. However, the quest for
open regional trade is not an end
in itself but increase prospect of
producing and selling new ideas
and product locally ,regionally then
in the global market, which lead to
more income opportunities and
improvement of living standards in
the region.
West Africa needs strong regional
trade bloc like the Association
of Southeastern Asian Nations
(ASEAN). Therefore, for West
Africa to take its rightful step in
Africa economy and the world
at large, then it must think of
borderless in terms of doing
business. West Africa can create a
single economic space as already
been endorsed by member states
and eliminate the regulatory and
administrative physical trade
barriers and facilitate its efforts
to reduce poverty. Why RTAs are
easily negotiated then multilateral
agreements?
However, for this regional market
to operate effciently there is need
for strong regional and domestic
framework regulations on trade
related issues as mentioned earlier.
For instance intellectual property
rights, competition policies,
investment, good governance,
procurement practices, trade
and investment. Like the non-
tariff barriers such as staggering
transaction cost, complex
immigration procedures, limited
capacities of border offcials,
costly import and export licensing
procedures and lack of investment
in trade association; to enhance its
trade treaty ECOWAS signed with
Economic Partnership Agreement
with the Europe Union.
West Africa needs to facilitate
trade across the region especially
in roads, ports, inland water ways
and railways and even highway
convenience shop. Since post-
independence trade has been
one of the core elements of the
development plan of African
countries, Western Africa countries
are yet to reach their trade desire,
when it comes to trading with each
other effectively which is very
common to Africa generally.
Market access
Since regionalism is the favor
approach to international trade in
the new dispensation, RTAs aim at
reducing barriers that multilateral
agreements and negotiations cant
attain through bilateralism.
The Danish International
Development Agency discussed
RTAs as:
Increased regional economic will
create larger domestic markets,
thereby increasing the potential
for specialization and economy
as well as enhancing the regions
competitiveness on the global
markets, both international and
regional economic integration
are therefore important measures
for improved growth prospects.
(DANIDA 2005:20)
Accordingly, regionally is
liberalizing trade among
developing countries expected to
increase the intra-regional trade
among developing countries as
well as increase their integration
in into the global trading system.
This can also promote and lead to
the development same the external
tariff among member countries.
Within region, the Goods and
services are move tariff free.
The leverages ASEAN member has
in trading among themselves no
external countries can enjoy that.
The RTAs remove rules of origin
and open up markets to citizens
and business owners as free trade
is widely encouraged that lead to
greater effciency to support larger
market. Thus, the effectiveness
backs signifcantly the progression
of domestic as well as investment
within the regional bloc. As the
result, foreign direct investment is
increase in the bloc.
Whereas confdent of the region is
an undeniable factor of business
expansion. Investors always look
for such environment to invest
their resources through Acquisition
and Merger since opportunities
exist. Foreign direct investment is
crucial for economic growth and
development. For investors, FDI
essentially means access to new
markets characterized by lower
labor, raw materials and input cost
as in the case of India and China
in particular and Africa in general.
FDI is very appropriate for host
country as well as the region or
bloc, since it has a positive effect on
the recipients balance of Payment
and its export growth. The market
access attracts more FDI and
helps domestic country or region
to increase productive capacities
as well as create employment
opportunities. Furthermore,
FDI leads to higher market
competition in the region or bloc
and enhances frms effciency on
domestic market. Whereas RTAs
in developing countries or regions
are always attract increase shares
of FDIs and new market expansion.
Gaining access to the market by
foreign frms and investors indicate
more infow of FDIs. Now, FDI
is related to transferring of assets
from one country or region to
another. This means that the FDI
sources and host countries/ blocs
sign up a long term relationship
as investment isnt short term
ventures. However, the host
country government always has
an incentive to renege on from the
agreement in order to get more
benefts, since it is the regulatory
authority that provides framework
for protection, security and justice
to investors.
Additionally, potential investors
are aware of this possibility and
prefer countries or blocs with
liberal economic policies, where
government intervention is at a
trivial level. Not with standing,
governments need to do more
to remain attractive to investors
because the lesser governments
involvement the larger the market
and higher the growth potential as
there will be more and more to the
market. More interestingly, market
seeking FDI is to gain access to
regional and global market.
Political Integration
Political factors and framework
also play a signifcant role. When
entering into RTAs, a government
can commit itself to liberal
economic policies, particularly to
free trade and proper legal base.
If the government retaliate its
commitment, it gets punished by
other member-states. However,
parties that are engaged in RTAs
have no motive to renege at any
point. For this reason, investors too
trust international agreements and
invest in the countries involved in
a large number of RTAs.
Firstly, investors want guarantee
of strong disputes settlement
mechanisms. In particular, investors
must have rights to claim against
host country government and get
compensation in case host country
retaliated from agreement. Many
RTAs also include investment
provision providing national
treatment (NT) and / or most
favored nation (MFN) treatment.
National Treatment provision
ensures non-discrimination
amongst foreign and domestic
investors, while MFN clauses are
even more restrictive and eliminate
any possibility of discrimination
among foreign investors.
However, it needs to be mentioned
that there is a very small number
of RTAs with MFN clause mainly
because WTO itself regulates
this kind of non-discrimination
guarantees and has a strong dispute
settlement mechanism to enforce
the rules. Besides, when it comes
to the protection of investors
property rights, a host country
government needs to have some
mechanisms to regulate this. The
mechanism comes in the form
of the protection of intellectual
property rights that are frequently
included in the RTAs.
In summary, transition countries
can attract more FDIs in case of
fast development. By entering
into RTAs, governments create
reliable and liberal environment
for investors. RTAs themselves
are important element of economic
and social integration in order
to maintain political stability;
meanwhile they institute free trade
amongst their member-states that
enhances the movement of people
and goods within the region and
eventually extent other regions
effectively.
The case for West Africa as a
Regional Power
The West African region appears
to have a comparatives edge
advantage over other regional
economic community of Africa
for its six members CFA Franc
currency as a broader spectrum
regional trade and common
institutions (IMF, 2001). Since
2001, the region has adopted West
African economic and monetary
union or (WAEMU) common
currency used by six member
states yet to be exercised by any
regional groupings in Africa. At
the moment, Ecowas has common
passport, Travers checks and
citizens of the region do not need
visa as compared to SADC. And
right to business establishment and
residence. The Ecowas region has
the largest freedom of movement
compared to any regional bodies
on the continent.
Nigeria as a key regional power
in the western part of Africa
continues to play leading roles
to ensure corporation, yet South
Africa playing politics to institute
collective implementation.
But SADC is too far from
harmonizing most of its protocol.
Ecowas continues to attract more
investment in primary resources
like oil and mineral. The region
needs more infrastructures to
enhance its growth levels. The
West African power pool (WAPP)
an added advantage as electricity
has hampered investment
sustainability over the years. As
a region with fewer land locked
countries compared to other parts
of Africa stands to beneft more if
inter-state roads are paved to boost
movement of goods and people
across borders that will reduce the
cost of goods and transport already
incurred traders. West African
region has lesser strive to political
and common market integration
since they already open intra-trade
investment policy.
DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh; blessed be the name of the Lord. The
Gwengatei, Pennoh and Lawrence families regret to announce the passing
of their beloved wife, mother, sister, aunty, cousin and friend, Mrs. Cecilia
Akuavi Lawrence Gwengatei.
This sad event occurs on July 2 at her home in Logan Town, Monrovia,
Liberia.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her loving husband Tarmue S. Gwengatei
Sr; three loving children, Cecil A. Gardner (Massa), James C. Lawrence and
Tarmue S. Gwengatei, Jr. and foster children Francis B. Gayte, Adolphus
S. Gayte, Elijah Sackie, Samuel Bondo, T. Patrick Newman and Garlimah
Sackie.
Cecilia will be greatly missed by her siblings: Elizabeth Teta Lawrence
Gooding (Emmett), Alfred Kwasi Lawrence, Felix Kobblah Lawrence,
Emmanuel Ayiettey Lawrence (Amanda), Faith Ayele Lawrence, James
Willington Lawrence, Sarah Seytu Lawrence, Augustus Cafuema Lawrence
(Barbara), Roland Rookie Lawrence, Adolph Akwe Lawrence (Nyonblee),
Anthony Wakie Lawrence (Lungille) and Roselyn Lawrence and a host of
uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
The body will be removed from St. Moses Funeral Parlor at 4:00PM on
August 1 and taken to the Faith AME Church in Logan Town for a night of
wake keeping, which starts at 6:00PM.
The funeral service will be held on August 2 at the Eliza Turner Memorial
AME Church on Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia on August 2 at 10:00AM.
Interment takes place in Duport Road, Monrovia Liberia, which will be
followed by a repast at the St. Kizito Church compound in Paynesville.
Contacts:
Cecil A. Gardiner (Massa) +231 886 757 013 +231 886 594 162
Francis B. Gayte +231 880 710 590
Elizabeth Teta Lawrence Gooding (Emmett) +1 231 886 517 309 / +231 777
513 429
Alfred Kwasi Lawrence +1 916 730 6638
Felix Kobblah Lawrence +1 404 468 7616
Emmanuel Ayiettey Lawrence (Amanda) +231 777 403 030 / +1 201 388 6548
Faith Ayele Lawrence +1 301 455 2501
George Garber (Stanita) +1 917 822 6281 / +1 631 231 3234
Claude Langley (Charlene) +231 888 494 573 / +231 775 933 439
Adolph Akwe Lawrence (Nyonblee) +231 777 057 177 / +231 777 777 560
Roselyn Lawrence +231 777 550 941
James Ambrose Lawrence +231 777 520 382
A STRIVE TO POLITICAL INTEGRATION AND COMMON MARKET
Page 12 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
F
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PAGE
EBOLA
DEATH, SEX AND A
GLIMMER OF HOPE

Reporting On Ebola From Sierra Leone

N
PR's Jason
Beaubien is in
Kailahun, Sierra
Leone, covering the
Ebola outbreak that began in
March in Guinea and has spread
to neighboring countries. This
morning, he talked with us
about a controversial burial,
the impact of the "no touching"
recommendation and a sign
of hope.
Yesterday you were planning to
go to the funeral for a 70-year-
old woman who died of Ebola.
How was it?
Relatives of Musu James dig
a grave for her in the nearby
jungle after neighbors objected
to her being buried behind her
house.
The funeral defnitely captured
the tension over Ebola. The son
of this woman had dug a grave
right behind her house, in the
backyard where she wanted
to be buried. But other people
flled the grave in before her
body arrived because they
didn't want her buried there.
Eventually the local chief
came to settle everything, and
the chief was quite upset. The
son had to apologize to the
chief for not having consulted
him about burying his mother
in the backyard. Then the
chief allowed him to bury his
mother in the village but it had
to be in the jungle behind the
village. And so this guy and
some relatives within an hour
had cleared this area and dug
a grave six feet deep. That's
where they had the burial. The
chief said this was the last time
he was going to allow someone
to bury an Ebola victim in the
village.
The chief wants them to be
buried...?
By the Ebola treatment center
on the periphery of Kailahun,
three or four miles from her
village.
Why are people afraid of
burying an Ebola victim in the
village?
People just don't know how
Ebola spreads. And they worry
if a body's been buried and has
Ebola in it, the Ebola will be
able to get out and get them.
Ebola can't spread from a
body that's been buried. How
dangerous is the body before
it's interred?
When a person dies, the virus
has run rampant through that
person. The level of virus is
much lower in a person who's
built up antibodies to fght it
back. A dead body is incredibly
hot from Ebola and is likely to
transmit the virus.
So people are justifed in being
afraid of dead bodies. What
happens when a body is found?
This morning I heard there was
a dead body, a man just behind
his house. People said he'd
been sick for quite some time,
like three years. So it's unclear
whether he actually died from
Ebola or something else. But
when someone is just found
dead in the street, everybody
thinks it's Ebola and you have
to treat the body as if it's Ebola.
How was the body handled?
Everyone was terrifed. Guys
suited up in [protective] suits,
three layers of gloves. WHO
[World Health Organization]
is trying to train local guys to
do this. And this is part of the
story at the moment. You've
got Ebola cases popping up all
over, not just in Sierra Leone
but in Liberia, in Guinea.
Somebody has to go in and deal
with the bodies. The problem
throughout the region is that
there isn't the medical staff
trained in how to deal with an
Ebola case.
Are there other misconceptions
about Ebola?
Well, just a few minutes ago, I
was talking to this one guy. He
was saying that initially they
believed that the white people
who were showing up to treat
Ebola were cannibals, and
they were trying to steal body
parts. They were taking blood
samples, taking swabs from
dead bodies. And he said they
believed I was a cannibal.
And he meant you personally
that there were thoughts you
were a cannibal?
He said it directly to me.
But he said now he knows that
that's not the case. He said the
people are gaining confdence
in the people who've come to
try to treat people here.
How is the threat of Ebola
affecting daily life in the town?
This man was talking about
precautions people are taking.
He was saying that the "no
touching" recommendation
is being applied to sex. That
no one in the village was
having sex. I'm not sure that's
necessarily true, but he said
that was how the order on no
touching was being interpreted.
Who gave out the
recommendation for no
touching?
That is a message that has
been given out in general.
NGOs [non-governmental
organizations] are putting out
material about how Ebola
spreads, what to do to keep
yourself safe. No touching is
one of the recommendations.
Does the recommendation say:
no touching strangers? No
touching of family members?
Basically it's just said that
you're not to touch other people,
and everybody is interpreting
that however they wish. So
in church they're no longer
shaking hands. I'd assumed
people in their families are still
touching each other, but the
"no sex thing" is how that guy's
interpreting it.
Life must be at a standstill in
the town.
In many ways it's depressing.
Schools are shut, the sole bank
in town is shut, things are fairly
bleak.
What are people doing to pass
the time?
One guy was telling me he's
taking this time to go out to
work on his garden, to get the
weeds out. That's how he was
dealing with it. A fair number
of people are just standing
around even though groups
have been banned.
Amid all the fear is there any
hope?
Last night, six patients who
were confrmed positive for
Ebola were released from the
treatment center, the largest
group ever to walk out of
there. They were quite excited
at Doctors Without Borders.
It shows that despite these
incredibly high new numbers
of cases and deaths, some
people are recovering and are
completely cured and being
sent home.
DEATH TOLL FROM EBOLA SURGES IN
WEST AFRICA, PROMPTING ALARM
N
ew cases and
deaths from
the Ebola virus
outbreak in
the West African countries
of Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone, already the
worst ever recorded for the
disease, have surged by
double-digit percentages in
the past week, the World
Health Organization reported
Tuesday, with no sign of a
slowdown. Alarmed Ivory
Coast border authorities
blocked hundreds of Ivorian
refugees in Liberia from
returning, news agencies
reported.
In its latest update, the W.H.O.
said the number of suspect,
probable and confrmed cases
as of Saturday totaled 964, up
about 14 percent from a week
earlier. Deaths totaled 603, up
about 16 percent from a week
earlier. Half the deaths have
been in Guinea.
This trend indicates that a
high level of transmission of
the Ebola virus continues to
take place in the community,
the W.H.O. said in the update.
The respective ministries
of health are working with
W.H.O. and partners to step
up outbreak containment
measures.
The latest fgures were
reported as the W.H.O. helped
complete a coordination
center in Conakry, Guineas
capital, in an attempt to
slow the spread of Ebola, a
hemorrhagic fever with no
known cure and a death rate
that can reach 90 percent.
The virus frst appeared in
1976 near the Ebola River in
the Democratic Republic of
Congo and is believed to have
been spread originally by fruit
bats. Gorillas, chimpanzees,
forest antelopes and
porcupines can also spread
the virus.
Despite the latest outbreak,
the W.H.O. said it was not
recommending any travel
or trade restrictions in the
three affected countries.
Nonetheless, news agencies
reported Tuesday that Ivory
Coast had prevented 400
refugees who had fed to
neighboring Liberia during
the violent 2010-11 Ivorian
political upheaval from re-
entering the country. Agence
France-Presse said Bruno
Kone, an Ivorian government
spokesman, had justifed the
move, quoting him as saying,
We cannot be lax in this
area.

Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
F
RONT
PAGE
GOVERNMENT NEWS
F
RONT
PAGE
CORRUPTION WATCH
LIBERIA AND NIGERIA SIGN FIVE COOPERATION AGREEMENTS;
LIBERIAN DIPLOMATS TO BENEFIT SCHOLARSHIPS

Abuja, Nigeria -
T
he Inaugural Session
of the Nigeria-
Liberia Joint
Commission has
ended in Abuja with the
signing of fve agreements
for cooperation between
the two countries. Liberias
Foreign Minister Augustine
Kpehe Ngafuan signed the
Joint Communiqu on behalf
of Liberia while Nigerias
Minister of State II Nuruddeen
Muhammad singed on behalf
of the Federal Government at a
ceremony held at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs in Abuja,
Nigeria on Tuesday, July 15,
2014.
According to a Foreign
Ministry dispatch from the
Nigerian capital, Abuja, the
inaugural session laid the
basis for enhanced economic
and social development of
the two countries and peoples
and the promotion of regional
security and development.
Liberia and Nigeria signed
agreements for cooperation in
Education, Culture, Bilateral
Trade and Training of Liberian
Foreign Service Offcers. The
two countries also entered
into a Memorandum of
Understanding on Mining and
Geology.
One of the signifcant features
of the agreements signed is
that Nigeria has committed
to grant a soon to be agreed
number of scholarships to
Liberian diplomats to pursue
an 18-month Masters in
International Relations and
Strategic Studies (MISS)
programme at the University
of Lagos. While pursuing
their masters degree, Liberian
benefciaries of the Nigerian
scholarships would also take
courses at the Nigerian Foreign
Service Academy.
Speaking ahead of the
signing ceremony, Liberias
Foreign Minister Augustine
Kpehe Ngafuan gave special
recognition to experts from
both countries that worked
behind the scenes to make
the signing of the agreements
a reality. Minister Ngafuan
sees the signing of the Joint
Communiqu as a giant step
forward in consolidating
Liberia/Nigeria relations.
We at Foreign Affairs are
the diplomats and have done
our part by enhancing the
relationship; we are now
expecting implementation
which means our sector
ministries and experts would
coordinate more through direct
communication and follow ups
on issues of mutual concern
as it relates to the successful
implementation of the various
agreements, the Liberian
Foreign Minister remarked. He
said if the ministries and sectors
in both countries forge closer
partnerships it will ensure
success while the Foreign
Ministry in both countries
will be continue to nudge
their respective ministries and
agencies in taking the concrete
steps that would ensure the
achievement of the objectives
laid down in the agreements. .
Foreign Minister Ngafuan also
wants both governments to
work on strengthening the ties
between the private sectors of
their respective countries. He
spoke of the huge investment
potential in Liberia and urged
the Nigerian private sector
to take advantage of what
he called the frst mover
advantages. Minister Ngafuan
thinks it will be more win-
win if a private sector actor
from a West African country
like Nigeria would invest
more signifcantly in Liberia
in various sectors as Liberian
entrepreneurs also look to
doing similarly in Nigeria.
For his part, the Minister of
State II for Foreign Affairs
of the Nigerian Government
Nurudeen Muhammad said
he was overwhelmed with
joy that the Joint Commission
Meeting that has been in the
pipe line for over two decades
could be fnally held with the
signing of several agreements.
He described Tuesday, July
15, 2014 as a day of history
making for both Liberia and
Nigeria.It is my hope that the
fve documents we are about
to sign today that includes
agreements and memorandum
of understandings will open
a new vista in improving our
bilateral relationship, the
Nigerian Minister of State
for Foreign Affairs stated.
Dr. Muhammad is hoping the
signing of the agreements
will broaden and deepened
Liberia/Nigeria relations and
explore possibilities of future
cooperation. He commended
Minister Ngafuan and the
Liberian delegation for what
he described as productive
two days and looked forward
to the next joint commission
meeting in Monrovia which he
anticipates would take place in
less than a year.
The Foreign Ministry dispatch
said both countries deliberated
on education related matters
and accordingly signed an
agreement that will further
concretize the already
good collaboration of the
two countries in the sector.
Nigeria agreed to continue
the Technical Assistance
Cooperation (TAC) Scheme
wherein Nigeria regular felds
Nigerian teachers to render
critically needed services in the
Liberian school system.
An agreement that will
facilitate the training of
Liberian Foreign Offcers in
the Nigerian Foreign Service
Academy was also signed
during the Joint Commission
meeting in Abuja with both
countries also agreeing to
reinforce the subsisting
agreement on the Technical
Aid Corps Scheme.
The Session recognized
trade as an essential and
indispensable component in
the deepening and broadening
of relations between Nigeria
and Liberia and resolved to
facilitate trade and commerce
by removing all impediments
that militate against free trade
including putting in place
measures and structures that
would enhance commerce and
people to people contact.
The release said guided by
the desire to enhance relations
in the Cultural sector and
recognizing the importance
of promoting cultural values
in both countries, Nigeria and
Liberia signed an Agreement
on Cultural Cooperation that
will promote cooperation
between the public and private
cultural institutions in both
countries.
Mindful of the enormous
opportunities that abound in
the mining sectors of both
countries and the comparative
advantage of Liberia in
the sector, both countries
agreed to explore ways of
making positive intervention
in the sector through the
signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding in Mining and
Geology.
Meanwhile, the two
countries agreed on further
consultations on the MOUs on
Immigration, Drugs, Science
and Technology, Agriculture
and Sustainable Development,
Health and Medical Sciences
as well as Transport and Civil
Aviation. The Foreign Ministry
release disclosed both sides are
expected to give due attention
to the two MOUs on the areas
stated for signing as soon as
possible.
Monrovia -
I
n an effort to sensitize
ordinary Liberians
about the ills of
corruption, the Liberia
Anti-Corruption Commission
(LACC) will tomorrow,
Thursday, July 17, 2014,
commence the frst phase of
its anti-corruption awareness
campaign in market places.
The campaign will commence
at the Red Light Market and
continue to the LBS and Coal
Field Markets. The Executive
Chairperson of the LACC,
Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr. is
expected to offcially launch
the campaign.
The overall goal is to use
a bottom up approach in
changing the mindset of
marketers on corruption and
explain to them the evil,
causes, manifestations and
dimensions of corruption in
Liberia.
The anti-corruption
awareness program will
dramatize real life situations
such as how patients die in
hospitals because they do not
have money to give cold
water for services; how
poor people suffer injustice
because a Judge takes bribe,
how we patronize corrupt
offcials by honoring them;
how marketers infate prices
of goods, and how ordinary
Liberians are manhandled
because of a police being
bribed, amongst others.
The LACC intends to take
this awareness campaign
to all regular market places
and market day markets
throughout the country. The
Commission is implementing
this pilot project in partnership
with the Liberia Marketing
Association, Motorcycle
Union, Wheelbarrow Union
and Center for Transparency
and Accountability in Liberia
(CENTAL).
LACC TAKES CORRUPTION FIGHT TO MARKETS

Page 14 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
IN BRIEF
NIGERIA LEADER WANTS
$1 BILLION LOAN TO HELP
FIGHT BOKO HARAM
TYPHOON KILLS 20 IN
PHILIPPINES, SPARES
RUSSIA 'AGREES TO
REOPEN CUBA SPY BASE'

Nairobi (AFP) -
A
mnesty
International
on Tuesday
condemned
what it said was the Kenyan
government's continued
failure to properly investigate
and deliver justice and
compensation to victims of
the 2007-2008 post-election
violence.
"Six years after post-election
violence rocked Kenya, the
victims are still awaiting
justice. It is vital that their
voices are heard and urgent
action is taken," said Amnesty
secretary general Salil Shetty.
About 1,000 people died and
600,000 others were displaced
when ruling party and
opposition supporters clashed
over disputed poll results,
in the worst unrest to hit the
east African country since
independence in 1963.
Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta, his deputy William
Ruto and radio boss Joshua
Arap Sang are facing crimes
against humanity charges at
The Hague-based International
Criminal Court (ICC), although
Moscow (AFP) -
R
ussia has provisionally
agreed to reopen a major
Cold War listening post
on Cuba that was used to
spy on the United States, a Russian
daily reported Wednesday after
President Vladimir Putin visited the
island last week.
Kommersant reported that Russia
and Cuba had agreed "in principle"
to reopen the Lourdes base,
mothballed since 2001, citing
several sources within Russian
authorities.
"The agreements were fnalised
while President Vladimir Putin
visited Havana last Friday," the
respected daily wrote.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)
A
typhoon blew out of the
northern Philippines
on Wednesday after
causing at least 20
deaths, knocking out power in
entire provinces, damaging two
parked jetliners and forcing nearly
half a million people to fee from
its lethal wind and rains, offcials
said.
The eye of Typhoon Rammasun
made a late shift away from
Manila, but its peak winds of 150
kilometers (93 miles) per hour and
gusts up to 185 kph (115 mph)
forced down trees and electric
posts and ripped off roofs across
the capital of 12 million people

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) -
R
elatives of some
of the schoolgirls
seized in a mass
kidnapping by Boko
Haram demanded Wednesday
that Nigeria's president meet
everyone affected, describing a
hastily-arranged plan for a visit
with a select few as offensive.
More than three months after the
Islamist rebels seized 276 girls
from a secondary school in the
northeastern town of Chibok,
President Goodluck Jonathan
has not met the parents of the
hostages or with any of the 57
girls who have escaped.
Visiting Nigeria this week to
campaign for the girls' release,
Pakistani education activist
Malala Yousafzai, who survived
a 2012 assassination attempt by
the Taliban, urged Jonathan to
hold face-to-face talks with those
touched by the abductions.
A meeting scheduled for Tuesday
was called off at the last minute,
with the presidency saying the
families had been manipulated
by activists who are exploiting
the hostage crisis to damage
Jonathan politically.
But Chibok community leaders
told AFP that if Jonathan truly
wants make amends for his
disappointing response to the
abductions, he should visit
the town, or, at the very least,
bring all the victims to Nigeria's
capital.
'We deserve a visit'
"It is embarrassing that the
president had to wait for Malala
to come all the way to Nigeria
to convince him to meet with us
three months after the attack,"
said Dauda Iliya, a member of
the Chibok panel of elders.
"We deserve a visit by the
president," he added, saying
'AN INSULT'
Mohammed Zakari, 30, Was Arrested "Following The Massive

F
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PAGE
WORLD NEWS
ISRAEL, PALESTINIANS BATTLE
AS EGYPTIAN-PROPOSED GAZA
CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters)
-
I
srael resumed air strikes in
the Gaza Strip on Tuesday,
six hours after agreeing to
an Egyptian-proposed truce
that failed to halt Hamas rocket
attacks.
"Hamas has fred 47 rockets
since we suspended our strikes in
Gaza (this morning). As a result,
we have resumed our operation
against Hamas," an Israeli
military statement said.
Under a blueprint announced
by Egypt - Gaza's neighbour
and whose military-backed
government has been at odds
with Hamas Islamists - a mutual
"de-escalation" of week-old
fghting was to have begun
at 9 a.m. (0600 GMT), with
hostilities ceasing within 12
hours.
Hamas' armed wing, the Izz
el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades,
rejected the ceasefre, saying its
battle with Israel would "increase
in ferocity and intensity".
But Moussa Abu Marzouk, a top
Hamas offcial who was in Cairo,
had said the movement, which is
seeking a deal that would ease
border restrictions imposed by
both Egypt and Israel, had made
no fnal decision on the proposal.
Live television showed Israel's
Iron Dome anti-missile system
intercepting several rockets over
the port city of Ashdod, where
a factory was hit. Emergency
services said no one was hurt.
Sirens also sounded in areas up
to 130 kilometers (80 miles)
north of the Gaza Strip. The
Qassam Brigades claimed
responsibility for some of the
rocket launchings.
Speaking in Vienna, U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry
supported Israel: "I cannot
condemn strongly enough
the actions of Hamas in so
brazenly fring rockets, in
multiple numbers, in the face of
a goodwill effort (to secure) a
ceasefre."
Gaza health offcials said at least
184 Palestinians, most of them
civilians, have been killed in
eight days of fghting, the worst
Israel-Palestinian fare-up in two
years.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, whose security
cabinet voted 6-2 earlier on
Tuesday to accept the truce,
had cautioned that Israel would
respond strongly if rockets
continued to fy.
An Israeli offcial, speaking as
the Israeli strikes resumed, said:
"The prime minister and the
defense minister have ordered
the Israeli armed forces to take
powerful action against terrorist
targets in Gaza."
Earlier, Sami Abu Zuhri, a
Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said
that demands the movement has
made must be met before it lays
down its weapons.
Other Palestinian militant groups
- Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine
and the Democratic Front for
the Liberation of Palestine - also
said they had not yet agreed to
the Egyptian offer.
Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas, who reached an
agreement with Hamas in April
that led to the formation of a unity
government last month, urged
acceptance of the proposal, the
offcial Palestinian news agency
WAFA said.
FAILED CEASEFIRE
Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli
defence offcial and envoy to
Cairo, told Israel's Army Radio
that Hamas had been weakened
by the air and sea bombardment
of Gaza, having tried "every
possible means of striking at
Israel."
Hundreds of rockets fred at
Israel have caused no fatalities,
largely due to Iron Dome. But
the strikes are a threat that send
people rushing into shelters.
Israel had mobilized tens
of thousands of troops for a
threatened Gaza invasion if the
rocket salvoes persisted.
"We still have the possibility of
going in, under cabinet authority,
and putting an end to (the
rockets)," Gilad said.

NIGERIA PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE TO ISLAMIST KIDNAP
that if Jonathan cannot go to the
remote northeastern town for
security reasons, he can bring
"all the 219 mothers to meet with
him. This meeting should not be
selective."
Jonathan had scheduled a visit
to Chibok in May but called it
off at the last minute, without
providing an explanation.
"For more than three months
all we are praying for is for
Goodluck to come and see
what happened to us and see
us crying," said Ayuba Chibok,
whose nieces are among the
hostages.
"If our governor (Kashim
Shettima of Borno State) was
able to come and go back safely,
why can't the president, with all
his helicopters," he added.
Jonathan on Monday asked
to meet a small delegation of
parents and escapees who were
selected by Chibok leaders to
travel to Abuja to greet Malala.
Chibok residents said the group
would have faced signifcant
backlash at home had they met
the president.
"It would have been a big insult
to those of us who were not
present," said a father of a girl
who was kidnapped, requesting
anonymity.
Jonathan spokesman Doyin
Okupe charged that the group
had been co-opted by the Bring
Back Our Girls campaign, which
includes some of the president's
political opponents.
Okupe told journalists the
presidency had formally asked
victims to meet Jonathan next
week, but the venue and number
invited was not immediately
clear.
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 15
BRAZIL WORLD CUP 2014
Sports
SPORTS
GERMANS AGONISE OVER
WORLD CUP 'GAUCHO'
VICTORY DANCE
BULLS USE AMNESTY
CLAUSE TO CUT F BOOZER
EVERTON CONSIDERING
COLOMBIA'S BACCA
AS CHELSEA STALL ON ROMELU
LUKAKU OFFER

Berlin (AFP) -
C
ommentators
chided Germany's
football champions
Wednesday for
mockingArgentina
during a giant World Cup
title party in Berlin, an event
that marked a rare exuberant
celebration of national pride.
In a country where strident
patriotism is still largely taboo,
newspapers said the young
players' "tasteless" victory
dance on Tuesday refected
badly on Germany.
Six of the players including
Mario Goetze, the sole scorer
during Sunday's 1-0 win over
Argentina, performed a taunt
often seen in stadium stands,
on a stage set up behind the
capital's Brandenburg Gate
before hundreds of thousands
of fag-waving fans.
B
acca bagged 21 goals
for Seville last term in
his frst season in Spain.
His goals helped his side
win the Europa League and earned
him a place in Colombia's World
Cup squad.
The 27-year-old featured once in
Brazil in Colombia's quarter-fnal
defeat against the hosts after a leg
injury wrecked his group stage
involvement.
Although Seville president Jose
Castro wants 14m, he is expected
to be allowed to leave for less.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez is
considering turning to him if they
can't re-sign Romelu Lukaku.
CHICAGO (AP) --
T
he Chicago Bulls said
goodbye to forward
Carlos Boozer on
Tuesday, using the
amnesty clause to cut the veteran
forward after four seasons with the
team.
Boozer came to Chicago in a
sign-and-trade deal with Utah in
July 2010. The two-time All-Star
averaged 15.5 points and nine
rebounds in 280 games with the
Bulls.
He had one season left on a fve-
year deal worth roughly $75
million. The amnesty clause allows
a team to waive one player during
the current labor deal and have 100
percent of his salary taken off the
cap and the tax. The 6-foot-9 power
forward is still owed the money.
BALANCED NBA FIELD WILL
MAKE TITLE CHASE TOUGHER
LAS VEGAS (AP)
P
atrick Ewing sees the
parallels between then and
now.
For 13 straight seasons,
Ewing averaged at least 20 points.
He was a superstar, the toast of New
York, the city's biggest star when he
was the face of the Knicks' franchise.
During the stretch when Ewing was
at his peak, his combination of
points, rebounds and blocked shots
made him unquestionably one of
the game's elite.
"When I played, it was mostly one
superstar per team," Ewing said.
And that, in the end, was a problem
for Ewing. For as good as he was
not to mention the likes of Charles
Barkley, Dominique Wilkins,
George Gervin and many others
his enormous talent never carried
him to an NBA championship.
He sees the league heading back
that way now. When LeBron James
left Miami last week for a return to
the Cleveland Cavaliers, the power
structure of the league shifted as
well. And while there's obviously
a team loaded with future Hall of
Famers in San Antonio, and plenty
of teams with two players worthy
of at least superstar argument,
there's nothing now that can mirror
what the Heat had when James,
Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were
teammates.
James' latest decision also gives
Cleveland a better chance to win a
title.
But like Ewing, Barkley and plenty
of others know, a more-balanced
playing feld across the NBA means
many other teams fgure to have a
better chance as well.
"There's a lot of money being given
today and there's a lot of teams with
more great players than there were
in the past," said Paul Silas, James'
frst coach in Cleveland. "I like
seeing that. I really like to see the
teams fght against each other and
having more than one have a chance
to win the whole thing."
Welcome to the new NBA.
Or, rather, the updated NBA.
Sure, 16 teams go to the playoffs,
but really, how many were
legitimate title contenders last
season? The entire season a year
ago seemed like Indiana and Miami
were preordained to meet in the
Eastern Conference fnals and
that's exactly what happened. James
changes sides, a few other moves
get made, and now there's probably
a half-dozen teams in the East alone
thinking they'll be good enough
to be one of the last two teams
standing next June.
Ask NBA executives, many of
whom aren't upset to see Miami's
stranglehold as East favorites come
to an end, and they say it's all a good
thing for the game.
C
helsea have
opened
discussions about
bringing Didier
Drogba back to Stamford
Bridge.
Jose Mourinho wants to sign
the 36-year-old as a second
striker and will give him
coaching responsibilities to
develop his role at the club.
Drogba is an iconic fgure at
Chelsea and Mourinho hopes
his presence will give the
club extra impetus ahead of
the news season.
Mourinho wants an extra
striker with the departure of
Samuel Eto'o while Demba
Ba and Romelu Lukaku are
expected to leave even if only
on temporary deals. Fernando
Torres is keen to stay despite
interest from Inter Milan.
Qatari clubs are willing to
offer greater money with
salaries being discussed of
around 3million a season
after tax but the idea of a
return to Chelsea is something
both parties wish to look at.
Mourinho has great affection
for Drogba and knows he
could have great infuence on
a squad that is changing this
summer. He declared prior
to the Champions League tie
with Galatasaray in March
that Drogba could return and
is keen to fulfl that wish.
Drogba won three Premier
League titles, four FA
Cups and the Champions
League while at Chelsea and
Mourinho wants to use that
experience to good effect
with his new additions.
Chelsea open discussions to bring Didier Drogba back to
Stamford Bridge as a second choice striker and coach
PONDERING REUNION

Page 16 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
8a
Monrovia -
W
ith the ruling
Unity Party set
on Ali Syllah
as its candidate
in the Montserrado County
Senatorial Race, it is all but
concluded that Robert Alvin
Sirleaf, should he decide to
accept a petition fled Monday
by his supporters, would run as
an independent in his quest to
become Senator of the county.
That Robert is running against
the norms of the party which
gave his mother state power,
speaks volumes about the
complexities of a man his
supporters say could defy
convention within his mothers
political ranks en route to what
many anticipate would be a
high-stakes senatorial bid,
pitting him against one of the
greatest footballers ever to play
the game in George Manneh
Weah.
The irony of Mondays petition
was as complicated as the race
is poised to become. Petitioners
aptly chose the Slip Way feld
where Weah began his craft
that prepared him to conquer
world, a feld, until Sirleafs
intervention, was dubbed a pool
of dreams, due to the heavy
fooding which engulfed the
area and kept many youngsters
from following the footsteps of
their idol, Weah.
It is the backdrop of many
of Sirleafs interventions in
communities like this one that
his supporters say, gives him
the guts and even the dare to
challenge Weah, in his own
backyard.
His supporters point to his
aggressive engagement in
Weahs stronghold of New
Kru Town, West Point and
Clara Town where he was
instrumental in mini-football
stadium on the turf where Weah
learned his craft. Sirleafs
supporters see his many
charitable ventures in areas
considered CDC strongholds
as a key asset likely to give him
and edge and that much clear in
their petition Monday.
We have realized with great
disappointment and shocking
political disdain over the
period about the high level of
legislative abandonment meted
against our people in this
county and we have suffered
for nine years from the hands
of leaders we elected over the
period, lamented Lassana
Fofana on behalf of the
petitioners.
Sirleafs petitioners described
Mr. him as a man who has
over the years concerned
himself with developmental
activities in and around the
country especially in providing
incentives for economic
empowerment.
But even on a day, his
supporters hoped he would
accept, Sirleaf chose the
route of suspense, telling his
supporters Monday: I have
to think, I will be very honest
with you all, I do not know the
F
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PAGE
ROBERT SIRLEAFS COMPLEX QUEST
to Become Montserrado County Senator
characterization in this folder;
I will look into all your eyes, I
want to see your hope, I want
to see your dreams, I want to
see your aspirations.
Sirleaf went on to say that he
would take his petitioners plea
to divine intervention before
making formally what many
have been skeptical for months
that he is indeed looking to
challenge Weah and the rest of
the feld that includes Liberty
Partys Benjamin Sanvee and
his former peer Dr. Christopher
Neyor. I want to thank you
all for giving me this folder.
I hold this folder to my heart
and I will take it to God tonight
and I will wake up tomorrow
morning and I will ask Godif
whats in this folder represents
the dreams of the people of
Montserrado County and then
God will send me a message
that in this folder, if I would
make a decision, I would do
so.
But even if Sirleaf accepts, his
quest for the Senate is expected
to be a bumpy one, flled with
criticisms of his mothers reign
marred by corruption, charges
of nepotism and a lack of
political will to tackle graft, his
fallout with Neyor, with whom
he worked at the National Oil
Company of Liberia and the
impact his independence from
a party political backing could
have on his candidacy.
The perception in some
political circle has been that
although Sirleaf may run as an
independent, the ruling party
deliberately put up what many
say is a weak candidate in Sylla
in a bid to give Sirleaf an edge
in the October race.
Adding to the likely problems
for Sirleaf could be the fnal
decision from Neyor on his
quest for the Senate. Neyor,
who had earlier announced
his decision to drop out of
the race, told a group of his
supporters upon his return to
Monrovia last weekend, that he
would reconsider, after hearing
appeals not to drop out of the
race.
With Neyor in, many political
observers anticipate a dirty
period of campaigning between
the pair.
Neyor struck the frst blood
recently when he accused
President Ellen Johnson-
Sirleaf of masterminding a plot
to destroy him so that her son,
Robert Sirleaf, could have an
easy path to the Senate seat
for Montserrado County and
eventually to the Presidency of
Liberia in the 2017 election to
succeed his mother.
Wrote Neyor: Your threat
to destroy me comes at a
time when there are media
reports of your son, Robert
frantically trying to buy off
all the Montserrado Countys
senatorial candidates and
promising cash for others to
abandon their political parties
to support his candidacy for
Montserrado. Your threats
with Roberts millions. Despite
these threats, I will remain
a formidable candidate for
the senate race. I take your
statement as a serious threat to
my person because in our part
of the world when a President
with all the power of the State
wants to destroy a citizen, the
order is usually followed to the
letter.
Robert, in a response, averred:
We will continue to see
shallow, factually incorrect,
and politically-motivated
statements. We feel for those
individuals. We believe time,
effort, and energy, is better
spent actually doing positive
things for the people, than
creating fctional story lines
which havent any impact
on the lives of the average
Liberian.
Sirleaf said at the time that his
priority is and always will be
to care for the Liberian people
and as such, continues to show
concern for people, and even
from a privileged position, has
continued to demonstrate this.
It is the privilege position from
which Sirleafs critics say, he
could have the most problem
with many of his critics
questioning whether he could
have made the gains he has if
he was not the son of a sitting
president.
There are also concerns about
how a Senator Sirleaf would
vote on a gay rights bill if
elected in the Senate. While
he has not addressed the
issue of sexual orientations,
some political observers say,
the issue could be a thorn in
Sirleafs quest and a nagging
issue, his opponents could toy
with in the rugged innings of
what is expected to be a brutal
campaign season. But more
importantly, a Robert Sirleaf
candidacy could very well
prove to be a referendum vote
on his mother.
While some of his supporters
say, a win could weaken Weah
politically, a loss would also
serve as a litmus test for his
mothers reign as president,
one in which voters, unhappy
with President Sirleaf, could
deal a stinging indictment
through her sons candidacy.
As Robert Sirleaf ponders
the petition of his supporters
in the backdrop of an
emerging debate about his
U.S. citizenship murmurs, he
has so far not addressed, it
remains to be seen how voters
would respond, even amid new
revelations that his main rival,
Weah, is also entangled in
citizenship issues of his own.
It is a debate many anticipate
would draw a defning line
in the race for Montserrado
County.
As Sanvee insisted to
FrontPageAfrica Monday, no
one should be spared on this
issue. Our laws are very clear
when it comes to nationalities
of other countries seeking
elected offce. It is illegal. I too
have seen the document that is
alleged to be the US passport
of Amb. George Weah.. . . I it
is indeed true that
Amb. Weah is a US citizen; I
expect that he will do what is
right and honorable by obeying
and respecting the laws of
Liberia. In the same vein,
many of Sirleafs critics could
argue that the law applies to
him, too.
While some of his supporters say, a win could weaken Weah politically,
a loss would also serve as a litmus test for his mothers reign as
president, one in which voters, unhappy with President Sirleaf, could
deal a stinging indictment through her sons candidacy.
Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 17 8b
F
RONT
PAGE
POLITICS Monrovia-
T
he political leader of
the Movement for
Progressive Change
(MPC) Mr. Simeon
Freeman said President Ellen
Johnson Sirleafs statement
to punish lawless people must
not only be limited to the
Nimba raid but to all those
accused of participating in the
destructions.
Freeman said Justice must be
done to all and not a select few
adding that Liberia is a country
of laws and not men.
Presidents of Liberia
do solemnly swear to
conscientiously uphold and
protect the laws and constitution
of the Republic and urge Gods
help in the fulfllment of so huge
a responsibility, said Freeman.
We do support and endorse
the statement made by Ellen
when she says All accused of
participating in these destructions
will have their full day in court
as quickly as possible. All those
found guilty will face the fullest
penalties imposed by law.
Freeman said President
Sirleaf has violated Liberias
constitution with what he calls
full impunity. Freeman said non-
Liberian citizens are appointed
to positions in government in
clear violation of the countrys
laws.
Robert Sirleaf, an American
citizen, offcially advised her
on Presidential matters before
applying for a Liberian status;
though it is unclear whether this
has been granted, said Freeman.
An offcial extradition process
was begun for Ellen Cockrum
and Melvin Johnson. The courts
of Liberia take judicial notice of
this action.
Freeman said when a person is
not a citizen of a country and
serves in leading positions; the
impact on the national morale
and its associated impact is
priceless.
Freeman said when institutions
spend collected revenue outside
of nationally prescribed laws and
they are not persecuted speedily,
their actions in all respects is
more costly to the state than the
Nimba raid and therefore called
for PresidenSirleaf and other
offcials of government to face
investigation.
SIMEON FREEMAN ON
LAWLESSNESS IN LIBERIA
That offcers at NOCAL or LISCR or the
Maritime Bureau or Ellen herself must
submit to the police, be placed behind
bars for the speedy trials they deserve,
said Freeman at a news conference held
at the MPC headquarters in Congo Town
on Monday
Such blatant constitutional violations are
part of what she calls these destructions.
Such destructions undermined economic
growth and the perpetrator must submit
to the police; be placed behind bars
while awaiting speedy trial as the action
both violates the oath of offce and the
constitution of Liberia.
The MPC political leader told journalists
that the Public Financial Management
Law of Liberia is clear on the management
of public funds and its subsequent
expenditure but public institutions
continue to violate the rules.
Institutions like LISCR and NOCAL;
collecting millions of dollars annually
and expending most of that money for
Ellens public Relations and associated
expenditure in clear violation of the PFM
law of Liberia, he said.
Continued Freeman: Under Ellen,
concession agreements are in clear
violation of Liberian laws. When a well-
intentioned investor is awarded illegal
privileges to enable unspeakable but
special favours for the negotiators, at the
expense of the people, especially those in
project affected areas; it undermines the
equitability of wealth distribution and is
globally a source of national confict as
documented by the United Nations Panel
of Experts on Liberia and the Centre for
International Confict Resolution of the
Columbia University. The CICR visited
Liberia since 2012 and published a report
entitled Smell No Taste. Ellen was
quoted in that report as saying.

Monrovia-
T
he Elections
Coordinating
Committee (ECC)
with mission to
instill public confdence in the
electoral process has trained
34 monitors from the 15
counties of Liberia to monitor
the political campaign, which
starts on August 12 of the 2014
Special Senatorial Election.
The two day workshop which
was held at Bassa Women
Development Association
Conference Hall in Buchanan,
Grand Bassa County took place
on 11th & 12th July 2014.
Topics covered included
Understanding Electoral
Process, Legal Framework
of Elections, Regulatory
and Oversight Institutions
During Elections, Media
and Communication
Monitoring During Elections,
Understanding Election
Violence, Security and Issues
Concerning Women During
Elections, and Campaign
Violence Monitoring. The
34 ECC monitors have been
deployed throughout the 15
counties.
These monitors are involved
with monitoring the electoral
processes of 2014. Their
activities commenced with
monitoring the Voters' Roll
Update, Voters Roll Exhibition,
Political Parties Primaries,
and it will continue with the
Political Campaign Period
and observing the October 14
election.
Representative of the National
Election Commission (NEC)
and Assistant Magistrate of
Grand Bassa County, Mr. Al B.
Smith welcomed participants at
the workshop and commended
the ECC for organizing the
workshop and its support to
the electoral process. He stated
that election is a process and
the monitoring of election by
an independent body is vital to
the enhance transparency in the
electoral process.
The workshop was facilitated
by executive members of
ECC from the Center for
Media Studies and Peace
Building (CEMESP), West
Africa Network for Peace
Building (WANEP), Institute
for Research and Democratic
Development (IREDD),
National Youth Movement
for Transparent Elections
(NAYMOTE), Actions
for Genuine Democratic
Alternatives (AGENDA), and
Search for Common Ground
(SFCG).
The ECC is a civil society
platform organized to observe
and monitor elections in
Liberia. It monitored the 2011
electoral process with the
deployment of 2,000 monitors
across the country. The ECC
will deploy the same number
on October 14th to observe
the 2014 Special Senatorial
Election.
The ECC is undertaking this
intervention with funding from
the United States Agency for
International Development
(USAID) in partnership with
IREX

AHEAD MID TERM ELECTIONS, ECC
TRAINS CAMPAIGN VIOLENCE MONITORS
Page 18 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 19
Page 20 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
My Simple Ques-on and Answer
Book on Liberian Oil


Public Aairs Division, NOCAL
1


Is Liberia producing oil?

No, Liberia is not producing oil yet, but we are
s-ll looking for oil. African Petroleum (one of
the Interna-onal oil companies opera-ng in
Liberia) found small oil in February 2012, but
the company is s-ll checking to see if the oil is
enough (commercial) to sell and make prot.
If the oil African Petroleum (AP) nds is
enough, the company will have to develop
the oil eld before it can begin the produc-on
of the oil. This will take between 5-7 years.

1 2


How is explora5on done?

For oshore (in the sea) oil, NOCAL is working with a company called
TGS-NOPEC. This company uses special equipment to get
informa-on from pictures of the ground and the earth to help them
know where to look for oil. This company hires a special ship that
moves across the sea and collects small, small, picture samples of
certain areas of the sea. These small, small picture samples taken by
TGS- NOPEC are sold for the government, to oil companies around
the world who want to use it to help them decide whether to do oil
business in Liberia. The money that they make from selling the
pictures is divided between the government of Liberia and the
company (TGS NOPEC).

Oil companies that buy these sample pictures will study them in a
special place in their oces to nd a sign of oil. If their studies show
a sign of oil, and they are interested, they will come to Liberia to pay
some money to sign a contract with the government. The contract is
called (Produc-on Sharing Contract- PSC) and it allows the
companies to check for oil, pull it out of the sea and, if they nd that
there is enough for them to make prot, the companies will share
with government the amount of the oil that they pulled out.

According to the contract, the -me the companies can
take to check for oil should last no more than for 5yrs: 3
years to study and understand the sample picture in the
lab, and 2 years to check in the sea for the oil.

During the two years checking for the oil in the sea, oil
companies can hire a special ship called a drill-ship. The
drill-ship is dierent from the ship that is used to collect
the sample pictures in the sea. When they use a drill ship
to drill for oil, it costs plenty money - about 1 million US
dollars a day and not all the oil can be drilled in one day -
some-mes, it will take plenty days.
4 3


How is produc5on done?

If the company nds oil and it is enough to sell and
make prot, (commercial quan--es) the company
will write the government and ask for a permit to
start pulling the oil from the sea. The government
will look at the way the company wants to pull out
the oil, and if the government is happy that
everything is okay, the government will tell the
company to start pulling the oil from the sea. The
company then will build dierent machines around
area (s) that the oil has been found before it starts
pulling it out. Some-mes, it will take 5 years or
more to build all the machines that the company
would need to start pulling out the oil. Yes, it can
be a long process oh, this oil thing. Tha not small
thing.
6 5


Why are companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil or
African Petroleum doing the work and not
NOCAL?


NOCAL or Liberia does not have the equipment, the money,
and the trained people needed to look for and pull oil from
the sea. To check for oil alone (explora-on) will cost over US
$100 Million. Look at our countrys budget - it is below US
$500 million. Our whole countrys budget for one year is
almost half of the money to look for the oil. That is why
Liberia is not ready to spend that amount of money to check
for oil that it may or may not nd. So the best thing to do for
now, is to leave the hard work with the oil company, and if
they nd and pull out the oil from the sea they can take
away the money they put inside to nd the oil, and then the
company and the Liberian government will share the balance
oil money that is the prot. Later on, when Liberia gets
enough money and trained people, it can also do some of
the oil company work. Right now, we have not reached there
yet.
7
8


How much money will this oil business
bring?

It is hard to know how much money we can
get right now because we are s-ll checking
for oil. But when we hear about what other
countries went through, it shows that oil can
bring in plenty money if every thing is done
the right way by everybody concerned.

What does commercially viable mean?

It simply means the amount of oil under the
sea should be plenty enough for the oil
companies to sell, take away all their
expenses they made for trying to nd and pull
out the oil from the sea, and s-ll make prot.


9
10


How do PSCs work?

The contract between the oil company and the Government
of Liberia is called: Produc-on Sharing Contract (PSC) and it
is dierent from Mineral (mining) Development Agreements.

A Produc-on Sharing Contract (PSC) is like the type of
agreement that government signed with Firestone or Acelor
Mieal, that charges royal-es (special fees) and taxes. But this
contract is a liele bit dierent because in addi-on to
royal-es and taxes, the company will also share part of the
petroleum produced with the government either in cash or
oil. The produc-on share part of it comes out of the prot
oil.
The dierence between a produc-on sharing contract and
a concession agreement is like this: PSC is like a land
owner who gives out his land to a farmer to plant rice and
receives payment for the land as well as some of the rice
that will be harvested.
11
12
Concession agreement is like a landowner who
gives his land to a farmer to plant rice but only
receives payment for the land and not some of
the rice that will be harvested. So the PSC gives
the land owner ( Liberia) more.



How are PSCs signed? Is it only NOCAL that can
sign them?

No, NOCAL is not the only company that can discuss or sign
oil contracts with the oil companies. They way we do it right
now is that oil contracts (PSCs) are discussed between the
companies and the government of Liberia through a special
commieee called the Hydrocarbon Technical Commieee
(HTC). The agreement is then signed by the President of
Liberia and approved by the Legislature.

Members of the Hydrocarbon Technical Commieee are:

NOCALChairman
Jus-ce Ministry
Finance Ministry
Lands and Mines Ministry
Na-onal Investment Commission (NIC)
Environmental Protec-on Agency (EPA) and
The Legal Advisor to the President of Liberia.
13
14
Friday, May 30, 2014
8
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 21


What about shares in oil blocks?

There are two dierent kinds of shares being talked
about: The rst is State share and the second is
Ci-zens share. State share is for the government,
through NOCAL, to have a share in the opera-on of the
oil companies. This means, Liberia will share with the oil
companies the expenses to get the oil as well as the
prot amer the oil is sold.

The second is Ci-zens par-cipa-on. This form of
par-cipa-on comes in more than one way. One of the
ways is for individual ci-zens to be allowed to buy shares
from the oil companies and share with the company the
expenses to get the oil as well as the prot amer the oil is
sold. It also means they have small ownership of the
company through the shares that they buy from the
company.

The other way ci-zens can par-cipate, is for the
government to pay ci-zens, their por-on of the expenses
to get the oil and the prot amer the oil is sold, and this
will be divided among Liberians through their individual
accounts, social security and or health benets.
15 16


When will Liberia start receiving oil
money?

Liberia will start genng the oil (money)
revenue when enough oil is found and we
start pulling it from the sea. Remember, we
said before that even if enough
(commercial quan-ty) oil is found today, it
will take up to 5 or 7 years to build all the
machine around the place the oil is found.
However, Liberia is currently receiving
some money from the following places:

The sale of the oil pictures (Seismic
data) collected from the sea by the oil
sample picture collec-on company TGS
NOPEC.
Rental fees from the oil companies for
the area of the sea they are using to
check for the oil (drilling site).
Fees paid by the oil companies to
develop the various local communi-es
and the countrys human capaci-es.

17 18


Where do all these monies coming in go?

The money is divided among NOCAL, the
Government of Liberia through the Ministry
of Finance, and the University of Liberia.

NOCAL uses its por-on of the money for its
opera-ons including scholarships, community
projects and to run NOCAL.

The part of the money pot that is sent to the
government through the Ministry of Finance
is added to the na-onal budget; and

The one sent to the University of Liberia is to
develop science educa-on.

19 20


What are cost oil and prot oil?

Cost oil is the amount of oil a company needs to
sell to pay for all the expenses (costs) it makes to
check for and pull the oil from the sea.

Prot oil is the amount of oil that is lem over amer
an oil company takes away all the expenses (cost) it
takes to check and pull the oil from the sea.

Going by the Produc-on Sharing Contract (PSC), the
money from the prot oil is then shared between
the oil company concerned and the Liberia
Government according to a sharing schedule
agreed in the contract.
21 22


What is this thing they call local content?

Local content means the opportuni-es for
Liberian (local) businesses to benet from the
oil sector through business for example
Liberian (local) business companies should
provide support services to the big
Interna-onal Oil Companies (IOCs). These
services can be: taking care of the drilling
ships, selling food & drinks to the oil
companies, transporta-on, and housing for
workers, etc.

For good local content, countries usually make
strong laws to force the Interna-onal Oil
Companies (IOCs) use local contractors.

23 24


When will oil create jobs for Liberians?

The oil companies cannot provide many jobs
right now but, these companies will need plenty
goods and services (business) and Liberian
companies providing those goods or services
will give dierent kinds of jobs to qualied
Liberians. But all this job crea-on business will
only start if we nd enough oil and start pulling
it from the seaBut we have not reached that
bridge yet to cross it.

25 26


Will we rene oil in Liberia?

Right now, the main thing that the government is
thinking about is how to look at the old law on oil
in Liberia and make it beeer and stronger for the
country and the people and the companies. The
government is working on making a policy and law
that will cover checking for the oil and pulling it
from the sea (also known as upstream and
midstream ac-vi-es). The renery part is what is
called downstream but we have not reached there
yet. But when we nd enough (commercial
quan-ty) of oil, we will cross that bridge in the
future.
27 28


Why is the Legislature organizing Palava Hut
mee5ngs in the coun5es and Monrovia on the
Na5onal Petroleum Law?

The legislature wants to make sure that everyone
in Liberia can say something about how it wants
the new petroleum law to work for the best
interest of Liberia. It wants to make a petroleum
law that everyone is happy with. So that is why
they are mee-ng with people all over the country
to talk about how to make the new petroleum law
good for everyone to benet: the people of
Liberia, the government and the companies who
are bringing their money in to start doing the oil
business in Liberia.
27 28


Produced By the Public Aairs Division of NOCAL

Public Aairs Division
Na5onal Oil Company of Liberia ( NOCAL)
LISCR Building,
Corner of Randall and Ashmun Streets
1000 Monrovia 10
Liberia

Ques5ons?
Email: info@nocal.com.lr
Visit: www.nocal.com.lr



www.nocal.com.lr


Produced By the Public Aairs Division of NOCAL

Public Aairs Division
Na5onal Oil Company of Liberia ( NOCAL)
LISCR Building,
Corner of Randall and Ashmun Streets
1000 Monrovia 10
Liberia

Ques5ons?
Email: info@nocal.com.lr
Visit: www.nocal.com.lr



www.nocal.com.lr


Produced By the Public Aairs Division of NOCAL

Public Aairs Division
Na5onal Oil Company of Liberia ( NOCAL)
LISCR Building,
Corner of Randall and Ashmun Streets
1000 Monrovia 10
Liberia

Ques5ons?
Email: info@nocal.com.lr
Visit: www.nocal.com.lr



www.nocal.com.lr
Friday, May 30, 2014 9
Page 22 |
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Frontpage
Thursday, July 17, 2014 Page 23
Monrovia -
The death of Roman Catholic
Archbishop Michael Francis
at 77 is drawing reactions
from all quarters with many at
home and abroad recalling the
late clergymans fght against
injustice. Archbishop Francis
had been ill since 2004 after
suffering a stroke. The Most
Reverend Lewis Zeigler,
Archbishop of Monrovia, who
succeeded Francis, said the late
archbishop stood for justice
because he strongly believed
in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
First, my reaction is that of
sadness, and then coupled with
that, I would like to give thanks
to God for his many blessings.
"
"Nine years have gone by and
he has been suffering. While
I grieve, I also thank God that
He has called him to go home
and rest. " "He was a frm
believer in the Gospel of Christ
and, because of his faith, he
stood for justice, Zeigler said,
in a VOA Daybreak Africa
interview Monday.
Edmund Bargblor of
Providence, Rhode Island,
a student in Nimba County,
Liberia, where Francis was
a parish priest, called on all
churches in Liberia to fll the
vacuum left by the death of
Francis. Are there individuals
in Liberia that will fll that
vacuum? Yes. But they, too,
have to defne their role,
especially the church. Bishop
Francis has left us, but he
left a legacy and I would like
for the church of Liberia,
the various churches, the
In Monrovia, Catholics and many Liberians remembered Bishop Francis for his
fiery sermons which spoke truth to power. Below is a sample of how Liberians across
religious lines are reeling over the death of the Catholic Archbishop
VOICES
SAYDEE MONBOE II, CIVIL SOCIETY LEADER FREDERICK JOLMSON, BUSINESSMAN
SULAIMA V. SHERIFF STUDENT
ALI SYLLA PROBATION COORDINATOR LIBERIA
RACASSIUS MATOHSON, MANAGING EDITOR OF THE
PEOPLE DAILY NEWSPAPER
VICTOR D. WEAH BUSINESSMAN
I think the death of Bishop
Francis is a lost to this
country. These are people
when they die we should take
a cue in terms of their death.
The many contributions made
by Bishop cannot be over
emphasized. Because when
he became a Bishop, his own
contributions to Liberia as it
relates to good governance in
Well I want to express my
condolence to the bereaved
family. His death is a great
lost to the Liberian people,
the Christians society,
religious setting, political
and economic society of our
community. Also I want to
register our disappointment
that Michael Francis have left
us at the time we need political
economic transformation.
During his tenure as Bishop,
he played a pivotal role in
transforming the Liberian
society. He spoke critically
on issues. He was one of
main advocates to criticize
successive governments. If
he had been well up to now
Today is sad day for me and the country at large. Bishop
Michael was a good man thats, why his legacy has been spread
The death of Bishop Michael
Francis is a loss to the
transformation of Liberia
and humanity, He had spoken
on a lot of ills in the Liberian
society, injustices toward the
masses and he said truth to
tyranny.
He was one of the greatest
leaders with a very humble
beginning. A great leader, a
founding father of the inter-
religious committee and later
the inter regions council.
He was very tolerant to the
different religions in Liberia
and a mentor to many
Liberians
It is sad news for everyone of us in Liberia, especially for
me. Though I am a Muslim but when it came to an inter
religious council, he spoke objectively. During the war
I feel very sad for his death
and I extend my sympathy
to the more than one billion
Catholics around the world
terms of human rights, gender
equity were reinforced. The
peace and stability as it relates
to popular participation in
politics and governance. I can
recall when the war started
in 1989. By 1990-1991 he
led a delegation to Karnplay
to meet Charles Taylor to
explain to him that war was
not necessary, and as a result
of that meeting, we saw a
peace meeting, at the end we
saw Liberians had a lull in
the fghting. From there, they
continue to build the platform
to bring the war to an end.
I can recall Bishop in his
capacity as Archbishop, was
able to bring the two religions
together under a nomenclature
called Inter-Faith council
and today Liberia has
a harmonized religious
tolerance and that institution is
contributing immensely to the
peace process. Again he ran
schools to educate Liberian
children. I can recall when he
was Bishop the Radio Veritas
was one of the station that
was propagating the views of
Liberia as it relates to their
human rights, their political
rights and social rights in
terms of their own existence.
We need to give state funeral
and build him a monument so
that we can remember him.
The day Bishop Francis got
sick and was speechless from
that day, we knew that he
was gone and we will never
have his replacement. Even
when he was sick no one has
replaced him religiously. All
he would have spoken against some of the malpractices in our
judiciary system and our governance program. We want for other
Liberians to emulate the legacy left behind by this bishop. They
should not reduce themselves to surrogates like other people are
reducing themselves to.
and Liberians for his home-going. I remember the role the
Bishop played during the administration of the late Samuel k
Doe. He was very instrumental in bringing religions together
in getting the conficting parties for peace talk. The role he
played also help to keep the war from degenerating into a
religious war. He was able to get the Muslim community on
board to see how best they could bring their ideas together and
bring a stop to the complicit. But since he got sick everything
came to a standstill. There have been no one now to speak on
ills in society.
throughout the country and
his advocacy on behalf of
the poor people will forever
be remembered. To be
specifc the government of
Samuel K. Doe and Charles
Taylor, when these people
went wrong, Bishop Francis
created checkpoints in his
advocacy and he told them
their lapses as a government.
I wish he was still strong
and alive today to go on in
this current government,
I believe all things that
he preached against other
governments, we are seeing
them today.
though I was not around, but
I saw clips of him that he
was there to speak for the
people and that he told the
international community
that all Taylor was saying
were all lies.
In 2003 during the rock
war between Muslims
and Christians, he spoke
very objectively. He was
objective between all
religions regardless of all of
us background

B
BISHOP MICHAEL FRANCIS SPECIAL EDITION


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