Crime Watch pg 6 TOP STORIES

POLICE DRUG TRAFFICKER NABBED

Corruption Watch

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MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Reconstitutes LAA, FDA Boards, Is It End To Trouble?

TAKING ACTION As Sirleaf

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CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

BUYING MONDAY, DECEMBER 16 , 2013 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2013 MONDAY, DECEMBER 23 , 2013 L$81.00/US$1 L$82.00/US$1 L$82.00/US$1

SELLING L$82.00/US$1 L$83.00 /US$1 L$83.00/US$1

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.

VOL 8 NO.507

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated an intensive, full-scale investigation into reports of alleged malpractices on the part of some Foreign Service Officials with respect to payment of rental and leases. The investigation is comprehensive and covers all foreign missions with a view to taking the appropriate punitive and corrective actions. Minister of Foreign Affairs

DIPLOMAT RECALLED
DUBIOUS RENTAL PAYMENTS LAND ENVOYTO BRUSSELS, FRANCIS KARPEH IN HOT WATER

PRICE L$40

Corruption watch Pg.10

See PG 2

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VOL 8 NO.507

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Sports

PRICE L$40

PORTUGAL
How is midfielder Theo Weeks faring at CS

FROM TURKEY TO

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Monrovia -

Monday, January 6 , 2014

n the wake of an economic downturn in recent months, postwar Liberia has been mired in speculations about a possible return to the Ministry of Finance by Augustine Ngafuan, a former Minister of Finance and Director of the Budget bureau whose youth advocacy background has not kept him out of the discussions as one of the favorites in President Ellen JohnsonSirleafs succession plans. Shipped from Finance to Foreign Affairs as part of a second term Cabinet shake-up by Sirleaf in January 2012, speculations soon surfaced that Sirleafs decision to take Ngafuan to the high-profile ministry was part of her plans to groom one of her loyal and trusted lieutenants into a possible position to fill her shoes. Ironically, Ngafuan has been mired in a sea of discussion among some who feel that Sirleafs persona as an international rock star has not offered him the chance to showcase his credentials ahead of the next political play. Coming on the heels of the recall of Liberias Ambassador to Belgium, Francis Karpeh, who has found himself entangled in a leasing agreement controversy, Minister Ngafuan sat down for a frank but exclusive interview in which he addresses among other things, the state of Liberias foreign policy, the plight of diplomats living in dire straits in embassies around the world, the perceptions that he is being eclipsed by President Sirleaf in his role as Foreign Minister and why he may not be on the sidelines when the 2017 political season comes into play. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Minister, it has been a long time, the last time we spoke you were at the Finance Ministry and now you at the Foreign Affairs. In few months, what has the transition been like for you. ? MINISTER AUGUSTINE NGAFUAN: Well its been quite interesting. We are government officials; we are like players on the field, the President is like the coach, and the President is watching the game may retool, re- configure , one has to have the ability, agility, the multi-dimension character to contribute to the team from whatever wing you are placed. So from finance, I am on this side on the diplomatic front, helping the president of our country , so its been quite a transition. I am a man from diverse backgrounds, so it has helped to bring out other aspects of my personality out , so its been quite good. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: At the time of your appointment there were some speculations that the President was prepping you for 2017 succession, or do you feel any regrets leaving Finance Ministry to come to Foreign Affairs? MINISTER NGAFUAN : Look, I always said that or, you can bear me out by asking some employees at the ministry of finance , finance is not a place that one once to be at the helm form too long, because you literally burn yourself out, it is like burning your life candle from two fronts simultaneously. So I always said that every one year you spend at Finance represents a one year reduction in your life span, so the average time, if you check the roster of ministers of finance you find out that the average length of the tenure has been around two and the half years. I went three and the half, so that was enough contributing to my country, and I think I did what I could do to help to stabilized the economy, grow the economy, meet our targets, and after that, I feel that or I needed a different challenge and others with new vision and vitality can contribute to the country. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: There are some critics who say that you are too young to be a Foreign Minister; what do you have to say to those people? NGAFUAN: Well the issue of age has dogged my process in government from the beginning . In 2006, I was 35 verging on 36, appointed Budget Director. I was the youngest in the cabinet though because I think if I am not mistaken the average age was 50. But one need to retrospect and then you will know that that labor of age has been a little unfair to some of us. Maybe because the civil war and the challenges arrested the progress of some of our people, some of us who are not that young were considered young in the country. Probably it is a reflection of what I will call the achievement deficit that we need to correct, because look, if you check Liberia history and go in the 70s and what have you, you will find out that there were ministers of Foreign Affairs in the 70s and 80s that were in their 30s, I am 43 now verging on 44 ,you know, Im 10 years older, a decade older than some of those that were Minister of Foreign Affairs. Check Liberian history, people were in their late 20s, early 30s when they were made ministers. Now it appears strange that for our generation when a young person - 35 , 40 or what have you, is given positions that others held at lower ages, it appears like it is a flash in the pan. I really dont accept that because technically to accept it because to accept is to accept that your generation should be locked out because even if you check Liberian history, you will find out that even the first President of this county, J.J. Roberts assume the presidency as the age of 38; Stephen Allen Benson 39; these were young people. Check African History - Nkrumah - how old was Nkruman when he did all he did for Ghana, check Guinea, these individuals were in the 20s, their 30s when and they transform their countries. Check the age of Martin Luther-King, Martin Luther King never reached 40, he died at the age of 39. All the thing we say about Martin Luther-King, he achieved them in 39 years. So as he said, its not how long that matters; but how well. So the time that the almighty gives us to be on this earth, we should make every time counts and so for me that should be the substance here. So there will always be criticisms as to age here

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

and there. But theres one thing I want to put forth, you know there has been concerns about intra-governmental unity and let me thank you too because youre one of those who teases out positive things for the public to chew on and I admire you for that. Youre not just reporting events but you try to set the pace, bring issues for debate, continue that path, by doing that you set yourself apart. Look, we all must understand that Liberia is on a democratic path; two successive years of democratic elections, practically unprecedented in this country, the democratic space has widened as more newspapers, political parties are burgeoning, we have television stations and people exercising their democratic rights from the confines of their homes, cellphones, recording on radios: One thing we havent gotten used to is that this is the first time in a long while that we clearly know the terminal date for a sitting president. If you reverse to the past, under Tubman, it appeared like Tubman was the sky, that whenever you wake up in the morning, you see the sky above the head. No one knew when Tubman would end, you know, it was from one term to another term; Tolberts end was accidental, so whatever process we were on, was aborted. Though we had elections schedule I think 1991, the war came. So that process was aborted. Taylor, we had elections schedule for 2003, you know what happened. So for a very long while, this is the very first time that Liberians know the terminal date of a sitting president. You know that by January 2018 will be the end of the tenure of Madam Sirleaf. You know that by her democratic character, she will respect that. So what it has brought, is that it has brought a change in Liberian politics that we as Liberians are not used to, it has also challenged government. Issues of intragovernmental unity you know, were now setting new precedence as a country. So, how we handle this particular process, will help the future. So one needs to not put all of the challenges on Madam Sirleaf but to also understand that this country is going through a new phase that is bringing out new dynamics and when we study it, we would be able to find better ways to deal with it in the future and maybe because it is happening now, we have not been used to dealing with it. But what Im asking my colleague across the government, were in this boat together, we need to work together so that this boat tails very well, we need to compliment, not to contradict, we need to contradict professionally within our work, we dont have to agree to it on one way because thats who we are, professionals, we see things from different angles, ultimately, you must understand that Liberian people are looking up to us as leaders to deliver certain goods. And I said in a statement I made during the induction of the Cabinet (February 2012), we need to look at this thing, not just at what scores we score we get individually. But if we all get into this individual grading mood, what happens is that we all get selfish, we start to get too fixated on what score we get forgetting to know that there are general scores that the government needs to get. There are certain scores that belong to all of us. We need to ensure that we are passing on those scores. Otherwise your individual A or B does not matter. So it is that message that I want to end on to say that there are crosscutting issues, that there are challenges that is difficult for one ministry to score an A while another ministry is scoring an F. You know, we shouldnt be comfortable with that. What is happening? Are there challenges that we all can help? I think entering the new year, that is the message, we all must carry, we need to work for the Liberian people and wherever this takes us as a country, we must make it better. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a very high-profile ministry and the president herself is a high profile person. Do you sometimes feel eclipsed by her, in terms of her persona as Africas first female head of state commanding so much attention internationally? NGAFUAN: Well, you know lets say, the constitution is clear as to who is responsible for the foreign policy. It is exclusively preserved for the President, and the Minister or Minister of Foreign Affairs assists the President. So, if there is any ministry with a direct boss, it is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , because foreign policy is preserved for the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs duty is to assist the president in the formulation and implementation of the foreign policy. So, in word over, you see the president dominating when it comes to Foreign Affairs. But originally, you know that this country had some attention deficits as a result of the war, but not attention deficits per say but image deficiencies because of the negatives that came out. One of the things Madam Sirleaf brought was to help to transform that image and being the first woman president, being a Nobel Laureate, I would definitely say that Liberia is cashing in on that image and so it does not harm the country generally to project her internationally, but shes tried as much as she can to ensure that the space is there whereby we all can represent the country. I have represented the president in a lot of significant meetings , in fact at the last AU meeting in January, I represented the president amongst her colleagues in Addis Ababa; recently, more than two weeks ago, at the meeting in Paris on Security in Africa, I represented the president, the Justice Minister was on the delegation joining me at the meeting called by President Francois Hollande; the Vice President has represented the president on a lot of international forums and so this complain comes out to me as a little unfair. The president has done a whole lot, we need to continue to lavish the national image, she is not suffocating the space, she is creating the space not just for me in fact a lot of Ministers , Legislatures including Deputy Ministers have been given opportunities to go out there and represent the country to go out there and protect the Liberian flag. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: One issue that has been coming out is the issue of the Foreign Service those serving Liberia outside in different foreign missions, their condition have been very poor in terms of salaries and benefits and stuff like that, whats your ministry doing to fix the problem I know you predecessor have had the same problem what you doing to fix that problem and whats holding you back I know that some budget constrain has been some of the issues too? NGAFUAN: To be in the Foreign Service, is to be toting the Liberian flag in the public domain, and one that is in the foreign service need to be supported as much as possible because the reasons is, we dont want them to compromise the image of the country because it is not only they who suffer, but all Liberians do. So thats why we need to protect the image and integrity of the

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Monday, January 6, 2014

foreign service. Some of it has to do with the fact that these people vote in the international forum on various issues and if they are made into pizza or it may affect their integrity. So we have to do more, obviously since the government came in we inherited a foreign service pay scheme that was very dismal but we have been increasing but in spite of all we are doing, to increase, we have some challenges. I must be the first to admit to you that we have challenges and those challenges are national. We want the foreign services to be looked at in ways that will drive the importance of the service, but I too cannot be too selfish to think that there are not other priorities of government. So we are competing against other priorities like health, education , public works, roads and other. But I usually say this, part of dealing with the challenge has to do with empowering the foreign services because some of the challenges we are facing even at the economic front, the only ways to wiggle ourselves out of it is to, ensure that we are robust. We are implementing our foreign policy trust and something called development diplomacy whereby we are using the machinery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors and what have you to bring economic opportunity, development opportunity to this country. Through our engagement, the government of China can come and sign an agreement with us for the construction of a US$60 million ministerial complex which will house more than ten ministries and agencies. In fact, that government ministry will not be paying rent is going to take pressure off the budget process; we signed a 50 million dollars agreement with the Japanese Government for the expansion of the Somalia Drive into a four-lane highway and that opens economic opportunities. As a result of economic opportunities, taxes can increase that saves the pressure; Public Works Ministry will have less pressure to put on the central system, so we go in there and get some assistance from development partners, we link in the private sector, when these initiatives are facilitated by foreign ministry, the economy goes up. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Is the budget constraints any hindrance to the ministrys overall plan to transform the Foreign service? NGAFUAN: When you hear about budgetary difficulties you should know that government ministries generally will face difficulties, so it cuts across budgetary constraints. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seen mainly as a political ministry, donors dont send their money to political ministries so it depend on government to do that problem wholly and solely. So to keep our people in the foreign service to pay their salaries, to facilitate their movements has to be the exclusive preserve of the government, and where the government doesnt come in, it is difficult for us to maneuver, because other options that other Ministries have, we dont have because of the political nature of this ministry. So, we are facing constrains. Generally, the government is facing constraints. I dont want to put it like it is just like a foreign Ministry problem, because by doing that it will be selfish. It is our duty to help generally to work with all our partners, our colleagues in government so that whatever constrains that we are facing are our constrains and that we need to solve those constraints so Foreign Ministry can be better situated, thats how I take it. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Some people say that Liberia simply has too many foreign missions overseas and that the countrys economy is not that strong to maintain those missions. You go to East African countries, most of them have their embassy in one region or require visas upon arrival in a country. Is this something the Foreign Ministry is contemplating adopting? NGAFUAN: No we are doing a review. In fact, one of the targets we have for this new year is to do a review of a plan started by my predecessor Olu Bankie King Akerele. Some missions were streamlined and new missions were opened while others were closed. We are going to do it again, we are going to review. In fact there may be new frontier opening. The Brazilian ambassador has presented his Letters of Credence, he is residence in Monrovia and so we look forward to taking some actions to reciprocate because there are a lot of things we as a country can gain from Brazil and Brazil can gain from us. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Your name has always been in the mix of potential successors of the President. Are you at all bothered by that and do you have any ambition for 2017? NGAFUAN: Well, let me say this: I have been in public service for quite a while, from my days as a student leader at the Booker Washington Institute to the University of Liberia. When I entered the university I had no political ambition, I had an academic ambition , my academic ambition was to graduate summa cum laude and I applied all my effort toward that, being a political animal I love being in the back assisting colleagues to actualized political. So beside satisfying my main ambition, I had all the opportunities to serve my friends, the students more than ten thousand of them, politically. When I entered government, my main concern in fact was never, ever a concern for position, looking at the twenty two candidates 2005, I made my analysis and found out that all of them had pluses and negatives and I found out that Madam Sirleafs net worth was the highest and so I fell morally bound to assist. So we did, I was heading international banking at the Central Bank and perfectly happy with what I was doing and so after we came in , I served as spokesperson of the Unity Party campaign in 2005, went on radios, went all around this country trying to project the Unity Party in a favorable light and trying to project our standard bearer as somebody that could do XYZ.

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So I was perfectly normal with my Central Bank job, evidence is there that I did not lobby for any position because I was also surprised because sometime in January 2006, President Sirleaf called me and said she wanted to make me Budget Director, it was quite a transition for me from being on the other side coming in mainstream government. I did it, I did it coming on this side to serve my country, when the Ministry of Finance position open up ,Madam Sirleaf called me and said that she wanted me to serve in that capacity, all I do is to say well I am a Liberian, I have always wanted to impact on positive change and I cannot just be out there complaining about things. Whatever I can do to make my little space to light up, so I can impact my society. I have one of two principles and values that I consider dear, working hard; working with utmost integrity, working to ensure that we made the difference. We try our best and Iet history judge what we did , coming on this side, madam Sirleaf, as I said, is the coach of the team, she felt that I needed to play a different wing on the team and I am on this side. Now, as to what next, let me say first and foremost, I am a man of God; I am a Christian; I go to church, I pray and I ask for guidance. As to what happens with me, it is primarily going to be determined by the almighty. Secondly, one thing I can assure , 2005 I was active, 2011 I was also active. Although active in the sense of contributing, managing the economy, 2017- I will not be inactive , I can assure you I will not sit idly and allow this country to retrogress, his country must continue to maintain progress and to do even better and what specific role I play in the process will be determined as time goes by. So as I sit, I leave everything to God and I l leave everything with the Liberian people. I am going to play a role so I will not be dishonest with you to say that I am not going to play a role ,that I am going to bury myself in the high forest in Lofa. Just how as a young man working in the Central Bank, I decided not to be active in the 2005 elections , I will not be inactive in 2017. The possibilities are wide as to what specific role, but time will determine but you can rest assure that this man will play a role. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Do you believe in going back to old ghosts? If the President appointed you and said she want you go back to Finance Ministry would you accept? NGAFUAN: I have always taken it to be my responsibility. I dont have to be some idol to help and sometimes I enjoy just being in the back helping to make people to shine. It really gives me joy; sometimes one doesnt necessarily have to get this position to do this to do that; you know one of the things that we just need to work on as a government, not just as a government but as a people, let us coordinate more so there can be sharing of ideals on a lot of things. So as I said, I am a player in this government and I feel that there are other players that I respect and that there are others outside there that need to be given opportunities too, I will not naturally be one to create an impression that if it is not me, someone else cannot do it. Naturally, it is not my intention to create such impressions. So I will always want to make it appear like we have especially amongst the young generation of this country, we have a huge reservoir of manpower, and so whatever I can do to make others to shine to make it to look like the young people of this country the younger generation have success, I will do. I am little bit concern about the image that comes out that will appear like if it is not this guy, noting else can happen. I am contributing in my way; I understand that I am not a paradox; I have my strengths and weaknesses. Others have their strengths and weaknesses. I feel that we need to complement each other. In a system of complementary, everyone gains. Thats what I am hoping for. I have been a government man for quite a while and so I can assist any ministry from where ever I am , I can assist Commerce, I can assist Agriculture, agriculture can assist me; I can assist Education, education can assist me; I can assist Finance and the finance minster can assist me; I can assist Public Works and public

Works can assist me and so thats how we need to do. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Any final thoughts on the progression of the country? Where we have come from 2005 up to now? Are you happy with the accomplishment of the government since then amid the expressed uneasiness and some disappointments among Liberians? NGAFUAN: There are some challenges - and if you have asked the president, she will be the first to tell you the challenges; there are progress but there are challenges. Its like if youre on the journey from Red Light to Gbarnga, you plan to be at Totota after eight years and maybe you are at Salala. The fact that you are not at Totota means that you have not hit the particular target you set but it doesnt means that there has not been progress. Some people will try to create the impression that nothing has happen but there have been improvements. Now, how do we hit target and hit target on time that should be the priority of the government and I am prepared and my focus is to work toward utilizing all the fabric of my vain to help project this government; to help to project this ministry and to help to project our country, and I feel that by doing that we all committing to complement each other and I feel that by doing this, the country will progress and we all will benefit. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Lastly, Liberia has sadly become a patronage nation a trend started by Tubman - everybody wants to rely on handout from leaders and those in positions of power. Your critics and some peers say your hands are too tight, a bad habit for anyone seeking political office in this rugged political culture. How would you like to address this notion about you? NGAFUAN: Well, let me say this. We need to reform this country. I have been an advocate; I have spoken and written poetry. At a point, especially in the 90s, I drifted into poetry as a way of expressing my own views to the extent that I even won the BBC poetry competition award. So each time I look at what I said in the past and wrote in the past, I am challenged in the present. So others may choose to do things their way, but some of us that have records of standing for certain values in the past, let them say whatever they can say. Look, I was a young man when I was made budget director, there was an expectation of what people could do with that position, you know whether wheeling and dealing, we refuse do it. I made finance minster, there is an expectation in the Liberian population. Let me tell you this, we talk about corruption, corruption. The first place we need to deal with corruption is in the mindset of the Liberian people and what they expect their leaders to be and what generosity they expect from their leaders. How many times have they asked how much their leader make - you know. Yes, to be a finance minister does it means that the money is for you personally? Can you just enter the peoples coffers and wheel and deal? As a finance minister, I must live discipline; I have my pay I live in my pay; and so we became victimized and for me, I appreciate being victimized for that, if somebody come to you and say you do not have generosity, thats their prerogative. I have students I give money to for scholarships, but I dont make news out of helping people. Definitely, I dont make news out of it because I feel you should not be politicizing goodwill, thats not the intention. I go to Lofa, students come to me, I have students on scholarships, I dont make news out of it and maybe thats been my problem. When you talk about how much I give from the earned income I make verses the lot of others, you may find out that I am one of the most generous persons in Liberia. What I do I will never ever satisfy other peoples expectations because I hold a position to wheel and deal, I refuse to wheel and deal and give them opportunities to some extent, they expect you to steal to make them to look good and I would not do it. And so we continue to hear that I am a mean man. First of all, do they know how much a Cabinet minister makes? You know, you need to investigate. There is an expectation that if you went out there and ask a typical Liberian, how much a minister makes, you will hear the reaction. And I will tell you Rodney, if you do your own investigation from the reality and the difference between the reality and perception, you will feel sorry for us, but we do not go out to announce. I have been victimized by this but this is how I give, I give by challenging people. If someone comes and wants to do something, I assist and give my little but before I do so, I ask you for your grade sheet. I feel obligated, thats how I became who I am. Two to three years ago, I sponsored on my own accord, a national poetry competition on getting poems from Liberian writers on reconciliation. People contributed all around I gave prices on my own accord. At the awards program, the former US Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, Dr. Togbah Nah Tipoteh, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee and others attended, I gave back. Today, I am continuing to give back. But by and large, there is an expectation, a corrupt expectation in the Liberian public around public officials. The public do directly expect that the public office is there to be looted and then those that go there and refused to do that, are creamed unfortunately by the Liberian public. So, if we must make an effective dent against this Monster called corruption, you need to applaud people who will be prepared to live in poverty even in the midst of temptation - and so some of us who have chosen not to wheel and deal are victimized. I can tell you this: I have gone through a lot of stuff, I have penned my signature to lot of contracts, go and ask anyone, if I ever requested or demanded a penny. My hands are clean.

FrontPage SPOT NEWS HE SHOT ME TWICE EDITORIAL

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

WHAT A SHAME!!!
LIBERIA FOREIGN MISSIONS NEED TOTAL OVERHAUL

Man Claims He was Shot by EPS officer

Monrovia-

RECENT EXPOSURE BY FRONTPAGEAFRICA of corruption in the rental deals at the Foreign Service that led to the recall of the Liberian Ambassador to Brussels and his entire staff by the government is troubling. THAT OUR DIPLOMATS WHO ARE representing our country abroad would resort to trickery to make more money is something that needs to be further investigated. IT IS A SEROUS EMBARRASSMENT to those in our foreign service and those wanting to join the sector and the entire country. We are also concerned that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do not counter check documents sent to it especially ones that require payments using taxpayers money. THE ENTIRE LIBERIAN diplomatic sector over he last two decades has been embroiled in corruption ranging from the sale of our embassies abroad to the use of double and fake lease agreements to the duping of our foreign service employees by the government of rightful remuneration, thereby the ordinary Liberian paying expensively in such dubious deals like the ones under investigation. Monies that should now go to roads and hospitals are being pocketed by just a few. THE ENTIRE LIBERIAN diplomatic sector is rotten. The government has sat idly by and watched as the Foreign missions degenerated into embarrassing scenarios that turned the countrys diplomats into laughing stocks abroad. A CASE IN POINT IS the Liberian embassy in Accra, Ghana, where a former Ambassador married his second secretary at the embassy while she was still employed with the embassy a role she kept until the couple was sent to embassies in Europe close to each other. They both are currently ambassadors representing Liberia. ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO it was also reveled that a Danish journalist Mads Brugger was granted diplomatic status after dubiously acquiring it with the help of top foreign ministry officials and some high ranking Unity Party members. This situation caused huge embarrassment for Liberian diplomats abroad but nothing was done to correct it and no one was punished. THE CASE IN POINT is a serious one with the broad day robbery at the Liberian embassy in Brussels Even though Karpeh tries to blame it on the system. HE SAID THAT UPON HIS ARRIVAL, he was told that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires a lease agreement, prior to providing funds for payment of rent, but what he fails to show is where he ministry requires fke lease agreements from diplomats. WE ARE DISAPPOINTED that the learned diplomat did not swiftly raise an alarm on such malpractice hat is commonplace. Leaders are required to lead by example. WE SAY THIS BECAUSE Ambassador Francis T. Karpeh has said in his response to us that the government of Liberia is aware of the system in place and we have gathered that it is happening across the twenty-six missions Liberia has abroad.

bediah Morris is in his early 30s and currently lies in the Trauma healing ward of the John F. Kennedy hospital as a result of bullet wounds he sustained Saturday from a man believed to be a member of the elite presidential guard, Executive Protection Service (EPS) in the GSA road community. Morris said while walking home at about 12:00 Midnight after visiting his girlfriend he met Officer Zinnah Hill who also lives in the same Neighborhood. He said Hill then asked him to come closer to him during the night but he refused. He said, prior to the Saturday night incident Hill complained of being victim of constant stealing in his compound by some unknown persons and promised to shoot to kill anyone he sees passing through his yard by Night. Morris said: While passing through he called me and said my man come here because you look like an armed robber; so I asked

him who are you to just order me to come to you? I decided to continue going it was then he took the gun and shot me twice in my left leg and on my arm. Medical report for Morris was being finalized on Sunday after spending a night at the hospital. He was still seen lying on a bench in the JFK Trauma ward as a result of scarcity of beds. Though Nurses on shift refused to give update on his medical condition on ground that it was being processed, information gathered by FPA proved that only first aid treatment had been given the victim. He was seen with bandage tied on his hand and legs where he was shot. Investigation continues.

Commentary

EJS IS RIGHT FOR NEGLECTING LIBERIAS POOR

James W. Harris, jimiharris@comcast.net, Contributing Writer

They Sealed Their Own Fate by Twice Voting Her Blindly Into Power
In her first inaugural address to the still traumatized Liberian nation, Sirleaf said this on January 16, 2006, Times were hard before. Times are even harder today. But I make this pledge to you: Under my Administration, we will work to change that situation (in reference to men having the means to feed their families). We will work to ensure that when our children say papa na come, papa will come home joyfully with something, no matter how meager, to sustain his family. In other words, she further pledged, we will create the jobs for our mothers and fathers to be gainfully employed. We will create the social and economic opportunities that will restore our peoples dignity and self-worth. As we now know, these words were nothing more than cheap rhetoric intended to appease the gullible Liberian people who bought into her usual deception. As Liberians on the ground stare another holiday season right in the face this year empty handed, they are wondering when papa will come to put smiles on their faces. While the countrys elites and their families are flying in and out of Liberia to celebrate their holidays with monies they may have allegedly pillaged from the nations coffers, Liberians at home are getting more and more disenchanted and disappointed in the UP government. A recent FrontPageAfricaOnline.com story quoted one Fatu Sirleaf, reportedly a womens used clothes merchant on Mechlin St, Monrovia, as making these remarks in growing frustration. I voted for Ma Ellen because I felt as a female, she was going to make things easy for us. So I am vexed with her because the hard time is too much. I thought as a woman, she was going to bring some changes but the same old thing is happening just like when the men were president, she cried. Boy, she (Fatu) was wrong! Interestingly, the dire economic state currently facing Liberia was not lost on the ruling Unity Party (UP) Chairman, Cllr. H. Varney G. Sherman when he delivered the 166th Independence Day National Oration this past July 26, 2013. Considered by many as one of the most brutally honest remarks from a major Liberian public figure, Cllr. Sherman lamented that for todays Liberia, Independence Day cannot merely be a day of remembrance and celebration. Even after nearly ten years of the absence of gunfire, the wounds of our civil war are still fresh; for you know that peace is not necessarily the absence of war. Even after two cycles of general and presidential elections, the social and development challenges which face our people are still very daunting; some of our people appear to give up all hope for the betterment of their situation during their lifetime, he added. After putting the countrys present status in its correct historical perspective, the prominent Liberian lawyer also said, my fellow Liberians, peace and reconciliation in Liberia can never be achieved if we ignore what caused our civil war and if we do not resolve those causes and change ourselves and our country around for the better. He then proceeded to ask some very serious rhetorical questions, like, Does the mere absence of war in our country constitute peace? Have we really reconciled our differences among ourselves? Have we carefully examined the ethnic, religious, and economic schisms in our society and bridge them in order to enhance genuine national unity and integration? You can read the full commentary on www. frontpageafricanonline.com

THE AMBASSADOR ALSO discloses to FPA that the total rent is base rent plus communal charges, which is not fixed. WITH THE UNFIXED PORTION it has to be accepted total rent ultimately varies on a monthly basis. (2) With no guarantee that actual and adequate rent in the contract will be sent and on time, diplomats have in past instances been embarrassed, he said. CONTINUED KARPEH: While I do not totally agree with the arrangement, this was in place, prior to my arrival. Due to the limitations in the integrity of the arrangement, I as head take responsibility and am in the process, before your inquiry, of proposing some arrangements for adequately responding to the requirements here in Brussels, while at the same time, ensuring that embarrassment to diplomats are removed. NOTWITHSTANDING THESE ASSERTIONS it becomes disturbing when a Liberian diplomat gets involved in dubious activities all because the government cannot meet its obligation as enshrined in the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. WE WELCOME THE GOVERNMENTS decision to investigate the entire Foreign Service sector and we hope that corrective measures will be taken to address this embarrassment caused our country. But the government also must launch an investigation into the financial workings of the ministry of foreign affairs as it relates to its operations of our foreign missions.

f the results of the last two elections in Liberia meant anything then Liberians certainly have nothing to be complaining about today. In the two elections held in 2005 and 2011 respectively, Liberians voted overwhelmingly for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. As far as they were concerned, she was the best person to lead their war-ravaged nation, never mind the fact that she too had contributed to the carnage that raged there for almost two decades. It actually baffles me why the Liberian people would put the future and destiny of their country into the hands of the same lifelong opportunists who helped to destroy it. In my view, insanity is the correct word that perfectly describes their collective vote for Sirleaf and her bunch. That is exactly why they deserve the highly corrupt and immoral government they have today. Opportunity comes but once It is said quite often that in life opportunity comes but once. My late teacher at Bassa High School, Prof. Edward J. Harris, Sr., used to tell us that if opportunity ever comes our way, we better grab it and run. In this context, Liberians have had more than one opportunity to step back, take a deep breath and decide together what kind of country they wanted following years of grossly senseless civil wars. For the most part, they had two basic options. One option was to go back to the status quo ante which saw the vast majority of indigenous Liberians denied their right to participate fully in their countrys political process. There was also massive underdevelopment throughout Liberia during this period. The second option was for them to break away completely from the past and rebuild their war-wrecked nation from scratch, emphasizing equality for all, transparency, accountability, moral fortitude and other attributes of good governance. Apparently they chose the former to return to the status quo ante by electing Sirleaf who is a direct product of the old True Whig Party (TWP) blatantly corrupt oligarchy. After entrusting their country to her, one would think that Sirleaf, as a woman and mother, in spite of her support for Charles Taylor, would have seized the opportunity and finally make it right with the Liberian people. Making it right with the Liberian people simply means abandoning the old and ugly practices of the immediate past practices of nepotism, economic marginalization and corruption, for example. But it was not a part of her agenda. As Liberians are beginning to find out the hard way now, Sirleafs only agenda (like most of the other serial opportunists in her government), was to ascend to the highest office in Liberia by any means necessary just to satisfy her insatiable ego for state power. Country still in darknessliterally And so, after almost eight years in power and sustained financial and logistic support from the international community totaling hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars, Liberia still remains in darkness, underdeveloped (especially in the rural areas) and fragile. Even worse is the harsh reality that the vast majority of Liberians are being driven deeper into abject poverty (63.8 percent according to World Bank figures), while the small class of new Liberian elites continue to have a field day plundering the country just as was done under previous rogue regimes.

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Monday, January 6, 2014

COMMENTS FROM TRANSPORT MINISTER DESERVES A BIG FAT F! FPA ONLINE

CORKRUM TAPE FALLOUT? LIBERIAN PREZ SNAPS AT POLICE CHIEF
GEORGE SLUE This is what you get when you have people who don't know what they do or pretend to not know what they are doing in trusted positions. Sack every one of them - replace them with tribal chiefs - better than so called corrupt educated dummies. GEORGE ALONZO KAMARA George Slue My dear friend did I heard you well "sack everyone of them?" HAHAHA if this president ever decide to function in this great way, expect to see/hear a lot of thing that was in hidden. Just move your heart cause it will never happen. maybe you want her to exchange them. JOHN WILLIAMS If this really happened then it is surely a disgrace to the government and a disservice to the country and its people. If Massaquoi is no longer trusted then sack him. But to publicly disgrace and belittle a Police Director says a lot about security in the country. Does he still command respect in his office? Why is he still holding on, despite what appears to be total disregard for me? Factions within the security sector could be disastrous for Liberia. For the good of the country, I suggest that certain things be considered - Ellen should publicly/ privately demonstrate or spread the information that Massaquoi still enjoys her confidence or just relieve him of his position. Or Massaquoi should just resign to help preserve the unity and respectability of the police and security sector in general. JAY WION So you miss my eulogy to Nelson Mandela and the fske African leaders who attended his funeral but are scolded/ lectured by Obama. Here my hour long rebuke to the corrupt, and some murderous leaders of Africa, including our own Ellen Sirleaf of Liberia. It is on CD and get your copy while supplies last..Call the Liberian African News Service, LANS--518-5561343. Jay Wehtee-Maotee Wion. PONSFORD ANTHONY HANSON I personally think Chris should have resign his post after Ellen C expos him but I don't know who's giving advise. He did what he did in good faith but his part of a Government-if he know what I mean. HELLENOLDEN I just cannot understand what is going on with Madam President regarding this her Police Chief. In as mush as I will not hesitate to publicly rebuke the Police Chief for his unprofessional conduct, I disagreed with the Prison Chief to say he can order the arrest of the Police Boss of the Republic of Liberia. Who the hell was he talking about? The Police Chief? He was out of his mind so to speak. What did he do wrong on the ground of the prison ground? GEORGE ALONZO KAMARA What do we expect when power drunk is ruling the nation after we have boasted upon our Havard highest educated, world bank economist, united nations ex employees. With all of these, leadership change to ruling ship. lock of development has the lowest power supply but still citizens are unable to benefit, The # one government that is living on international nations taxes hold for functions, now the most west part police director/ defense minister who should has the knowledge of protecting the country is selling their mouth for Ellen C Bude. I think I will have to fly in there to purchase this nation from these most corrupt leadership that Liberia ever has. I has the knowledge that Musa will agree to sell this country to me.

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about poverty not being the destiny of the people. What a farce! For a man like Governor Jones who thrives on the misery of the Liberian people, poverty is a good political trump card because it makes the people less critical in their decision making and provides him the perfect chance to lure them with a few dollars-or so he thinks! In the recesses of Governor Jones heart there is no problem with poverty since it helps him remain the shining star that goes around paying US$15, 000 and thereabout for guest speakership and man of the year honors. The Governor moves around bribing some journalists to bestow man of the year honor on him so he doesnt really care about the destiny of the underprivileged woman living in Zea Town, Grand Gedeh County or the man striving to etch a living through slash and burn farming in Monweh, Grand Bassa. But why should he care, when he makes more than US$ 25,000 as monthly salary from tax payers money? As the head of a regulatory institution who should be more concerned about reversing the pathetic inflationary state which sees US$1 being exchanged for LD$ 83, a completely war time rate, Governor Jones would rather choose to further his open presidential campaign by fiercely competing with commercial banks in clear violating of the Central Bank Act. Is he oblivious of his slipshod handling of the monetary regime of the country and how it is disempowering Liberians, putting them on the breadline everyday or was this egotistical talk of getting Liberians out of poverty just another prop to his never-ending pre-2017 melodramatic display of love for Liberians? To further insult the intelligence of not only his media boughtouts but the general Liberian public, the grandiloquent Mills Jones in his speech compares himself to the globally venerated Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ridiculous! Nothing could be more laughable! This is a man who only started to greet people in his church about three years ago because of his presidential ambition. But to toss all of the blames on Governor Jones will be unfair, because the new leadership of the PUL should had known better (or so we thought after all the loud talk of wanting to transform the institution thus the media landscape in the country), than to had chosen Dr. Jones to serve as keynote speaker at such auspicious occasion for journalists in Liberia. What about people who have perennially stood for freedom of speech and of the press in this country? What about the veteran Liberian Journalist Kenneth Y. Best, Kofi Woods, Tiawon Gongloe, Philip Wesseh, among others? Could they not have lent perspectives more worthwhile and authentic than Dr. Jones or they simply didnt deserve such platform because their pockets are not as deep as the Governors. Mr. Governor, you must think that Liberians are so dumb that they cannot see through your scams but this is where you are sadly wrong. Beware, the people are building up their case against you every day as there are records in their possession both nationally and internationally which undeniably incriminate and you will be brought to justice immediately following elections in 2017. With your current connections, you have the license to swindle, so take as much as you can now because tomorrow, by Gods name tomorrow, you will cough it up! F. Roland Gibson gibson_roland@yahoo.com

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The Editor, What the hell were you thinking when you gave our economically illiterate Minister of Transport (S. Tornorlah Varpilah) a "C"?? Shouldn't the Minister's grade be based on his actual performance on the job?? (Re" Who Failed; Who Passed.....) If so, then let's look at his job performance, shall we??(Re" Who Failed; Who Passed.....) 1) Isn't this the same Minister who supports an economically disastrous policy-- the ban on Liberia's main mode of transportation (pehn-pehn)-- that's keeping poor Liberians poor?? The poverty rate in Liberia is 64.8 percent, according to the World bank! 2) Isn't this the same Minister who supports the pehn-pehn ban that forces thousands of school children and poor people to walk to work and school?? Poor people now spent 2 to 3 hours in the hot sun walking because taxis drivers have jacked up their fares! 3) Isn't this the same Minister who supports the ban on privately-own pehn-pehn (motorbike taxis) that caused more than 12,000 young men to lose their jobs or have their working hours cut?? Youth unemployment is a major threat to the peace and stability of our country, but yet the gasbags in our government keep implementing one economically disastrous policy after another! e.g. Price controls..Pehn-pehn ban and other oppressive government regulations! Judging by the results (effects) of the pehn-pehn ban, Minister Varpilah is an enemy of economy prosperity! He deserves a BIG fat F ! F means fired! Martin Scott martyretire@yahoo.com Atlanta, Georgia

LOOK WHOS TALKING!! MILLS JONES WHOLESALES FRAUD, THE PUL RETAILS IT!!!
The Editor, In his so-called keynote address delivered at the recent PUL Induction Ceremony Governor Mills Jones says that poverty is not the destiny of Liberians, yes we agree that poverty is not the destiny of Liberians, but it is the very governor who makes poverty seem like the destiny of Liberians because of his non transparent and corrupt actions. Its obvious that Governor Jones will shy away from answering some hard questions about his misdeeds but we will ask him anyway. My dear governor, why did you single sourced the Central Bank construction project? Did you put the project up for competitive bidding? Why did you hike the value of a project that would have cost under US$9 Million to more than US$30 Million? It is open secret that you violated the PPCC regulation, hiked the cost of the project and lined your pockets with money which you are already spending on your presidential ambition, but yet you have the impudence to speak

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Monroviahe National Elections Commission has launched its Civic and Voter Education Campaign for the upcoming 2014 special legislative elections. The NEC launched the exercise set to speed up its voter roll update process on Saturday at its headquarters in Monrovia. Speaking during the launch NEC Chairman Jerome Korkoya said the process is in line with Article 77(b) of the Liberian constitution that guarantees every Liberian resident in the country and have attained the age of 18+ the right to register to vote in democratic elections. In keeping with constitutional provision and consistent with the timeline for the October 14, 2014 Special Senatorial Election, the National Election Commission will conduct a voter roll update exercise from January 13 to March 5, 2014, said Korkoya. He said the exercise intended to include the 2011 voter roll will also include Liberians who have attained the age of 18 since the last roll was taken, eligible voters who did not register in 2011 and voters who have changed location since the last registration exercise and want to register at their current locations. The NEC chairman said the process is important because voter roll update exercise is largely dependent on the conduct of what he called

2014 VOTERS ROLL UPDATE

National Elections Commission Launches Campaign
Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

a sustained voter education exercise. It emphasizes not only citizens awareness but citizens participation in all aspect of a democratic process, he said. Civic and voter education in a democratic process is particularly important because it deals with broader concepts underpinning a democratic society such as the respective roles and responsibilities of

citizens, governments, political and special interests, the mass media, the business and nonprofit sectors as well as the significance of periodic and competitive elections. Mr. Korkoya said the NEC with help from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the International

POLICE DRUG TRAFFICKER NABBED

drug trafficking and the illegal usage on the part of individuals that are in the constant habit of violating the laws of Liberia; the Liberia National Police is pleased to inform the public that in connection with the above situation, we have arrested one of our officers in person of Patr. SawonSamwon Doe, who was transporting the substance to Monrovia. The Liberia National Police said it will not relent despite logistical constraints to implement the rule of laws and to maintain the peace of the country. Patrolman Doe, the statement indicated is currently being detained at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police, where he is said to be undergoing Police preliminary investigation, pending court for trial. The current arrest is another in series of arrests in which police and other security personnel are involved in the transporting of drugs into Liberia through border points. A fortnight ago, former presidential motorcade commander, Perry Dolo and five others were arrested in connection with 4 million dollars worth of control substance (297kg/654lb of marijuana), an indication of a wider conspiracy between some powerful gurus and drug kingpins. But after the big drug bust of the year Commander Dolo was immediately dissociated by his invisible partners in the corridors of power. Several Liberians and foreign nations have been arrested at the Roberts International Airport for transporting drugs into Liberia with the help of security officers. Nigerians, Ugandans and other West African nationals are amongst those importing millions of dollars worth of narcotics into Liberia with the help of law enforcement officers and senior security personnel. ShiratNalwadda, 24, a Ugandan business woman, was recently intercepted with 2.5KG of

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Foundation for Electoral systems (IFES) has trained fifty civil society organizations that are currently carrying out school-based information dissemination campaign on the voter roll exercise. He said the campaign is being conducted in secondary and tertiary education facilities in the fifteen counties under the commissions supervision. This intervention is expected

to create awareness amongst the youth populace by encouraging young people, predominantly first time voters to turn out en mass and actively participate in the update exercise, he said. Also speaking at the ceremony Bong County Senator Jewel Howard Taylor urged the NEC and civil society organizations involved in the exercise to place emphasis on civic education for all voters no matter their

voting age. She called for more support from the international partners to ensure a free and fair process. The NEC has already deployed 219 civic and voter educators in the 15 counties with 51 deployed in Montserrado County alone. The ceremony was a colorful one with splendid cultural performances from Liberian artists and groups.

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s Liberia becomes a main transit point for drugs and other harmful substances with top security personnel said to be aiding and abetting trading in these illegal substances, another officer of the Liberian National Police has been nabbed for assisting in the trafficking of drugs. The Liberian National Police in a statement noted that at 0305hrs, Sunday January 5, 2014 a team of Highway Patrol

officers, headed by Patrolman Jallah M. Japolo, onboard Highway Patrol 62 intercepted a black Nissan X-Terra, Plate #:NG-2143, operated by Patrolman Sawon S. Doe, ID#: 0699 of the Police Support Unit. According to the police, prior to the stop and search exercise on said vehicle, it was noticed by the Police that two unidentified occupants disembarked the vehicle upon identifying the Police Mobile ahead, thereby creating suspicions for

immediate search on NG-2143. Stated the police During the search, a huge consignment of green leafy substance believed to be marijuana was discovered on the vehicle. The estimated Quantity of the green leafy substance has been put at one hundred forty five kilograms (145kg) which can be equated to a street value of nearly one million Liberian Dollars (1,000,000.00 LD). The police statement furthered members of the press as part of our crack down on the wave of

Heroin by joint security officers on another Kenyan Airways flight at the RIA. On December 9, 2013 a Nigerian national identified as Uzochukwu Francis Madunagu, was intercepted at the Roberts International Airport with 8.5 KG of Heroin. TheNigerian was aided by one David Forkpah an officer of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization according to sources. Sources said Forkpah, solicited the help of two officers of the Liberian National Police - Sokpah A. Boy Saye and Bockarie Roberts to assist the Nigerian national pass through customs with the heroin. Another incident occurred on November 30, 2013, when a Ugandan businesswoman, NalvaddaShirat, 24, was intercepted with 2.5KG of Heroin by joint security officers on another Kenyan Airways flight at the RIA at about 15: 35.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Monrovia he Liberia Broadcasting System has recognized the services of seven employees and volunteer broadcasters for their commitment and dedication to the national broadcaster during the period of 2013. Those honored are Nathan Charles as the Most Outstanding employee of the year, James Aquoi Hard Working employee, Anthony Vanwan, Moses Whenyou and Arthur Douglas were appreciated for their volunteerism to LBS Sub editor James Akoi , Television News Presenter Francina Peal captured the most dedicated employee and most improved employee of the year respectively. Television Department also received the most outstanding department of the year while an office assistant Morris Bayogar was name the Most Progressive employee of the year . LBS Deputy Director General for Administration Hattie Hunder said though the entire work force collective worked to bring the institution to its current status, the honorees

SEVEN EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS HONORED AT LBS

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MEDIA ISSUES

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Award winners at LBS in a photo session

were exemplary in executing their duties. LBS Director Ambrose Nmah speaking during the program lauded the honorees and said it was his management own way of appreciating their services to the national broadcasters employees admits low wages and other difficult situation. Mr. Nmah said the honored employees in 2013 sacrifice relationship, friendship to do the Liberian peoples job in their respective departments with commitment and dedication to their duty. He also encouraged other employees to follow suit aimed at making LBS the best in Africa. LBS highest award, the Most Outstanding award was presented to Mr. Nathan P. Charles, a multimedia media journalist. He has ensure that our television news turns out to be second to none without given a position, he takes the responsibility himself and the management is proud of Mr. Nathan Charles the LBS boss noted as he presented the stations highest honored to Mr. Charles as he receive a rising ovation from his work mates. Mr. Nmah said, the LBS management appreciates the work of Mr. Charles because he has ken up leadership responsibility without being asked and has gained respect locally and international as evidence by his leadership ability amongst his colleagues at LBS and on other study tour to China, Japan, and London. Meanwhile, Journalists Nathan Charles has dedicated his honored to his Mothers Gladys Badio and Roseline Toe for always giving him the courage to strive for excellence and been with him in prayers. At the same time Mr. Charles has also paid tribute to the management of LBS for always affording him the opportunities to benefit from their human

capacity training program locally and international. The Press Union of Liberia 2012 Human Rights award winner also lauded his colleagues who have not disrespected him despite his age and were willing to take instructions from him at all times. This honored came as a surprise to me, it has motivated me even more to work for my country Nathan said. Mr. Charles since April of 2013 currently served as volunteer coordinator for TV news at the Liberia Broadcasting System and was a driving force for the coming into rebirth after more than 25 years of the TV news on the Liberia National Television, LNTV. Speaking on behalf of the honorees, Anthony Varney commended the management for the reorganization and challenged fellow honorees to maintain the honor. He also called for reconciliation between the management and some workers of the system. Veteran Broadcaster Anthony Varney and Moses Wehenyu were honored for their volunteer services to LBS over several years now. both Varney and Wehenyu have been regularly contributing to the national broadcaster news program. They have read news and has help to bring some new level of professionalism to this station the LBS boss lamented . The program was held Friday January 3rd 2013 at the systems compound in Paynesville .

udge Peter Gbeneweleh of Criminal Court C at the Temple of Justice ruled last week to acquit the General Manager of the Ducor Petroleum Company Amos Brosuis of theft of Property and economic Sabotage charges. Defendant Brosius was brought under the jurisdiction of the court three months on the two charges by the Heritage Law Firm by and thru the Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC) owned and operated by a Belgium national Charles Charon. The Company had alleged that the defendant had diverted petroleum products given out to its affiliate company, the Ducor Petroleum for distribution to several customers, which the Ducor Petroleum allegedly failed to do. The MOTC putsthe total value of the petroleum products allegedly diverted at US$1.7m Defendant Brosuis denied all the charges when he took the stand and stated that the petroleum products claimed by the MOTC to have been diverted were all delivered to the customers in question with evidence shown that the products were been delivered and that the allegation by his accuser was based on greed, I am not a thief but an honest man, I am innocent, Brosuis pleaded with the court while

Ducor Petroleum Company Manager Acquitted of Theft Charges

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781
therefore as of the ruling of this court his liberty is hereby restore said Judge Peter Gbeneweleh whose ruling was received with jubilation by the defendant and his relatives and friends in court. In an interview with FrontPage Africa outside of the court the defendant Brosuis indicated that it was disappointing on the part of his foreign partner to plan deceive against him that could give a wrong signal that Liberians are not trusted on the line of business and called on other Liberian doing business with other foreign partners to be mindful of his experience, He praised the Judge for the sound judgment based facts adding that Justice can be done in the court despite the negative perceptions expressed by some Liberians that the court system is corrupt and not credible and that only the highest bidder can get justice. See full text of Brosius Court clearance.

NOT GUILTY!

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on the witness stand, However at the close of the trial and subsequent ruling on Thursday December 26, 2013, Judge Peter Gbeneweleh indicated that of the nine regular witnesses provided by the prosecution during the trial it was unable to prove its case against the defendant. The Judge furthered that the amount of money stated by

the prosecution against the defendant in the indictment far exceeded the US$1.7M claim which the prosecution should have amended but failed to do. Wherefore and in view of the foregoing its the ruling of this court that from the careful perusal of the case the defendant Amosius Brosius is not guilty of theft of property and economic sabotage and

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

NEC LAUNCHES CIVIC AND VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAING FOR THE 2014 VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE
A PICTORIAL

Monday, January 6, 2014

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NEC LAUNCHES CIVIC AND VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAING FOR THE 2014 VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE
A PICTORIAL

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ecent online report by FrontPageAfrica about corruption at the Liberian Embassy in Brussels, Belgium has led the Government of Liberia to recall Ambassador Francis Tuan Karpeh and the entire staff at the embassy. The ministry of Foreign Affairs in a short statement issued over the weekend said it took the decision due to the reports of rental malpractice at the Brussels mission. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs acting upon a December 17, 2013 presidential directive has recalled Ambassador Francis Tuan Karpeh, Liberias Ambassador to the Netherlands, European Union, Belgium and Luxemburg who had earlier been scheduled for retirement, said the ministry in a release. Continued the ministry: Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated an intensive, full-scale investigation into reports of alleged malpractices on the part of some Foreign Service Officials with respect to payment of rental and leases.The investigation is comprehensive and covers all foreign missions with a view to taking the appropriate punitive and corrective actions. FrontPageAfrica newspaper and its Belgian counterpart VTM NIEUWS uncovered a very disturbing and dubious financial transaction at the Liberian Embassy in Brussels. FrontPageAfrica reported on its website that it had documents in its possession showingthat AmbassadorKarpeh has overstated the rental expenses for his residence in Brussels. FPA uncovered two separate lease agreements for Ambassador Kapehs residence in Belgium, which are in its possession, showing conflicting figures for rental. The Ambassador has a lease agreement from a real estate company named ESTIA NV/SA which he (Karpeh) presented to the Government of Liberia as the lease agreement for his official residence in Brussels amounting to 3,600 Euros a month, amounting to a yearly sum of 43,200 Euros an estimated US$ 56,160 yearly. Estia the company from which the Ambassador seems to have acquired the lease agreement said the contract is a fake. The company told VTM NIEUWS in Brussels that it has no contract with the Liberian Embassy. The allegedly fake lease agreement with ESTIA on which basis the Government of Liberia pays the rental expenses of Ambassador Karpeh is said to be located on Boulevard du Rio Albert li 45, 1030 Scharbeek. The lessee declares that he has visited the leased property attentively and that he does not require any further description. It is stated that the property is handed over in a good state of maintenance, safety and hygiene and is fit for habitation, states the agreement copy of which was also obtained by FPA from the Ministry of Foreign affairs. The lease is considered for a period that expires when the lessee no longer holds her diplomatic position in Brussels. No notification from the lessor to the lessee is required for termination under above. The lease may not be extended in any way. The agreement which states that the property is under use for the purpose of a main residence further underscores that:The

DIPLOMAT RECALLED
Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com
provide proof from documents, upon my return), he said. On the issue of the rent being sent on time, total rent for October, November and December was sent in December, after rent for the three months had already been paid. Arrangements had to therefore be made with the bank, for my account to be debited with the amount covering rent on the first of each month, with interest being charged if adequate funds are not available in the account. Despite the Ambassadors response documents from the Foreign Ministry show that the government is paying 3,600 Euros per month for his apartment while he (Karpeh) lives in an apartment where he pays 1,400 Euros. Sources told an FPA investigation that this form of corruption cuts across every Liberia foreign mission adding that 99% of lease agreements sent to the Liberian government through the ministry of foreign affairs is not valid because he figures have been augmented because they have no money to supplement their meager income. The letter recalling the Ambassador and his staff and the institution of an investigation across Liberian foreign missions by the government has raised more questions than answers. Liberia has twenty-six foreign missions and non of them have medical insurance and all diplomats receive is salary and rent according to highly placed foreign ministry sources. FPA looks to unearthing the problems within the Liberian foreign mission sector that leads diplomats to get involved in corruption. Investigation continues. Met system in PlaceAmbassador Karpehs full response Dear Ms. Williams, Many thanks for your attempt at seeking clarification to the issue of the two lease agreements in your e-mail of 4:30 p.m. today, Sunday 22, December 2013. I am currently away from office until 11 January 2013, but will attempt to provide some initial information pending my return. Firstly, the issue at hand is not an arrangement that I brought with me, but rather met at the Embassy and is applied to all staff at the Embassy. The attempt to imply that it is a system that I introduced and is limited to me is not at all strange, as a motive exist to discredit me for being an obstacle to completing plans that were in the making, prior to my arrival. However, as that is not the issue at hand, I will hold pending the appropriate time. So let me just state that the staff at the Embassy here hold two lease agreements a pro-forma and an active one and for reasons to follow. Upon my arrival, I was informed of the following: (1) That the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires a lease agreement, prior to providing fund for payment of

DUBIOUS RENTAL PAYMENTS LAND ENVOY TO BRUSSELS, FRANCIS KARPEH IN HOT WATER

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated an intensive, full-scale investigation into reports of alleged malpractices on the part of some Foreign Service Officials with respect to payment of rental and leases. The investigation is comprehensive and covers all foreign missions with a view to taking the appropriate punitive and corrective actions. Minister of Foreign Affairs
property is made available to the tenant for a monthly rent of 3,600 Euros (three thousand six hundred euros) payable to the landlord on account no. (Number omitted) of ESTIA NV/SA. This paper through its Belgian counterpart VTM NIEUWS based in Brussels contacted ESTIA NV/SA and the company denied ever entering into a lease agreement with the Liberian Ambassador (Karpeh). This lease agreement is fake. We do not have a lease with this person, the company told VTM NIEUWS on enquiry in Brussels. Documents from Liberias Foreign Ministry also corroborates that the GoL is paying 3,600 Euros for the ambassadors residence but another lease agreement proves that the Ambassador pays far less than stated for his current residence. Second contract raises questions The second lease contract also in the possession of FPA is the rightful lease agreement of Ambassador Karpehs current residence in Brussels according to FPA sources in Brussels. This contract was entered into between Vilvo Invest and Karpeh on February 1, 2013 and the Government of Liberia seems not to be aware of as a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed. The value of the lease is 1,140 Euros per month almost three times the amount being paid by the Government of Liberia as reflected on records maintained at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This agreement was entered into February 1, 2013 and is valid until January 31, 2022. A payment voucher dated Wednesday, August 14, 2013 showed that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid an amount of US$29,858.66 as rental fees for Ambassador Karpeh, Comfort Swengbe, Paul Tate andKonah Moore. The vouchers narrative stated that an amount of US$ 9,497.78 was paid for Ambassador Francis Karpeh for July and August, 2013, an indication that the Government of Liberia paid US$4,748.89 per month for Ambassador Karpeh residence. The payment as reflected on the voucher indicates that the Government of Liberia pays US$4,748.89 per month an equivalent of 3,600 Euros in line with lease payment arrangements known to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as in actuality the Liberian diplomat receives lease payment amounting to 3,600 per month but pays 1,140 Euros as reflected in the rightful lease agreement as confirmed by the Belgium property owner. This leads to an unexplained variance of 2,460 Euro monthly, between payments made by the GoL and payment made to the property owner in Belgium. Instead of the Government of Liberia paying 13,680 Euros as yearly rent, its pays 43,200 Euros with an amount of 29,520 Euros unaccounted for. Karpehs response Upon an enquiry by FrontPageAfrica, Ambassador Karpeh acknowledged the existence of the two contracts but said the system at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to blame adding that he is not the only diplomat holding two lease agreements. Firstly, the issue at hand is not an arrangement that I brought with me, but rather met at the Embassy and is applied to all staff at the Embassy, said Ambassador Karpeh in an email response to FPA. Ambassador Karpeh refused to take responsibility for the embarrassing arrangements that allows a diplomat to hold two lease agreements while occupying one. He rather shifts blame on those he described as his detractors for making the revelation of this loophole. The attempt to imply that it is a system that I introduced and is limited to me is not at all strange, as a motive exist to discredit me for being an obstacle to completing plans that were in the making, prior to my arrival, he said. So let me just state that the staff at the Embassy here hold two lease agreements - a pro-forma and an active one and for reasons to follow. Ambassador Karpehsaid upon his arrival, he was informed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs required a lease agreement, prior to providing fund for payment of rent. He said due to the long time associated with processing the funds for the payment of rent, with the acquiescence of the ministry they could acquire a temporary lease agreement. The process, upon receipt of lease agreement takes a while to process. On the other hand to obtain an actual lease agreement, funds are required i.e. deposits to ensure payments of the agent and any default on rent payment. In my case, apart from payment to agent, two months rent was required as deposit, said Ambassador Karpeh. He said another issue is that there is no guarantee that the actual amount stipulated in the lease agreement will be sent and on time by the Liberian government. He said the diplomat has to make these arrangements to save themselves from the embarrassments that arise over delayed payments. For instance, amount remitted for rent over the first quarter 2013/14 was less than the amount in the agreement sent to Monrovia (can

rent. The process, upon receipt of lease agreement takes a while to process. On the other hand to obtain an actual lease agreement, funds are required i.e. deposits to ensure payments of the agent and any default on rent payment. In my case, apart from payment to agent, two months rent was required as deposit. Further and as you will observe in the agreement, rent does not include only base rent, but also an estimated amount that covers commune costs for maintenance of the property i.e. elevator, outside water, heating, lights etc. On a quarterly or yearly basis, actual commune costs are compiled and in most cases, result in additional charges. Rent in Brussels therefore not only cover base rent, but also communal charges, which are not fixed. (2) There is no guarantee that actual amount in the lease agreement will be sent and on time. For instance, amount remitted for rent over the first quarter 2013/14 was less than the amount in the agreement sent to Monrovia (can provide proof from documents, upon my return). On the issue of the rent being sent on time, total rent for October, November and December was sent in December, after rent for the three months had already been paid. Arrangements had to therefore be made with the bank, for my account to be debited with the amount covering rent on the first of each month, with interest being charged if adequate funds are not available in the account. In summary, (1) total rent is base rent plus communal charges, which is not fixed. With the unfixed portion it has to be accepted total rent ultimately varies on a monthly basis. (2) With no guarantee that actual and adequate rent in the contract will be sent and on time, diplomats have in past instances been embarrassed. Arrangement at the Brussels Mission was to avoid any such embarrassment. While I do not totally agree with the arrangement, this was in place, prior to my arrival. Due to the limitations in the integrity of the arrangement, I as head take responsibility and am in the process, before your inquiry, of proposing some arrangements for adequately responding to the requirements here in Brussels, while at the same time, ensuring that embarrassment to diplomats are removed. As was mentioned or implied, the position taken was the inflexible position of head office, but has to be reviewed with the intent of providing mission some latitude, backed by funding, to expend and account later. This will avoid being boxed in situations and avoid compromising the integrity of diplomats. As I am currently out of Brussels, I shall be willing to provide further information upon my return, to have an issue that is much beyond me clarified. Kind regards Francis Tuan Karpeh Ambassador

Monday, January 6, 2014

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME JOB DESCRIPTION

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY

I. Post Information

Post Title: ICT Associate/LAN Manager Post Number: 00000979 Appointment type: Fixed Term Appointment Organizational Unit: RBA/UNDP/Liberia Supervisor/ Grade: ICS.10 Source of Funding: Core
II. Organizational Context

Current Grade: ICS.7 Approved Grade: ICS.7 Application deadline: 9 January 2014

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Operations Specialist, the ICT Support Associate provides leadership in execution of ICT services in the CO, implements ICT management systems and strategies, provides daily technical support to users of information management tools and technology infrastructure. The incumbent is responsible for review and advice on the use of new technologies that will enhance the CO productivity. The ICT Support Associate promotes a client-oriented approach. The ICT Support Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in the CO and UNDP HQs staff for resolving complex ICT-related issues. Summary of Key Functions:

V. Competencies

Functional Competencies: Building Strategic Partnerships Level 1.1: Maintaining information and databases Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing Level 1.1: Basic research and analysis Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things Documents innovative strategies and new approaches Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise Level 1.1: Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates same in own work Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments Promoting Organizational Change and Development Level 1.1: Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change

Implementation of ICT strategies and introduction/implementation of new technologies Effective functioning of the CO hardware and software packages Networks administration Provision of web management services Provision of administrative support Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

III. Functions / Key Results Expected Summary of Key Functions:

Implementation of ICT strategies and introduction/implementation of new technologies Effective functioning of the CO hardware and software packages Networks administration Provision of web management services Provision of administrative support Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing 1. Ensures implementation of ICT strategies and introduction/implementation of new technologies focusing on achievement of the following results: Compliance with corporate information management and technology standards, guidelines and procedures for the CO technology environment. Elaboration of internal policies and procedures on the use of ICT. Elaboration of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Finance in consultation with office management. Development and update of the ICT annual plan. Provision of support to the use of Atlas functionality for improved business results and improved client services.

Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions

Design and Implementation of Management Systems Level 1.1: Data gathering and implementation of management systems Uses information/databases/other management systems Client Orientation Level 1.1: Maintains effective client relationships Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients Responds to client needs promptly Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management Level 1.1: Gathering and disseminating information Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems Core Competencies: Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment Self-development, initiative-taking Acting as a team player and facilitating team work Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively Creating synergies through self-control Managing conflict Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member. Informed and transparent decision making
VI. Recruitment Qualifications

2. Ensures effective functioning of the CO hardware and software packages focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Provision of advice on maintenance of equipment and acquisition of hardware supplies, making routine repairs and change of hardware electronic components.

Education:

Secondary Education. University Degree in Computer Science desirable, but it is not a requirement. Cisco Certified Network Engineer (CCNE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) or Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) required. 7 years of working experience in network administration and use of Experience: hardware/software, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of database packages, experience in web design. Language Requirements: Fluency in English. VII. Signatures- Job Description Certification Kindly apply online at the following website: http://jobs.lr.undp.org/ . At this site, you will be required to complete the online application form and also upload your CV to complete the process. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED ONLINE AT THE ABOVE JOB SITE WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Monday, January 6, 2014 SIX NEW CLINICS BUILT IN CAPE MOUNT

LINA News Brief

ROBERTSPORT, (LINA) he Grand Cape Mount County Project Management Committee (PMC) has built six clinics across the county at a cost of US$732,000 drawn from the 2012-2013 county and social development funds. Three clinics were built Porkpa, two in Gola Konneh and one in Garwula Statutory Districts, according to the PMC Chairman Varney Pusah. He observed that during the 14-year- civil conflict many health facilities in the county were destroyed, causing hardship for citizens seeking medical attention. Speaking in an interview with the Liberia News Agency recently in Sinje Town, Pusah said construction of the health centers has brought relief to rural residents of Cape Mount County seeking medical treatment.

BIG HONOR FOR KONNEH

Liberias Finance Minister Named Best in Africa by Banker Magazine
have been chosen as Finance Minister of the Year, Africa. Just as in FPA assessment, he was credited for introducing a number of fiscal policy measures and sweeping reforms that ensured the economy remains stable and continues to register positive growth in spite of widespread unemployment. Konneh is the first Liberian Minister of Finance to win the prestigious honor and joins rank with award recipients from six other continents. Among them are Luis Videgaray of Mexico (Global and Americas), Michael Noonan, Ireland (Europe), Cesar Purisima of the Philippines (Asia-Pacific) and HE Sultan bin Saeed Nasser Al Mansouri of United Arab Emirates (The Middle East). While maintaining that Liberiaremains one of the worlds least developed countries and its institutions and infrastructure are weak, even by sub-Saharan African standards, the Banker acknowledgedthe work of Minister Konneh and other officials are doing in Liberia, through a robust program to reboot the recovering economy. Liberias estimated $2 billion economy is once again buoyant, growing 8.3% in 2012 and almost as much last year, The Banker says, and that Liberia has made impressive gains in other areas, too: between 2011 and 2013 it climbed eight places to 174 (out of 187) in the UNs Human Development Index and has risen 10 positions in the World Banks last two Ease of Doing Business reports, taking it above Tanzania and Nigeria, the Magazine noted. Much of this success has resulted from the governments focus on developing its security services and attracting outside investment to revive the economic sectors that thrived before war struck in 1989. As a post-conflict country, a major part of our strategy in the past five years was to ensure that peace and security were sustained, the magazine quoted Mr.Konneh. Together with our development partners, we invested heavily in improving the national police services and the army. For the economy, the goal has been to resuscitate the traditional sectors, such as mining, forestry, rubber and palm oil. The expectation is that these investments will contribute to much needed revenue to finance economic infrastructure and social development programs, and create employment. The efforts the Banker says are paying off. Mining, which in 2006 accounted for just 2% of gross domestic product (GDP), now makes up 10% of the economy, thanks mainly to more than $1billion of investments in iron ore production by ArcelorMittal, the magazine noted. Mr.Konneh, who started his role in February 2012, is trying to take Liberia through its next phase of development. He has implemented plenty of reforms, including pushing through measures to increase the use of the local currency in what is still a heavily dollarized economy by increasing government spending in Liberian dollar. He intervened strongly in 2013 to stabilize a worsening exchange rate situation by selling an additional US$10 million to the Central Bank of Liberia to shore up reserves and he pushed policies that have increased government transactions in Liberian Dollars. Economists believe this will mop up the excess Liberian Dollars in the economy while at the same time helping to build up US Dollars reserves. In 2012, Konneh introduced the

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

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ROBERTSPORT, (LINA) he Township Commissioner of Sokpo Clan in Porkpa Statutory District, Grand Cape Mount County , is concerned that there are only three police officers assigned to the district. Porkpa District has a population of 42,615 people, according to the 2008 National Population and Housing Census statistics. Commissioner J. Jemgbe Seitua said owing to inadequate police, local authorities are now handling criminal cases that should be investigated by police and other state security personnel. The local official said insecurity in any nation has the propensity to derail development as well as drive away potential investors who could provide job opportunities for the citizens. He is therefore appealing to government to assign more police officers to the district to avoid the duplication of functions by the local leaders. Meanwhile, Commissioner Seitua says another problem confronting the few police officers is lack of logistics, including transportation to conduct patrols during the day and night.

THREE POLICEMEN MAN PORKPA DISTRICT

Monrovia he Banker magazine, a subsidiary of the Financial Times Magazine has named Liberias Finance Minister, Amara Konneh, as its choice for Africa Finance Minister of the year. FrontpageAfrica in its grading of the performance of the Liberian government scored the Ministry of Finance, B in spite of a rather sluggish global economic outlook and inflation resulting from exchange rate hike, consumer price inflation and a growing unemployment based. But FrontpageAfrica dully credited the Ministry of Finance for sustaining Liberias economic growth in 2012, with estimated real GDP growth of 8.9 percent, led by the first full year of postiron ore exports because of Minister Konnehs leadership on the governments renew focus on operationalizing the approximated $16 billion foreign investments the it has attracted but which has experienced delays due to many challenges due in part to government bureaucracy. The economy also registered strong performance in construction and the service sector, but these positive trends are subject to fluctuations in commodity prices, FDI, and overseas development assistance. It appears these gains have not gone unnoticed within international financial cycles, after the Bankers Magazine named Liberias Finance Minister, Amara Konneh, as its choice for Africa Finance Minister of the year. In a letter addressed to Mr. Konneh, the publisher wrote I am delighted to tell you that for our January 2014 edition, you

countrys first medium-term budget, which has a fouryear expenditure outlook for critical infrastructure projects, arguing that Liberia could not carry out its policies while only preparing one year in advance. He says this will help ensure that his expansionary fiscal plans, which have led the budget deficit to rise from 0.5% of GDP to 5.5% in the past two years, do not get out of hand. Because of our desire to invest in public sector programmes, a budget deficit is to be expected, he says. There is pressure on our budget. But its not because of irresponsible spending. We have serious infrastructure challenges that need to be addressed. Liberia has a long way to go and Mr.Konneh, whose family was killed in the Liberian civil war fled Liberia as a refugee when he was a teenager to escape the violence, has no illusions about the scale of the task. But there is little doubt that substantial progress has been made so far, the Banker concluded. Speaking to FPA by phone, Minister Konnehsaid the award was a tribute to the work and dedication of the staff of the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs, the Economic Management Team and his colleagues across government. We are flattered by this recognition and thank the President for her preferment. We hope this will reenergize the workforce and create the impetus necessary to drive our development agenda forward. There is no time for celebration; we have a lot of work to do, he says. Culled from: http://www. thebanker.com/Awards/ Finance-Minister-of-the-Year/ Finance-Minister-of-theYear-2014

"2014 YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT" - PRES. SIRLEAF

HARPER, (LINA) itizens of Maryland County residing in the United States and Monrovia have donated assorted educational materials to the four Districts of the county. The consignment of copy books, pens, pencils, book bags and sharpeners, among others, cost over US$20,000 and is intended for public and private schools in the county. S

MARYLANDERS AT HOME, ABROAD GIVE BACK TO KINSMEN

MONROVIA, (LINA) resident Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has described 2014 as a year of development and hard work for all, urging Liberians to embrace the New Year as one people in undertaking the development task. She named agriculture, roads, power and water as areas which the government will vigorously address in 2014, and said she believed that uniting as one people will give further impetus to the development drive. President Sirleaf spoke on Tuesday, December 31, when a delegation of the National Traditional Council of Liberia paid her a courtesy call, according to an Executive Mansion release. The President called upon traditional leaders, in particular, to help disseminate the message of unity and development to their people in the countryside, and to tell them of the need to increase food production. By producing more food, she said, the local people will help develop the country by reducing the importation of rice, which is a huge burden on the government and people. Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Traditional Council, Chief Zaza Karwor, said the delegation had come to tell the President how much they appreciate her administration

for the level of support received, and also to thank her for signing the Act that established the National Traditional Council of Liberia as an autonomous agency. The Council now sees itself as part of the body politic of Liberia, he said, and this was made possible because of the respect and confidence President Sirleaf has reposed in the traditional people. As a result of the Act, he went on to say, the Council now has direct budgetary support from the government, which has enabled them to undertake meaningful initiatives, including holding peace dialogue without begging for funding. According to the Chief, this is the first time that traditional people have been included in the decision-making process, unlike the past when they were seen as beggars. As a mark of appreciation of her support to the Council, the delegation presented a cow and a bag of locally produced processed rice to the President, and offered a special prayer for strength and wisdom as she steers the affairs of Liberia. Chairman Karwor was accompanied by 12 Council members, including Chief Gbeley Gray of Bomi and Chief Saah Korsor of Lofa counties.

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Monday, January 6 , 2014

EX-RWANDAN SPY CHIEF KILLING ALIGHTS ALLEGATIONS

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) The killing of Rwanda's former spy chief in South Africa has critics revisiting serious allegations against Westernbacked President Paul Kagame that go back to the Central African nation's 1994 genocide. Former Col. Patrick Karegeya, a wartime ally from Kagame's days as a rebel leader, was found dead last week in a bed in Johannesburg's prestigious Michelangelo Towers hotel. Police said he was possibly strangled. Karegeya's friends and fellow dissidents accused Kagame of ordering the assassination, pointing to a pattern of alleged killings of his opponents at home and abroad. Karegeya fled to South Africa in 2007. Officials in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, have not responded to requests for comment. But the Rwandan high commissioner in South Africa, Vincent Karega, told local broadcaster eNCA that talk of assassination is an "emotional reaction and opportunistic way of playing politics." South African police say they are investigating the case but no arrests have been made. The killing comes five months after Karegeya claimed to have incriminating evidence that would prove Kagame, who is lauded by Western leaders for ending Rwanda's genocide, actually provided the catalyst for the mass killings. In a July interview with Radio France International, Karegeya charged that Kagame ordered the downing of a jet that killed the Hutu presidents of Rwanda and neighboring Burundi, the event that triggered the genocide in which some 800,000 Tutsis and some moderate Hutus were killed over three months. Karegeya said on RFI that he was willing to hand his evidence to a court in France that is investigating because the plane's pilots were French. A long-suppressed U.N. report published in 2010 noted that Kagame in 1994 refused to have peace talks as thousands of mainly Tutsi Rwandans were being killed, buying the time that allowed his forces to reach Kigali and take control. It accused Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front of then going on to massacre Hutus in Rwanda, including at Kibeho refugee camp in April 1995 before the eyes of Australian and Zambian U.N. peacekeepers, an attack allegedly led by Karegeya. The same report, which carried a lengthy denial from Kagame's government, accused the Rwandan-led forces of "a possible genocide" of Rwandan and Congolese Hutus in eastern Congo in the mid-1990s.

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WORLD NEWS

POPE ANNOUNCES PLANS TO VISIT ISRAEL, WEST BANK AND JORDAN IN MAY

IN BRIEF

TAKING ACTION
As Sirleaf Reconstitutes LAA, FDA Boards, Is It End To Trouble?
Moses K. Weefur (LCAA) Statutory Member, Ministry of Transport, Statutory Member and Managing Director, LAA Statutory Member. Moses Wogbeh, was suspended as Managing Director of the FDA and subjected to investigation but was later sacked after a special investigation committee headed by Sister Brown who is now appointed chair of the FDA board, found him responsible for the granting of dubious PUP resulting in the cancellation of all PUP by the Government of Liberia. FDA, RIA Embarrass GOL Both the Liberia Airport Authority under which the Roberts International Airport operates and the FDA have created embarrassing scenarios for the Government of Liberia to the extent that the United Nations Panel of Experts documented that individuals with close ties to the Executive Mansion held PUPs. The latest Panel of expert report on Liberia also mentioned the granting of the PUP to some companies including that of former warlord Aicha Konneh. The United Nations Panel of Expert on Liberia in its December report to the Security Council stated According to a diplomatic official and a Liberian mercenary source familiar with Konnehs business activities, Konneh received two logging concessions community forest management agreements in Bloquia and Neezonie,

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CORRUPTION WATCH

peaking in a rainsoaked St Peters Square yesterday, Pope Francis announced long-awaited plans to the visit the Holy Land in May of this year. Outlining limited details of his trip, the pope said that God willing, he would make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from May 24th26th, visiting Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. It was suspected by Vatican watchers that Francis would visit the Holy Land this year as he has made no secret of his desire to commemorate the January 5th, 1964, meeting between pope Paul VI and Orthodox Christian patriarch Athenagoras. Accordingly, the pope announced his trip yesterday, the day that marks the 50th anniversary of that historic meeting. Ecumenical service In the same spirit, one of the key moments of the trip will be an ecumenical service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Francis will be joined by the current patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholemew, as well as by representatives from other Christian churches in Jerusalem.

KERRY: US WILL SUPPORT IRAQ, BUT WITHOUT TROOPS

MONROVIAn the wake of controversies at the Roberts International Airport over the airport rehabilitation process which culminated into series of secret recordings by now exile former Managing Director, Ellen Cockrum, similar imbroglio occurring at the Forestry Development Authority over the granting of Private Use Permit under dubious circumstances, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf axed several at the two entities, appointing an Interim Board at the Forestry Development Authority and reconstituting the Liberia Airport Authority Board of Directors. President Sirleaf Thursday reconstituted the board of the two institutions on Thursday, January 2, 2014.President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has appointed the following individuals to act as Board Members of the Forestry Development Authority pending their formal

nomination for confirmation by the Honorable Senate on their return from recess, a statement from the Executive Mansion noted. Amongst those appointed to the FDA are- Sister Mary Laurene Brown, Chairman of the Board; Mr. Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu-Member; Mr. Jonathan Yiah Member (Sustainable Development Institute representing the civil Society; Mr. John Davies Member; Liberia Bank for Development & Investment, representing the Business Sector)Ministry of Agriculture Statutory Member; Ministry of Labour Statutory Member and Ministry of Lands, Mines & Energy Statutory Member. The President also reconstituted the Board of Directors of the Liberia Airport Authority, naming Mr. Binyah Kesselly as Chairman of the Board; Mr. Edward DunnMember; Ms. Amy Clark, Member; Ms. Aumuo Abdallah; Member; Captain

Gbarzon district, Grand Gedeh county following an intervention by the Liberian Executive Mansion with the Forestry Development Authority in 2011, the Panel stated. Konnehs logging operations in Bloquia and Neezonie, the Panel disclosed are carried out through A&M Enterprises, which obtained licences from the Forestry Development Authority but is not an entity registered in Liberia. The UN Panel also stated that confidential sources indicated that the Executive Mansion also provided funds to Konneh to cover housing expenses, as well as a bodyguard on the payroll of the Liberian Executive Protection Service who previously served as a LURD general under the name Turtle Bone information the Panel stated was by the Executive Mansion on 30 September 2013. The Panel reported that an official at the Executive Mansion admitted to the Panel on 30 September 2013 that while Konneh maintained personal friendships within the Mansion, the Mansion did not intervene on her behalf with regard to the forestry deal but instead, the official informed

the Panel that Konneh had obtained the logging concessions directly from the Authority by boasting of her friendship with the President of Liberia. At the RIA, the President and key officials are also still feeling the pinch of series of secret recordings by Madam Ellen Cockrum in which senior government officials were caught on tape castigating each other and the president. Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai, Police Director Chris Massaquoi, Gyude Moore, Deputy Chief of Office Staff, Office of the President; Dr. Edward McClain Minister of State for Presidential Affairs amongst others are were all caught on tape for odd reasons. Minister Samukai has since admitted to the recordings describing gossip as a normal part of life, expressing an open apology for his comments against the President and other senior Government officials. The FDA and LCAA are two entities that have been in the spotlight in recent months and it remains to be seen whether the changes at the two entities will help to polish the current negative public image of the entities.

JERUSALEM (AP) .S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday that the United States will support Iraq's fight against al-Qaida-linked militants who have overrun two cities, but won't send in American troops. Kerry said the militants are trying to destabilize the region and undermine a democratic process in Iraq, and that the U.S. is in contact with tribal leaders in Anbar province who are standing up to the terrorists. But, he said, "this is a fight that belongs to the Iraqis. That is exactly what the president and the world decided some time ago when we left Iraq, so we are not obviously contemplating returning. We are not contemplating putting boots on the ground. This is their fight. ... We will help them in their fight, but this fight, in the end, they will have to win and I am confident they can."AlQaida linked gunmen have largely taken over the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi in an uprising that has been a blow to the Shiite-led government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri alMaliki. Bombings in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killed at least 20 people Sunday.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Sport

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INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATION HONORS ROBERT SIRLEAF

By: A. Macaulay Sombai-0777217428

FROM TURKEY TO PORTUGAL

How is midfielder Theo Weeks faring at CS Maritimo?
DanesiusMarteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com
1-1 draw away to Academica. Weeks was an unused substitute in the 2-2 draw with Nacional on match day 12 on December 8, 2013. He started the 2-1 win away to Arouca on match day 11 on December 1, 2013 but was replaced by Portugals Danilo Pereira on 31 minutes. Weeks played the entire game when Maritimo beat AD Oliveirense 3-0 in the Taca de Portugal (FA Cup) on November 10, 2013. And he was replaced by Cape Verdes Nuno Rocha in the 60th minute when Maritimo beat Farense 2-0 away in the Taca da Liga (League Cup) on September 25, 2013. Maritimo are in the 10th position on the 16-team table with 16 points from 14 matches. And match day 15 is after the winter break away to Rio Ave on January 11. The 23-year-old, who has more than 18 international caps, wears jersey #90. Speaking at his unveiling ceremony, Weeks said: "I came here to play football and achieve several goals at the club." Maritimo finished in the 12th position last season and Weeks will be the second Liberia international to play for the Portuguese side. Musa Shannon, now Liberia Football Association vice president for administration, made 18 appearances with three goals for Maritimo from 1999-2001. Weeks was handed his national team debut under then German coach Antoine Hey, whose father took him to Europe under controversial circumstances, to sign a deal with Ankaraspor in Turkey. And it remains to be seen how many league and cups appearances the lad will tally when the curtain finally draws down on the season.

s the storm finally over for Liberia international Theo Weeks Lewis? Weeks contract with Turkeys Goztepe SK was prematurely terminated in early August 2013. It was a difficult news to comprehend for a midfielder, who signed a two and a half year deal on January 11, 2012. According to his bio data on the Turkish Football Federations website, Weeks deal should have ended on May 31, 2014. That didnt happen as he played 22 matches (starting 19) with a total of 1,680 minutes for the 2012/2013 season. During that awful campaign, Goztepe finished third from bottom on the 18-team table with 37 points from 34 matches and were relegated to the second division along with Kartalspor and Ankaragucu. Weeks, born on 19 January 1990, played his last game against TavsanliLinyitspor in a 0-1 defeat on May 12, 2013 on the final day of the season. And it may not have surprised some when Weeks became the first player to arrive in Monrovia ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. He played the full 90 minutes in the 0-1 defeat to Uganda on June 8, 2013 in Kampala and 2-0 defeat to Senegal at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) sports complex in Paynesville on June 16, 2013 respectively. After a period of rest and reflection in Monrovia, Weeks flew to Portugal for a trial and subsequently penned a deal with PrimeiraLiga side SC Maritimo for an undisclosed fee on August 31, 2013. But Weeks has endured a lack of playing time, having tallied 214 minutes from five league games (starting four of those matches). His last cap was a 62nd minute league appearance on December 13, 2013, replacing Portugals Alex Soares in the

United States based sports organization; Ambassador Football International has honored the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Liberia Football Association (LFA) first division defending champions Barrack Young Controllers (BYC), Mr. Robert Sirleaf. William Tenisio Tarpeh, Director of the organization who once played and coached the sensational LPRC Oilers football squad told journalists that he decided to return to the country to pay tribute to Mr. Sirleaf because he and his Christian organization have been observing Mr. Sirleaf for a couple of years, in terms of the contributions Mr. Sirleaf has made in the development of football in Liberia. Says Coach Tarpeh: We have come Home to pay tribute to Mr. Robert Sirleaf for the contributions he has made in the development of Football in Liberia, a development that is beyond our expectation and imagination and we think this is the appropriate time for us to show that sign of gratitude to him. Coach Tarpeh said never in the history of Liberia had stadiums been erected in communities, noting that when he returned from the United States of America he saw several mini stadiums erected in every community. He said when he inquired as to who carried out such work, he was told by many that it was Mr. Robert Sirleaf. Of all the stadiums, Coach Tarped admitted that the one that took him by surprise is the Blue Field Sports Stadium behind the Barclay Training Center (BTC) on Lynch Street where three years ago he served as a coach when the pitch was in awful condition but is now completely furnished with an artificial carpet. Coach Tarpeh said based on those developments; Mr. Sirleaf deserves to be honored. Presenting the award made out of glass along with a Blue T-shirt, Coach Tarpeh added that Mr. Sirleaf has made enormous difference in the history of football development in the country and it is time for his organization to pay tribute to him, calling on others to follow the good footstep of this noble son of the country. Receiving the award on behalf of Mr. Sirleaf and BYC, the team President Sekou Konneh extended gratitude to Coach Tarpeh and his organization for the honor bestowed on Mr. Sirleaf and promised to deliver the award and message to Sirleaf. What you have done here today is a clear manifestation of what other people think about the good other people do in this world that imparts on other people lifes especially people who are considered vulnerable people. That goodness must be appreciated and that is what you have shown us today and we are very happy to receive this medal and t-shirt on behalf of Mr. Sirleaf, Said Konneh. Konneh emphasized that Mr. Sirleaf kindness and generosity towards his fellow mankind is not base on his status as son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf but because he as a Liberian feels that it is the right thing to do.

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Names of successful candidates who sat the Liberia Association of Public Health Technician State Board Examination
1. Francis F. Tamba 2. Vannie S. Peters 3. Anita HD. Tokpah 4. EdwineFallah 5. Korkor H. Walker 6. Comfort N. Kwahmie 7. Francis M. Bee 8. Tenneh M. Sombai 9. Deiode D. Garnett 10. Christiana J. B. Cooper 11. Josephine M. Richards 12. Augustus K. Alfred 13. Frank L. Sowa 14. Joseph N. Zehum 15. Jenneh V. Massiquio 16. Lawrence Moore 17. Emmanuel S. Zahnwon 18. Wuo L. N. Karnkeh 19. Yassa Miller 20. Gbarsay L. Jah 21. Mercy M. Williams 22. Massa S. Kandakai 23. Daye Coffee 24. Aletha J. Nana 25. Renee N. Gongloe-Gibson 26. J. NeetoKangar 27. John M. David 28. Deborah M. Mambu 29. Mafata B. K. Sheriff 30. Daniel Ben Gant Jr. 31. K. Abigail Fahnbulleh 32. Bendu T. Dunoh 33. Francia M. Dorbor 34. Annie T. M. Norris 35. Patricia B. Morrison 36. Omelia T. Quaye 37. GayflorJallah 38. John P. Kromah 39. Momo J. Kamara 40. Herny D. Larway 41. Augustine W. Saye 42. Jimmie Slobor 43. Solomon D. Yonlo 44. Moses W. Somah Jr. 45. Jeremiah K. Pewu 46. John S. Kenda 47. Wilfred T. Gortor 48. Andrew A. Saah 49. Jerry J. Darfay 50. Luo Keystone Saye 51. Justin Z. Saye 52. FatormaJusu 53. Stephen Vah 54. Bannah M. Bestman 55. Young A. Paeyar Sr. 56. Maxwell Meaka 57. Patience M. Membeah 58. Samuel M. Kpissay 59. Alberto H. Pyne 60. Anthony M. Argbah 61. Momoh Varney 62. Korpo Z. Tennie 63. Olivia O. Daitue 64. Solomon G. Queh 65. Kolubah K. Jallah 66. James V. Jumah 67. Alfred N. Collins 68. Charles T. Kennedy Jr. 69. Blima R. Sirlef 70. Clarence Cole 71. Jerry J. Tiah-Tiah 72. Franklin B. Moore 73. James W. Kollie 74. Washington W. Ganyan 75. William K. Sherman 76. James A. Kokoi 77. Isaac W. Hinneh 78. Viola N. Cooper 79. Mulbah F. Gbononor 80. E. MenkarNuah 81. George F. Wanyan 82. Edwine S. Teteh 83. Fatu S. Thomas 84. JallahKolubah 85. Prince Dorley 86. Veronica B. Wrokpoh 87. Stephen K. Jekeh 88. Sylvester G.S. Williams 89. Joseph K. Morris 90. Meima M. Dimazeh 91. Evelyn M. Freeman 92. Myrtle J. Davis 93. JennehSesay 94. David V. Duoko 95. Matthew Geezay 96. James K. Wonyean Sr. 97. Onike C. Geweh 98. Benjamin C. Soko 99. Abraham L. B. Freeman 100. Dave WuoKehel Jr.

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NEWS EXTRA

HARD WORK PAYS OFFNTA MANAGEMENT HONORS EMPLOYEES NTA honorees with officials of the institution
in their respective departments and positions including conductors, Finance, Logistics, Human Resource Department and Technical Department. Other areas include Operations Department, Audit Department, Fleet Preparation, Ground Maintenance, Ticketing Section, Cashier section and warehouse. Twenty sevenpersons received certificates for their achievements in the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) training. The second group of honorees were honored after their successful completion of three months high level training at the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA). Sampson Tweh, a Board member of the NTA thanked the honorees and urged them to continue their good works. Tweh called on those who are in the habit of going contrary to the principles of the institutions to desist because according to him if anyone caught going contrary to the rules governing the company will face the full weight of the company and the law. The honorees described their awards as a step forward and also a sign of encouragement from the company. Nashuru Mohammed Sesay from the company Operation Department said the honor bestowed on them will help to encourage other employees to always count the interest of the company first. "NTA has been very important to every family member including myself because it has helped to reduce the car shortage in Monrovia and its environs and we pray that the government will continue her support in order to move the company forward", Sesay said.

Signed: __________________ Chairman Board of Examiners Liberia Association of Public Health Technician

everal employees of the National Transit Authority (NTA), the provider of transport serviceshave been honored and certificated for their hard work towards the improvement of the company. The Managing Director of NTA,Karmo D. Ville told the honorees that his company decided to honor and certificate the employees for their hard work in helping the company meet the transport needs of the Liberian public. Says Managing Director Ville: "We have gathered here today to say thank you for the services and sacrifices you have rendered the NTA in the year 2013 because without your hard work and dedication we won't be here today." The NTA boss said the entity encountered difficulties over the year in itsquest to improve the company and acknowledged that each of the honorees played an important role, noting that based on the services they rendered the company, they as officials deemed it necessary to give them their flower of honor while they are alive. 'We set aside today to come and say thank you to those who deserve better recognition not because all of us did not deserve recognition but you cannot recognize all of those in the company at the same time. We hope that we will make this honoring program a necessary part of activities so that in years to come we will be here to recognize people who will go the extra mark", Director Ville noted. The company recognized two groups of employees; one of the groups was selected by the company supervisors after monitoring the performances of those selected in their various departments. The first group that was certificated was based on their outstanding performances during the year

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