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VOL 9 NO.54 TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATESLIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.

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Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 L$84.00/US$1 L$85.00/US$1

BUYING SELLING

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SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Politics - pg.7

p 6 pg -8Ü Ü

Quarantined Compound Closes School to Over 80 Students

Court denies Urey, Dunbar Motion to dismiss indictment

LEGAL MISSTEP EBOLA DILEMMA

HEALTH SECTOR RECEIVES $1.5 MILLION MATERIALS

HUGE RELIEF

CHEA’S LIERTY PARTY MEMBERSHIP COMPLICATES RACE FOR BUCHANAN DISTRICT

LIBERTY CONFLICT“To have a Daniel Chea joining this political party, I want to thank the party Chairman for conducting the party that Chea is happy to join…, the first time I ran for an elected office Chea was by my side and I won, but since he left, I have not won; now he’s back

victory is certain”, Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, Political leader Liberty party

JAPANESE DONATED 8,000 METRIC TONS OF RICE

ARRIVES IN LIBERIA

| Frontpage Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Monrovia-

Liberia’s latest Ebola case continues to send shockwaves across the country even though the Government of Liberia has moved to allay fears that the recent case diagnosed in the Caldwell Community from a patient could spread further.Liberia’s current Ebola nightmare which has so far killed over 4,000 people started as a single case in Foya, Lofa County before speeding to the rest of the country.Liberia’s woes began this time last year when a lady who travelled from Lofa to Monrovia and onward to Firestone Rubber plantation area became the first carrier of the disease from the hotspot of Lofa to the rest of the country. That single case has led to over four thousand deaths across the country.

Incapacity marred first Response

Effectively tracing the contacts of the lady was difficult as the woman unidentified rode a vehicle with other passengers on the journey from Lofa, boarding another vehicle to Firestone and riding motorbikes to other locations before arriving at her final destinations. Health Minister Dr. Walter Gwenigale announced at the time that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was doing everything to trace all the contacts and handle the situation, with a call on the public to help provide information to health care workers.Within weeks of the lady travel from Lofa, cases Ebola started rising in Monrovia and other parts of Montserrado County, resulting in an uncontrollable outbreak.The aftermath of the one case of Ebola from Foya has become what is now known as the worse ever outbreak of the virus in human history.

Ebola one year memoryLiberia endured a turbulent one year after the Foya case and the country was now gearing up for celebrations, counting days to be declared Ebola free when a new case emerged from the Caldwell Community on the Bushrod Island. Fear grips the entire Monrovia following the pronouncement about the new confirmed case, judging from the Foya case one year ago but the Liberian government moved to quell any fear.At a news conference in Monrovia Monday, Deputy Information Minister Isaac Jackson and Dr. Francis Kateh Deputy Head of the Ebola Incident Management system both expressed that there is no need to worry about the new confirmed case. Dr. Kateh providing an update on the new case said there is no need to panic as the health team is working to handle the single case. Said Dr. Kateh: “There is no need for the public to be in a panic mood, they need to have confidence in us. When people said Ebola would have been a nightmare, the public stood with us and we succeeded to get to where we are today”.Deputy Minister Jackson speaking at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism press briefing on the new Ebola case held Monday described as a sad event the discovery of the new case.“We were getting close to the finishing line when this sad event occurred”, said Deputy Minister Jackson.He described the condition of the only patient as stable and said she is being administered the best treatment. “Her condition is stable, she is receiving the best care, we are making sure that she survives to tell her story”, Dr. Kateh said.According to him the Health Ministry and Ebola team is investigating the source of the new case.Dr. Kateh disclosed that the lover of the patient, an

Ebola survivor whom it is being speculated might have had sex with the lady, thereby infecting her had gone over 100 days and it is too early to accuse him of infecting the woman.“This person has passed over 100 days since he left the ETU, so going into his area to say whatever we can to blackmail his person is wrong”, he said. The role of the Health ministry, he indicated is to break any transmission chain to prevent further spread of the virus.With this case coming from the very populated area of Caldwell, many Liberians fear that the disease could spread further if the right measures are not taken to curb it.Paradise Young General Supervisor for the Caldwell Ebola Task Force believes that the surfacing of the new case is a setback to all the efforts made in the response.“The new case poses a very serious threat to the citizens of this particular community and the community dwellers are really embarrassed in the manner in which the case happened,” he said.“We are recalling over a hundred immediate contacts… if it is not tackled immediately it would cause a very serious problem here. I am disappointed and this means a very heavy setback for Liberia. Angie Tina Dennis was about to begin her driving lessons this week but cannot because she is quarantined with the rest of the people who reside in the compound where the new Ebola patient lives.“I feel very, very depressed and very odd, because I was to start driving school this week and this thing happened all of a sudden. I feel so depressed right now about this 21-day quarantine,” she said.Many Liberians hope that the government would do everything to control this new infection from spreading further to avoid another round of serious outbreak.

FrontpageTuesday, March 24, 2015 Page 3

FrontPagev

v

CommentaryEDITORIAL

AFTER MORE THAN one month of public uproar against the death of whistle blower Atty. Michael Allison, the Government of Liberia announced that it hired the services of two separate pathologists one from neighboring Sierra Leone and another from the United States of America to conduct autopsies on the remains of the late Allison.DURING THE WORK of the first Pathologist, a Sierra Leonean, Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, the family of the late Allison expressed that they were not involved in the entire process leading to the selection of the pathologist and his work.THE SIERRA LEONEAN left the country without concluding his work in Liberia and without making public the outcome of Dr. Koroma’s findings, the government again contracted an American pathologist to conduct a second autopsy.DR. KARL WIGREN, a US-born Pathologist from Seattle, Washington State with degree from the University Of Washington School of Medicine and has been in practice for 14 years was brought in to Liberia to conduct the second autopsy.FOLLOWING THE WORK of the two pathologists, the Government of Liberia only announced that the late Allison died from natural cause-drowning.IN ANNOUNCING THE outcome of the autopsy to the public, a harsh talking Justice Minister Benedict Sannoh, spoke angrily frowning at what he termed insinuations by the media on the Allison saga. MINISTER SANNOH TOOK the entire press conference meant to announce the findings of the autopsy dwelling on the identity of the late Allison rather than the more important issue surrounding his death, an autopsy report to establish the actual cause of death.WHETHER THE LATE Allison had conflicting identities as claimed by the Government of Liberia, the core of the matter is the outcome of an autopsy into his death and not who he was.PATHOLOGISTS WERE NOT paid to conduct autopsy to establish the identity of Allison but rather his cause of death, therefore the government should be focused on providing detailed information regarding his death rather than narrating the late Allison identity.MINISTER SANNOH DEDICATED the entire pronouncement, speaking on the identity of Allison when the public had eagerly awaited the autopsy report for a long period in order to ally suspicions that somebody had a hand in Allison’s death.IN ORDER FOR the government to completely convince the Liberian people and friends of Allison, it is worthwhile to make public the full autopsy report rather than making just one aspect of ‘report’ public.A TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT must take the bold step by publishing the full autopsy report or

COMMENTARY

MAKE PUBLIC FULL AUTOPSY

REPORT ON ALLISON

By Frank Sainworla, Jr. Cell: 0888311579 email: [email protected], Contributing Writer

LAWMAKERS ARE KEY TO SUSTAINING LIBERIA’S COMMUNITY RADIOS

Check the records of the National Legislature, the community radio sustainability Act has for years been gathering dust. This bill seeks to be include allotment in the annual nation budget to help upkeep and develop community radios dotted across Liberia, given the vital role they play in disseminating information to most of the population who live in rural areas. Remember, if such an Act is passed, it will make funding mandatory in the budget law for these under resourced stations to be more responsive to local needs and development process. But it will not be left to the discretion of any given political actor(s) at a point time.Lawmakers need to realize that the relevance of community radio stations has grown exponentially over the years, with their role during the Ebola crisis being extraordinary. So they must see the urgent need to stop delaying the passage of that bill intended to give community radio a new lease of life.Just travel to regions beyond the capital, Monrovia, one immediately gets to appreciate that community radios are indeed filling a big void. Even the well-funded United Nations UNMIL radio’s signal cannot reach some of the fringes community radios are covering. Needless to talk about equally challenged state owned ELBC’s signal. Many like this writer who have been fortunate to travel to Northwestern, Northeastern and Southeastern Liberia in recent times, can attest that community radio stations there serve as the only source of information for the vast majority of the locals. If they are off the air in places such as Tappita or Karnplay in Nimba County, people virtually live in the proverbial “dark world”.Like the Liberian media as a whole, the now over 50 local community radio stations were one of the “foot soldiers” in the war against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, said Bill Burk, Chief of Party of the American media development group, IREX earlier this week. He added that the “community radio sector must not be over looked.” This is a point buttressed by a USAID official, Loren Brown who described as “critical” community radios’ role in beating Ebola down to zero cases.Even Information Minister Lewis Brown himself acknowledged that community radios have become not only a “powerful tool” but also trusted medium, as demonstrated by the way they gave voice to communities leading to a near successful victory over the deadly Ebola. The Information Minister however warned against community radios being used by some politicians to promote their selfish

political ambitions. Of course that warning is in place.Brown was speaking last Tuesday at a one-day forum at the Monrovia City Hall of the Ebola Community Action Platform (ECAP) funded by USAID through IREX, PSI and MercyCorps under the theme-- “Trusted Voices in Challenging Times: Community Radio and the Ebola Crisis.”Moreover, the above mentioned assertions are backed by hard social scientific research studies done, confirming the important role of community radios in contemporary Liberia. An IREX community radio study few years ago shows that 89% of Liberians see them as the “number one trusted source” of information.A more recent study done in December 2014 and just released by UNICEF shows that radio is indeed the king when it comes to public access to information dissemination in Liberia. According to the study, 93% of Liberians said that radio was the first channel though which they got messages about Ebola.So, the evidence is resounding: community radios are an indispensable link in the national information chain in Liberia today. And as such, it must not just only be given sporadic assistance but must be given sustained support.If Liberia’s post Ebola recovery and development efforts is to succeed, it will certainly not be realized without community radios being on board. The National Legislature and Executive branch of government must now begin to put their “money where their mouth is” by putting rhetoric into deeds.Yes, community radios have proven to be vital in the war against Ebola. But they will even be equally vital and more effective in the post Ebola era if they get the necessary support from national government, something they complained at the City Hall forum did not come.It’s good that Minister Lewis Brown publically hailed community radios’ role in battling Ebola and acknowledged their power, urging them to help government to foster national unity and “inclusive development”. But let this not only be reduced to words, because this government has a track record of being strong on words but weak on implementation. Frank Sainworla, Jr. Freelance Journalist/Media Consultant Tel : +231-(0)888311579E-mail : [email protected]

providing copies to relevant stakeholders.ALLISON’S DEATH IS a national issue and as such the government is obligated to the Liberian people to conduct the entire affairs surrounding the late whistle blower in an open manner.AS LONG AS the government continues to keep the report to its chest, only announcing what it feels should be made public, public suspicions will remain high.THE GOVERNMENT USED tax payers’ money to pay pathologists for the conduct of the autopsies which further makes the report a public document, requiring that the public is provided such report.

WITH THE FAMILIES and friends of the late Allison said to be planning to officially respond to the Government of Liberia pronouncement about the autopsy report; the government must act swiftly in making the full report public to prevent any possible backlash.IT IS THE right of the late Allison’s families and the general Liberian public to have access to the full report.THE GOVERNMENT OF Liberia must make public the full report on autopsies conducted on the late Allison.


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Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666; 077-936-138, [email protected]; [email protected] Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, [email protected]; 0880664793 Danesius Marteh, Sports Editor, [email protected], 0886236528James-Emmanuel D. Cole, Jr, Graphics Designer & Layout Editor, [email protected]; 0886 211 390, 0777 027 030Henry Karmo, [email protected] Rogers [email protected], 0886-304498

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE

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The Reader's Page

Emmanuel Jackson · Top Commenter · Knoxville Business CollegeI done;know but we should,stop playing political football,with this ebola virus.hastily,trying to claim the victor's crown is a falacy,of the worst magnitude.let, all the modalities put in place to contain the virus,remains in place.Fofie Dukuly · Works at Korle-Bu Teaching HospitalGovernment that has no focus.Sylvester Moses · Top Commenter · Works at Self-EmployedFPA’s zeal in amplifying Ebola awareness helped in alarming international efforts to stopping it. It comes as no surprise then that Rodney is continuing that campaign on the world stage. Another feather to his cap is that though SKUP promotes “investigative journalism”, FPA also exhibits passion for “advocacy journalism” on behalf of our voiceless, and “expository journalism” to shed light on the inequities of bad governance.The sway of FPA due to its vocal activism for the vast majority can, to some extent, be likened to the influence of Malcolm X on US black consciousness of the volatile sixties. According to Bruce Perry’s biography of him: “Malcolm X … engineered no stunned Supreme Court victories or political campaigns… Yet because of the way he articulated his followers’ grievances and anger, the impact he had on the body politic was enormous”.As for Brother Ian Jaeger’s quip about Canada’s “idiot govt.”, many would attribute that self - disparaging comment to false modesty. For he very well knows that millions of Liberians would dance at the opportunity to trading places with him. The fact is that Mr. Rodney Sieh’s reservation about premature opening of borders is spot - on, and perhaps the only thing allaying heightened fears in Liberia is the availability of crucial resources.Ciapha N. Morris · Top CommenterAn advice to Rodney Sieh and his host of FPA reporters: Stop reporting issues that seem true or otherwise sound nice to the ears. Report proven facts. Mr. Rodney Sieh, you, without any substantial evidence, lied to you fellow journalists and the world as a whole at the SKUP conference , in advancing that the decline in the cases of the Ebola virus was due to a "basic formula" of households and business having "containers of chlorine" dispose to visitors and shoppers for hand washing. That is a very lousy claim, void of any science, in and of itself. How did you arrive at it?However, I couldn't agree more with FPA that the virus is far from over especially with how numbers are being thrown around. Sadly again, FPA is off an understanding of basic arithmetic by more than 50%. It's reported that semen can host the virus for up to 92 days on average. That being the case, why can't the WHO, with all the aficionados, update their liberation day to 92, if any male was infected and, 42 for any outbreak where only women were infected? An investigative journalism is a no-brainer, in this contextKula S Johnson · University of LiberiaThe very liberian s were the ones that started talking about Ellen being so evil and wanting to starve them when she closed the border. Not the opening of the border again by her has become another topic of discussion of it being open too soon , stop shifting blame and continue to do what you were doing before to stop it from spreading again. Continue to practice universal precaution only you can do it for yourself. Do it till you hear it has been eliminated not minimizeJay Wion · Top Commenter · Works at Amtrak Washington, DCEBOLA resurfaces in Liberia as govt blames it on sexual intercourse/transmission .....less than a month when a headlines seeking President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hastily ordered borders reopen and the tearing down of Ebola trestment centers........all coming on LANS NEWS -518-556-1343 this weekendQayum Shabazz · Asst. Manager at Qaran expressWhy actually motivated Ellen to order the reopening of the borders with Sierra Leone and Guinea when Ebola is still at the top level in those countries? But one thing i know for sure, if Ellen didn't be careful and protects our poor countrymen and women by all possible mains, definitely I'm sure it gonna with something else . Why reopen the borders?Ian Jaeger · Top Commenter · Vice President at Renova Energy Liberia Corpit affects trade. I cant bring my equipment in. Now I canQayum Shabazz · Asst. Manager at Qaran expressYour trade or your life which one is more important to you lab jaeger?Ian Jaeger · Top Commenter · Vice President at Renova Energy Liberia CorpWe had sars here in Canada. ooohhh soo scary dont go out .. hah stupid . never stopped us from anything. we have scarier things

'COMPLACENCY BEHIND LIBERIA EBOLA RELAPSE' - FPA EDITOR

A POSITION ON THE LAW WITH RESPECT TO A MOTION FILED BY

DEFENSE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING TWO TWO OF THE PEOPLE INDICTED

IN THE NOCAL CASEThe Editor,

When it quacks, smacks and talks like a duck, you bet it is a darn duck. Call it what you may: feet dragging, beating around the bush, trying to buy time or a cover-up, there are powerful forces outside Liberia that are trying to get to the bottom of Michael Allison's supposedly questionable and mysterious drowning death, an key government whistle blower in the secrecy, convuluted, corruption-plagued running of Liberia's newfound wealth of offshore oil and the syndicate, NOCAL charged with spreading the oil money to uplift Liberians from grinding poverty.It is no accident that the corrupt regime of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been trying to cover its dirty tracks following the first autopsy which outcome has been shelved. That a second autopsy has been ordered performed and not by another handpicked, drive-by, "two-by-four" pathologist from friendly neighbor Sierra Leone is enough to warn the regime that Uncle Sam wants to get to the bottom and is interested in Allison's death and the noticeably silence from the president initially.According to confidential sources who told my authoritative and informative Liberian African News Service, LANS -518-556-1343, Allison's mysterious death was brought up in private discussions with President Ellen Johnson during her recent visit to the United States and her meetings with US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. Why? The late Allison was an American citizen and the US leaves no stone unturned when it comes to anyone or group or regime that kills US citizens. That is why the American pathologist was chosen to go to Liberia to perhaps review the first autopsy and perform a second autopsy at the request of the US government. We hope Allison will not be the straw that breaks the Camel's back in the corruption culture that engulfs the Liberian regime.Listen closely and attentatively to President Obama's five - minutes White House welcoming remarks on February 27 for President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and you will not miss a beat that his theme was corruption. Not once but twice Mr. Obama mentioned the dreaded word, corruption. But for Sirleaf who campaigned in 2005 on defeating corruption as Liberia's public enemy number one, not once did she mention the word corruption in her seven minutes of remarks. Note that President Obama told President Sirleaf that the United States has its own ideas on how to fight corruption. And you now already have a team of USAID auditors in Liberia to trace and to make sure Ebola money sent there from American taxpayers did not end up in the corruption money draining sinkholes of government cronies.Both Presidents Barack Obama and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are now lameduck presidents and are trying to cement their individual legacies. For both leaders who are Havard University graduates, Mr. Obama's landmark accomplishments include his Affordable Healthcare Act or Obamacare and creating millions of new jobs by reducing the US unemployment rate from the double digits when he first took office to now near the 7 percent mark.As for President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who bragged then about being an Havard Economist and the promise to create jobs for Liberians, the unemployment rate when she took office nearly 10 years in 2006 was 85 percent, and today it is still stagnant at 85 percent; a sort of voodoo economics or what I call ELLEONOMICS. Jerry Wehtee Wion, Journalist and Political Commentator, Washington, DC, USA

Dear Mr. Editor:

I must write to your paper to clarify a position on the law with respect to a motion filed by defense attorneys representing two of the people indicted in the NOCAL case as headlined in your paper “NOCAL Sage: ‘Belated Indictment’ Lawyers Want Clients Loosed”. As I have not had an opportunity to read the full brief filed, I am basing my analysis on the strength that the facts reported by your paper is a true and correct summary of those arguments. The arguments revolve around the interpretation of Article 4.2 of the Criminal Procedure Laws of Liberia and has nothing to do with the individuals involve.In brief, Section 4.2 holds that one charged with a felony must be tried within a period of five years. The meaning of the statute is therefore clear and the plain meaning of the statute is that one who is charged with a felony. In the instant case, I understand that the indictment was recently issued (probably in March 2015) by a Montserrado County Grand Jury. The defense attorneys are arguing herein that the defendants allegedly committed the acts between 2006 and 2007, which means that they should have been tried by 2012 to fall within the 5-year time limit of Section 4.2.Here is where the Defense team gravely errs. Section 4.2 says that a person must be tried within five years of having been charged. However, the defendants were only charged in March 2015 when the indictment was issued. The instrument by which a person is charged in this instance is the indictment. Any times prior to the indictment, the defendants were simply being investigated by the state on suspicion of having committed egregious crimes against the Republic and the people thereof. You can even say that they were just persons of interests in this NOCAL saga as your paper has now termed these proceedings.Conversely, prior to the issuance of the indictment, they were free citizens, although under a cloud of suspicion, but nevertheless free men and women. It is only when they were charged, i.e., issued with an indictment, that their liberty were constrained and they had to post bail.The defense team, eminent as it is, is therefore in error as it is confusing the period of lengthy investigation (from 2006/2007 to 2015) as the period during which their clients should have been tried. But the defendants could not have been tried before the indictment because they had not been charged.The defense’s argument, if it is to make any sense at all, would apply to a statute of limitation. But I am not sure of the statute of limitation applicable to the felonies with which these persons have been charged.The Solicitor-General need not present an excuse that it took too long to investigate as NOCAL was not cooperative. The issue before the court is the plain interpretation of Section 4.2, and here, the Solicitor-General can win on the plain interpretation of the statute without making the excuses she is making before the court.Understandably, this misconception of when a person ‘is charged” in Liberia is cultural one. InLiberia, once a person is being investigated; the perception is that they have been charged, especially so when such investigation is making headlines in the media. But you will agree with me that it is also possible that at the conclusion of the investigation, the Justice Ministry may have concluded, based on the weight of the evidence adduced during their investigation, not to charge some or all of the defendants. But in this case, they decided to take the case to the grand jury. It is this resulting indictment of the grand jury that formally charged these persons with a crime under Liberian law. They are still presumed innocent until convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction.Here is the point, the clock on being tried within five years just started to tick in March 2015, and not in 2006!Thus, the motion filed by the defense is due to be dismissed by the Court. Or if granted, the Solicitor-General should appeal the ruling on this basis.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Sincerely,Warnerlyn Rebecca [email protected], California

COVER-UP SMELLS IN MICHAEL ALLISON CASE


Monrovia

Liberia has marked the one year anniversary of the deadly Ebola virus Disease on a somber note as hopes of a nearly Ebola-free nation has been has been quashed by the discovery of a new case over the weekend in the densely populated area of Caldwell in Monrovia.Residents of the house where the sick woman who has been isolated for treatment lived before her illness, say they regret that their household has held the entire nation from its goal of being an Ebola Free country in a matter of Weeks.“We are very unfortunate to see this happening at the conclusion of the whole Ebola process. We are sorry and we regret the incident,” said Lucia Hadja Sesay Landlord of compound where Ebola Patient was discovered.Sesay who is quarantined with the rest of Ruth Tugbeh, the new Ebola Patient’s household said some members of the community has begun to stigmatized those who live in their compound. She said inhabitants of her compound are neglected by some members of the community who blame them for the resurgence of the Ebola Virus in Liberia and accuse them of being virus carriers.“To even to go on the street to charge our phones; people reject our phones from our children. In the community, we don’t have access to draw water from the community wells because of this incident,” she said.“We are calling on the government; we are calling on NGOs; we are calling on the international community to assist us because we have been quarantined and we cannot go anywhere; so we need the government’s attention.”School of eight shot downSesay said the community and school administration have decided to shut the school which is situated in the compound housing the Ebola patients home. She said the school administration made the decision because the school is very close

LIBERIA’S EBOLA DILEMMAQuarantined Compound Closes School to Over 80 Students; GoL Says t Has Capacity to Curb Disease Spread

- encourages Liberians to continue best practices and Ebola preventive measures

Wade C. L. Williams, [email protected]

to the house where the Ebola patient lives and they do not want any student contracting the disease.“I and my colleagues tried going around to do a community tour to parents who have their children at the school. We don’t want them to panic; we want them to know that the school will continue after the quarantine,” said Sesay. Liberians are worried that this new case might create a setback for the progress made in the fight against the deadly disease. Liberians would have counted about 28 days since the last Ebola case was confirmed and was on its way to being declared Ebola free by the World Health organization; when the sudden news of a new case popped its head on Saturday of last week, sending the entire country in shock. “I feel very, very depressed and very odd, because I was to start driving school this week and this thing happened all of a sudden. I feel so depressed right now about this 21-day quarantine,” said Angie Tina Dennis resident of Caldwell area where Ebola Patient is from.Capacity to control VirusBut the government has assured the world that it has the capacity to deal with any new infections and is doing everything possible to prevent the disease from

spreading further. Information Minister Lewis Brown speaking to FrontPageAfrica Monday said Liberians must not be complacent and should continue to take the preventive measures to stop the disease from spreading further.

Said Minister Brown: “We’ve seen that complacency is the evil of the fight against this deadly virus disease. At the same time we have been taking concrete actions to transition our public health facilities from just treatment to prevention. This is why, as sad as we are about the fact that we have gone at least 28 days without a new case.” “It is a big web, but we are pleased with the capacity we now have to respond as we are doing and we are hoping we can keep this an isolated case; count down another 21-day without contacts, hoping that she gets well and

then get back on counting 42,” said Information Minister Lewis Brown.He said because of such capabilities Liberia was able to detect the case before it became a threat to the entire country

and to health workers. He said the government has moved in robustly into the community with all of the speed it can muster, tracking down, monitoring and tracing possible contacts. He said Liberia hopes to keep the case an isolated one and capitalize on the gains made and take the necessary measures to eradicate Ebola out of Liberia.“But the point must be made, while we do not believe that this case is associated with any travel out of Guinea or Sierra Leone, we must continue to indicate that as long as our two affected neighbors continue to show new

cases, we would continue to be at risk.”He said news that the new patient may have had sexual intercourse with an Ebola survivor is still a speculation that has not been confirmed.

“We know the chilling effect of stigma; so we do not pronounce these probable causes because we want to subject anyone to any form of stigma,” he said.“But it testifies to the fact that we may not know all that we could possibly know as yet about this virus and how it spreads. We were able to confirm that the lady has not left Liberia, she did not travel.”The leading medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said the international response to the West Africa Ebola outbreak created an avoidable tragedy that cost thousands of lives.

MSF stated in a release issued worldwide on the one year anniversary of the first confirmed case, that the world's worst Ebola epidemic has killed over 10,200 people in the three most affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since March 2014 when it was first confirmed in the forest region of Guinea.The organization which first raised the alarm over Ebola, stated that that everyone from national governments to the World Health Organization (WHO) created bottlenecks that prevented the epidemic being quickly snuffed out."The Ebola outbreak has often been described as a perfect storm: a cross-border epidemic in countries with weak public health systems that had never seen Ebola before," Christopher Stokes, MSF's general director, said in the report."Yet this is too convenient an explanation. For the Ebola outbreak to spiral this far out of control required many institutions to fail. And they did, with tragic and avoidable consequences."MSF stated in its report titled "Pushed to the limit and beyond", its warnings in June that the epidemic was out of control and that it could not respond on its own were dismissed as alarmist.

Monrovia

Plan International Liberia has warned that gains made against the fight of Ebola could be reversed once complacency is shown towards the best practices and measures to prevent Ebola.The organization’s Acting Country Director Nkie Espouse Mbitimeh Judith says “whilst we were celebrating at least 27 days without a new case, last week our hopes dashed with a new confirmed case currently admitted and receiving treatment in the country”.She made the statement Monday when Plan commemorates Ebola 1 year with all staffs observing a minute of silent. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced the Ebola outbreak in Guinea Conakry 23rd March 2014. The Ebola

PLAN LIBERIA COMMEMORATES EBOLA 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Virus Disease spread to Lofa and was confirmed in Liberia.“The deadly plague has really devastated Liberia killing thousands of our people: children, nurses, doctors and our loved ones. With the new confirmed case, it shows that Ebola is not over yet until Guinea and Sierra Leone are completely free without a single case” she said.Plan International Liberia has also lauded efforts and support she continues to receive from the Regional Office in Dakar, National organizations and Plan International Head Quarters enabling the Liberia Team to combat the deadly Ebola virus.“Our team has been reinforced with deployed staff from Plan worldwide and other Nongovernmental Organizations. This has made our Ebola Emergency response to mobilize a total of 6 million United State Dollars to support

the Liberian government to fight the deadly Ebola virus” Judith lauded.She extends thanks and appreciation to the organization’s major donors: (USAID/OFDA, CIDA, SIDA, Exxon Mobil; DEC; Netherlands Government; NORAD; DFAT; GFFO; DFATD). “We are therefore making a strong commitment to continue our Resource Mobilization efforts to reach our target of 10 million United States Dollars she added.Judith eulogized her colleagues for their respective roles in the fight against Ebola and pay homage to loved ones who died as well as survivals of the deadly plague “let’s continue to prevent ourselves, educate our brothers and sisters about the danger of the virus and reiterate the importance of complying strictly with the basic principles of safety measures” she noted.


Bettie Johnson /[email protected]

Henry Karmo (08865224950) [email protected]

Monrovia-

Two of the defendants in the ongoing indictment proceedings against 10 former government officials have experienced setback in their trial with Criminal Court C denying a motion to dismiss the indictment against them.Defendants Clemenceau Urey and Stephen Dunbar who are both jointly facing trial along with others on charges of Economic Sabotage, bribery and criminal conspiracy through their lawyers filed the motion for dismissal but the presiding judge of Criminal Court C’ Monday denied the motion.The defendants in their motion argued that they were indicted jointly for the commission of alleged crimes of economic sabotage, bribery and criminal conspiracy during the February term of court when the transactions for which they were indicted occurred more than five years ago.They contended that the indictment charging them with the commission of multiple offenses should be dismissed because the prosecution is barred by the statute of

LEGAL MISSTEP“Wherefore in view of the foregoing, the motion to dismiss the indictment should be and the same is hereby

denied without prejudice to the movants. And it is hereby so ordered”, Judge Peter Gbeneweleh

Liberia’s health sector receives $1.5 Million Materials

limitations on grounds that the state failed to commence prosecution within five years as mandated by section 4.2 of the criminal procedure law which provides that “a prosecution for a felony must be commenced within five years after it is committed.”Defendants Urey and Dunbar in their motion argued that the offenses were committed between the period May, 2006-May, 2007 predicated upon the findings by the General Auditing Commission dated in its April 20, 2011 report which was forwarded to the President and the National Legislature.The movant said that section 4.4 of the Criminal Procedure

law provides that prosecution of the public official or employee for misconduct even though the five year period of statute of limitation, provided for in section 4.2 (a) expired, as long as the public official continues to remain in public office or employment within two years after the public official ceases to be a public official.The Prosecution in its resistance filed a 15 counts to the motion to dismiss contending that the defendants in the motion named two of the co-defendants something the state described as tantamount to the movants granting themselves severance from the

rest of the other co-defendants.The Prosecution further stated that the motion to be determined in movant favor, it would terminate the proceedings only as to the movants, when indeed and in fact, they have not been severed from the other co-defendants by judicial determination; hence the motion should be denied as it attempts to hijack well-established rules, which should be observed at all times.In count 5 of the motion, the Prosecution declared that because of the nature of the crimes that is one involving fraud, breach of fiduciary obligation and misconduct by public officials, and the fact

that the individuals involved in the commission of the crimes were public officials or employees at the times the crimes were committed, section 4.2 (a) is not applicable, rather , sections 4.3, 4.4 are the applicable provisions which are instructive, for the purpose of determining the period limitation ascribed to the specific category of crimes, and category of persons charged that is public official.But in his ruling, Judge Peter Gbeneweleh said after a careful perusal of the indictment, it shows that the movants and the rest of the co-defendants were jointly indicted for the commission of the crime and

Monrovia-

As Liberia is still battling the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus with a new case confirmed on Friday, the health sector has received major boots with a huge donation from an oversea organization. The African & Caribbean Business Council (ACBC), a Pennsylvania Non-Profit Corporation, headquartered in Philadelphia, has donated medical materials to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare valued over 1.5 million United States dollars.Ms. Christine Maycole, a Liberian-based in the United States and an official of the Council, said as a Liberian she is passionate about her country which prompted her to return to Liberia to help rebuild the country broken health and education sectors.“I am passionate about my country that is why I cannot just sit abroad and I had to come”, she said.She continued “I was here when the Ebola broke out I came back in December with my team and I am back again.

Our company wants to uplift the lives of the Liberian people .we are looking at education opportunity, rebuilding the health sector looking for ways to bring the next generation to another level”.Ms. Maycole further said “In this package we have 2.5 million syringes, gloves, and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) just to help; it may not be for Ebola but also help fight other diseases”.The group has been working in bringing renewable energy to Liberia.The donation comes two days after health authorities announced another new Ebola case in Liberia after going more than 20 days without reporting any new case.

OverjoyedDeputy Minister for Administration at the Health Ministry, Mr. Matthew Flomo, said that the Ministry was “overjoyed” to receive the six 40-foot containers of medical items. Deputy Min. Flomo assured the ACBC team that as the country gradually moves toward post-

the movants did not file a motion for severance from the rest of the other eight co-defendants which was granted by the court before they filed a motion to dismiss the indictment on grounds that their prosecution is barred by statute of limitations.“Section 16.10 of the Criminal Procedural Law provides for relief from prejudicial joinder, which states that if it appears that a defendants or the government is prejudiced by a joinder for trial together, the court may order an election or separate trial counts, grant a severance of defendants ,or provide whatever relief justice requires”, Judge Gbeneweleh said. Judge Gbeneweleh added ‘thus we are in agreement with the contention of the prosecution that this court cannot determine the issues of statute of limitations raised by the two movants when they have not been granted severance from the rest of the other eight defendants since ten of them were jointly indicted and charged for the commission of criminal conspiracy and Economic Sabotage , hence count two of the prosecution resistance is sustained and this court declined to determine the issue of statute of limitations.”At the same time, a motion of severance trial filed by defendant, Senator Albert Chie has been re-assigned by the court following an application of continuance filed by the Prosecution to file its resistance to the motion filed by the defendant’s lawyers.

HUGE RELIEF

Ebola recovery, the donated items would be used to help strengthen Liberia’s health sector.Also speaking, Dr. Saye Dahn Bawo, Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Republic of Liberia, stated that there is no better time for the donation to come to Liberia other than the current moment.“The donation is timely; we need syringes, gloves even more. We want to make sure that no health worker dies again in any of our health facilities,” Dr. Bawo added. The African & Caribbean Business Council (ACBC),

a Pennsylvania Non-Profit Corporation headquartered in Philadelphia, was founded in 2006 with the mission of promoting and preserving the business interests of African and Caribbean entrepreneurs in the Greater Philadelphia area while bridging the cultural divide between member countries and the larger community through education and the encouragement of mutual tolerance.

About the CBCACBC's objective is to empower all African and Caribbean businesses and professionals

through education, business promotions and workshops, marketing, trade, and investment and finance. ACBC's signature programs include International Business Workshops, Trade and Finance Forums and Winter Award Dinners.The ACBC Winter Award is presented to individuals who have displayed long-term excellence in their areas of expertise. The awards program was established to recognize significant contributions by individuals, groups and businesses to the African and Caribbean Communities. Our

COURT DENIES UREY, DUNBAR MOTION TO DISMISS INDICTMENT

award recipients represent the very best qualities of what it means to be a leader. Through their service they have not only added value to their communities, but have also made significant contributions to the development of the City of Philadelphia and the United States at large.The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1827 that offers programs, activities, workshops, and publications for gardeners of all levels and interests.Proceeds from the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, as well as donations from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals, support PHS programs and initiatives, including Plant One Million, a multi-state tree-planting campaign, and City Harvest, which grows fresh produce for more than 1,200 families in need each week. PHS motivates people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.


Danesius Marteh, [email protected]

“To have a Daniel Chea joining this political party, I want to thank the party Chairman for conducting the party that Chea is happy to join…, the first time I ran for an elected office Chea was by my side and I won, but since he left, I have

not won; now he’s back victory is certain”, Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, Political leader Liberty party

P4DP-NDI honors 31 animators and mobilizers for the war against EVD

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County-

The 2017 election is a way too long for predictions, even for candidates vowing for seats at the Liberian national legislature. But making the right political moves such as building political allies or affiliating with a popular political party are all interchanges many aspirants are to pursue. Daniel Chea, former Defense Minister and two times senatorial candidate for Grand Bassa County days ago this officially became a member of Liberty Party – arguably the most popular party in the county – with an eye on what many observers terming as the ‘Buchanan seat’. In 2011 and 2013 senatorial elections, he competed and lost as an independent candidate with a strong political philosophy at the time that political parties could not solve the county’s problem.Early this year, Mr. Chea warned elected officials that he will work to vote them out once they failed the people. “For those of you whom we have elected and entrusted our lives and livelihood to if you don’t do the right thing we will remove you,” Chea said during program marking the celebrations of Grand Bassa Senator Jonathan Kaipay’s ascendency to the Liberian Senate.But recently, the former Defense Minister in Charles Taylor government has attracted much attention by hinting at a possible return to politics when he begun the latest prominent Bassonian (people of Bassa) to join the Liberty Party. With 2017 few years away, LP is opting to lure popular politicians who could drive the party to national triumph. “Liberia is moving toward critical times and we must take critical decision that may affect our country positively,” Chea asserted during his acceptance speech as member of LP. His official membership with the party, pundits say will set up a crunch competition for Buchanan District (electoral district three).

MISSION COMPLETE?

CHEA’S LIERTY PARTY MEMBERSHIP COMPLICATES RACE FOR BUCHANAN DISTRICT

LIBERTY CONFLICT

Interestingly, Chea will have to face the incumbent who is also a prodigy of the party’s political leader, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine. Hon. Gabriel Buchanan Smith has not been a pretty good ‘prodigal son’ to Cllr. Brumskine evidenced by his two times neglect of the party to stand in the two separate elections of 2011 and 2014. This could be detrimental to Smith’s third term quest because he will have to again make a U-turn, maybe compute against Chea and re-cement his relationship with the party’s hierarchy before assuming the herculean task of convincing his constituents for a third term.

Brumskine, POLITICAL TWIN FATHER

Smith has tried to regain the trust of Cllr. Brumskine by evoking an eleventh hour support for the party’s candidate in last year’s special senatorial election prompting observers to insinuate that he had no choice since he was already crumbling to defeat. Nevertheless, LP

political leader has also shown some faith in the loquacious lawmaker.“Today, Gabriel Smith has committed to me that he will not again run as an independent,” Cllr. Brumskine said openly during a program in mid-January 2015. The LP political leader revelation

could only prompt further speculations ahead of Chea’s move to the party early March.With Chea now a LP member and Smith yet to openly announce his return, observers are suggesting that the tension may intensify early next year

at which time preparation for the election will heightens. But as it stands, the party has overwhelmingly embraced the entry of Daniel Chea.LP Chairman Cllr. Fonati Koffa hailed Chea for joining the Party and stressed that his decision is in the right direction, while Cllr. Brumskine added: “To have a Daniel Chea joining this political party, I want to thank the party Chairman for conducting the party that Chea is happy to join…, the first time I ran for an elected office Chea was by my side and I won, but since he left, I have not won; now he’s back victory is certain.” Cllr. Brumskine had previously expressed frustration over Chea’s delay to join the party and openly said early this year that for too long Chea has been away from him politically. The pair has a political history as far back as 1997 when they won the Grand Bassa County senate seats with the National Patriotic Party (NPP) of Charles Taylor. Mr. Chea was later asked by President Taylor to relinquish his senatorial seat and become Defense Minster while Brumskine ascended to

ALPHA DAFFAE SENKPENI, [email protected]

Cllr. Brumskin and Mr. Chea has a long standing political relationship

Hon. Gabriel Smith has contested two elections as an independent in Grand Bassa County

the position of President Pro-Temp at the Liberian Senate.

TWO RIVALS ON ONE TICKET?

Despite the politics which is still far from reaching the boiling point, Daniel Chea claims that he has an enormous relationship with Smith but stressed that he has ‘all items on the table ahead of the 2017 general and presidential election’.“He’s still my friend, Gabriel Smith and I are friends from the days of the Bassa Concerned Citizens,” Chea said to FrontPageAfrica during a recent telephone interview. Notwithstanding, he is confident that joining LP will enable him contribute his quota because according to him, 2017 is very critical for the Liberty Party, “the wind of change is blowing toward the Liberty Party,” he added.As for Smith, he has often lashed at the party for sidelining him ahead of elections and blamed officials of the party for creating elitism which he claimed often led to his backsliding in the past two elections.“I believe in the vision of the party that we must forge ahead and win national leadership, but will not bow down to a pressure from few political elite of the party or economic elite of our society who believe that their will and their will alone must prevail, that is what we oppose to,” Smith told FPA in 2014 ahead of the special senatorial election. Smith, insiders are confident will soon return to the party officially and with all the right political variables in prospective he will be a formidable aspirant on the party’s ticket.“I think the party will hold

a primary for 2017,” said Solomon Kolllie, Smith’s publicist. “And by the democratic values of the party the primary will determine who stands on the party’s ticket,” he added. Although the lawmaker is taciturn about running for a third term, observers say the race might be growing tense gradually for him if he opt to contest as an independent candidate this time. But Hon. Smith continues to ease the speculation by insisting that his membership with the Liberty party is in tight.“I still remain an ardent supporter of the Liberty Party; I still remain an eminent son of the Liberty Party, the true Liberty Partisans – the grass rooters, they know that Gabriel Smith is their brother, he’s one of their kind,” said Smith.Public opinion about the two politicians in Buchanan City hints that they both have pretty good odds against them ahead of the election. One pundit told FPA that Liberty Party recent political success in the county have attracted several politicians to the party but he stressed that aspirants or politicians will have to double up and avoid the old culture and tradition of riding on party’s prominence.Duben Cleon, head of the Aggrieve Bassa Citizens (ABC), said they will evaluate the popularity of politicians who may contest in 2017.“We will be doing a survey pretty soon to determine the work of aspirants in the Districts because several politicians are now viewing Liberty Party as a gateway to election in the county but we must know their track record,” he said.

Monrovia-

The Platform for Dialogue and Peace (P4DP), with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for international affairs, has honored 31 animators and mobilizers for a dedicated fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Drawn from the Brewersville, Caldwell, 72nd and King Gray communities, they were given certificates of recognition as part of NDI-CSO (civil society organization) partners’ Ebola response initiative at P4DP office on March 19 with a minute of silence held for those who fell prey to the EVD. P4DP Executive Director James

S. Shilue said the purpose of the ceremony was not only intended to reward heroes and heroines but to also facilitate and encourage the cross fertilization of their experiences in the communities. Shilue, who chairs the NDI-CSO consortium on natural resource management and governance, also commended the NDI and media for a sustained coverage of various Ebola activities, including promotional messages. “Rather than making this to be a speech driven arrangement, I thought it was necessary to say thank you to those who have performed and also encourage everybody to be part of this drive. “Yes, we are climaxing this arrangement, but we need

to recognize the effort of the National Democratic Institute that actually provided this opportunity with funding from SIDA or the embassy of Sweden. We also want to say thank you to the Swedish government for this sort of support given to us through,” Shilue said while lauding a mutual partnership coexisting among the CSOs.Speaking on behalf of NDI acting country director Leo Plavoet, NDI program associate Jonathan Rose described the mobilizers and animators as foot soldiers against Ebola. “You may think your effort was just a little one but for us we believe the breakthrough we are experiencing now was because of the effort that you exhibited. You were the foot soldiers and frontliners [against Ebola]. If the community empowerment was the secret weapon that brought the breakthrough then the weapon must have been held by a soldier. “And you are the soldiers. We

want to say thank you for your effort. And your effort is not limited to what you have done or you are receiving today. Your effort is going to go viral to the international community. We are going to make the people to know that the situation we are experiencing now is because of few group of people who were committed and risk their lives [to save Liberia],” said Rose. John Freeman, the focal animator from Brewersville, commended the NDI-P4DP partnership for having given him the privilege to serve his community.“I am grateful today to be part of such program. I also want to extend my appreciation to the NRM [natural resource management and governance] and NDI-CSO partner P4DP for the level of work they had entrusted us with and by the special grace of God we were able to implement it through coordination. I am grateful, on behalf of my team members and myself, [for this opportunity].

“What I hold in my hand today I see it as a challenge for my individual life and that of my community. You have helped us to help our community. We will not sit and relax. We can assure you that the Brewersville team will be all ears waiting for call at any time to work with the P4DP-NRM and NDI-CSO consortium in any situation that relates to our community,” Freeman promised. But little did Shilue know that his plea to Liberians to remain vigilant until the final whistle is blown for celebration was in the right direction as a Caldwell resident tested positive for Ebola on March 20, casting doubt about Liberia being declared Ebola free by the World Health Organization on April 13. While the 31 animators and mobilizers have earned a page in the history of Ebola in Liberia, they still have few days to celebrate an Ebola free country and the countdown may have just begun.

The 31 recipients pose with Shilue (squatting third from right)


Al-Varney Rogers [email protected] 0886304498

JAPANESE DONATED 8,000 METRIC TONS OF RICE ARRIVES IN LIBERIA

Monrovia-

A vessel mark, M/V Tao Ace V-36701, containing 8,000 metric tons of rice donated by the Government of Japan offloaded at the Freeport of Monrovia Monday.The offloading brought together several Government officials including Ministers of Commerce, Agriculture and members of the House committee on Commerce and Rice importers in the country.Speaking at the Program, Commerce Minister Axel Addy said it was a pleasure to receive the rice as it is geared toward empowering local farmers in the country.“The donation targets poor investment that is why the Japan Government believes that Liberia has the power to Agriculture, and if you empower people to produce food you don’t have to face food security problem” said Minister Addy. The Commerce Minister

Monrovia-

Dedee Sirleaf a mother of four and an Ebola survivor sits home with her children who are not in school due to lack of finance. The mother of four said, she has exhausted all means available in souring funding to get her kids to school adding that those efforts have proven fruitless. Sirleaf said, with no positive response, she has given up hope and now believes that her kids will not be going to school this year until the Deeper Life Bible Church came to their rescue.The Deeper Life Bible Church presented over three hundred thousand Liberian dollars to the Survivors Aid International Liberia to pay the tuition of Ebola orphans and survivors.

Over three thousand children in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak lost either one or both parent to the virus according to report from the United Nations Agency (UNICEF).These children over the months have been ostracized by relatives and love ones for fear that they are possible carrier of the virus.Sirleaf said, the donation by the church is a help to several deserving Ebola orphans and survivors who had no hope of enrolling in school this year.Sirleaf: “we want to thank the Deeper Life Bible Church for coming to help us; I did not know where to get money from to send my children to school.”The head of Deeper Life Bible Church Bishop Israel Nwachuku said the church office in Nigeria raised the money to support the fight

continued “It is a pleasure today to receive another food aid from the government of Japan, this has been a long standing program, today

we have FOUTA, UCI, and all of them are rice importers all we can say to them is to purchase the rice so that our farmers can be empowered.”

He said proceeds from the rice will improve the livelihood of farmers and Liberians as a whole.Minister Addy disclosed that

the rice donation is not the first as the other donations have led to the construction of bridges; projects and warehouses among others. He also pleaded with consumers to swiftly purchase the rice as it will help finance other projects that will empower local farmers in the country.“It’s important that we consumers buy the rice so that local farmers can be empowered and today we can boost that the farmers are empowered through the continuous purchasing of rice”, he said.Also speaking Representative Charles Bardyl Chairman on the House Committee on Commerce lauded the government of Japan for the bilateral relationship and encouraged the Commerce

Ministry to use the proceeds for its intended purpose.“We are happy to receive the rice and we hope that the proceeds from the rice can be used to empower local farmers mostly because they depend on these rice samples to produce theirs” he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Agriculture Minister for Planning and Development Dr. Charles McClain has disclosed that the ministry intends to use the proceeds in three ways-providing seed rice to farmers, technical assistance and providing bags and purchasing paddy for transporting and milling.He said the empowerment of farmers will encourage them to do more production which will minimize the amount of imported rice in the country.

Bettie Johnson /[email protected]

DEEPER LIFE INTRODUCES TUITION SCHEME FOR EBOLA ORPHANS, SURVIVORS

against Ebola in Liberia.The Deeper Life Bible Church Bishop said, the Ebola scourge affected his church adding that some of his members fell prey to the virus. Bishop Nwachuku said, the church empathizes with orphans and survivors noting that the church decided to identify with orphans and survivors by paying their tuition.He said, as a bible believing church they want the beneficiaries to know that it was God’s favor and love that kept them alive.Nwachuku furthered that the donation is not restricted to the church members or Christians indicating that the tuition scheme is meant for all orphans and survivors irrespective of their status.The Executive Director of SAIL John Fully thanked the Deeper Life Bible Church for deciding to aid orphans and survivors who are not able to be in school due to lack of money to pay tuition.“We happy that you have come to help the survivors and orphans, right after here we are going to begin the payment of the tuition of the orphans and survivors,” Fully said.Fully added that the donation is a good step for others to follow and said the money provided cannot cover all of the Ebola survivors and orphans they are working with.Fully called on well-meaning Liberians, philanthropists and religious institutions to come to the aid of the many survivors and orphans who will not be beneficiaries of the tuition scheme.


Equal Access International is a dynamic communications for social change nongovernmental organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization to address the most critical challenges in the developing world. Each year we reach more than 122 million marginalized individuals and families with a variety of media and direct community engagement activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information, please visit: www.equalaccess.org.We are seeking technical experts for a 5-year, USAID-supported media development project based in Liberia. The goal of the project is to increase all Liberian citizens’ access to independent and reliable information and empowerment to engage in well-informed public discussion of important issues of the day.

Anticipated Mid-and Senior-Level Positions

• Chief of Party (10+ years of senior management and media development or journalism experience as well as advanced degree required; previous experience with USAID preferred) • Deputy Chief of Party/Program Director (10+ years of senior management and media development or journalism experience required) • Director of Finance & Administration (7+ years of senior management and financial management experience required)• Senior Technical Officer – Media (5+ years of senior management and media development or journalism experience required)• Monitoring & Evaluation Manager (5+ years of experience on USAID or other donor funded projects required) • Grants Manager (5+ years of experience on USAID or other donor funded projects required) • Project Communications Manager (5+ years of related experience required)

Other Anticipated Long-and Short-Term Positions

• Media development, including print and/or radio• Commercial media business development• Organizational capacity building• Community radio station management• Radio production • Media policy• Market research• Grants management • Monitoring and evaluation• Finance and administration• Gender integration

Additional Qualifications:

• Proven ability to work collaboratively with government officials, international donors and stakeholders in the private and nonprofit sectors and community• Excellent written and oral communications skills • Professional fluency in English required

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume and contact information via email to [email protected] with “Position Title” in the subject line of the email by April 3, 2015.

VACANCY NOTICE

POSITION: ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

BACKGROUND: The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) is an autonomous public entity created by statute to promote transparency over extractive industry revenues. It is part of a global initiative known as Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) International. Since the establishment of the LEITI, it has made significant progress resulting in Liberia being bestowed the “Best EITI Implementing Country Award” in 2009. The LEITI is overseen by a Multi-Stakeholder Steering Group (MSG), comprising of government, civil society, representatives of companies in Liberia’s extractive industry, the National Traditional Council of Liberia, with international development partners as observers. The LEITI Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the policy decisions and directives of the MSG and leading nationwide efforts in implementing Liberia’s LEITI law. The Secretariat’s role specifically includes outreach, advocacy, communication, monitoring and facilitating information sharing, More information about the LEITI can be found on the LEITI website: www.leiti.org.lr.The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) is now looking for a competent and dynamic Liberian to serve as the Administrative Manager.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the supervision of the Head of Secretariat, the Administrative Manager is responsible to plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that support all units of LEITI and allow the organization to operate efficiently. The Administrative Manager oversees centralized operations that meet the needs of multiple departments, such as information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, printing and reproduction, records management, telecommunications management, security, wellness, and transportation services, among others. The Administrative Manager shall perform the below specific responsibilities which shall include, but not be limited to:•Administer and monitor all activities of the Administration Department, ensuring that it is operating smoothly, efficiently and in a timely manner.•Ensure the development and management/application of LEITI’s administrative policies and procedures.•Guide LEITI’s Employment Policies and manage staff employment and related issues•Manage the storage and use of inventory and supplies.•Manage cross-functional activities and events of LEITI, such as programs, meetings, etc.•Organizes and maintains filing system for organizational documentations; employees' profiles, their related documents, and contracts; and all organizational policies: statute, policy and meeting minutes.•Take minute for the meetings, as assigned by the Head of Secretariat or his/her designated person.•Undertake all staff orientation.•Manage organizational communication flow and ensure staff access to relevant information in the LEITI.•Ensure that contracts, insurance requirements, and government regulations and standards are followed and up to date. •Organize and maintain regular inventory list of property of the organization at every six months basis in cooperation with Finance Officer.•Liaise with external contacts to assure smooth operation of the LEITI, i.e. local authorities, partner organizations, and so on.•Regularly communicate and develop reports, work plan, time schedule, arising problems, and results of related works to the Head of Secretariat.•Participate and contribute knowledge and experience to build team/institutional capacity.•Perform effectively and in timely manner works assigned, and undertake any other support duties as may be required from time to time by the Head of Secretariat or the person designated by the Head of Secretariat.

REPORTING PROCEDURE:

The Administrative Manager shall report to the Head of Secretariat.

QUALIFICATIONS & OTHER SKILLS

1. Must be a bachelor’s degree holder in Management or related fields. 2. Knowledge of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the development and management of major administrative programs, 3. Demonstrated analytical ability4. Strong written and verbal communications skills.5. People Management: able to work with and supervise others6. Understanding of the business of LEITI7. Able to work long and difficult hours8. Able to work without close supervision9. Have good interpersonal skills as well as communication and negotiation skills;10. Ability to write at a professional level;11. Excellent organizational skill, time management and attention to detail;12. Some prior managerial experience desired;13. Proficient in the use of computers and standard software (word, excel, power point, etc.) APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

To be considered for this position, qualified applicants must submit the following as part of their application:

➢A letter of application summarizing individual qualifications for this position;➢A current resume in reverse chronological format;➢A list of at least 3 professional references including name, contact information, and statement of relationship to the applicant, and➢Copies of all credentials.

Deadline for submission of applications is Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 1600 hr. Hard copies of applications must be submitted to the below address and clearly marked “Letter of Application for the Post of Administrative Manager”:

The Head of Secretariat Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Old Budget Bureau Building Behind the Executive MansionCapitol Hill, Monrovia, Liberia

Applications should also be submitted via email to: [email protected]

ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED. QUALIFIED FEMALES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY!!!

|Frontpage Tuesday, March 24, 2015

EGYPT, ETHIOPIA AND SUDAN SIGN DEAL TO END NILE DISPUTE

EBOLA OUTBREAK 'OVER BY AUGUST', UN SUGGESTS

Liberia recorded its first case in more than two weeks on Friday, dashing hopes the country would soon be declared virus-free.In Guinea, cases are rising again after a dip at the beginning of the year. Some patients in Sierra Leone are are not on lists of known Ebola contacts, suggesting chains of spread are going undetected. Dr Derek Gatherer, at Lancaster University, said: "In retrospect, it is now apparent that the delay from December to March was crucial in the dissemination of the virus to several locations in eastern Guinea and then onto the capital, Conakry, which remains one of the few areas with active transmission."

SINGAPORE MOURNS FOUNDING FATHER LEE KUAN YEW

REMAINS OF IRAQI TROOPS FOUND IN MASS GRAVE IN YATHRIB

Singapore has begun seven days of national mourning following the death of its founding father, Lee Kuan Yew.Mr Lee, who was 91, led Singapore's transformation from a small port city to one of the wealthiest nations in the world.World leaders have paid tribute to Mr Lee, who served as the city-state's prime minister for 31 years.US President Barack Obama described him as a "giant of history" whose advice had been sought by other world leaders.Chinese President Xi Jinping said Mr Lee was a widely respected strategist and statesman, and Russian President Vladimir Putin described him as one of the "patriarchs" of world politics.

The remains of Iraqi soldiers have been found at a mass grave in the town of Yathrib, about 170km north of Baghdad, after reportedly being killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.An official security source told local media on Monday that a mass grave containing the remains of the troops was found in the town, with the soldiers thought to have been killed by ISIL.The source said it was unclear how many bodies had been been discovered, but said uniforms had been found in the graves. He added that work to uncover the remains was ongoing.The find comes as the Iraqi army, supported by Shia fighters, said it was laying "full siege" to Tikrit, north of Yathrib, with ISIL fighters now surrounded.

IN BRIEF

FRONTPAGE WORLD NEWS

SENEGAL'S KARIM WADE JAILED FOR CORRUPTION

Three African leaders have signed an initial deal to end a long-running dispute over the sharing of Nile waters and the building of Africa's biggest hydroelectric dam, in Ethiopia. The leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed the agreement in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Egypt has opposed the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, saying it would worsen its water shortages. Ethiopia says the dam will give it a fairer share of Nile waters.In 2013, Ethiopia's parliament ratified a controversial treaty to replace colonial-era agreements that gave Egypt and Sudan the biggest share of the Nile's water.Egypt's then-President Mohamed Morsi said he did not want war but he would not allow Egypt's water supply to be endangered by the dam.Mr Morsi's successor, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi signed the deal with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Halemariam Desalegn and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir.'Veto power'The three leaders welcomed the agreement in speeches in Khartoum's Republican Palace, and watched a short film about the Grand Renaissance Dam that highlighted how it could benefit the region, the Associated Press news

A court in Senegal has sentenced the son of former President Abdoulaye Wade to six years in prison for corruption. Karim Wade was also fined $230m (£150m) for illegal enrichment during his father's 12-year rule.He was chosen at the weekend as the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, the PDS. President Macky Sall

warned last week that his government would not tolerate any attempt to destabilise Senegal after the court gave its verdict. Mr Sall defeated Abdoulaye Wade in fiercely contested elections in 2012. Karim Wade was accused of illegally amassing about $1.4bn and has been in detention since April 2013. Judge Henri Gregoire Diop said he had hidden away funds in offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands and Panama, Reuters news agency reports."The facts before us constitute illicit enrichment by Karim Wade," the judge is quoted as saying. Opposition supporters inside the courtroom shouted in protest, denouncing the verdict as "shameful". Wade was a senior minister in his father's government, and was in charge of major infrastructure and energy projects.His large portfolio led to him being dubbed "the minister of the earth and the sky".His arrest came after the new government vowed to tackle corruption.

agency reports.Mr Sisi said the project remained a source of concern to Egypt. "The Renaissance Dam project represents a source of development for the millions of Ethiopia's citizens through producing green and sustainable energy, but for their brothers living on the banks of that very

Nile in Egypt, and who approximately equal them in numbers, it represents a source of concern and worry," he said. "This is because the Nile is their only source of water, in fact their source of life." Ethiopia wants to replace a 1929 treaty written by Britain that awarded Egypt veto power over any

project involving the Nile by upstream countries.Ethiopia says the $4.7bn (£3.1bn) dam will eventually provide 6,000 megawatts of power.Egypt was apparently caught by surprise when Ethiopia started diverting the Blue Nile - a tributary of the Nile - in 2013.Ethiopia says the river will be

slightly diverted but will then be able to follow its natural course.Egyptian politicians were inadvertently heard on live TV in 2013, proposing military action over the dam.Ethiopia has received strong backing from five other Nile-basin countries - Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Burundi.


Barcelona and Real Madrid's title run-in

earlier in the season. Thus if the two teams finish level on points at the end of May, Madrid win be crowned champions because of their superior scoring record against their rivals.The Blancos have an easier run-in. Of their 10 remaining games, six of their opponents are in the bottom half of the table. Matches against Granada, Rayo Vallecano, Eibar, Almeria and Getafe should pose no problem, although Espanyol away won't be easy as the Barcelona-based side have a good record on home turf.Only the trip to Sevilla in week 35 and the home clash versus Valencia a round later look genuinely hazardous on

paper. A total of 28 points from 30 is very possible, which would take Madrid's final points tally up to 92.Barcelona, by contrast, have a more difficult run of fixtures. Their penultimate game of the season against current champions Atletico Madrid stands out.Although Diego Simeone's men would prefer not to do their city rivals Real a favour,

they will likely be fighting for an automatic Champions League spot and thus will be determined to win. Barca may have a good record against Atletico this season, but a visit to the Vicente Calderon is always a daunting prospect and defeat is very possible.The away trip to Sevilla could also lead to dropped points, while Valencia will also test Barcelona at Camp Nou -

especially as they are still in with an outside chance of winning La Liga. The local clash away against Espanyol and even the visit of David Moyes' Real Sociedad - who beat Barca in January - shouldn't be taken for granted, either. If all goes to plan, at worst Barcelona would be expected to pick up 25 points from their final 10 games. Assuming Madrid don't win all 10 of their fixtures, this would be just enough to bring the title back to Camp Nou.But in football, things rarely go according to plan. Barcelona are undoubtedly favourites to win La Liga, but with 10 games left they can't count their chickens just yet.

SportsSPORTS

LUKAKU RULED OUT OF BELGIUM CLASHES

The Everton striker will miss his country's games against Cyprus and Israel after sustaining an injury in the club's 2-1 victory over QPR at Loftus Road on Sunday.Everton striker Romelu Lukaku will miss Belgium's upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers against Cyprus and Israel due to a hamstring injury, manager Marc Wilmots has confirmed.The 21-year-old, who joined the Toffees in a €36 million deal in the summer, was withdrawn in the 67th minute of the club's 2-1 win over QPR at the weekend.

The Chilean expects the Premier League leaders to drop points between now and the end of the season and says the champions can still retain their titleManchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists Chelsea are not a "winning machine" and says his side can still claim the Premier League title.City bounced back from defeats to Barcelona and Burnley with a 3-0 win over 10-man West Brom on Saturday to give their title hopes a boost.

CHELSEA WILL SLIP UP, THEY ARE NOT A WINNING MACHINE - PELLEGRINI

ADAM LALLANA OUT OF ENGLAND SQUAD WITH GROIN INJURY

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is out of the England squad to face Lithuania and Italy after suffering a groin injury in his side's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. Lallana was substituted at half-time in Sunday's game after the problem flared up. It means he will miss Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and a friendly in Italy four days later. The England squad were due to meet at St George's Park on Monday. Lallana's withdrawal follows injuries to squad members Fraser Forster and Luke Shaw. QPR goalkeeper Rob Green and Jack Butland of Stoke City have been called up to replace Southampton's Forster, who has suffered a serious knee injury.

With just 10 matches left this season following Sunday's dramatic Clasico clash, Goal predicts the outcome of every remaining game involving Spain's big two.

Barcelona can now start dreaming of La Liga glory. Sunday's crucial 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid at Camp Nou means they have opened up a four-point lead over their bitter rivals with just 10 games of the season remaining.As we move towards April and get deep into the business end of the season, Barcelona know that the title is within touching distance. Having been given no hope at the turn of the year as star man Lionel Messi and coach Luis Enrique endured a very public falling-out, the Blaugrana have embarked on an incredible run.Eighteen wins in their last 19 games in all competitions has left them favourites to win La Liga and still in the race to clinch the treble.Madrid, on the other hand, looked unstoppable in the first half of the season as they racked up 22 wins on the bounce. But they have since lost their way and they have been defeated in three of their last four matches.All is not yet lost for Madrid, though. Indeed the gap between them and Barca is manageable. They also enjoy the head-to-head advantage having beaten their rivals 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu

WHO WILL WIN LA LIGA NOW?

AFRICAN U20 CHAMPIONSHIP: NIGERIA WIN RECORD SEVENTH TITLE

Nigeria won a record seventh African Under-20 Championship title by beating hosts Senegal 1-0 in the final on Sunday in Dakar. Midfielder Bernard Bulbwa scored the winner in the first half. The win cements Nigeria's place as the successful country in the history of the championship, they now have three more titles than closest rivals Egypt. Nigeria and the other semi-finalists from the tournament - Senegal, Ghana and Mali - have qualified for the Under-20 World Cup . The Flying Eagles had already been placed in Group E with Brazil, North Korea and Hungary for the 30 May to 20 June event in New Zealand. Senegal, Ghana and Mali learned their fate after a draw on Monday, Ghana are in Group B alongside Argentina, Panama and Austria; Senegal will face Qatar, Colombia and Portugal in Group C; Mali will battle it with Mexico, Uruguay and Serbia in Group D.

Sportswww.frontpageafricaonline.comFrontPagePRICE L$40VOL 9 NO.54 TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015

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A HARD TARGET?Liberia coach James Salinsa was brutal in his description of the Super Cup in which Barrack Young Controllers (BYC) beat FC Fassell 2-1 at the Blue Field in Monrovia on March 20. Armed with a pen and notebook, Debbah watched the entire game from behind one of the goalposts instead of the section reserved for the VIPs.After the match, Debbah told FrontPageAfrica that the game, which pitted two of the best teams, was less entertaining. “I have seen better game than this [in Liberia] but I think it was okay. These are two teams that participated in the African club competition. So I think both teams are physically fit and they showcased what they have acquired. But judging from my perspective, I think the game was a little bit mediocre,” Debbah, who was appointed last November. Of the 28 players who took part in the season’s traditional curtain raiser, Debbah said three may be used when Liberia begin the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June. He said 26 local players will soon be recalled to justify their inclusion and named Alex Nimely, William Jerbo and Sam Johnson as foreign-based players he intends to use. Debbah also disclosed that he will persuade players, including Inaki Williams Dannis, with Liberian-origin to switch allegiance. “Well, there is a possibility [but] we haven’t started [with our negotiations]. I had a chit-chat with the president of the Liberia Football Association Mr. [Musa] Bility and there’s a possibility that we may be recruiting those players,” Debbah responded.

Who is Williams?

Williams is a Spanish footballer, who was born to a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother in Bilbao, Biscay on 15 June 1994. He joined Athletic Bilbao’s Lezama youth system in 2012 at 16 and debuted for the farm team in Tercera Division in the same

year. Tercera is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. On 25 June 2013, Williams signed a new contract with the Basque club until 2017 and was subsequently promoted to the reserves in the Segunda Division B, the third level of the Spanish football league system. After suffering a knee injury in August, he returned to action in October and appeared in 14 matches during the season, scoring eight goals.On 6 December 2014, Williams profited from Aritz Aduriz’s injury by making hi

tuesday, march 24, 2015 edition

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