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EBOLA News Extra
VOL 8 NO.631
TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2014
See PG 2
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CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source:
Research, Policy and Planning Department,
Central Bank Liberia,
Monrovia, Liberia
MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 L$90.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$90.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
L$91.00/US$1 L$90.00/US$1
SATURDAY, JULY5, 2014
MONDAY, JULY7, 2014
Crime Watch pg. 5
Briefng and Consultations on the
UN Offce in West Africa Today
News Extra Politics
LIBERIACIVIL AVIATION
AUTHORITY CLEARS THE AIR OVER
RUMORS OF ALLEGED MONEY
SMUGGLING BY ONE OF ITS
STAFFERS
NO CAUSE
FOR ALARM
APRM GETS NEW INTERIM
CEO, AS ORGANIZATIONAL
RESTRUCTURING
CONTINUES
THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PEOPLE'S
UNIFICATION PARTY TO PRODUCE AN
INDIGENOUS PRESIDENT...
EBOLA ON UN
SECURITY
COUNCIL AGENDA


ACCOMPLICES OF A MAN CLAIMING TO BE FRONTPAGEAFRICA PUBLISHER,
RECEIVING MONEY FROM SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NABBED



IMPOSTER 'RODNEY
SIEH' ON THE RUN
I dont know him, I only know his face. He just told me say pekin hold this phone and go
get money for me from somebody and I took the phone and started receiving calls from
the man who suppose to give me the money, Prince told investigators
LAWMAKERS
PARTY?
Page 2 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Kakkad was fown into India on Qatar
Airways where he allegedly created ruckus
with the crime branch offcials. When the
aircraft halted at Casablanca airport at
Morocco, Kakkad began shouting and
screaming that left the airport authorities
intervene and ask crime branch offcials
and Kakkad to get off.
Monrovia
A
n Indian national who has been kept under
compulsory house for over a week was quietly
extradited to his home country India over the
weekend amid an ongoing court case in Liberia,
prompting protest from a lawyer.
The Liberian National Police had kept Sunil Kakkads ELWA
residence under heavy police guard for over a week preventing
him and his family movement before he was transferred to his
home country India.
Before his transfer, the Indian was facing trial in Liberia with
lawyers representing his legal interest flling a writ of Habeas
Corpus against the Liberian National police, the Ministry of
Justice to make the living body of the Indian available.
Judge Blamo Dixon issued a writ of compulsory habeas corpus
against the Liberian National Police and the Ministry of Justice
but while the trail was ongoing, the Liberian National Police
said it received a red alert from INTERPOL requesting the
transfer of the Indian to his country to answer complaint flled
by a Haryana-based dealer to SIS, the company once operated
by Kakkad for cheating of Rs 1.10 crore when his company
failed to pay the dues and allegation from the Industrial
Finance branch of State Bank of India (SBI) which alleged that
Kakkads company mortgaged the same assets to more than
one institution.
Atty. Swahilo Sesay one of the lawyers representing Kakkad
told FrontPageAfrica Monday that his client was held under
house arrest by a group of police offcers from the Police
Support Unit (PSU) at the Liberia National Police who stormed
the home of the defendant and took him to the airport where he
was deported to India.
As I speak to you now the defendant had been deported and
now his home has been surrounded by offcers of the Police
Support Unit said Atty. Sesay.
Disrespect to Liberian court
Atty. Sesay further stated that the action of the police to deport
Kakkad in the wake of his trial in Liberia was a complete
disrespect to the court that is hearing the case adding that even
if the Indian had killed there is a need for him to have due
process as required by law.
Sesay informed FrontPage Africa that before the deportation
of the Indian national his legal team had earlier fled a writ of
prohibition to the Supreme Court before Justice in Chamber
Jamesetta Wolokollie of any action against him pending
hearing into his arrest but while the team was awaiting the
hearing the police ignored the work of the high court and chose
to deport the defendant.
According to Sesay hearing into the matter was scheduled
for Monday but Solicitor General Betty Larmie Blamo had
asked the high court to give up to today (Tuesday) in order
to review the case as she had just returned from a trip out side
the country.
Despite the deportation of the Indian national Sesay stated
that the high court through Associate Justice Wolokollie will
proceed with hearing into the matter as planned to be followed
by a determination.
Following his arrest and interrogation by the LNP Kakkad
made a brief court appearance at the Criminal Court B at the
Temple Justice presided over by Judge Blamo Dixon after his
lawyers had fled a writ of habeas corpus requesting the LNP
to report his living body last week.
India gets its Wanted man
News outlets in India greeted Kakkads deportation with relief
following his arrival at the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in India
Monday. The fugitive chairman and managing director of IT
frm- Sai Infosystem (Pvt) Ltd was fown out of Liberia into
Ahmedabad early on Monday. Kakkad was on the run after
cheating 1400 employees of his company without paying
salaries and arrears and siphoned off nearly Rs. 40 crores to
other privately owned companies.
Kakkad was arrested at the Liberia airport last week due to
an Interpol notice issued against him. He was wanted in the
city for two cheating cases in addition to other complaints of
several banks in Ahmedabad that gave loans to Kakkad for
business projects.
The CID (Crime) team of State Police had received information
from Liberia that Kakkad had tried to board a fight and he was
arrested by the airport authorities. The CID had formed a team
of the crime branch offcers to go to Liberia to take Kakkad's
custody.
Kakkad was fown into India on Qatar Airways where he
allegedly created ruckus with the crime branch offcials. When
the aircraft halted at Casablanca airport at Morocco, Kakkad
began shouting and screaming that left the airport authorities
intervene and ask crime branch offcials and Kakkad to get off.
However when the senior authorities from the crime branch
spoke to the Qatar Airways, the team was allowed to board the
fight back to bring him to Ahmedabad.
Kakkad was 'missing' from June 18, 2013 with his family after
duping 1400 employees of his company without paying them
salaries for nine months and other arrears.
Two senior employees of SIS, then Associate Vice President
Amit Mathur and then senior Vice President Sangeet Nigam
had given written complaints to the Ahemdabad Crime Branch
charging Kakkad and his brother Sameer Kakkad, then
Director Prem Behl and Bageshree Bhupen Savani, then PA
to the CMD.
Later, a Haryana-based dealer to SIS had registered a complaint
for cheating of Rs 1.10 crore when the company failed to
pay the dues. Moreover, the company also faced cheating
allegation from the Industrial Finance branch of State Bank
of India (SBI) which alleged that the company mortgaged the
same assets to more than one institution.
On the run for sometime
According to police, Kakkad had taken loans worth Rs 794.32
crore from SBI, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, IDBI, Bank
of Baroda, Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank for the
fagship company, Rs 97 crore for Attrium Corporation and Rs
144 crore for Click Trekkon.
The police said that before absconding from the country,
Kakkad transferred around Rs 27.83 crore, from Sai Info
account with State Bank of India, Ahmedabad, to his various
group companies named Tanya, Swan, Power Info, Cameo,
and Blue Eye. He had also transferred Rs 10 crore from his
another group company, Click Telecom Pvt Ltd, to a third
group company Power Info and Rs. 2 crore from the account
of his another group company Atrium InfoComm Pvt Ltd, to
Power Info-Control & Services Pvt Ltd.
The police further said that the complainants had informed that
Kakkad set up SIS Global (USA), INC in Oak Brook, Illinois,
SIS Global (FZE) in UAE and Kompac Technologies Ltd in
Hong Kong.
The complainants had told police that Kakkad had given
'fabricated' balance sheets for the last two fscal years to
refect huge profts and to cheat the employees, bankers and
government-owned companies.
Kakkad, an electronics and communications engineer had
set up the company in 1992 that grew to be the biggest ICT
solutions providers. The company was said to be at the peak of
its revenue in Rs. 1500 crores in 2010-11 and started facing the
crunch in August 2012.
Kakkad is one of many individuals who commit crimes in their
home country and fnd safe haven on Liberian soil.
Ed Fisher, an American businessman who was sentenced to 41
months in prison on tax fraud violations in America in October
2009, somehow found his way into doing business in Liberia.
While in hiding in Liberia, Fishers company, International
Construction Engineers (ICE) found itself in the red and
accruing huge debt to a number of businesses in Liberia
including Sethi Brothers, MOTC and Aurelius Mining.
Another fugitive Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik
before he detonated a 2,100-pound bomb in the Norwegian
Government Quarter in the heart of Oslo, killing eight people,
before shooting and killing 69 people at Utya, a small island
25 miles from the capital, Breivik claimed in his trial manifesto
that he spent some time in Liberia where he allegedly met a
Serb war hero in 2002.
Contrary to Breiviks allegation that his trip to Liberia
represented a key event in his radicalization process, the
prosecutor introduced evidence suggesting that the trip was
in fact a misguided attempt on Breiviks behalf to set up a
blood diamond trading company. To support this argument, the
prosecution conducted a video-link interview in court with one
of Breiviks contacts in Liberia, who said Breivik appeared
genuinely interested in diamonds.
Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison after a court
declared he was criminally sane and guilty on August 24.
The judicial process produced a wealth of new information
about the man behind the worst atrocities in Norway since
World War II and supports four key conclusions.
Earlier this year, Liberia was once again in the headlines
when Tobias Bowen, the head of Redemption Hospital, was
picked up in London and extradited back to the U.S. where he
was wanted after being charged with having repeated sexual
contact with a child, as well as statutory rape and criminal sex
act. Bowen escaped the U.S. before the case went to trial.
To date, it is unclear how Bowen worked his way in the system
unnoticed despite a warrant for his arrest where the alleged
incident took place in Syracuse, New York.
The Onondaga County District Attorney's Offce prosecutors
sought a bail of $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond in 2010, nine
times more than what Bowen posted before he escaped. Bowen
was given bail of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond but Bowen's
Liberian passport was never confscated, the prosecutor said.
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 3
Ivor S. Moore, mooreivor@gmail.com, 0770139026, Contributing Writer
O
ne cannot question the relevancy of
providing objective criticism in a free
society as we live in. Under this canopy of
objectivism, the public can be made to see
many things that would otherwise have been behind
the scene. On the contrary, when one schemes as an
objective critics, one forfeits this cause; hence, even
the truth of one's perfidy will be glaring, concealed
whatever. This has the propensity to interpret people
out of context and disgorge gibberish for public
consumption. Thus, when Eugene Ricks attempts to
criticize, disingenuously, Hon. Christopher Zeohn
Neyor's open letter to President Sirleaf, I find it
fitting and dutiful as a conscious Liberian, to bring
him at checkmate so as to protect the precious art of
criticism from wrongful use.
At the beginning of his Front Page Africa July 2,
2014 "'BASED ON HEARSY'": OPEN LETTER TO
DR. CHRISTOPHER ZEOHN NEYOR", our critics
Ricks avers to have written the letter to appreciate
Mr. Neyor for providing sensitive information to
the public as well as blink him for not doing "the
honorable thing at the time, expose the ills and
honorably depart the National Oil Company of
Liberia (NOCAL), not at a time when the damage
is done, if your revelation is something anything to
go by." He mutilates his argument by quoting the
maxim that 'it is better late than never'. To suggest
this withdraws his right to scrutinize the merits of
the letter. However, he continues that " it is against
this background that I also write to scrutinize
some points that you stressed in your letter to the
president." What kind of background does he speak
about? The only answer as depicted by the paragraph
can be attributed to the quoted maxim rather than the
other backgrounds that were already satisfied. what
a contradiction!
The public relations officer of Rep. Adolph Lawrence
lashed at Hon Neyor for claiming to be reliably
threaten by the president because he cannot be
bought out of the senatorial race for her son Robert
Sirleaf to Have a smooth ride. He would rather that
Hon. Neyor site instances to justify his claim. With
this I think that Ricks did not read the letter with
comprehension or choose to play blind to reality. That
complaint was carried to the Methodist Bishop who is
the spiritual leader of both persons is sufficient prove
that something was wrong. For the character that he
is, Hon. Neyor would not go to his church Leader
without being truly threaten. This however exposes
the fact that this critics does not understand political
conspiracy and covert activities. What about the anti-
American accusation and the 24 hours surveillance
on him by Robert Sirleaf because he had called for
the need to give out some oil blocks to other countries
to insure competition in the oil and gas sector? It is
an open secret that many African leaders are capable
of using power to vent evil on people who distort
their selfish deeds, and Madam Sirleaf cannot be an
exception giving her track records of giving support
to NPFL for emergency purposes when Red Cross
was in existence. The support contributed to the
mayhem unleashed by cocaine infested rebels.
In a further paragraph, Hon. Neyor is likened to a
witchcraft who sits and watches the witch queen
murders her neighbor's child but choose to keep shut
for fear of losing relationship with the witch queen,
and comes out confessing years later. This is only
worthy of scorn. By logic, it does not follow that
Mr. Neyor is similar to Madam Sirleaf as the story
attempts to portray given the reality. Does he not
know Man he scolds was credited in Global Witness
2011 Report as the only reformer in the government?
Perhaps he can go back to '80s when Hon. Neyor
as LEC Managing Director built the iron poles and
electrified Somalia Drive at a cost of US$ 900,000
as opposed to the 3 million that was budgeted in
1917 when it should otherwise have been cheaper.
Does this has a parallel in our country's history?
Let this critics get to know that it was because of
upholding the principles rather than bowing down
to the golden image of our president and her son
Robert that a REFORMER was removed overnight.
Critics Ricks writes that Hon. Neyor should have
exposed his alleged surveillance against him when it
was ongoing; hence, condemns him for doing so now.
All over the world, negotiation is the first remedy to
solving a problem. Even the American Declaration
of Independence talks about long supplications and
prostration before the outburst evolutionary outburst
for independence. A little reading and understanding
of history is a dangerous thing for anyone to do.
Hon. Neyor is accused to have sat supinely as NOCAL
President and watch the president and her son
allegedly taking millions out of state coffers. I think
this critics has been lost in his quest to fathom proper
argument against Hon. Neyor. To assert such broad
allegations in the midst of transient information that
Hon. Neyor, unlike other NOCAL presidents, refused
to sign any oil contract before the laws are reformed
is an indication that something went wrong with this
fellow- of-a-critics.
The conclusion that Hon. Neyor wanted to buy
sentiment from the public is assuming than admitting.
When our only reformer's life is threatened by an
imperial president, he has every right to expose it to
the public at any time if he deems it necessary and
that "his happiness so required".
My judgment is that this critics does not know Hon.
Neyor well. He does not know the Neyor whose
dedication to his country and zero tolerance for any
bad practice is rare in our countries.
If this country can have many of his type, the yearning
of the masses for change would be fully realized.
I cannot but sit and allow a prophet of false criticism
spew his garbage in the public with the anticipation
of blinding the masses of people from following
the truth, Such person cannot go with impunity.
Therefore, I shall not linger to draw scratch through
any piece emanating from the likes of Eugene Ricks.
I await to face the other writings.
THE TWADDLE OF A CRITIQUE:
CHECKMATING EUGENE RICKS'
OPEN LETTER TO HON. NEYOR
FrontPage
v
Commentary
EDITORIAL
LIBERIANS MUST LEARN to Control their anger even
in the wake of our darkest moments, the ballot box, not
violence should be our last option as violence has led the
country nowhere but total destruction.
FOR NEARLY ONE and half decade, Liberians held the
country hostage with acts of violence and vandalism while
other countries were moving forward.
WHEN THE COUNTRY GDP was comparable to
powerful nations like Japan and others, in the 1970s,
there was a good moment to seize and take the country
to nobler destiny but as a nation and people, we opted for
the opposite.
AFTER THE 1979 rice riot, which served as one of the
basis for the senseless violence that engulfed the county,
the aftermath of the riot, which was complete breakdown
of law and order and destruction of lives and properties,
Liberians still did not know that violence could not solve
any problem.
AGAIN A MILITARY coup occurred further degenerating
what was now a volatile situation created by the memory
of the rice riot. The coup witnessed the brutal execution of
13 Liberians and other acts of barbarism and inhumanity.
IN THE 1980S, the emerging economy and country
growing at as fast pace declined tremendously with
anarchy and dictatorship taking over the nation.
AS THOUGH THE stagnant speed of development
beginning with the 1979 rice riot was not enough in 1989,
the country was plunged into a full scale civil war and the
ramifcations of the civil war is what Liberia is today, a
country categorized amongst failed state with the young
generation not knowing what is electricity, par borne
water and other basic social services.
BEGINNING 2006, THE country experienced huge infux
of investors who all came in to help Liberia rebuild the
broken pieces.
IN NEARLY 10 years from 2006, things have changed
dramatically with semblance of development visible
showing up with the construction roads and other
infrastructure.
ARCELOR MITTAL, ONE of the largest investors in
post war Liberia has been operating in Nimba County,
operating the Nimba Mountain with benefts accruing to
the people of mainly three counties, Nimba, Bong and
Grand Bassa and overall beneft to the entire country as
taxes paid by the company are part of the national budget.
LIFE HAS RETURNED to Yekepa and surrounding
villages in Nimba County with the construction media
and educational facilities and restoration of commercial
activities.
THESE ARE GOOD news for every well meaning
Liberians to cherish and celebrate as it is a sign that there
is more development insight with peace prevailing.
THE RECENT ATTACK on Mittal facilities by angry
residents is a bad omen for the prevailing development
Nimba County and Liberia at large is experiencing. No
matter the concerns of these protestors, violence is not the
answer, as it has never helped in any given situation.
NO ONE LIBERIAN can point to a solution derived from
violence but there are countless instances where violence
has led to wanton destruction of lives and properties.
VIOLENCE IS NOT the answer and we condemn the
recent protest at Arcelor Mittals facilities and call on
the protestors never to revert to violence as a means of
expressing whatever grievances they have.
NO MATTER HOW much anger people have, they must
fnd a responsible and civilized way of expressing such
anger rather than using violence.
COMMENTARY
VIOLENCE IS NOT
THE ANSWER
THE ATTACK ON ARCELORMITTAL
WAS NOT NECESSARY
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
DAMN PROUD TO BE
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COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
DISCLAIMER
The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;
077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
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williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
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com
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com, 0886-304498
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sombai@FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
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E
DITORIAL TEAM
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB
The Reader's Page
EMMANUEL BOONE WAYDON STUDIES AT WUHAN
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Its unfortunate, ERU approach to this issue. Our people are right
to fnally consider protest as a means to attract the attention of
the government and Mittal Steel. Their discomfort over the deal
that fnally preferred Mittal Steel has long been expressed but the
government seems to have hearing impaired. If the locals could
ever pinpoint source of income, its their land. Annually, they farm
on their land and proceeds from there are used for commercial
and consumption purposes. Majority of our people can not read
and write and as such, A/C offce is not their area but farming. If
the government cannot help develop their capacity to improve the
technology of farming, they rather be left alone at the mercy of God
instead of disturbing their peace. What nonsense compensation is
the assistant Superintendent talking about? US$4.2 Million? this is
very unfortunate and does not guarantee sustainability. Remember
that if these people stop farming they are already out of jobs. So, if
both government and Mittal Steel are serious, the provision of an
annual rent will mean well for the well-being of our people. Please
understand that our MOUNTAIN IS A BLESSING NOT CURSE.
Respect our people and stop beating on them.
ROOTS SOULJAH LAMCO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Accelor Mittal are there to make big money, why else, ooh, but
also to build some infrastructure and stability by bringing jobs,
money etc to the region, Its a small start, Remember Lamco, was
it such a bad thing, when there was peace, it was a start, seems
like Liberia never gets off the start line, Corruption aside, Is war a
better option, some people here seem to think so.......pretty naive
i think
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN
UNIVERSITY, ST. DAVIDS, PA
Altering concession agreements at the Mansion/Foreign Ministry
seems to be a norm of this government. Both Chambers and
Biney complained that the contract for the rubber plantation in
Pleebo was altered in favor of an Ivorian company against the
people of Maryland/Liberia. Unfortunately nobody, including the
Legislature and civil society groups, paid any attention. Ellen is
leaving offce soon but the trouble that those bogus agreements
they signed will bring to Liberia haven't even started yet. The
Liberian people were robbed before and so their patience is thin
and they don't trust the government. LAMCO operated in that
area before and even the road from Yekepa to Ganta wasn't paved
while pollution of creeks was a common concern. I suspect this is
a delicate issue and it must be treated with extreme caution.
ROOTS SOULJAH LAMCO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
While the plagarism, corruption and mismanagement is obvious
and wrong, its not limited to Liberia alone, its everywhere, so
resorting to violence and unrest will only make things worse,
this has been proven again and again and who always suffers the
most......
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN
UNIVERSITY, ST. DAVIDS, PA
Roots Souljah , the average Liberian doesn't want war and they
detest war. If you followed the Liberian confict you will discover
that people that sponsored the war or benefted from the war
the most, suffered the least from the consequences of the war.
However, other Liberians were not so lucky. Some lost practically
everything, including the foundation of their families. And that is
why they keep warning opportunists and selfsh and greedy people
not to resort to those ugly ways that caused the confict in the frst
place. This is because it is common knowledge that any confict
could destroy the country and kill countless numbers of innocent
people again. That is why the practice of harming our people
intentionally and then reminding them of their past losses is not
helpful. It is like saying "you saw what happened the last time- we
robbed you and then killed you. And if we want we will rob you
and kill you again". It is provoking, to say the least! The people of
Liberia just want a fair deal. Mittal, Ellen and anyone can make
their billions and millions but please give our people a chance to
hope for a better tomorrow. It is in everyone's interest because a
hopeless people are a dangerous people!
The Editor,
I
f I were the Public Works Minister (Antoinette Weeks),
this would've been my response to the "crazy question"
about my citizenship. (Re "Crazy Question: Public
Works Minister Mums on Citizenship")
Memo to the Liberia Media:
"With all due respect to you, I'm a born bred Liberian. I left
Liberia because of the war and VOLUNTARILY became an
American Citizen!
I"m damn proud to be an American Citizen and at this time, I
do NOT wish to renounce my American Citizenship!
Why? Because the degenerates have taken over my country
again!
Today, opium smoker like Acarous Gray, mass murderer
like Prince Johnson, notorious rogues like Edwin Snowe,
Edward Forh, etc are all being elected to our frst branch of
government! Plus 99.9997 percent of our executive branch
are nothing but born rogues!
Besides that, at every election cycle, you have CDC hoodlums
hyping election mob violence around the country, blocking
traffc, and stopping productive citizens from earning an
honest living! How sad...
Look. I want to serve my country, but when shit hit the fan, I
also want to be able to get my kids and myself out of harm's
way immediately! Self preservation is the frst law of nature!
God forbid, if anything bad happen (another coup d'etat) in
Liberia again, my American passport would come in handy
for me and my family to check out asap!!
But if it's unconstitutional to be a dual citizen, then you can
take your stinky government job and shove it!
Any further questions, Mr. Anti-Dual Citizenship Dillon?
Martin Scott
Atlanta, Georgia
martyretire@yahoo.com
Dear LoneStar Cell MTN,
I fnd it incredulous that you are asking subscribers should
pay 0.25 for tips on preventive measures about Ebola.
Need I school you about what is called Corporate Social
Responsibility?
SHOOTINGS, AMBUSH &
RIOTS: ECHOES OF VIOLENCE
RESURRECTS IN NIMBA

EBOLA HOTLINE
PLEASE CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS
IF YOU, A FAMILY MEMBER, FRIEND OR
LOVED ONES ARE EXPERIENCING ANY
OF THE SYMPTONS OF THE DEADLY
OUTBREAK: SYMPTOMS OF EBOLA
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HEADACHE, JOINT AND MUSCLE ACHES,
WEAKNESS, DIARRHEA, VOMITING,
STOMACH PAIN, LACK OF APPETITE.
0886229641; 0886397381; 0776547437
When the fear of this epidemic is reverberating around the
city, you are there asking people to pay for tips for prevention
- how heartless, uncaring and apathetic could you be to those
who made you the "#1" GSM company in Liberia. At this
juncture when all hands are needed on deck to combat Ebola,
that poppycock marketing strategy is not the best option. It
shows that the lives of your subscribers who are at
risk doesn't matter much to you.
Thanks!
Gboko John Stewart,
A disappointed subscriber.
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 5
Monrovia-
A
n imposter who
has for the last
several months told
senior government
offcials that he is Rodney Sieh,
publisher of FrontPageAfrica,
requesting money from the
offcials to cover the publication
of stories and also seeking
assistance, is on the run after
one of his accomplices, Prince
Sieh(no relations to Rodney
Sieh) was arrested Monday.
According to victims of the
imposter, using the phone
number 0886-285-834, has for
a long period the individual
claiming to be Rodney Sieh,
has been using the name
of the publisher to request
money from them mainly
current and former government
offcials under the guise of
concealing news stories about
those offcials. The phone
and the number is currently
in possession of the Criminal
Investigation Division of the
Liberia National Police.
The syndicate was busted wide
open Monday after Education
Minister Dr. Etmonia Tarpeh
managed to entrap one of the
imposters accomplices in the
process of collecting cash.
Minister Tarpeh had inquired
from a relative of the FPA
publisher last week, what was
going on with him because the
FPA publisher had called her
to say that his son had died
in an accident in the U.S. and
his wife was struggling and he
needed money to travel. The
FPA publisher is not married
and has no kids.
Minister Tarpeh, a long-time
family friend of the publisher
reportedly dispatched her
driver on two occasions to give
money to the imposter.
On Sunday, July 8, the FPA
publisher called the minister
Monrovia-
R
ep. Bhofal
Chambers has
written a letter to
the Congress for
Democratic Change urging
all members to put the past
behind and forge ahead after
what seemed a bitter primary
in Maryland County that led to
the halting of results from that
part of the country.
In a letter addressed to offcials
of the party, Rep. Chambers
called on members of the party
to reconcile their differences.
As we strive collectively to
ensure, that our party becomes
a true symbol of modern
democracy, I would like to call
on each and every CDCian, in
the true spirit of reconciliation
and atonement to forgive each
other for whatever lapses
or inadvertence that might
have occurred consciously or
unconsciously including those
primary-related issues, said
the one paragraph letter.
Rep. Chambers and other
partisans of the CDC from
Maryland County felt aggrieved
after the announcement of
his victory was overturned
by the party hierarchy due to
controversy surrounding the
Maryland County vote with
some suggesting that one
Jimmy Anderson had instead
defeated Chambers at the
polls in the primary held in the
county.
There was intense political
wrangling in the party leading
the CDC to withholding
the results of the Maryland
vote with the subsequent
appointment of an investigation
team headed by Cllr. Saymah
Cyrenius Cephas.
Following the committees
report declaring Chambers
winner, the party announced
the Pleebo Sodokan District
lawmaker the eventual winner
of the Maryland Primary.
REP. CHAMBERS CALLS FOR
RECONCILIATION IN CDC
F
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PAGE
POLITICS
F
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PAGE
CRIME WATCH
ACCOMPLICES OF A MAN CLAIMING TO BE FRONTPAGEAFRICA PUBLISHER,
RECEIVING MONEY FROM SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NABBED



IMPOSTER 'RODNEY
SIEH' ON THE RUN
I dont know him, I only know his face. He just told me say pekin hold this phone and go
get money for me from somebody and I took the phone and started receiving calls from
the man who suppose to give me the money, Prince told investigators
to relay what his relative had
told her, the minister had said
and suggested that the minister
entrap the imposter by calling
him and telling him that she
had something for him for his
26.
The attempt to entrap the
imposter Rodney Sieh
Monday ended in the arrested
of two accomplices of the
suspect, still at large.
Give the money to Pekin
It all climaxed after former
Education Minister; Dr. Joseph
Z. Korto phoned the real
Rodney Sieh informing him
that he Minister Korto had
been told that he (Rodney)
was involved in an accident
and needed money quickly. Dr.
Korto had told another staffer
at FrontPageAfrica that he was
speaking to the FPA publisher
when the phone went dead.
Another person called from
the same number later to say
that Mr. Sieh had been hit by
a Pehn-Pehn Motorbike while
crossing the street and had
been rushed to the hospital and
needed money for treatment.
While Dr. Korto was arranging
his driver to deliver cash to
the imposter Rodney Sieh,
Education Minister Etmonia
David Tarpeh also tricked by
the imposter that Sieh was
involved in an accident had also
dispatched her driver to deliver
cash to the same imposter, in
hopes of nabbing him.
Austin Mansarey, Minister
Tarpehs driver, who had gone
to deliver the cash and was
told by the imposter to give
the money to his pekin, who
was later identifed after arrest
as Prince Sieh. The driver told
investigators that on several
occasions he had delivered
cash to the imposter Rodney
Sieh from Minister Tarpeh
but this time the imposter sent
an accomplice to receive the
money.
When Mansarey had gone
to hand deliver the cash to
Prince, the lad could not show
the whereabouts of his sender
which resulted to his arrest by
investigators of the Liberian
National Police. He is currently
undergoing investigation at
the Criminal Investigation
Division (CID) of the police.
Suspect Prince told
investigators that he met the
imposter Rodney Sieh around
the Jamaica Road junction
toward the Duala route and
was told to take along a cell
phone to receive call from an
individual who will give him
cash.
I dont know him, I only
know his face. He just told
me say pekin hold this phone
and go get money for me from
somebody and I took the phone
and started receiving calls from
the man who suppose to give
me the money, Prince told
investigators.
The suspect said he was told to
deliver the money to another
elderly man, a petit trader at the
Jamaica Road junction in order
to be rewarded with US$5.
He just told me when I bring
the money, I must take US$5
and give the balance money
to the old man selling market
right near the road, I dont
know him from anywhere,
suspect Prince explained.
Repeated demands for money
Mansarey said Mondays
incident was not the frst as he
told investigators that he had
in the past delivered cash in
the amount of US$440, 300,
amongst others to the imposter
Rodney Sieh, with one of their
interactions taking place at the
Musu Spot in Congo Town. On
another occasion, the imposter
called the Education Minister
to say that he was standing next
to talk-radio personality, Henry
Costa and both he and Mr. Sieh
needed assistance.
The man was wearing glasses
when I met him at Musu Spot
and gave him the money the
Minister sent by me. Another
time he said he did not have gas
for his car and another friends
cars and I gave him US$100
for himself and US$30 for his
friend for them to buy gas,
Massalay told the police.
Minister Tarpeh is not the only
victim of the imposter Rodney
Sieh as former Minister Korto
was also according to his driver
called many times and cajoled
into giving money.
He tried to get Dr. Korto to
give him money so that FPA
could cover the audit issue
that hanging over the former
minister which is being looked
into by the Public Accounts
Committee at the Legislature.
We will not carry story on it
once you give the money, the
driver to former Minister Korto
told the police investigators.
As the news of the arrest of
the accomplice of the imposter
Rodney Sieh broke out, other
individuals who have been
crooked by the imposter began
to reveal their ordeals with the
imposter.
The phone seized from the
suspect had the numbers of
several senior former and
current government offcials
with text messages to some
ministers threatening them
with stories if they do not pay
up. One of the messages in the
phone was from Public Works
Minister Antoinette Weeks
who told the imposter when
he inquired through text that
she was in a family meeting
and would get back to him
late. The text on the phone
seized by police supports a
claim Minister Weeks made a
week ago to an aide to the FPA
publisher that she was being
hassled by the publisher with
threats of publishing damaging
articles on the minister.
In another text message,
the imposter asked former
education minister Dr. Korto
to send him scratch card for his
phone.
Suspects in Custody
On Monday, offcers of
the Criminal Investigation
Division questioned Prince
and another man, Prince
Claimed was an associate of
the imposter Rodney Sieh.
Prince told investigators that
he was an innocent bystander
solicited by the imposter
Rodney Sieh to collect the
money from the Education
Minister and give to the
old man, who sells assorted
items near the Jamaica Road
Junction. However when
investigators arrived on the
scene and questioned the old
man, he told investigators that
contrary to Princes claim,
it was Prince who brought
the imposter Rodney Sieh to
him. Both accomplices of the
imposter, Prince and the elderly
man arrested late Monday by
the police in bid to locate the
imposter are both claiming that
they do know the true identity
of the imposter Rodney Sieh.
They are currently at the LNP
facing investigation.
The unwholesome practice of
imposters using the names of
prominent Liberian journalists
to exhort money from business
owners and government
offcials is aged old in Liberia.
Some imposters in the past
have posed as Press Union of
Liberia president and in some
instances as publishers of well
known news outlets.
The Liberian media is not
free of individuals who go
around exhorting money
from politicians and business
owners threatening to publish
negative stories about these
individuals and at the same
time demanding money and
other materials.
This is eluding the credibility
of media and has led to many
describing some elements of
the media as blackmailers
and extortionists who go after
people for money but it seems
some individuals who are
not journalists are also taking
advantage of the situation and
using the names of well known
journalists to make money.
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh, dakasen1978@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
The Challenges, Progress & Prospects
F
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PAGE
CRIME WATCH
A
n unimpeachable
milestone has been
made. Theres no
debate about it!
Liberia has made another history,
with the passing of the countrys
frst-ever anti-drug law. Its a
victory, but its just the beginning
and would remain meaningless
unless and until the law is applied
to the letterto minimize, if not
eliminate, drug traffcking and
abuse fast destroying the countrys
boyish population.
Submitted by President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf early 2014, the
Legislature passed the Controlled
Drug and Substance Act as
well as an amendment to the
Drugs Enforcement Agency
(DEA), giving the entity more
power in raiding the country of
narcotic drugs and other harmful
substances.
What now remains to make the
anti-drug instrument effective
is its signing into law by the
President and subsequent printing
into handbills by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairsand no agency
of government can be celebrating
more than the DEA.
It is an open secret that drug abuse
remains the worst enemy of any
given nationparticularly a post
confict country like Liberia where
drug abuse was the order of the day
during the war, where in young
people were drugged to kill and
destroy mercilessly. Today, many
of these young people cannot live
without snuffng in or injecting
themselves with these substances,
and they do anything, even if
it means taking away lives, to
get the stuff. Undeniably, drug
smuggling and abuse serve as a
source and breeding ground for so
many crimes and violent acts in
our society. They are detrimental
to peaceful coexistence among
peoples and to human survival.
We now have the mandate; we
have now the teeth to bite, and we
will bite and bite without fear or
favor, the head of the countrys
anti-drug agency Anthony Souh
told this writer a day after both
houses of the National Legislature
had concurred with the bill on June
17, 2014.
Its now a new chapter, one with
the right instrument to deal with the
drug wahala (imbroglio). Liberia
has had no specifc anti-drug law,
and the DEA, established to fght
illicit drug use and traffcking,
was only operating under a
provision under the public health
law which is too weak, especially
in combating and penalizing the
sophisticated modern-day drug
trade.
We at the Drug Enforcement
Agency, said Souh, consider the
[passage of the law] as a dream-
come-true. We are glad because
in the absence of a decisive legal
weapon no society can fght and
defeat drug culture.The fght
against drugs obviously amounts
to fght against assorted crimes. It
takes strong and legal weapons.
Illicit drug trading (traffcking)
X-RAYING LIBERIAS
ANTI-DRUG WAR
and abuse are very common in
Liberia, especially after the brutal
civil war ended over a decade ago.
The statistics speak. In the last
few years, tens of thousands of
kilograms of cocaine, marijuana,
heroin and other harmful
substances have been confscated
and destroyed in the country by the
DEA along with the joint security.
Confscations of these huge
quantities of smuggled drug have
come from the car loaders in the
streets to the baby mother at the
airport, from the business tycoons
(Liberians and foreigners)to the
pem-pem riders, from the police
recruits on the training base to
the highest offces of the land,
including the Presidency and
the National Legislature, least to
mention top security offcials. It is
serious, it is entrenched!
The straightforward reality here
is that there are drug dealers/
smugglers and abusers/users in
every stratum of our society
ministers, many in the security
sector including the heads, the
legislators and the judiciary are all
reportedly involved. Let me not
also disremember the huge number
of ghettos planted in communities
across the country.
Celebrating International Day
Against Drug Abuse and Illicit
Traffcking in 2013, the DEA Chief
alarmed that there were at least
400 ghettos in the country, despite
the continuous ghettos raids by
the agency and other members
of the joint security. This is quite
understated, from what we hear
about in Bardnersville Township,
in Caldwell, in Poor River, on
Center Street, on Clay Street, in
Buzzy Quarters, the list is endless.
Strangely and disappointingly, it
is reported that police offcers and
elements of some security agencies
are in cohort with the ghettos
operators. In some communities,
police offcers go to the ghettos in
their uniforms, as some of them
are said to have joined the force to
protect their colleagues and their
illicit criminal deals. These make
the war against drug traffcking and
abuse a mind-boggling challenge.
Speaking a year back(June 25,
2013) in Monrovia at a one-day
Stakeholders Review Meeting on
the then Draft Drug Enforcement
Agency and the Control Substances
Acts, Souh said Liberia was at risk
due to vulnerability as result of
lack of laws to deal with people
involved in illicit drug dealings.
He told the gathering that the
Drug Enforcement and Control
Substances Act which was under
scrutiny (at the time)needed quick
legislation to safe the image of the
country and its people from usage
of narcotic drugs and traffcking.
He described the existence of
the over 400 ghettos in Liberia
as serious security threat to the
country.
Fast forward a year later, the law
is passed, and observing programs
marking international anti-drug
day here this year (June 26),an
excited Souh said it was time to
celebrate the passing of the anti-
drug law by creating awareness
among the people.
As usual, approximately 4,000
kilograms of drugs (cocaine,
heroin and marijuana) confscated
across the country over the
year, with an estimated street
value of LS$77,845,485 (over
US$915,000) were burnt.
The statistics released by the DEA
on the drugs destroyed suggests
that the smuggling and abuse of
narcotic drug is widespread across
the country, but with Montserrdo
County accounting for the highest
amount of ceased quantities.
Questionably, the second most
populated and border County of
Nimba did not report any seizure.
Nimba County is reportedly one of
the counties where drug is heavily
traffcked between Liberian and
Guinea over the years, but it could
be welcoming news that none of
the traffckers were booked, or no
traffcking was done there at all. In
Bong County, 439kg of marijuana
and 3.11g of heroine were seized;
in Lofa, 388kg of marijuana and
45.5g of cocaine; in Margibi, 99kg
of marijuana and 15g of heroine; in
Grand Gedeh, 340kg of marijuana
and 173g of heroine; in Grand
Bassa, 200kg and 120g; Grand Kru
accounted for 200g of heroin and
100kg of marijuana, and Gbarpolu
County reported 85kg of marijuana
plus 50g of heroine.
Obviously, Montserrado registered
the highest quantities of each kind,
with cocaine standing at 208.6g,
heroine at 720g and 755.21kg of
marijuana, followed by River Gee
which stood at 164g of heroin
and 406kg of marijuana. While
there were no seizures of drugs in
Maryland, Grand Cape Mount and
Nimba, drugs confscation were the
least in Sinoe (22kg of marijuana),
Bomi (10g of heroin and 5kg of
marijuana) and Rivercess County
(10kg of Marijuana).
The above statistics only captures
an inconsequential portion of the
huge quantities of the amount of
narcotic drugs that enter Liberia,
a considered one of the major
transit points in West Africa.
Nevertheless, the DEA Chief said
in the midst of all hurdles, the new
law will meaningfully help the
agency and the country fght the
menace of drug rustling and abuse.
The business is very lucrative and
big hands are involved, stated one
security insider who would not
want to be named in this article.
According to statistics obtained
from the DEA, 1Kg of Marajuina is
sold at L$10,500 (about US$120),
1gram of heroine US$300, while
cocaine is sold at US$500 a gram.
Thats a lot of money for anyone
in a job-hungry country like ours,
and people engaged in such trade
would never want to cease such a
wealth-driven livelihood.
With such a quick money-
spinning nature, many believe
that it wouldnt be easy to break
the sub-regional cartels, and
if this would succeed it would
require government and relevant
international partners more
resources and professionally
trained anti-drug agents who would
not compromise their callingby
themselves being involved in those
criminal deals, or taking mouth-
watering bribes from smugglers.
However, despite the national
and global challenge, Souh
is somewhat pleased with the
progress in Liberia so far at
least the passage of a strong
law. Today, we are extremely
glad to inform you that the much-
desired or expected laws on drug
have been passed by the National
Legislature, he said on world
anti-drug day. We are glad that a
legal instrument has been carved to
deal with the situation like in other
countries. We are glad that the
laws that will narrow the existence
of drug traffcking and make the
society safer and healthier have
been passed.
With a new drug law in place,
Liberia is now in the position
to prosecute and punish those
engaged in the illicit use and
traffcking of drug and other
harmful substances, those violating
international conventions and
destroying the youthful population
of Liberia.
In the past, those who were
arrested and prosecuted have faced
only negligible punishments, but
Souh said those days are over as
soon as President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf signs the Act into law. We
will come after you, he warns
perceived drugs dealers, adding,
no matter who, where, when. We
will go after you.
He described the passage of the
law by the National Legislature as
by all indication an achievement
for the Liberian people; its
a great achievement for this
administration, this government,
this President and this country.
The countrys chief drug fghter
asserted that it was contradictory
to have a drug law enforcement
agency that does not have a law
to enforce. When we came to
this offce [in 2012], it was almost
paradoxical that we have come to
an offce to enforce a law that was
non-existent, he recalled. So we
had problem. The frst thing that
I thought of was that we are here
to enforce law and we dont have
oneand thats how the Minister
of Justice understood our vision
and we started to workwith all
of the national stakeholders.
Though drug trade is
incontrovertibly well-paid, Souh
said it is more harmful to the entire
nation than the benefts that come
to those who deal in it. He said
it damages especially the young
people, the future of the country.
Drug is harmful to life; when
people take drugs and become
addicted, its very diffcult to
recover from it. Most of the tragic
deaths, most of the accidents, most
of the health hazards, some of the
crazy people (mentally deranged)
you see in our streets,mostcome
as a result of drug and substance
abuses.
The drug law is comprehensive
and covers every aspect of illegal
handling of drugs and a punishment
of up to life imprisonment.
For example, Chapter 14, Sections
14.101 and 14.102, provides First
and Second Degree Felonies
as well as Misdemeanor for
UNLICENSED IMPORTATION
AND EXPORTATION OF
CONTROLLED DRUGS OR
SUBSTANCES. This depends
on the gravity/grade of the crime
committed.
Therefore, Souh believes that
this law has addressed all of the
violations, all the acts and omission
that supposed to constitute a
violation [in smuggling and
handling of narcotic drugs].
We have been taking people to
court but they were not punished
because the law was weakthe
public health law.
He explains that the Controlled
Drug and Substance Act makes
drug traffcking a felony of the
First Degree. That means its
unbillable. If you commit Felony
of the First Degree under our law,
which is equivalent to treason, or
murder, [it] is punished by death.
The DEA Chief said it was time to
kickoff a very serious war on illicit
drug dealings in the country with
the tool to fght now available.My
honest advice [to those involved in
the act], he warned, is desisting;
be it Liberian or foreigner alike,
desists from the dangerous act. If
you try it we will go after you.
Expressively, Liberia has made
some marks, but is yet far
from getting anywhere. This
country is noted for making
excellent laws and signing onto
international conventions, but the
implementations of these laws are
almost always diffcult. This is
either due to dearth of resources,
expertise or lack of political will,
or the combination of all.
Policymakers who allot resources
or budgetary support often
apportion little or nothing to
ensure the effectiveness of these
laws or policies, and the new Drug
law may just be another victim.
So far, the progress has been great
with the United Nations Offce
on Drug Crimes and the United
States Government providing
huge chunk of support to augment
the governments little budgetary
support to the agency.
The DEA could make signifcant
progress, using the new law, in
dealing with the global war and
crime when these international
partners plus the government
continue their cherished technical,
logistical and fnancial supports
to empower the agency to keeps
fghting, robustly raiding ghettos
in street corners and grave yards
which are prevalent across the
country.
Fairly enough, the war on drug
traffcking in Liberia has been
and remains challenging. In fact,
it might just be starting. The
progress is welcoming and the
prospects are bright, but not in the
absence of a sustained government
and international support and
collaborations. Meanwhile, the
danger, burden and the threats of
drug abuse and traffcking remain
mounted on our shouldersI
mean, on your shoulders, yes, you,
too.
*Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh
is a respected and renowned
Liberian journalist and media
consultant with 13 unbroken
years of professional experience.
Hes Secretary General of the
Press Union of Liberia and
immediate past Editor-In-Chief
of The Informer Newspaper
(April 2006-April 2014), a
UN Fellow, and Liberias frst
UN Medal Award-winning
journalist. Sengbeh holds a
Bachelors of Arts Degree in
Mass Communication and
Sociology (UL) and a Diploma
in Journalism (International
School of Journalism), while he
carries dozens of certifcates in
journalism and communication
from studies in Ghana, China,
United States and Switzerland,
among others. Ring him on +231
(886/777)586531; dakasen1978@
yahoo.com, sengbeh78@gmail.
com

Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 7
F
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PAGE
NEWS EXTRA
F
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PAGE
NEWS EXTRA
PRESIDENT SIRLEAF DONATES
CONSIGNMENT OF RICE TO SEVERAL
MOSQUES DURING THE HOLY MONTH
WOODS CALLS FOR AUDIT OF FINANCE, PLANNING MINISTRIES
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
L
iberias Human
Rights Lawyer,
Samuel Kof Woods,
II has called for a
comprehensive audit of both
the Ministries of Finance and
Planning.
Atty. Woods made the call
during a Thanksgiving and
Appreciation Service at the
Melvin B. Cox Methodist
Church in Lower Caldwell
when he was honored for his
many contributions to the
State, Church and Humanity.
He said if an audit has already
been conducted, the Public
Accounts Committee of the
Legislature should conduct
the necessary hearings to
establish a frm foundation for
the merger of both institutions,
which are critical to Liberias
Development. The Liberian
people need to know the status
of both institutions in terms of
personnel, plans, actions and
other recommendations that
could assist the new merger.
It can be recalled that the
issue of the merger of both
ministries has been a source
of controversy with employees
demonstrating against the
transition.
On another note, the former
Public Works Minister has
recommended that the National
Independence Celebrations,
July 26 this year be celebrated
as a day of Fast and Prayer.
He noted that there are too
many unfortunate and strange
developments occurring in
Liberia, which he referred to
as SIGNS OF THE TIMES
that must compel Liberians to
refect.
The level of diminishing
trust in public offcials, the
Ebola Plague, the tragic
violence in Nimba and its
attendant consequences, the
change of venue of this years
celebrations, the raging poverty
and anger amongst Liberians,
the indifference, arrogance,
disdain and complacency in
our society are reasons not
to celebrate in pomp and
pageantry but rather to engage
in a moment of Mediation and
Refection.


Monrovia -
A
Liberian human rights and labor activists has
condemned the action by the management of the
Roberts International Airport and its Board of Directors
to dishonor the Collective Bargaining Agreement
(CBA) between the Airport Management and the workers union
as a violation of the rights of workers, whether in the public or
private sector, to bargain collectively with their employers over
their pay, hours and other conditions of work.
Mr. Alphonso Nyenuh, a human rights and labor activist resident
in the United States and associated with Working America, a 3
million member strong allied organization of the American
Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), said the
decision of the RIA Board and management to not honor their part
of the agreement is unlawful and is a violation of Liberian and
international labor law regarding the collective bargaining rights
of workers and the obligations of employers to honor collective
bargaining agreements. He then urged President Sirleaf to move
urgently to restore the Collective Bargaining Agreement between
the RIA management and the workers union if her administration
is committed to workers rights and to the rule of law.
Working America is a nonpartisan, non-proft organization that
works to build alliances among non-union working people. It
also provides workers who are not union members input into the
policies, goals,
and legislative efforts of the AFL-CIO, the oldest and largest labor
federation in the United States. The AFL-CIO was founded in 1955
by a merger of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress
of Industrial Organizations and boasts a membership of over 13
million members representing more than 55 member unions.
Mr. Nyenuh who is also member of the AFL-CIO Pennsylvania
chapter emphasized that collective bargaining agreements are
legally binding agreements that must live out their duration and be
honored by all the parties involved. It is illegal for an employer,
for whatever reason, to decide not to honor a legally binding
agreement with its employees simply because there is a change
in management team or members of the board. Under the contract
and collective bargaining laws of Liberia, once agreements are
reached, they become law and board chairmen or board members
of public corporations do not have the right to nullify them.
Mr. Nyenuh said it is unconscionable that managing directors and
board members who pay themselves $16- $20,000 dollars a month
in salaries and collect thousands of dollars in board sitting fees
will occupy
themselves with denying poor workers their right to better wages
and better working conditions and with retrenching or fring
workers who make $50- $100.00 per month, under the guise of
saving money and cutting costs.
Mr. Nyenuh noted that at the height of an unemployment boom and
massive poverty, it is a travesty that government would make it its
number one priority to fre or retrench poor employees, in the name
of cost saving while it allows corruption to thrive in the higher
echelons of government. He said if government was serious about
cost saving, it needs to focus on addressing rampant corruption and
reducing the salaries of cabinet ministers and managing directors
who earn thousands of United States dollars and receive thousands
in perks such as gas slips, travel and housing allowances, and other
costly entitlements.
The human rights and labor activist pointed out that workers
are the live-blood of every economy, adding that middle class
workers keep the economic engine running because they spend
the most and thus infuse more money into the economy; they pay
rent, pay school fees, buy food, etc., thus pumping money into
the economy, while the ministers, managing directors and board
members fnance homes and mortgages in America and save
money in foreign bank accounts.
LABOR ACTIVIST CONDEMNS
RIA BOARDS DECISION: CALLS
FOR MASS WORKER ACTION
Monrovia
A
s Muslims around
the world observe
the Holy Month
of Ramadan,
President Ellen Johnson has
donated a consignment of rice
to several mosques in and
around Monrovia.
According to an Executive
Mansion release, the Liberian
leader, kicking off the
distribution exercise at the
Unity Mosque near the Fish
Market community where she
lives, urged the Muslims to
pray for the countrys peace
and stability. As we know that
the Holy Month of Ramadan
is on, the prayer time for all
Muslims, and during this
particular period you all always
fast and pray for the nations
peace and development. I just
stop by to share something
with you as to break your fast
each day during this period,
President Sirleaf said.
On behalf of the Imam and
Elders Council and the entire
congregation of Unity Mosque,
Imam Ali Krayee thanked

President Sirleaf for always
identifying with them not only
during the Holy Month but at
all times crucial to Muslims.
We in this community are
particularly grateful and
appreciative of the manner in
which you cater to us, Imam
Krayee said.
Also speaking, the Assistant
Imam Kalilu Jalloh recounted
President Sirleafs gesture of
providing electricity to the
community, free of charge,
and on their behalf thanked her
for the kind and humanitarian
gesture.
He further noted that the
Liberian leader, bringing
a consignment of rice for
Muslims in that community
was not a surprise, but admitted
that it will help in a big way,
especially for those Muslims
who cannot afford.
The Coordinator at the Offce
of President Sirleaf, Toe
Wesseh indicated that 500
bags of rice will be distributed
to 15 mosques in and around
Monrovia.
He appealed to Liberians
including Christians to join
their Muslim brothers to pray
for the country, especially in
the wake of the Ebola epidemic
that is currently claiming many
lives across the country.
Monrovia -
A
viation Authorities
in Liberia have
strongly denied
rumors that one
of its personnel attempted to
smuggle an unspecifed amount
of money out of the country via
Delta Airlines at the Roberts
International Airport.
Liberia Civil Aviation Authority Clears the Air Over Rumors of Alleged Money Smuggling by one of its staffers
A release issued by the Public
Affairs Section of the CAA
indicated that as far as the
Authority was concerned its
personnel was only allowed to
face a normal security protocol
as required by the Airport
Security Program and Deltas
Secondary Check-in Security
requirements.
The release continued; the
CAA personnel was making an
approved travel to make urgent
threefold purchase Orders for
the procurement of Assorted
American-manufactured
vehicles spare parts and
car batteries; specialized
Aviation and ICAO Manuals,
Documents, Periodicals and
Guidance Materials for Library;
assorted offce supplies; IPS
LED high defnition monitor;
HP PC AMD Quad-Care A8
Accelerated Processor; large
Fire Extinguishers, etc.
Accordingly to the CAA release,
each Purchase Order does not
exceed the PPCCs threshold
of more than US10, 000.00 and
the Authority was cognizant of
acting in compliance thereof.
The release also pointed out
that based on compelling time
constraints, coupled with the fact
that several different vendors
are concerned, the Liberia CAA
could not effectuate a money
transfer
The release furthered; owing to
poor quality goods particular
offce supplies available on
the local market, coupled
with durability challenge, the
Authority reckoned creative
methods of acquiring equipment
and supplies for use by the offce.
The release noted that realizing
the new offce complex met
ICAO key requirement of every
Civil Aviation Authority to
have a library facility; Liberia
is therefore under obligation
to ensure the relevant aviation-
related cum ICAO Manuals,
Documents, Periodicals and
Guidance Materials. The release
referred to the library resource
materials as must acquire
items.
In light of the completion of
the new offce complex, the
release added; it was a foregone
conclusion that LCAA new state
of the art offce complex would
match the best quality in terms of
furniture and equipment.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Revenue
Authority (LRA), has so far
cleared the Liberia CAA
personnel of any wrongdoing.
Page 8 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
REPORTING LIBERIAS OIL INDUSTRY
Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable organisation of Thomson
Reuters, is working with New Narratives, a non-governmental organisation
that has been driving improvements in Liberias media sector for 4 years,
to run a project that supports Liberian journalists and news organisations
to cover the countrys oil industry.
The project will run from 2014-16 and will feature training, mentoring
and capacity building for Liberian journalists and news organisations.
The project will focus on a range of oil sector issues including contracts,
the management of revenues, the implications for Liberias economy, and
the environmental impact of the industry. It will encourage journalism that
relates these issues to the lives of citizens through engaging storytelling.
The project in Liberia is part of a larger programme taking place across
Africa, which aims to support journalists and media organisations to cover
fnancial and extractives issues which are central to development.
Oil reporting scheme call for applications
Journalists working in Liberia are invited to apply to the oil reporting
scheme being run by Thomson Reuters Foundation and New Narratives.
The scheme will involve a series of training courses over approximately
two years, combined with ongoing mentoring and opportunities to produce
stories and investigations.
Journalists taking part in the scheme will learn how to produce accurate,
impartial and independent coverage of the oil sector in Liberia. The
ultimate aim will be for journalists to report to the internationally
recognised standards of Reuters.
The scheme is a major commitment but it will also be a rewarding one.
We are looking for journalists who:
- Report for a national media outlet in Liberia print, online, radio
or television journalists are eligible
- Have at least 2 years of professional experience as a journalist
- Have experience of, or can demonstrate a genuine interest in,
business and fnancial journalism
- Are motivated to cover the oil industry and how it relates to other
aspects of life in Liberia
Please note: journalists taking part in the programme must report the
oil industry in an independent manner and must not take payment from
any sources in the course of their reporting. The project will not tolerate
the acceptance of such payment. Participants will be required to sign an
agreement to this effect.
Funding will be available within the project to help journalists cover
stories on the oil industry.
Application process
To apply send a cover letter detailing any experience in business and
fnancial reporting and why you want to take part in this scheme, as well
as a CV and two writing samples to contact@newnarratives.org.
Deadline: July 14th 2014
About the partner organisations
Thomson Reuters Foundation has been supporting excellence in journalism
worldwide since 1982. It draws on the global expertise of Reuters and its
network of nearly 200 bureaus to run pioneering journalism development
projects. More than 12,000 journalists from 170 countries have been
involved in its projects and training courses. Responding to world events,
it has created news platforms to provide accurate, objective news to
populations in countries such as Iraq, Egypt and Zimbabwe.
New Narratives provides resources, editorial and business support to
help leading African media houses deliver independent, honest news
that Africans use to drive change. Working in Liberia since 2010, New
Narratives reporters have repeatedly broken stories that have prompted
action on major societal issues such as teen prostitution, child labor and the
growing drug trade. Reporting has won major national and international
awards and appeared in media around the world.

T
he Executive
Director for the
Patriotic Alliance of
Liberia (PAL), Mr.
Korva M. Jorgbor conducted
a research and observed with
grave concern that the Ministry
of Education including the
Commission on Higher
Education have violated article
10 of the Liberian Constitution
and she is still violating the
article wish is completely
against the constitutional rights
of the Liberian people.
According to Article 10 of
the Liberian constitution the
Republic shall ensure the
publication and dissemination
of this constitution throughout
the republic and the teaching
of its principles and provisions
in all institutions of learning in
Liberia.
PAL believes that it is the
rights of all Liberian to
be knowledgeable of the
constitution, therefore, the
constitution should be thought
in all leaning institutions,
which are from junior
high up to the senior level
including universities. We
have observed that Liberian
are not knowledgeable of
their constitutional rights or
even the provisions or articles
within the constitution as
the result they cant discuss
national issues whenever the
national Government violates
or contradicts provisions or
articles within the constitution.
PAL also observed that the
AMID PARTNERSHIP WITH INTERNATIONAL
CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION: 10-DAY
AVIATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT COURSE
Monrovia -
A
10-day Training
Course in the area
Aviation Security
Management and
being held under the auspices
of the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Regional Offce for West &
Central Africa in partnership
with the Liberia Civil Aviation
Authority got underway
yesterday in Harbel, Margibi
County.
According to the Liberia CAA,
the Course brings together 20
participants who are being
drawn of the Civil Aviation,
Robertsfeld and the James
Spriggs Payne Airport.
The course facilitators
acknowledge that in recent
years the aviation industry has
seen the emergence of world-
wide attacks against the safety
and security of the travelling
public, airports, aircraft and
aviation workers; however
believe these acts against civil
aviation can be countered.
The course highlights that
appropriate security measures
once implemented will be
effective only as long as
the people responsible for
protecting the industry carry
out their jobs effciently.
According the ICAO,
the training course has
been developed to enable
participants acquire the
necessary knowledge and skills
so that they will be able to
carry out their very important
tasks to the best of their ability.
The 10-day training course is
being facilitated by two ICAO-
qualifed and certifcated
Instructors of Ghanaian and
Nigerian descents.
Upon successful completion of
the ten-day course, participants
would have acquired the
latest knowledge pertaining to
the management of aviation
security; developed and
practiced the specialist skills
necessary for the management
of an aviation security unit; be
able to facilitate the transfer
of knowledge and skills to the
actual work environment; be
prepared to assist in protecting
the aviation industry against
acts of unlawful interference;
and contribute to the safety and
security of the general public
and aviation workers.

F
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NEWS EXTRA
TEACH CONSTITUTION IN SCHOOLS,
PAL URGES GOVERNMENT
Liberian Civic have been
thrown out of the national
curriculum for more ten (10)
years. We are at the conviction
that the Liberian Civic is all
about the Liberian government;
therefore, the reintroduction of
the Liberian civic will enable
our sisters and brothers to know
the function of the three (3)
branches of government. The
reintroduction of the Liberian
civic will educate the incoming
generation on how the three
branches of government are
distinct in function; it will also
give broad idea on the different
form of governance.
The Patriotic Alliance of
Liberia (PAL) is calling on
the Education Minister and
the Commissioner on Higher
Education to implement Article
10 of the Liberian Constitution
and also reintroduce the
Liberian Civic in the national
curriculum commencing this
academic year.
PAL also calls on the National
Legislature to mandate the
Minister of Education and
the Commissioner on Higher
Education to implement Article
10 of the Liberian constitution,
that is, the constitution should
be thought in all schools and
higher learning institutions
in the length and birth of
Republic of Liberia including
the Liberian Civic.

Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 9
Public Service Announcement
This is to inform the general public that the deadline
for payment of Real Estate taxes is July 1st LRA says
please pay your real estate tax (es) to avoid penalties and
interest that under the Revenue Code of Liberia (RCL)
will be added to your account if you do not pay on time.
Also the law says property owners should fle a schedule
of their properties along with their payment.
The Revenue Code of Liberia also says that the LRA
must add the following penalties if you do not pay on
time...
Revenue Code Liberia SECTION 2002
The real property tax covers the period from
January 1 to and including December 31 of each year
and shall become due on July 1st of the year in which
it is levied. It may be paid without the imposition of
interest or penalty at any time prior thereto from January
1.
INTEREST at market, in accordance with Section
11 shall be charged thereon if the tax is not paid on or
before July 1st of the year in which it is levied.
If it is not paid on or before July 31st of the
year in which it is levied, the Minister now (LRA
Commissioner General), in addition, shall assess and
add to the amount due, or to any underpayment thereof,
an ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY of 5 percent per
month for each month or part of a month elapsing after
July 31st that it remains unpaid, but not to exceed 25
percent in total.
Signed: A. Trokon Tarr
Communications Consultant
Collecting the lawful taxes due the Liberian people and
facilitating legitimate trade.
Public Service Announcement
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) in keeping
with its mandate as enshrined in the LRA Act of
2013 announces to all taxpayers and the general
public that the Central Bank of Liberia has opened
two (2) new accounts for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 at
the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) for the payment
of Government of Liberia (GOL) Revenues.
The LRA wishes to inform all taxpayers and the
general public that GOL taxes should be paid into these
accounts at the Central Bank of Liberia beginning
Tuesday July 1, 2014.
CBL Account Title Account Number
GOL Revenue Account USD 02-205-300002-11
GOL Revenue Account LRD 01-205-300002-11
Additionally, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
recognizing the need for continuity for stability
in operations and revenue collections, further
announces that Government of Liberia taxes and fees
will continue to be paid at existing points across the
country.
All taxpayers and the general public are urged to
please take note and act accordingly.

Signed: Elfrieda Stewart Tamba
Commissioner General

Collecting the lawful taxes due the Liberian
people and facilitating legitimate trade.
NASSCORP HOUSE
ELWA Junction
Paynesville, Liberia
+231.880.874.339 +231.776.874.339
info@lra.gov.lr
NASSCORP HOUSE
ELWA Junction
Paynesville, Liberia
+231.880.874.339 +231.776.874.339
info@lra.gov.lr
FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE TAX ADMINISTRATOR FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE TAX ADMINISTRATOR
Page 10 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PEOPLE'S UNIFICATION
PARTY TO PRODUCE AN INDIGENOUS PRESIDENT...
F
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POLITICS
Al-Varney Rogers alrogers2008@gmail.com
F
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GOVERNMENT NEWS
Monrovia
D
r. Ibrahim
AssaneMayaki,
former Prime
Minister of Niger
and Chief Executive Offcer
of the NEPAD Agency,was on
Friday, July 4th, 2014 installed
as Interim Chief Executive
Offcer of the African Peer
Review Mechanism (APRM)
Secretariat, succeeding Mr.
AssefaShifa who held the post
ad interim since 2008.
Presiding over the handover
ceremony was Hon. Amara
M. Konneh, Liberias Acting
Minister of Finance and
Development Planning and
Chair of the Committee of
APRM Focal Points, which
directs the administration of
the Mechanism. He thanked
Dr. Mayaki for accepting the
responsibility and, handing him
a letter of appointment from
H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,
President of Liberia and Chair
of the APR Forum of Heads of
State, assured him of the Focal
Points fullest support.
Addressing the APRM
Secretariat staff, in their
Midrand, South Africa offce,
Hon. Konneh thanked them for
their service over the ten years
of the APRMs existence, and
urged them to apply new vigor
to their work in order to restore
vitality to the Mechanism.
He also assured staff that
outstanding issues relating
to their contracts would be
resolved in order to ensure job
security and high performance.
Dr. Mayaki echoed Minister
Konnehs appreciation for the
staffs service and admonished
them to apply their hearts
and minds to the task before
them. Amb. Ashraf Rashed,
Vice-Chairperson of the APR
Panel of Eminent Persons,
also present, was frank in his
calls for professionalism and
higher productivity within the
Secretariat.
Since assuming the
Chairmanship of the APRM
Forum, Liberias President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been
working tirelessly through her
Focal Point, Minister Konneh

Monrovia-
A
midst rumors in
Monrovia that
lawmakers are set to
embark on producing
the next president, some
members of the legislature have
established a new political party,
the People's Unifcation Party.
The organizing Chairman of the
party is Bong county Senator
Henry Yallah now chairman
and lawmakers in their numbers
graced the launch of the party
Monday in Monrovia.
Some of the giants in the
legislature who graced the
partys launch on Monday July
7, 2014 include Senator Dallas
Gweh of Rivercess, House
Speaker Alex Tyler, Rep. Prince
Moye, Representative Tokpah
Mulbah, Representative Edward
Kaffa, Emmanuel Nuquay,
Bill Twehway, Robertson
Siaway, Senator Sumo Kupee,
Representative George Mulbah,
amongst others.
"Therefore, the PUP was
formed as the new agenda to
democratically take state power,
said Senator Yallah at the launch.
To earnestly and swiftly usher
in the people's agenda by and
through an indigenous president,
who will emancipate our country
from offcial acts of thievery and
despicable public service."
As the newest kid on the block,
the PUP is now home to some
politicians who failed to win
their party's primaries and many
of them see this as an opportunity
to represent a political party in
the upcoming senatorial election.
A few who lost in political
parties primaries were present at
the launch of the party including
Senator Kupee of the ruling
Unity Party and Dr. George
Boley of the Alternative National
Congress.
Senator Yallah blamed the
current regime for the hardship
in the country adding that it is
insensitive to the plight of the
vast majority of the population.
"Today, the uncertainties,
discontentment and worries are
visibly written on the faces of our
people; they are angry; they are
hungry; they are homeless; they
are confused over mass eviction
and evading sea erosion, he
said.
They believe that their
government has conspired with
concessionaires to rob them
LAWMAKERS PARTY?
of their economic, social and
cultural rights and their just share
of the nation's wealth. They are
impoverished and bitter."
Yallah said the current regime is
operating with a donor mentality
adding that it is run by an NGO
philosophy.
Yallah added "Its major interest
therefore, is to satisfy its donor
partners and not necessarily
the people on whose blood and
sweat it rose to power."
PUP chairman continued:
"Our people are increasingly
becoming the wretched of the
land while our economy is fast
being swallowed by foreigners
at the acquiescence of the state."
Yallah said the PUP is
determined to purge the current
government adding that it is
moribund by falsehood, broken
and false promises, corruption,
and nepotism."
"The people's agenda is therefore
a rescue mission seeking to usher
in a people-centered agenda with
the goal of creating the objective
conditions necessary for societal
transformation and nation
building."
Speaker Alex Tyler a member
of the ruling UP at the launch
attempted to openly challenge
some of the assertions made
by Senator Yallah but said he
wouldnt challenge the statement
due to the purpose of the
gathering.
Tyler said "With the beautiful
statement delivered by the
chairman and for the purpose of
this occasion, we intend not to
challenge some of the things he
said."
"Today the People Unifcation
Party joins a list of political
parties including the ruling
party where we come from and
we want to encourage them;
we encourage them to join this
political process because this
is what we Liberians opted for;
so that we can have multi-party
democracy."
Certifcating the PUP, the
Chairman of National Election
Commission Jerome Kokoyah
said the certifcation of PUP
dispels the notion that the
election commission intends to
reduce political parties.
Kokoyah continued: "This
day marking the certifcation
of yet another political
party is important because it
demonstrates and manifests the
commitment that the commission
allows competition, we dispel
the suspicion in some quarters
that NEC intends on reducing
political parties in Liberia,
the fact that today we will be
certifcating another political
party clearly shows that is not
the intent of NEC."
Kokoyah said, if political parties
are properly organized and
maturely operated, they could
be instrumental in enhancing
democracy.
"What we want as a board is to
have responsible interaction with
our people so as to foster our
democracy, said Korkoyah.
We want political parties that
will live within the confnes of
the law, we want political parties
that will help us in educating
our people on their basic rights
and pursue their democratic
aspirations, we like to say
congratulation to the People
Unifcation Party," Kokoyah
said.
APRM GETS NEW INTERIM CEO, AS ORGANIZATIONAL
RESTRUCTURING CONTINUESA
to reform the Mechanism and
address a number of issues
affecting the smooth operations
of the continental Secretariat
The replacement of the interim
CEO and the commencement
of a recruitment process for a
new permanent CEO and four
divisional heads were key
recommendations advanced
by the Committee of Focal
Points in its drive to reform the
Secretariat.
This recommendation was
adopted by the APR Forum of
Heads of State on June 25th,
during their 21stSummit,held
on the margins of the African
Union General Assembly,
where President Sirleaf
appointed Dr. Mayaki to act
as ARPM CEO pending the
appointment of a new CEO on
1stofJanuary 2015.
At same time, the African Union
has adopted a resolution for the
integration of the APRM in the
AU system. The AU decision
follows intense lobbying and
outreach by Liberias President
and Chair of the APR Forum,
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The African Union, over the
past three years, has provided
technical support to introduce
and apply administrative
processes and protocols and
procedures to the Secretariats
operations.

Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 11
Monrovia-
M
ulbah Morlu,
Vice President
for operations of
the opposition
Congress for Democratic
Change (CDC), has described
Mr. J. Milton Teahjay Sinoe
County superintendent as an
excess Baggage to the party.
Morlus comments come in
the wake of Teahjays recent
resignation from the CDC. In
response to a question about
the Partys position on the
resignation of the Sinoe county
Superintendent, who was a
prominent member of the CDC,
Morlu said the resignation of
Teahjay has brought relief to the
party, as he has been a serious
embarrassment to the Party.
Morlu said: After Teahjay
assumed the position of
superintendent of Sinoe County
we thought he would have used
the Partys agenda and ideology
to promote peace and unity in
the county, but to the contrary,
he became a pioneer of tribal
division in the county by dividing
the county and undermining
development in that county.
Those attitudes and action does
not refect good partisanship in
the CDC. He has refused to live
with party norms; so for such a
man to resign calls for celebration
by CDCians who want to see the
party liberated from the kind of
oligarchy, imperialism that is
entrenched in Teahjay. He was
an embarrassment to the Party
in terms of his divisive tribal
politics in the county and not
only an embarrassment he was
an excess baggage.
The CDC will not miss Teahjay
who according to Morlu has
been suspended by the Party for
the past three years because he
has refused to be a stabilizer.
Teahjay is among other
prominent party members who
have resigned from the CDC. He
joined the CDC as an opposition
politician, having served former
Liberian President Charles
Taylor as minister of information
and became a strong critic of
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
after she was elected as President
in 2006.
Teahjay since his appointment
has been accused of corruption
and engaging in tribal politics
among the people of Sinoe
County.
Urey given 7-day ultimatum
In a telephone interview with
FrontPageAfrica Monday, Mr.
Morlu also disclosed that CDC
has given Mr. Benoni Urey
seven days to distance himself
from a comment made by his
spokesperson Mr. Emmanuel
Lomax that he (Urey) is only a
F
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POLITICS
TEAHJAY IS AN
EXCESS BAGGAGE
Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com
sympathizer of the CDC and not
a member.
We heard the man claiming to
be his spokesman proffering
on the radio that we were
providing false information to
the public that Urey is a member
of the CDC when in fact he is a
sympathizer. We are not going
to hold Mr. Urey responsible for
the utterances of Mr. Emmanuel
Lomax; what we will do is to
press Urey to do a disclaimer
by stating that Lomaxs
comment does not represent his
personality, Morlu said.
Though he failed to state the
action that the party intends to
take against Mr. Urey if he fails
to distance himself from Mr.
Lomaxs comments, Morlu said
Mr. Lomax against the Party in
favor of Urey has made such
comments before.
Dont need questionable
millions
Asked if the Party needs Urey to
survive in the coming political
season he said: The ordinary
grassrooter, the woman who is
in West-Point selling fsh-ball
to survive is more important
to us than the man who is
worth millions of dollar that is
questionable.
We dont need people in
this party on the basis of
their fnancial wealth that is
questionable, we need people on
the basis of their loyalty to the
Party, and nobody in this party is
indispensible not even Mr. Urey.
Every CDCian is valuable on an
equitable basis especially those
who sell their palm oil to serve
their party. Those are our most
valuable assets, not individuals
whose wealth continue to be
questionable and not individuals
who are alleged to have gone
to Ukraine to buy arms and
ammunition for Taylor, he
added.
Says CDC, Gives Urey 7-day ultimatum to issue disclaimer on Comments
Few months ago Mr. Urey was
served a warning letter after
what the party said were reports
that he (Urey) was contemplating
becoming standard-bearer for
the party.
The Urey, CDC relationship has
been on course until recently
when the party issued a warning
to Urey to stop forming small
groups insisting that such is
against the code of conduct of
the party.
By directive of the National
Executive Committee (NEC)
of the Mighty Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC); I
am pleased to write you this
communication, driven by
your liable political behaviour,
which tends to promote a
strange ideology, & may be
a subtle devise to engender
selfsh political discord through
Organized factional activity as
you desperately move to idolize
what is now known as Friends
of Urey, stated a letter from the
party addressed to Urey.
Please be informed that these
demonstrated violations of party
policies are also a repugnant
breach of PART II BY-LAWS,
Chapter I Codes of Conduct,
Rule 7e of the constitution of
the Congress for Democratic
Change. Thus, it is in your best
interest to be cautioned that the
fagrant missteps characterizing
said defcits may aggravate
far-reaching consequences that
could be averted only were you
to halt any further actions on that
path of errancy.
F
RONT
PAGE
GOVERNMENT NEWS
Paynesville,
F
oreign Minister
Augustine Kpehe
Ngafuan has warned
that if Liberia does
not put an end to illiteracy, it
will be illiteracy that will put
an end to Liberia.
The Foreign Minister used his
Commencement Convocation
Speech at the Salvation Army-
run William Booth High
Schools 15th Graduation
Exercise to caution the nation
about the risk of illiteracy.
We must dedicate more and
more of our nations resources
to education because of a
simple and somber truth, if
Liberia does not put an end
to illiteracy, illiteracy will put
an end to Liberia, Minister
Ngafuan stated amidst huge
applause in a jam-packed
ceremony that took place over
the weekend at the schools
premises outside Monrovia.
He stressed that schools must
build libraries and research
centers that are conducive for
learning to enable Liberian
students compete with the
cinemas and the beaches. He
then emphasized the need for
schools to build fantastic
reading rooms and recreation
centers that can compete
with the fantastic Fridays
that see Liberian students
food the beaches and beer
IF LIBERIA DOESNT PUT AN END TO ILLITERACY, ILLITERACY
WILL PUT AN END TO LIBERIA, MIN. NGAFUAN WARNS

bars expending their youthful
energies and exuberance on
things that will accrue little
benefts to them in the future.

To the graduates, 192 of them
styled Pa-Da-Stra-A-Da-Stra
(a German expression meaning
From diffculties to success),
the Foreign Minister said,
My advice to you is to read,
read, read, and read. Your
commencement today is the
frst step.. My frst advice
to you is to move on with your
education because acquiring
a high school diploma is no
guarantee for success in the
new Liberia. Do not allow
this little success to make you
drunk. No one ever fnishes
book.
He urged them to, upon leaving
the high school of William
Booth, venture into the hard
school of life.
To the parents, the
Commencement Speaker
noted, Parents must never
refrain from engaging their
children at all levels of their
development, especially during
their formative years. Any
responsible and caring parent
would like to know what kind
of peers your children mingle
and interact with.
The Valedictorian for the
graduates, Student Reggie
Feahn urged his fellow
graduates to match expectations
with their level of education.

Student Feahn who built
his Val speech on the topic
Education, The Instrument
For Nation Building, appealed
to the Government to increase
its subsidiaries to private
schools, noting that education
is the light in darkness and the
foundation on which Liberia
will be built.
Page 12 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
F
RONT
PAGE
EBOLA
New York-
T
he United Nations
Security Council
will have a briefng
and consultations
on Tuesday (8 July) on the
UN Offce for West Africa
(UNOWA). The head of
UNOWA and the Secretary-
Generals Special Representative
to West Africa, Said Djinnit, will
brief. The Council may adopt a
press statement following the
meeting.
During Tuesdays meeting, the
Ebola epidemic that has affected
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
may be discussed. According to
the World Health Organizations
latest available fgures, since
the outbreak began about six
months ago there have been 779
confrmed or suspected cases of
Ebola and 441 deaths in the three
countries. A Doctors Without
Borders senior offcial described
the epidemic on 20 June as out
of control and claimed that the
gravity of the situation had not
been suffciently recognised. The
World Health Organization most
recently convened a meeting on
2-3 July in Accra, Ghana, with
the ministers of health and senior
health offcials from 11 African
countries and partners to discuss
ways to combat the epidemic.
While the Secretary-Generals
latest 26 June report on UNOWA
(S/2014/442) covers the full
range of the offces activities
and the challenges facing the
region, members will likely
be particularly interested
in discussing with Djinnit
the Boko Haram crisis. The
report describes a severely
deteriorated security situation
in northeastern Nigeria in the
past six months and highlights
the regional dimension of the
confict. It also notes a worsening
humanitarian situation. A joint
UN-Nigeria humanitarian
assessment mission in May
concluded that there were at least
650,000 internally displaced
persons and 60,000 refugees
in Cameroon, Chad and Niger
due to Boko Haram-related
violence. It also details Djinnits
efforts since being appointed as
the Secretary-Generals High
Representative to Nigeria on 8
May in response to the worsening
violence and international
outcry over the groups 14 April
kidnapping of nearly 300 school
girls in Chibok, Nigeria
Council members will likely
want to learn more about
Djinnits efforts, as well as
recent multilateral agreements
for greater military cooperation
to combat Boko Haram reached
on 17 May and 12 June in
Paris and London among
Nigeria, countries of the region
and France, the UK and US.
Members could also be keen
to discuss how the UN role can
be enhanced and elicit Djinnits
views on how the Council
can become more involved in
dealing with Boko Haram or in
supporting his work. So far, the
UN has announced that it will
provide an integrated support
package to Nigeria that will
help address socio-economic
problems in the north and include
assistance for the abducted girls
and their families when they are
released.
Human rights issues might also
be addressed at the meeting
tomorrow. Since February, as
refected in the recent UNOWA
report, Djinnit and other UN
offcials have held discussions
with Nigeria regarding the
potential deployment of human
rights monitors to the northeast
region, and members may want
more information about the
human rights situation in the
country. In addition to Boko
Haram attacks against civilian
populations and targets
including villages, markets and
schoolsAmnesty International
reported on 31 March that
Nigerias security forces and
civilian task forces had been
responsible for abuses such as
extrajudicial executions, mass
arrests, poor detention conditions
and torture.
The Secretariat has also had
discussions with the Nigerian
government about a possible
UN role to support national
coordination mechanisms of
assistance to Nigeria. Council
members may be interested in
learning more about what this
would entail.
The Council has largely refrained
from addressing the growing
violence and increasing terrorist
attacks during the course of the
insurgency. Its frst signifcant
pronouncement on the confict
came three weeks after the
kidnapping of the Chibok school
girls, when it demanded in a 9
May press statement the girls
release and noted for the frst
time the regional threat posed by
Boko Haram and its intentions to
consider appropriate measures
against the group (SC/11387).
Since then, the 1267 Al-Qaida
Sanctions Committee has added
Boko Haram, its leader Abubakar
Shekau, and the splinter group
Ansaru to its consolidated list.
In spite of the heightened
international attention on Boko
Haram, attacks by the group
have occurred with increased
frequency. Recent attacks have
included a bomb blast at a market
in Maiduguri on 1 July, which
reportedly killed 56 people; a
bombing at a mall in Abuja that
killed at least 24 people on 25
June; and the reported abduction
of around 90 people on 22 June
in three villages near Chibok.
The Kibaku Area Development
Association, a local residents
association in the Chibok area,
is among those which have
claimed that the military is
failing to respond to warnings
about pending Boko Haram
attacks. It issued a statement on
4 July calling for UN protection
since the federal government is
not providing adequate security.
At tomorrows meeting,
members are also likely to be
interested in Djinnits good
offces efforts more broadly
across the region. UNOWA has
been increasing its efforts to
monitor political developments
in the large number of countries
that will be holding presidential
EBOLA ON UN SECURITY
COUNCIL AGENDA
EBOLA OUTBREAK:
GHANA TESTS US MAN
Holds Briefng and Consultations on the UN Offce in West Africa

A
US citizen is being tested for the Ebola virus in Ghana,
which has had no confrmed cases of the virus in the
current West African outbreak.
The man has been quarantined at the private Nyaho
Clinic in the capital, Accra, health offcials say.
The virus has so far killed more than 460 people since it broke
out in Guinea in February and spread to neighbouring Liberia and
Sierra Leone.
It is the world's deadliest outbreak to date and there is no cure for
Ebola.
The US embassy in Accra said it had been informed that a US
citizen was being tested but would not give any more details,
Reuters news agency reports.
'Under control'
The man was believed to have visited Guinea and Sierra Leone in
recent weeks.
Ghana's health ministry said it had put in place "precautionary
measures" and people should stay calm.
Staff at the clinic had also been quarantined and provided with
protective clothing, it added in a statement.
and legislative elections in 2015
and 2016. Djinnit visited Burkina
Faso as part of an early warning
mission with ECOWAS, and
the Secretary-Generals report
notes warnings by interlocutors
in Burkina Faso that a proposed
referendum to allow President
Blaise Campaor7#233 another
term could trigger violence.
The report also covers the
recent presidential elections on
21 June in Mauritania, which
were boycotted by much of
the opposition. In addition, it
highlights political tensions in
Niger and Togo. Members could
inquire about the potential for
destabilisation or violence in any
of these situations.
In this regard, the Council may
discuss further the Secretary-
Generals proposal from his
11 December 2013 report
(S/2013/732), and reiterated in
his latest report, to establish an
analytical unit within the political
affairs section of UNOWA. The
Secretary-General has described
the unit as necessary to better
inform UNOWAs good offces
work and preventive diplomacy,
which is being conducted in
increasingly complex situations.
As most Council members spoke
favorably about the proposal
in Decembers consultations,
members may want to know why
the unit has not been established
yet and possible budget
implications.
Members could seek to discuss
ongoing efforts by West African
countries and UNOWA to address
cross-border security threats in
the Manu River Union, the Gulf
of Guinea and the Sahel, as well
as drug traffcking and other
organised crime activities in the
region. Also of interest might
be that the Cameroon-Nigeria
Mixed Commission border
demarcation process, envisioned
for completion in 2014 and long
viewed as a positive example of
UNOWAs good offces work,
has been slowed. According
to the Secretary-Generals
recent report this is due to the
challenging security situation in
northeastern Nigeria.
While the Council usually
receives the biannual UNOWA
briefngs and takes no action,
there is a possibility of issuing
a statement to endorse the
Secretary-Generals proposed
political analytical unit. DPA
requires some type of signal from
the Council in order to establish
the unit and apparently Djinnit
has requested a statement for
this reason. Additionally, some
members have also suggested
that it would be important to
release a statement following
the meeting with Djinnit in light
of the crisis with Boko Haram.
Nigeria is the penholder on West
Africa and despite this confict
being a sensitive issue for it, it
seems Nigeria would still be
open to such a statement as long
as it refects UNOWAs broader
mandate and is not just limited
to Boko Haram. At press time,
Nigerias current plan is to draft
a press statement following
the briefng if enough Council
members want one.
MONROVIA
T
he Ministry of Gender and Development, the Ministry
of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism and the
Womens NGO Secretariat (WONGOSOL), working
with the Access to Information Project of The Carter
Center, will release the study "Women and the Right of Access
to Information in Liberia. The reports fndings will be released
on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, at 2 p.m. in the Ballroom, Monrovia
City Hall.
This study the frst of its kind - was conducted by the Carter
Centers Access to Information Project in association with
WONGOSOL, and the support of the Government of Liberia.
Research and interviews were carried out in four counties,
including Bomi, Lofa, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh, and the City of
Monrovia.
The right of access to information is a fundamental human right,
contained in the Liberian Constitution and made effective through
the Liberian Freedom of Information Law of 2010. Yet women are
often excluded from exercising this right. The study established
empirical evidence that women do not access pubic information
at the same rate as men and identifed the main obstacles facing
women in the exercise of the right to information, as well as the
information women deem most important for increased economic
empowerment.
Several Liberian leaders, including the minister of information,
minister of gender and the minister of education, will comment
on how these fndings can help advance the right of access
to information and help women achieve greater economic
empowerment.
Organizers hope the report will increase dialogue about the
inequities faced by women in seeking the public information
they need to transform their lives and that it will lead to a call for
concrete action.
The report release on Wednesday will be followed by a stakeholder
dialogue on Thursday, July 10 to jointly consider creative
solutions to overcome obstacles facing women and to develop
priority recommendations to advance women's right of access to
information.
GOL, CARTER CENTER TO
RELEASE REPORT ON FOI
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
T
he New Democrat newspaper (New Democrat, June 27, 2014)
reports that despite Liberia being independent since . . . 1847,
the country is still controlled by individuals who pay allegiance
to the USA. They are dual citizens - Liberians who are
naturalized citizens of foreign countries but claim Liberian citizenships.
Case in point, the paper says, is the Presidents son, Mr. Robert Sirleaf,
former Senior Advisor to his Mother/President of Liberia and an admitted
US citizen with Passport #218198381, in Liberia on permit of residence
(visitor, work?) since June, 2010, and former Chairman of the Board of
the National Oil Corporation of Liberia.
And, according to the FPA newspaper (FrontPageAfricaonline, July 2,
2014), Dual citizenship is one of the newest debates (has been and is
for years) in Liberia as many Diaspora Liberians who gained foreign
citizenship . . . are pushing to be granted dual citizenship to enable them
maintain their foreign and Liberian citizenships at the same time. Cases
in point, FPA says, are that many Liberians appointed to positions in
government have been denied confrmation by the (Liberian) Senate as
a consequence of their dual citizenship status, but there are still others
serving top positions in government who hold dual nationality. The
President (of Liberia) admitted that there are several individuals serving
in her government who hold dual citizenship. For example, Public
Works Minister (appearing before the Senate) responded to a question .
. . about her citizenship, said that is a crazy question, I am a Liberian, I
got a birth certifcate and have a Liberian passport; how else I can prove
my Liberialism? Meanwhile, Dual citizenship had been and is illegal
in Liberia.

These persistent reports are not only clear violations of law, particularly,
against dual citizenship, but also profound disregard, disrespect and
premeditated put-down of our law, the Liberian nation and people and,
above all, disloyalty and unpatriotism to the nation by individuals who
make unlawful claims of Liberian citizenshps, at the highest levels, simply,
for economic gain. We present this response because dual citizenship
had been, throughout our history, and is, one of the major sources of the
nations socio-economic and political nightmares, including corruption
which the nations current President described as Liberias public enemy
No. 1 - public/private dishonesty (corruption, now roaring, no longer
rampant); and an indictment of the nations moral rectitude; and, most
importantly, a dangerous threat to national security of the nation.
Citizenship
The history of citizenship is a description of the changing relationships
or contracts by and between the individual, the citizen, and the political
community, the social state, with governing conditions - legal rights,
obligations and responsibilities of the citizen to the state, and of the
state to the citizen. This mode of relationship obtained and continues
to obtain, according to history and dates, specifcally, from the days of
the political thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, etc.) of ancient, Greek city-states,
through middle ages to our modern, contemporary times. Fundamentally,
citizenship is defned by and based on commitments/obligations of
Love-of-country loyalty, allegiance, patriotism and other, related,
lawful obligations of the citizen to the state, and the state to the citizen.
These obligations/responsibilities include such services (during civil
disasters and military conficts, socio-economic, political and security)
that are so very important that they constitute major components of the
curriculum for the study of Civics, the course of study designed to impart
and instill into the minds of young citizens the critical, lawful and moral
obligations of citizen to the state and the state to the citizen; notions of
loyalty, allegiance and patriotism; socio-cultural principles and values;
and the sense of national belonging, individual/collective identity, unity
and security. Therefore, citizenship, as a right, is not without reasonable
obligations/responsibilities. That right is defned and bestowed upon
individuals, now citizens, by the social state based on and in return of
binding obligations terms & conditions of the citizen to the state and
the state to the citizen.
Birth Rights & Jus Soli (right of the soil)
Birth rights (births on the soil) are not citizenship rights because
birthrights are ordained and given by nature; whereas, citizenship rights
are given by the social state. Therefore, the state-giver may deny or reject
citizenship rights for cause, consistent with established, binding terms
and conditions.
Jus Soli (right of the soil). Recently, there has been a great deal of
emphasis on Liberia-born, birthright citizenship that may not be
denied, according to proponents of dual citizenship in our country; that
such right is an inalienable right of those born on the soil of the territory
of the Republic of Liberia. While this birthright, a priori gift of nature
or a natural-right that may not be denied by human society, citizenship
right had been, and is, defned, determined and applied by humankind in
society, according to modern, socio-political thought and on terms and
conditions of the social contract. It is important to note, for information
and emphasis, that a birth certifcate of country A is, simply and
reasonably, means of identifcation, but lacks reasonable, legal foundation
as basis of citizenship right, particularly, where the individual, although
born in the county A, but lawful citizen of country B, as in the case of the
Public Works Minister.
Moreover, jus Soli (right of or birth on the soil) applies only to those
countries, that are signatories to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction
of Statelessness, that will grant nationality or citizenship to individuals
who would, otherwise, be stateless, having been born on their territories
or on their ship or airplane. Besides, Jus Soli is observed by a minority
of the worlds countries. The United States and Canada are the only large
economies that observe birthright citizenship, according to the IMF. Since
2004, no European country grants unconditional birthright citizenship
based on Jus Soli.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship is not new to Liberia and Liberians. Characterized by
socio-economic and political infdelity to the Liberian nation and public/
private dishonesty (corruption), dual citizenship has been in illegal
practice in Liberia since the days of founding of the nation by freed
slaves in 1847. Almost all Liberian government offcials, their families
and related, socio-economic and political class (the ruling groups) were
and some, today, are dual citizens. But, Dual citizenship is clear violation,
not only of the foregoing, basic principles, but also fagrant violations of
the nations organic law.
Dual Citizenship, Loyalty & National Security
Elsewhere we held that the notion of dual citizenship carries with it the
responsibility/obligation to be exclusively loyal to a single state at a time,
because the concept of dual citizenship raises questions about which
of the countries granting dual citizenships has priority. This question is
extremely important, in that, in the event that the two countries involved
have opposing, conficting interests, a condition which, very often, has
been the case, especially during these times of numerous, worldwide,
ethnic/tribal, religious, economic and political conficts, it can be a deadly
problem where and when a dual citizen is in a highly-placed, policy
development, prescription and implementation position of government.
For example, let us imagine, momentarily, an alien, Liberian dual citizen,
who has mortgaged, exclusively, his/her loyalty/allegiance/patriotism
to a foreign country, to serve as Minister of National Defense in our
government; holding cabinet position and in the Executive Mansion
offce of the nations President; Chief Justice, Director of National
Security Agency, National Security Advisor to the President, Managing
Director & Deputy, member on board of Directors of state enterprises,
etc., etc. Apparently, this is going on today, according to the Presidents
admission, in violation of law.
Dual Citizenship & the Liberian Political Economy
In his presentation on behalf of the ULAA-led/sponsored Pro-Dual
Citizenship Conference held in Washington, D. C., USA., entitled,
Making The Case For Dual Citizenship in Liberia, December 7-8,
2012, Liberias Dr. George K. Kieh, Professor of Political Science and
former Dean of the University of West Georgia, USA, argued that The
Political Economy of Liberia provides the context (and bears the awesome
responsibility) for why some Liberians migrated to other countries . . .
and acquired (naturalized) citizenship.
Because of the nature, timing, relevance of this academic analysis, we
submit, verbatim, the relevant portions of Dr. Kiehs argument.
At the base, Dr. Kieh held, is a state whose central mission has been
to create propitious conditions for the predatory accumulation of wealth
by the owners of multinational corporations (e. g. Bong Mines, Firestone,
Liberian Agricultural Company, LAMCO) and other foreign-owned
businesses . . . and Liberian state managers and their relations (the ruling,
political class) . . . The state has visited deprivation and misery on the
overwhelming majority of Liberians . . . The related feature is the unfair
and unjust distribution of wealth and income.
For example, in the 1980s, he argued, about 6% of Liberians (members
of the ruling, political class) owned and controlled about 65% of the
national wealth . . . This was made possible through the instrumentality
of the state: The members of the ruling (political) class used the state to
engage in the predatory accumulation of wealth through an assortment
of illegal means, principally, through the pillaging and plundering of the
national treasury. Accordingly, the state has become like a buffet service
in which those who have state power (ruling, political class) in Liberia at
particular historical junctures and their relations eat all they can eat for
free . . .

Another characteristic of the domestic, political Economy, Dr. Kieh
noted, was (and is) the failure of state managers (ruling, political class) to
provide basic public goods such as employment, education, healthcare,
etc. Also, in order to keep their privileged positions, state managers, as
instruments of the ruling class, have used the coercive powers of the state
to visit physical violence on both the real and imagined opponents of the
particular regime that is power at the time.
Cumulatively, the Political Science Professor concludes that the
vagaries of the political economy led to multi-dimensional crises of under-
development, which refected the failure of the state . . . Concomitantly,
PERSPECTIVE
Bai M. Gbala,Sr.
bai_gbala@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
FOREIGNER IN CHARGE, CRAZY QUESTION;
DUAL CITIZENS?: A COMMENTARY
state failure resulted in state collapse . . . The terminal phase of state
collapse resulted in the military coup on April 12, 1980, and two civil wars
in 1989 and 1999. In turn, these violent activities created an environment
of insecurity, as the Liberian state became the principal threat to the safety
and security of its own citizens.
Dr. Kiehs presentation - analysis/conclusion - holds, reasonably, that
the historic, Liberian political economy, dominated and controlled by
the nations ruling, political class or groups, majority of which were
dual citizens throughout the 167 years of our existence, bears the major,
basic responsibility for the nations multi-dimensional crises of under-
development that culminated into the recent (1989-2003), massive
abandonment by Liberian citizens of their native country, Liberia, into
foreign lands and taking on naturalized citizenships. This conclusion is
consistent with other, keen, historical observers/analysts of the Liberian
experience. For, the phrase Liberian ruling class, state mangers, used
interchangeably by Dr. Kieh, connote or is synonymous with identifcation
of those select, few citizens who ruled, directed, managed, dominated
and controlled, and do so today, both political and economic governance
of the Liberian state and known simply as the ruling class or ruling
groups, the overwhelming majority of whose members were and are
dual citizens, and to whom the Liberian nation owes the vagaries of the
political economy (that) led to multi-dimensional crises of past history
and prevailing realities.
Journalist Toteh observed that Liberians have had (non-legalized) dual
citizenship from day one (when) freed slaves landed on Liberian soil.
Almost all Liberian government offcials and their families (the ruling
class) were and are, today, dual citizens, citizens of other countries and
Liberia, especially the developed countries, with the US at the top of the
list (Thomas Toteh, Voice of Liberia, October 19, 2012).
In the light of validated evidence and the celebrated case of Corkrum,
Johnson and others, gains from dual citizenship earned in Liberia were
and are being transferred out of Liberia to buy homes, maintain families
and educate children in foreign countries, a macroeconomic detriment
to the Liberian economy. Is it not a proper line of inquiry into setting
reasonable parameters on dual citizenship in Liberia, in the effort to
safeguard the peace, security and vital, political and economic interests
of the state and its people?
Observations/Conclusion
The United States of America, Liberias historic mentor, the great country
to which Liberian nation owes its very, founding support and, indeed,
survival; and the most powerful nation on earth, caught in the quagmire of
dual citizenship with its dangerous tentacles manipulated by dual citizens.
The powerful country, the USA, is deeply-plunged in and faced with the
excruciating diffculty of dis-entanglement, despite the nations academic/
intellectual talent/resources; superior, military might; profoundly
supreme/persuasive diplomatic, political and economic power.
According to US Journalist/writer, Dan Eden (Dual Citizenship: Loyal
to Whom, 2007), dual citizens have been and are placed in strategic,
sensitive positions in the US government; and their strong . . . lobby
have powerful infuence over US foreign (and domestic) policies. These
policies . . . can be viewed as in direct opposition to the interests and
(national) security of the American people and nation. These acts
and policies are . . . carried out by US government appointees (dual
citizens) who hold powerful positions and who are dual (American-
other country) citizens. Since the policies they (dual citizens) support are
often exclusively benefcial to other (their original) countries, often to
the detriment of America, it has been argued that their (dual citizens)
loyalties are misdirected.

Moreover, dual citizens (like Liberian) dominate and control, almost all
major commercial/industrial, productive capacities of the US political
economy. Thus, their economic power infuences domestic politics (House
& Senate). In the realm of foreign policy, the results are devastating.
US policy dealing with Arabs and Islamists have been and are defned
and infuenced by important dual citizens holding strategic, sensitive
positions.
Todays conficts, again, according to US Journalist Dan Eden, are
centered in the Middle East (and the costly, deadly war in Afghanistan)
and the Arab world. While the (also costly, deadly) Iraq war was waged
on lies about weapons of mass destruction and revenge for 911, the real
reason has emerged as a well-designed, global plan leverage of the original
countries of the dual citizens (not to improve the power and leverage of
the US). Added to this policy is yet another potential blow to American
interests and security the impending (possible nuclear) war with Iran.
This war will be waged for the security of the dual citizens original
countries (not the US) and will be paid for by the blood of American
soldiers and the hard-earned money of American citizens . . .
Finally, although US and Liberian vital, socio-economic and political
interests - the critical dictates of national policies differ in detail,
it is reasonable for Liberia to be informed by and, indeed, should and
must learn and beneft from US experience, especially on the impact of
the results of dual citizenship. For, it is said that those who ignore the
mistakes and related lessons of history are likely to repeat them.
Importantly, during these troubled days of international terrorism, ethnic/
tribal, religious, socio-economic, political rivalry, deadly conficts and the
menace of soldiers-of-fortune, it is not a rational proposition, in fact, it
is dangerous, to entrust the life, well-being and national security into the
hands, control and domination of an alien Liberian, born on the soil or
not, one who has mortgaged, exclusively, his/her allegiance, loyalty and
patriotism to a foreign country and known as a dual citizen.
Page 14 |
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
IN BRIEF
CLASHES BETWEEN
NIGERIA ARMY,
ISLAMISTS KILL 59
UKRAINE'S FIRST BIG WIN OVER
REBELS DIMS TRUCE HOPES
PISTORIUS: LAST WITNESS
TESTIFIES FOR DEFENSE

Abuja (AFP) -
C
lashes between
Nigerian armed
forces and Islamists
after a daring
attack on the military in the
country's restive northeast left
53 insurgents and six troops
dead, a spokesman announced
Saturday.
The rebels attacked barracks
and a police station in the town
of Damboa, in Borno state,
late Friday while most of the
troops were out on patrol in
surrounding villages, drawing
an army response, defence
spokesman General Chris
Olukolade said in a statement.
Five soldiers and a senior
offcer were killed while
repelling the attack.
The area was cordoned off
and searched, while the
bodies of the fallen soldiers
were recovered and taken to a
military morgue.
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP)

T
he defense team for
Oscar Pistorius plans
to close its case after
its last witness, a
physician who has treated the
athlete, completed his testimony
at the murder trial on Monday, a
lawyer said.
The end of testimony signals a
new phase in the months-long trial
of Pistorius, who killed girlfriend
Reeva Steenkamp in his home
in what he has described as a
mistaken shooting. It is expected
to lead to a break during which the
defense and prosecution prepare
fnal arguments as the high-
profle legal battle moves toward
a conclusion.
Barry Roux, the chief defense
lawyer, indicated that he would
wrap up on Tuesday morning after
fnal consultations with his team.
Kiev (AFP) -
R
esurgent Ukrainian
forces on Sunday
pursued retreating pro-
Russian rebels after
seizing their symbolic bastion in a
morale-boosting win that appeared
to dim hopes for a ceasefre in the
bloody separatist insurgency.
Western-backed President Petro
Poroshenko called the moment
when his troops hoisted the
Ukrainian fag over the militias'
seat of power in Slavyansk "a
turning point" in a campaign that
has killed nearly 500 people and
infamed East-West ties.
The rebels admitted suffering
heavy losses while abandoning the
strategic city nearly three months
to the day after its capture marked
the onset of a new and even more
bloody chapter in Ukraine's worst
crisis since independence in 1991.

Kano, Nigeria (CNN) --
S
ixty-three women
and girls kidnapped
by Boko Haram last
month in Nigeria
escaped from their captors and
have returned to their burnt
village, a security source and
a local vigilante fghting the
militant group said.
The hostages were seized
from the Kummabza village in
northern Borno state on June
18 after a four-day invasion
of the village by Boko Haram
insurgents. The militants killed
30 men and burned the entire
village.
Their escape is good news,
but the Islamist terrorist
group is still believed to be
holding about 200 schoolgirls
abducted April 14 from their
hostels in the town of Chibok
-- a case that drew international
outrage and prompted a global
campaign for their release.
Boko Haram has been active
as a violent group since 2009
and has killed Nigerians, both
Christian and Muslim, at rates
frequently exceeding 100
people weekly.
The name "Boko Haram"
translates to "Western
education is sin" in the local
Hausa language. The militant
group is trying to impose strict
Sharia law across Nigeria,
the most populous country in
Africa.
The group especially opposes
the education of women.
Under its version of Sharia
law, women should be at home
raising children and looking
after their husbands, not at
school learning to read and
write.
'Rare opportunity to escape'
The female hostages escaped
Friday while their captors left
their camp to launch an attack
against the military and police
in the nearby town of Damboa,
said Bukar Kyari, a local
vigilante fghting Boko Haram
in Maiduguri.
Soldiers overwhelmed the
insurgents, forcing them to
mobilize all their men and
leave the abducted women in
the camp, Kyari said.
"The women seized that rare
opportunity to escape when
NEWSPAPER RUNS HEADLINE REFERRING TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AS N-WORD
A
local paper is
making national
headlines thanks to
a questionable word
choice in one of its own news
headlines.
The West View News, a
monthly paper in New Yorks
West Village with a circulation
of around 20,000, ran an op-
ed from author James Lincoln
Collier titled N----r in the
White House.
If the headline wasn't strange
and shocking enough, the New
York Post reports that the op-ed
is actually a pro-Obama piece,
in which Collier argues that, "far
right voters hate Obama because
he is black."
The Post included a photo of the

article headline in its piece with
the offending language blurred
out.
The West View News ran an
opposing view column below
Colliers piece by African
American columnist Alvin Hall
titled, "This headline offends
me."
"The decision to use this
headline feels misguided to me,"
Hall writes. "I dont see how its
use benefts anyone, but I do
feel all too clearly how it deeply
offends me."
Its not the frst time Collier,
86, has stoked controversy
through his use of the N-word in
publication. His 1981 historical
novel Jump Ship to Freedom
(co-written with his brother)
uses the word repeatedly in its
text. It was reportedly taken
down from the shelves from
several libraries over the years.
So, why did the paper decide
to run a headline with such a
controversial, and many might
say, unnecessary, word choice?
It might just come down to little
more than a strange case of
journalistic rivalry.
West View News editor George
Capsis says Collier convinced
him to use the word over
objections from the papers
editorial staff.
In this article, however, Jim
reminded me that the New York
Times avoids using the word
which convinced me that West
View should, Capsis says in
an explanation published in the
paper and reported by The Post.
The West View News has not
formally responded to questions
about the editorial and did not
run a copy of it on its website.
63 ABDUCTED WOMEN, GIRLS
ESCAPE FROM BOKO HARAM
Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls
they realized they were alone
in the camp," Kyari said. "But
we still have fve women,
including a nursing mother,
missing."
News of the escape was slow
to emerge due to trouble with
telecommunication towers in
the area damaged by previous
Boko Haram attacks.
Boko Haram has recently
intensifed abductions of
women in northeastern
Borno state, where its fve-
year insurgency is largely
concentrated.
When a group of women and
girls abducted in November
was later rescued from Boko
Haram, some were pregnant.
Others had been forcibly
converted to Islam and married
off to their kidnappers.
#BringBackOurGirls
The April kidnapping
galvanized international
opinion against Boko Haram
and inspired the hashtag
#BringBackOurGirls.
The terror group abducted
an estimated 276 girls April
14 from a boarding school in
Chibok in northeastern Nigeria.
Dozens escaped, but more than
200 girls are still missing.
Since then the insurgents,
seemingly galvanized by the
attention, have stepped up
the frequency and brazenness
of the attacks on villages in
the region. Other girls have
been kidnapped, but in lesser
numbers.
The Nigerian government has
come under fre for not doing
enough to fnd the girls. About
a month ago the government
tried to stop organized protests
for the abducted girls, then
backtracked and allowed the
protests.
Deadly battles rage on
Meanwhile, the group
continues battling Nigeria's
military.
Its ambitions have apparently
expanded to the destruction of
the Nigerian government.
On Friday, at least six soldiers,
fve police offcers and 53 Boko
Haram fghters were killed
after the militants launched an
attack in the town of Bama,
the Nigerian Defense Ministry
said.
Local residents said half the
town was burnt, including the
police station.
Many of Boko Haram's attacks
take place in the northern part
of the country, despite the fact
that Nigeria's northern half is
mainly Muslim and the south is
mainly Christian.
But the radical militant group
does not consider all Muslims
as supporters and allies. Boko
Haram has allegedly killed
Muslim clerics who have dared
to criticize the group.
And there have been
suggestions that it attacks
certain mosques because
members have spoken
out against it and helped
federal offcials with their
crackdown. Analysts say
attacks are aimed at instilling
fear in the local population to
prevent cooperation with the
government.
Mohammed Yusuf, a
charismatic young cleric,
founded Boko Haram 12 years
ago as part of his push for a
pure Islamic state in Nigeria.
He was killed in 2009, but his
group lived on.
Boko Haram became more
violent after his death as his
supporters vowed to strike
back. Human Rights Watch
estimates that in the past
fve years, more than 3,000
people have been killed in the
violence.
F
RONT
PAGE
WORLD NEWS
Frontpage
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 Page 15
SUAREZ WOULD BE A GREAT SIGNING
FOR BARCA, SAYS DEULOFEU
BRAZIL WORLD CUP 2014
Sports
SPORTS
REPORT: ROCKETS
OFFER MAX DEAL TO
CHRIS BOSH (PENDING
JEREMY LIN TRADE)
NEYMAR CRIED 'I
CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS'
AFTER CHALLENGE
FULHAM MANAGER
FELIX MAGATH BLASTS
'MEDIOCRE' LANDON
DONOVAN FOR
COMMENTS
M
iami Heat
forward Chris
Bosh had his
frst direct
conversation with Houston
Rockets management on
Monday morning, inching
closer to the possibility of a
four-year, $80million-plus
contract, league sources told
Yahoo Sports.
Boshs stance on his intentions
have remained unchanged: His
preference is to stay with Miami
on a new deal and play with
LeBron James. Nevertheless,
James hasnt committed to a
return and Houston has moved
aggressively to secure a deal
with Bosh, sources said.
Madrid (AFP) -
B
razil's star striker
Neymar cried "I can't
feel my legs" after
a crunch World Cup
challenge by Colombia's Juan
Zuniga, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari
told Spanish sports daily Marca.
Scolari said the whole team
panicked after the knee in the back
tackle during Brazil's quarter-fnal
victory over Colombia on Friday.
Left back Marcelo was frst to reach
the striker, who suffered a fractured
vertebrae that has ruled him out of
the World Cup, after the challenge.
Marcelo knelt next to Neymar and
asked how he felt, according to
Scolari.
"He replied: 'I can't feel my legs,'"
added the coach.
F
ulham boss Felix Magath
has come to the defense
of his compatriot Jurgen
Klinsmann in the form
of an offensive attack on Landon
Donovan.
Donovan has been in the news for
criticizing some of Klinsmann's
selections and tactics in Team
USA's round-of-16 defeat to
Belgium, sentiments which were
relayed by Scott French of MLS.
com. Donovan, as we all know,
was controversially omitted from
Klinsmann's fnal 23-man roster for
the World Cup.
Magath, who was capped 43 times
for then-West Germany, wasn't
impressed by Donovan's comments.
He praised the Americans' efforts
but was highly critical of Donovan
on his Facebook page.
Highlights include: reminding that
Donovan couldn't cut it on Bayern
Munich's second team and calling
him a "mediocre player."


B
razil begin life without
Neymar at this World Cup
as they face Germany in
Tuesdays semi-fnal at the
Estadio Mineirao.
The Barcelona forward suffered a
fractured vertebra following a clash
with Jose Zuniga in Fridays 2-1 win
over Colombia and was ruled out of the
rest of the competition by doctors after
the match in Fortaleza.
Reports in the Brazilian media claimed
on Sunday that the 22-year-old could
feature if Luiz Felipe Scolaris side
make the fnal, but his participation in
this tournament remains unlikely and
the former Santos man is defnitely
sidelined for the game against Germany.
In the absence of Neymar, Scolari is set
to choose between Willian, Bernard,
Oscar and Hernanes to fll in for teams
most famous player.
Captain Thiago Silva is also out after
picking up a second yellow card in this
competition against Colombia and the
Paris Saint-Germain defender will be
replaced by Bayern Munichs Dante for
the clash with Germany.
Brazil and Germany have only met
once before at a World Cup and that
was in the 2002 fnal when the Selecao
won 2-0.
There are no survivors from either side
in the two squads this time around, but
Scolari was the coach in his frst spell
as Brazil boss.
Like Scolari, who also made the last
four with Portugal in 2006, Germany
coach Joachim Low is involved in a
World Cup semi-fnal for the third time,
having lost out to winners Spain in 2010
and also assisted former boss Jurgen
Klinsmann as the Mannschaft were
beaten by Italy at home in 2006.
Shkodran Mustaf is sidelined for the
rest of the tournament after picking
up a thigh injury in the last 16 against
Algeria, while Per Mertesacker has
been laid low with fu, which affected a
total of seven Germany players.
Germany have yet to play in Belo
Horizonte at this World Cup, but Brazil
unbeaten at home since a 1-0 defeat to
Paraguay in 2002 return to the scene
of last weeks win on penalties against
Chile in the last 16.
Brazil: Julio Cesar; Maicon, David
Luiz, Dante, Marcelo; Luiz Gustavo,
Fernandinho; Hulk, Oscar, Willian;
Fred
Germany: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng,
Hummels, Howedes; Khedira,
Schweinsteiger, Kroos; Ozil, Muller,
Gotze
T
he 20-year-old
believes the Liverpool
striker is one of the
best in the world and
is looking forward to the new
season after his loan spell at
Everton
Gerard Deulofeu has stated that
Luis Suarez would be a "great
signing" for Barcelona should he
move to the Catalan giants.
Barca are said to be very
interested in the Uruguayan star,
who is banned from all football-
related activity for four months
for biting Giorginio Chiellini
during their World Cup clash
with Italy.
And Deulofeu, who returned to
Catalonia this summer after a
season on loan at Everton, has
expressed his excitement at the
prospect of playing with Suarez
to the Camp Nou.
"He [Suarez] is a very interesting
player," he told Mundo
Deportivo. "For me, hes one of
the best strikers in the world and
if he comes he would be a great
signing.
"I've never had an idol but I
watched Ronaldinho, and then
players like Xavi, Andres Iniesta,
Lionel Messi. They are so good,
its impossible not to notice
them.
"Its a shame [Victor Valdes
and Carles Puyol] will leave.
Well miss them and well see if
Xavi goes, but there are players
like Andres Iniesta and Sergio
Busquets. They help the young
people a lot."
Deulofeu is confdent that his
time at Everton has put him in
a good position to make a mark
with Luis Enriques side.
"I really want to start the season,
for everything to go well and to
win everything with Barca.
"I worked hard at Everton, I


LIFE AFTER
NEYMAR
The host nation are without their star man for the rest
of the tournament through injury and will need a new
source of inspiration if they are to make the fnal
learned many things and I was
lucky enough to achieve my goal
of returning home.
"I learned personally and in
football. Until youre away, and
you have no family, the food, the
weather, you dont know what
you have and you learn to value
things.
"[Messi, Neymar and Suarez]
are the best players but I am
confdent in myself. I think a lot
of my chances and I work every
day hoping to get my challenge.
"For now Im on vacation, what
I have to do is work hard and do
what the coach decides.
"Just getting in the team will
make me happy. Collectively the
requirement of the club is to win
titles.
"I like a little pressure. Thats
how football goes. I think that
without pressure we cant be the
best."
BRAZIL V. GERMANY
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
Sports
FrontPage
PRICE L$40 VOL 8 NO.631 TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2014
WORLD CUP


All the action in Brazil


Spot News FrontPage
Monrovia
L
ast week private burial of fallen
Ugandan doctor, Sam Mutooro,
died after contracting the deadly
Ebola virus while assisting a
fellow health care worker.
A number of memorial services were held in
Dr. Mutooros hometown in Uganda and his
wife lamented the fact that she was unable
to attend the funeral and is hoping that
authorities in Liberia and Uganda can exhume
the body and return it to Uganda. Liberia
authorities have told FrontPageAfrica that it
is scientifcally impossible to do. Authorities
say Dr. Mutooro had a respectable burial.
The deceaseds wife, Ms Dianah Mutooro, is
quoted by the Ugandan Monitor as saying that
she tried to fy to Liberia to pay last respects to
her husband but was blocked by the ministry
of Foreign Affairs citing the Ebola threat in
the West African countries. On Wednesday,
we booked air tickets to fy to Liberia to give
him the last respect but ministry of foreign
affairs stopped us and told us that we shall
go there when Liberia is declared Ebola free.
But I request the government to at least help
us bring his body home for a decent burial
so that his children are able to live with the
memory of their father, she added.
Rev Baluku Mutoro, the deceaseds elder
brother said: We have got information that
after 21 days of the body being in the soil, it
becomes Ebola free. If that is true we shall
not bother to fy to Liberia but fy his body
back to his ancestral home if government
helps us.
DOCTOR SAMS BURIAL
Ugandan Doctor who fell prey to Ebola was buried in rural Montserrado County Last Week
LIFE AFTER
NEYMAR
The host nation are without their star man for the rest of the
tournament through injury and will need a new source of
inspiration if they are to make the fnal