TOP

STORIES

EBOLA

OBITUARY

pg 9

pg 9

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

CHRISTIAN
HERBERT,
FORMER
DEPUTY PW
MINISTER DEAD

INFIGHTING
IN RESPONSE
EFFORTS AS GOL
UNVEILS EBOLA
SPENDING

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

FrontPage

BUYING

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014

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

www.frontpageafricaonline.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

AS GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA STRIVES TO MEET ZERO EBOLA
CASE TARGET BY DECEMBER 25, MINISTRY OF HEALTH IMPOSES

VOL 8 NO.725

SELLING

PRICE L$40

STRINGENT EBOLA

MEASURES

Acknowledging that bodily contacts between persons provide a direct mode for the transmission of EVD, all
public rallies, demonstrations, and gatherings in public areas including beaches, except for political rallies
during the campaign and election period, are hereby prohibited until the Government of Liberia (GOL) declares
Liberia EVD free Anti Ebola Regulation, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Ebola - pg.7

INSIDE

REMORSEFUL
ROB
Sirleaf Apologies To Liberians For
Terror Statement Red Hill field
Politics

p8

BUDGET
APPROVED

Liberia Legislature OKs FY 14/15

Budget at Over $600M
Legislative Beat

p8

Friday, November 21, 2014

Page 2 | Frontpage

Monrovia ust about the turn of curfew break Thursday morning,

supporters of football legend George Manneh Weah were
towering up posters of the Congress for Democratic Changes
political leader with the message Vote George M. Weah for
Montserrado County Senator.
Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe(District 6, Montserrado
County) was in full campaign mode, plastering stickers of Weah on
all sides of his vehicle.
At the ELWA junction in Paynesville, on the outskirts of Monrovia,
Robert Allen Sirleaf, the son of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was
in full campaign mode, telling supporters: Today is a very special
day. Today I came here and I look across and they told me that there
would only be fifty people but I see four or five thousand people; that
gives me spirit. I came here all the way across from the radio station
to say to my fathers, my mothers, my brothers and my sisters, thank
you all very, very, much. I will not get tired in this race. The T-Shirt
that youre wearing says Believe believe in Montserrado because
Montserrado believes in you!.
Give Rob a Run for His Money
One of those supporters was Jacob Kerkula who says he is looking
to give Robert a test for the next nine years. Im voting for Robert
Sirleaf, I want to test him for the nine years. I see lots of vision in him
because he cares for the young people. He comes down to our level,
he does things for us, we love him and he loves us too. My whole
house even my chicken will vote for that man and if my chicken
doesnt vote Ill eat it!
But not all of those in attendance at the Sirleaf rally and wearing his
T-Shirt were honest supporters. Richmond Russell, donning one of
the Sirleaf campaign T- Shirts, boastfully declared his allegiance
to the CDC while stating: Im not voting for Robert Sirleaf; Im
wearing this shirt because I was paid to wear it. I was paid US$10 to
wear this T-Shirt.
It is supporters like Russell that the CDC hopes would give the
Presidents son a run for his money.
Robert Sirleaf is a nobody. Robert Sirleaf should be prosecuted for
pillaging resources- the Chevron Fund, charges Mulbah Morlu, head
of Mobillization in the CDC who insists that Sirleaf is no competition
against Weah. George Weah is the lion of the tribe of Judah. There is
no way he can run against George Weah. This campaign will expose
the weaknesses and the vulnerability of the Sirleafs. Their hegemony
will come to an end this year. We are not concerned or jittered about
an unknown candidate. It is not about what I think; it is about what is
inevitable and what will be. As we speak now, Robert Sirleaf is using
taxpayers money, to bribe people to turn out to wear his T-Shirt. We
dont have to bribe people to wear our T-shirts. Our people are eager
for a CDC T-Shirt.
As the campaign hit high gear, the contrasting differences of the two
campaigns was evident at the headquarters of the CDC in Congotown
where a crowd of Weah supporters thronged the party headquarters
for a kick-off rally, trumpeting Weah as the Hope for the future.
The scenes were similar in most parts of the city where posters of
rival candidates Christopher Neyor, the former head of the National
Oil Company of Liberia(NOCAL) and Benjamin Sanvee were being
planted but not in the numbers as Weah and Sirleaf. Darius Dillon,
head of Team Sanvee, explaining why his candidate did not have a
rally of his own, said Thursday, it was part of the teams strategy to
see the game plan of their opponents before hitting their strides.
On Tuesday, November 18, the Senate and House of Representatives
signed a joint resolution agreeing that the National Elections
Commission holds election on 16 December. The Legislators decision
comes after weeks of argument over setting a date for the election
which has already been delay due to the Ebola virus crisis.
The Montserrado County race, like most races across the country
is likely to come down to Weah and Sirleaf with Neyor and Sanvee
hoping to break even and make a grab for the 649,484 votes available.
Nationally, a total of 1,903,229 voters are registered and qualified
to participate in the races representing figures from the 2011 Voter
Registration Exercise and the 2014 Voter Roll Update Process,
according to the National Elections Commission. In contrast, the
number of registered voters in 2011, according to NEC was 1,798,930
while the 2014 Voter Roll Update Exercise registered 104,710 new
voters. Some 986,190 (or 52%) represent males while 917,039 (or
48%) represent females.

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com; Selma Lomax, Selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

The second largest county in terms of registered voters is Nimba
with 241,903 eligible voters (or 13%) based on results from both
registration processes. Bong and Lofa Counties each have 178,866
and 164,203 respectively while Rivercess and River Gee Counties
have the lowest numbers of registered voters, recorded at 31,550 and
31,515 (or 2% each), respectively.
Slow Start in Bong
Across the country, the mood was somber. At the start of the campaign
in Gbarnga, Thursday, incumbency factor appears to be favoring
Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor(NPP) who told a FrontPageAfrica
correspondent in the county that her campaign materials had not
arrived but that the Senator is likely to face serious opposition in the
county, according to Marvin Cole, Assistant Secretary General of the
National Patriotic Party. Those who want to contest are intimidated
by her performance and are afraid that they might not meet the
expectations of the people who are now praying that someone as good
as she wins, Cole says.
But others disagree: Emmanuel Scott, a politician in Gbarnga,
attributes the quiet political terrain Thursday to the uncertainties about
the holding of the election due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus,
arguing that no sane contestant would want to begin to campaign on
any platform amid uncertainties.
Findley, Kaipay Launching Saturday in Bassa
In Buchanan, fears of low turnout over Ebola are also evident despite
pledges by youth groups to initiate an awareness process which
will enable electorate know the five candidates participating in the
election.
We are planning a program called Talk with the Candidates, which
will bring together all the candidates to explain to their people on
why having the elections is important. Our people might not want to
come out and if you have few people coming out it will also affect
the integrity of the election, Du-Ben Cleon warned. Our people
appetite for this election is very low.
For the two main candidates incumbent Gbezhonga Findley, President

Pro Temp and Liberty Party Jonathan Kaipay are set to launch their
respective campaigns at the Fairgrounds in Buchanan, Grand Bassa
County.
Back in Montserrado County, the anticipated battle between Weah
and Sirleaf could also come down to turnout.
But Sirleaf in a VOA Daybreak Africa interview Thursday insisted that
he will win because his work has impacted more lives than any other
candidate. We think Montserrado County needs a representation
where the priorities will be in the interest of our people. Prioritizing
the people is extremely important to us. We spent the last seven
years with a very strong development agenda, and weve worked
extremely hard in urban Montserrado on the economically challenged
communities. That is exactly why we came to the conclusion that it
(running for senate) was the best thing to do, he said.
Sirleaf who is running as an independent says he is confident of
victory despite reports of alleged threats of campaign violence, saying
his campaign message is positive. If you look at our work across
the county, we have outpaced very easily everybody else. Weve
impacted more lives than anybody else can point to. Our support is
really grassroots, its really from the people.
Taking a Page from my book, Weah Slams Rob Sirleaf
But it could actually come down to Weah, who was in game mode
Thursday at the partys headquarters as he appeared alongside his
campaign manager, Professor Wilson Tarpeh and took pointed jabs at
Sirleaf: Rob Sirleaf is informing the Liberian people that this race is
not about popularity, so what is going to determine this race is your
vote.?
Weah accused Sirleaf of taking a page from his book, but with strings
attached. What Rob Sirleaf is doing in the name of identifying
with the masses is what I have been doing triple and multiple times.
Before his mother became President we all know that there was war in
Liberia where was Robert Sirleaf? When Liberians were looking for
sons and daughter we came to their rescue.
Weah trumpeted his new band of supporters which include
Representative Edwin Snowe, Musa Bility, Julius Berrain, Gabriel
Nyenkan, Bill Twehway, Henry B. Fahnbulleh, William Darkel,
Adolph Lawrence, Abraham Conneh etc.
Looking to learn from his 2005 missteps, Weah urged, CDCians not
to be complacent as the senatorial elections will determine the partys
future.
The football legend explained that he accepted a peace ambassador
post in a bid to work with President Sirleaf to maintain peace and
stability in the country. I respect Madam Sirleaf very well. I work
with madam Sirleaf to maintain peace. I have said nothing and done
nothing to disrupt the peace, this is because of my peaceful nature that
is why they are in peace.
Weah insisted that no matter how much support Robert Sirleaf has,
he will defeat him. I can guarantee that, what his mother did not
achieve he cannot achieve it and what his mother achieved he will
not achieve it.
Rep. Henry B. Fahnbulleh Speaking on behalf of the fourteen
lawmakers who recently pledge their support to Weah called on
President Sirleaf to reflect on why the ruling party rejected her son.
Why would the Unity Party reject the President son? There is a
disconnect, We do not belong on the other side, here[CDC]; We see
people just like us so we are happy to be here.
Reporters Al Varney Rogers and Alpha Daffae Senkpeni in
Buchanan, Contributed to this report

Friday, November 21, 2014

Frontpage

Page 3

Friday, November 21, 2014

Page 4 | Frontpage

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL AFRICA: PAVING A UNITED
v

Commentary

ASenatorial
CLEAN
FIGHT
PATH FROM A DEADLY DISEASE
Campaign Period
Must be Free of Violence

135 CANDIDATES ARE VYING for fifteen seats in

their quest to become senators, in what is inarguably a
crucial prelude to the decisive 2017 presidential power
play
IN THE MIDST of a deadly Ebola virus that claimed
the lives of hundreds of Liberians, many who would
have otherwise be preparing to participate in the
process, the process to elect senators has been preceded
by numerous chatter bordering threats to some of the
candidates participating in the race.
The senatorial election is taking place amid an
ongoing fight against the outbreak of the deadly Ebola
virus which has so far claimed thousands of lives
raising fears that the process might not get the usual
momentum electioneering processes get in Liberia.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS including rallies will this
time be held when electorates are aware of the deadly
nature of Ebola with prevention messages posted in
street corners and on billboards warning people to
avoid physical contacts.
IN ADDITION to the different flavor the political
campaign and election will get this time around, the
issue of mudslinging, badmouthing and other forms
of personal attacks by candidates against each other is
emerging early on.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT new to Liberian politics
where candidates and their supporters go out engaging
in verbal and physical attacks during campaigns, but
we believe in the wake of national health emergency
where many people are in tears, candidates and their
supporters need to engage the political process in a
moderate manner with some of responsibility.
INITIAL SIGNALS from the campaign process
is pointing to a process that might be more about
personality contest than discussions surrounding
the plethora of issues confronting the electorates for
whom some of these candidates are claiming to be
aspiring for public office to address.
FIRST, THE REPORT that candidate Robert Sirleaf is
said to have threatened to beat people who jeer at him
until they bleed like Ebola has been causing stir with
the political party of George Weah, one of Sirleafs
opponents sending a strong worded statement in which
it warned Liberians to stay away from the Robert
Sirleaf campaign.
IN A STATEMENT the CDC stated The CDC is
therefore calling on all Liberians to restrain their
children (especially young men and boys) from the
Robert Sirleaf campaign programs in order to keep
them save from Bleeding till their stomach come
out, as threatened by the candidate; the CDC believes
Mr. Sirleaf is capable of many evilsand should be
avoided.
ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA, exchanges are profane
and bitter with supporters of either of the senatorial
candidates engaging in harsh exchanges.
PICTURES OF GEORGE WEAH are seen on
Facebook with painting of blood in his noise, ear,
mouth and other body parts followed by positing of
insults.
SAME AS ROBERT SIRLEAF, whose personal life
including allegations that he is a gay has taken over
the social media with posts from supporters of his

Olivier Bucyana, Contributing Writer

ith close to 5,000 deaths and nearly 10,000 reported

cases since last December, the current outbreak of
Ebola has exposed both the weaknesses of our health
care systems and our inability as Africans to work
together in times of crisis.
The first Ebola outbreak occurred in what is today the Democratic
Republic of Congo in 1976 and infected more than 300 people, with
a mortality rate estimated at 88 percent. Since then, the virus has
emerged and been contained more than a dozen times across subSaharan Africa, although in some cases only after exacting a heavy
price.
Africa's Response
Fifty or more years after gaining independence, most African nations
continue to rely on the West to solve their own crises. When it comes
to the Ebola outbreak, African governments have been slow in
responding.
There is deep irony in this lag, as the social and economic consequences
of Ebola extend far beyond the borders of those affected countries.
The World Bank estimates the cost could be as much as U.S. $32.6
billion by the end of next year. Although the IMF's growth forecast
for this year remains strong, it has nonetheless dropped from 5.5 to
five percent.
At the end of October, an African Union delegation went into the
Ebola-affected countries on the ground. But a mere visit to pay
respects is simply not enough. The handful of medical staff deployed
and the meager pledges put forth by African governments are also
not enough.
Regional institutions, such as the West African Health Organization
- whose role, amongst others, is to facilitate cooperation amongst
member states to tackle health problems threatening the region
have been quiet. A collective, well-coordinated response by African
governments and African regional institutions is needed.
One of the State's primary roles is to ensure its citizens have access to
a good health care system. The Ebola outbreak reveals the extent to
which this is lacking in the affected countries, and that it is a result of
much deeper and underlying governance issues.
Compare the current governance system of Guinea, Liberia or Sierra
Leone to that of a country like Nigeria, and to a lesser extent Senegal.
Both the latter experienced Ebola cases, but quickly managed to
contain them particularly Nigeria, which had at least 19 confirmed
cases.
So what did Nigeria and Senegal do differently? Nigeria took swift
and coordinated action, including early detection and tracing of
contacts, with the support of federal and state institutions working in
collaboration with a network of NGOs.
For example, they provided law enforcement agencies with temporary
access to mobile phone records, which helped track people who may
have been in contact with infected patients. By providing training to
healthcare workers and running nationwide campaigns, with civil
society organizations at the forefront, they were able to contain the
outbreak.
Senegal may have been lucky to have only one reported case, but
civil society came together just the same to help sensitize the public,
through the use of a #SenStopEbola campaign, for example.
There is a lot to learn from both Nigeria and Senegal, just as there is
from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has faced and
contained multiple Ebola outbreaks over the decades. It may be worth
exploring more experience-sharing ventures between countries like
Nigeria and Senegal and Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone so that we
can all benefit from our failures and successes.
International Response

It took a thousand or so deaths nine months after the first outbreak

before the United Nations Security Council finally declared Ebola a
threat to international peace and security, in September. And only then
did the world sit up and take note.
Since then, Ebola has become the subject of the latest "a la mode"
media hype and international aid has increased accordingly. Funds
have been pouring into Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia with the
United States contributing U.S. $200 million, Britain $18.8 million
and China $8.3 million to the United Nations' Ebola Relief fund.
France and Italy have contributed $7.4 million and $2 million
respectively, and Cuba a country with a long history of providing
health workers during crises has sent more than 250 doctors
and caregivers. International institutions and non-governmental
organisations are also contributing to the Ebola fund.
The Ebola outbreak has exposed some of the weaknesses in the way
financial support has been used to strengthen national health systems.
Typically, foreign aid that is destined for health issues has focused
on specific diseases mostly HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Rarely have funds been used to provide training to doctors and nurses
or build more clinics and hospitals. While providing aid to address
specific diseases is welcomed (and has been successful to some
extent) it shouldn't be at the expense of strengthening health care
systems as a whole.
Since the early 2000s, both Sierra Leone and Liberia have been slowly
recovering from their respective conflicts, which have left palpable
markers on nearly every aspect of life, including the health sector.
This latest Ebola epidemic has stretched already strained and fragile
health economies, serving as clear reminders that both countries
require more than quick-fix Band-Aid solutions.
This epidemic has shown that there is a serious lack of capacity on
the part of the countries in question to respond to the needs of their
citizens. Medical care, but also logistics and public awareness, are at
the center of this fight. A well-developed and long-term plan one
that includes increasing the number of health workers, hospitals and
clinics, and ensuring the media are appropriately tooled and resourced
to provide the public with pertinent and reliable information is
needed when facing future outbreaks and epidemics.
Conclusion
The Ebola outbreak has shown that we still live in uncertain times
in West Africa. Though many of our post-conflict societies have
been steadily improving over the years, politically, socially and
economically, this epidemic reveals just how precariously built these
houses may be.
But it doesn't have to stay this way. We can collectively - as Africans
- use the opportunity to come closer together, to bind and unite our
wills and strengths so we can learn from our past failures and prevent,
or at least limit, the impact the Ebola outbreak has had throughout
West Africa and beyond.
We have many of the ingredients in place for us to work together
and to succeed. We have the regional institutions and we have the
experience. We just need the will and the commitment to deploy
resources more effectively.
And solutions to our crises are not always outside the continent. As
Sisonke Msimang, the writer and activist, eloquently said: "For some
reason in the minds of the leaders of those countries most affected by
the current Ebola outbreak, Kinshasa is further away from Monrovia
and Conakry and Freetown than Washington".
Olivier Bucyana is an associate in the Political Governance Program
of the Open Society Institute for West Africa. Follow Olivier on
Twitter @OlivierBu1

opponents taking a dip at his perceived lifestyle.

A member of the campaign team for Benjamin
Sanvee of the opposition Liberty party also came out
bluntly warning other candidates that there is nothing
diplomatic about this campaign and that they should
expect a crude shock.
STATED DARIUS DILLON: Nothing diplomatic.
Campaign begins tomorrow, and we have a very crude
shock awaiting our opponents.
ALL THE COMMENTS from candidates and their
supporters regarding the campaign trail are not healthy
for the emerging democracy Liberia is nurturing
following years of conflict.
DISCUSSING THE issues and selling ones candidate
in a responsible manner will not in any way show sign
of weakness or academic limitations.
POLITICS OF PERSONALITY has done no good
for Liberia as after elections these candidates and

their supporters still have to interface in a small and

congested Monrovia.
IF INDEED the candidates are upright of their expressed
desire to transform the country, it must begin with the
manner in which they conduct themselves during these
elections.
OUR YOUTHS are still exposed to violence and any
attempt to engage in dirty campaigns, it is youths that
will go out against each other on the social media,
radios, and other medium to fight, which is not good
for the upcoming leaders.
LETS THE CURRENT senatorial election be based on
ideologies and the real issues confronting the Liberian
people rather than personality contest.
WE DEMAND a clean fight from senatorial candidates
and their supporters to help maintain the fragile peace
and console Liberians from the impact of the deadly
Ebola virus.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Frontpage

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE

LIBERIAS RULING UNITY

PARTY SHUNS PRESIDENT
SIRLEAF'S ENEMY SON
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT
SELF-EMPLOYED
Truth be told, if the ruling party had lived up to the definition of
unity, and the premise and promise of its nomenclature, the
statement we are convinced that while this Sirleaf may have
become rich overnight, he lacks the moral credential and credibility
to earn our partys trust would have been unnecessary. Mr. Sirleaf
didnt mince words; he was upfront about running the senate race as
an independent candidate.
So UP Secretary General Payees diatribe is hypocritical, irrelevant,
unnecessary, and served no meaningful purpose other than widening
the gulf between an unpopular president, and her party. For a man
who saw most of the so - called loyalists of President Doe ran
away like rats while the blitz of the Taylor insurgency was tearing
through Margi County, I think this is a rerun of those dangerously
unforgettable experiences.
Should President Sirleaf have a crystal ball, she ought to be
reforming governance in order to get it right with the downtrodden
who believed that this child of a Gola man and a Kru woman
would be empathetic, and do right about the marginalized majority.
Interestingly, the UP that should have been in her corner especially
when governance is rapidly unraveling, is paying back big time for
her sin of desertion after the 2011 elections.
PHIL GEORGE TOP COMMENTER
Its a very interesting political drama unfolding in Monrovia.
But one can understand why these folks would have such enmity
towards the son of President Sirleaf. Well, the saying goes "the
way you make your bed so shall you sleep in it." Liberians have
gotten wiser and they're not going to let themselves be fooled again
by big names and corrupt money. The defeat of Eugene Shannon,
Clemenceau Urey, et al in the last election is a good tell tale sign that
Liberian voters can no longer be taken for granted. They'll eat your
rice and vote against you. Watch out politicians!! On another note,
I'm curious about the comment by Paye that Robert Sirleaf doesn't
have a family. What is he implying?
JAY WION TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT NPRC
Is this the death nail in the coffin of the ruling Unity Party, with
the wake keeping next month and the funeral and burial during the
2017 presidential elections? When Things Begin To Fall Apart,
then the chickens could be coming home to roost. There must be
some sleepless nights in the Sirleaf Clan with this big stabwound
in her back inflicted by her Secretary General. I guess the "Chicken
Rogues" are tired eating the bones that fall from the master's table. I
will have my full say in "MY TURN" commentary.
SAYKU KROMAH TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT RETIRED

Phil George They are GAY BASHING! But they also called him
a thief. in essence accusing his mother, the President. This is the
incipience of things to come!
JOHN T NYUMAH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER AT SELF-EMPLOYED
Thanks a million to the Ruling Unity Party for such a brilliant
decision against the cherished son of the President.....Mr. Robert
Sirleaf! For us, we are prepared to kill his ambition for the Senate,
and what so ever ambition he may have 2017. Enough is enough!
Liberians will not keep rewarding the Sirleaf's family, especially the
way his Mother (Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) lied to all Liberians.
" I will provide 20,000 jobs annually", I will electrify Monrovia in
6months", " I will fight corruption", build roads and infrastructures,
they all have become invisible and lip-service! Liberians are now
schooled and sophisticated to be used when it comes to Elections
in our Country. We are also aware that your cherished son will dash
out million of Dollars as a means of convincing our people to vote
for him, we eat his money because it's the Liberian people's money.
On this backdrop, we are all prepared to say "NO" to your beloved
son...Robert Sirleaf, and to say a resounding "NO" to the Sirleaf's
family!
MOSES SANDY
TOP COMMENTER TEMPLE
UNIVERSITY
Is the UP press statement, directed at Mr. Robert Sirleaf or his
mother, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf? I assume Madam President,
the written is on the wall. The people are fed-up with you and
your son, Robert. Before taking my exit, could the UP Executive
Committee please clarify this statement for me: "UP alleged that
Robert does not have a family and such person cannot become a
sound senator." Did the Executive Committee make this assertion?
When did marriage or having a family become a requirement for
holding senatorial or legislative seats in the Liberian government?

DISCLAIMER

The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

The Reader's Page

Page 5

Send your letters and comments to:

editor@frontpageafricaonline.com
YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!

LIBERIA NEEDS
ADDITIONAL HELP TO
BUILD OUR NATION

The Editor,
ative born Liberians are scattered all over the
world due to the many "civil unrest " our country
experienced. Majority of Liberians who acquired
citizenship in other countries reluctantly did so . They
had to because they left our country Liberia to save themselves
and their families from the "horror of wars".
As citizens in foreign lands, they have access to better jobs
opportunities and most of them send money back to Liberia to
support their friends and families. When Liberia has problems
they March in the streets of America, London, Rome or whatever
country to ask for help for Liberia. Liberians abroad have access
to "foreign capital", loans, etc. to finance business endeavors in
Liberia. Most of all "Liberia is home to many, they were born
in Liberia and consider themselves Liberians". They want to do
business or retire in "their country", enjoy the place they love .
Their children hear stories and do not have the same attachments.
They want to experience "home" as well.
With this in mind and also looking at how Ghana handle their
dual nationality situation; I want to propose a mixture of my
ideas and the Ghana model. Ghana wanted to attract investments
& knew @ Ghanaians abroad " would help for most of the
reasons I stated below.
I have provided weblinks to address what they did and certainly
some of it can be applied to our situation in Liberia as well.
Please support dual nationality after considering the following
conditions:
1- The person or persons under consideration must have been a
citizen of Liberia from birth; or
one of the natural parents of the person or persons under
consideration must have been a citizen of Liberia from birth
(B) in the case of the citizen from birth; that person must show
proof that the acquisition of foreign citizenship was a result of
escaping life-threatening circumstances in Liberia.
(C)in the case of the child or children of the birth citizen; proof
of intent or goodwill towards Liberia must be made evident.
2- No one in the above two categories will be eligible for
citizenship if they have criminal records or have been involved
in activities against the Republic of Liberia
3- Any native born Liberia who has professional skills or
experience that can assist in the development of Liberia should
also be consider if he or she does not qualify for the previous
reasons stated.
4-no dual citizen shall hold sensitive government positions to
include cabinet or deputy cabinet offices or any elected positions
to include the office of senate or house if representative for six
(6) years after becoming a dual national.
5-Dual nationals are required to pay an annual fee of United
States $300which will go towards support the Liberian Health
Care System. Primary beneficiary will be those citizens who
cannot afford basic healthcare costs.
Pointers:
1-two separate categories of appeal
2-political and/or economic reasons to qualify
3-restriction from sensitive political appointments & barred
from elected offices for six (6) year
(can argue whether 6 (six) years is enough or more is needed)
4-no criminal record

5- $300 annual fee ( can argue if it should be higher or not ) to

be used toward healthcare
A)- this proposal is worded as strictly in the Liberian people
interest.
B) everyone who went to any foreign country . We have a lot
of native born Liberians in who became citizens of African
Countries. They did so to survive& they also assist relatives in
Liberia. Same applies to Liberians in ALL parts of the world.
D)- the country needs people who can identify with it, who have
roots& family here. People who love their country. People who
were" born" there.
Joe Boayue,
jboayue1@yahoo.com

ELLENOMICS VS.
VODOONOMICS

The Editor,

emember it was that same Liberian Institute/Bureau

of Labor Statistics and Geo Information Services that
in 2012 said unemployment was at 85 percent in 2006
when you are a Havard University trained "economist"
president took office, but the voodoocally, the unemployment
rate dropped like a bomb to 3.7 percent in 2012.
So where are the statistics/numbers in the various categories
including government workers and the private sectors who were
sent home since August due to Ebola outbreak. Mind you, the
government workers were promised their monthly salaries but
they have yet to get a penny in pay.
In 2012, one Dr. Liberty who said he heads this big for nothing
full-my-mouth labor title said Liberians are considered selfemployed if one was selling: bunny, palm oil, rice by the cup,
"pushing cartoons" for Lebanese businesses at the Freeport,
selling Kala, Dokafleh used clothing, or selling coldwater at
Waterside. Those would then qualify as the economics Ellen went
to Harvard to study, a sort of voodoo economics or Ellenomics.
PBS-TV Special
And did you all see on PBS-TV the Propublica and Frontline
special documentary this morning at 3:00 a.m. EST, "Firestone
(Liberia) and the World"? It is a must-see for every Liberian and
renews the urgency and calls for a Liberia War Crimes Tribunal.
See some of the major players in the genocidal war talked
about what was, should have been or could have been--Charles
Taylor, President Ellen Sirleaf and her "we need to move on"
callousness, John T. Richardson, Amos Sawyer, Elwood Dunn,
Gerald Cooper and others in Firestone management and how the
company "taxes" funded the war.
You see and note how Ellen contemptuously shrugged off the
question of crime and punishment because of her own confessed
role as the chief architect and financier of the genocide, acts
she documents and admitted to in her book: This Child Will
Be Great. But this documentary and its predecessor, : Liberia,
America's Stepchild, will all form part of evidences in the
inevitable prosecution of those Liberians who bear the greatest
responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and
real SOON too.
Jerry Wehtee Wion
Journalist and Political Commentator
Washington, DC, USA

EDITORIAL TEAM

Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;

077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.
com
Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline.
com, 0886-304498
Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.
sombai@FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428

COUNTY NEWS TEAM

Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong
County,
Selma
Lomax,
selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@
frontpageafricaonline.com
0886257528
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@
frontpageafricaonline.com

Page 6 | Frontpage

PAGE
RONT

PAGE
RONT

NEWS EXTRA

POLITICS

Friday, November 21, 2014

KEEP OUT OF GRAND SLOW START TO SENATORIAL

GEDEH POLITICS;
CAMPAIGNS IN BONG COUNTY
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
CITIZENS CAUTION EJS
Kennedy L. Yangian
kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com
0777296781

achievements are seen in all

sectors of the county.
Her promise to the people is that
she will complete the ongoing
projects as well as embark on
new ones. A party faithful in
the county said: I have really
followed Senator Taylors style
of leadership, for me, her major
achievements include roads
construction and rehabilitation
across the county. I think that
her achievements will speak for
her in the December election.
UP Jacksons plan for the
people

Monrovia itizens of Grand Gedeh County home of slain Liberian

President Samuel Kanyon Doe who have voiced out
of being marginalized since President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf took power in 2006 had called on her to
keep out of the county politics to allow the citizens to choose a
candidate of their choice as they vote in the senatorial election
in early December 2014.
The citizens under the banner of Concern Citizens of Gedeh
County made the assertion when they issued a press statement
In Monrovia Thursday a day when the National Election
Commission (NEC) had declared campaign officially open for
candidates seeking the senator seat.
As we are all aware of the electoral process that had been called
to order by the National Election Commission (NEC) which
gives us the constitutional right to elect our leaders on the basis
of our independent decision that is very cardinal to our living
status said the statement signed by two executives, Liyee Joe Jr
and Isaac Kai Chairman.
With just one seat to contest but chased by several prominent
citizens of the county including the slain President son Samuel
Kanyon Doe Jr current Representative Zoe Pennue among others,
the group indicated that it observed that Madam Sirleaf was
in support of the current Representative Zoe Pennue a similar
development that took place in the county in the 2011 elections
when the ruling Unity Party (UP) supported Zoe Pennue as an
independent candidate while the party had a candidate in person
of Nyonkpao Funebo.
According to the citizens when Pennue won the election the
reaction of support given the people of Grand Gedeh County by
the ruling Unity Party (UP) was to grab 21 citizens of the county
and placed them behind bars for crimes that they did not commit
while 13 of the 21 citizens have been found guilty and sentenced
to life time imprisonment on charges of alleged mercenarism
activities in the Ivory Coast.
The Concern Grand Gedeans went on to say that they are aware
of the historic revelations made by Nimba County Senator Prince
Johnson when God led him to reveal to the Liberian people
that during the 2011 elections that he brought on board some
individuals that did not deserved the mandate of the people.
Also the group further that they were aware about the revelation
by the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf when she told the world
and Liberians in particular that during the 2005 elections her
campaigners took away the voting cards of their children who
seem not to be in her interest hereby denying them of theirs to
the votes.
Commenting on the President alleged support Zoe Pennue the
group again stated that the president is on record for imposing
leaders on the people of Grand Gedeh County and wondered
why have the President have not chose any educated person
from the county to work with and that why will the president
always decide to associate with uneducated people who she have
absolute control even though they were all elected to serve their
people in various capacities.
The group went on to say that let this election not be temper with
on the basis of protecting the interest of the president instead of
the independent decision of the Liberia people who are going to
the polls.
Fellow Liberians, this election will determine as to whether
Liberia will remain peaceful or for us to go back to our dark
days depending on how the president will conduct her personal
aggrandizement to ensure the right thing is done said the
statement.

Gbarnga, Bong Countylmost four months

ago, the political

atmosphere
in
Bong County was
full of activities as senatorial
candidates and their supporters
crisscrossed the county in search
of support from the electorate.
Cuttington
Universitys
president Dr. Henrique Tokpa
provided most of the anxious
moments ahead of the Unity
Partys primary in June. It was
then believed that securing
the partys endorsement as
candidate was as good as
winning the election. This
raised the stakes and the tension
that built up towards the partys
primary election, which the
former Bong Superintendent
Ranney Jackson won.
The anxious moments werent
less in the Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC),
whose factions were bolstered
by conflicting tunes that came
out of the then primary that
saw the emergence of Augustus
Jonathan Flomo as its senatorial
candidate.
The National Patriotic Party
(NPP), however, did not have
the kind of crisis that faced the
UP and CDC because the prime
motivator of the party in the
county, Jewel Howard-Taylor,
who is seeking re-election. The
partys primary election was
just a mere confirmation of her
candidacy.
NPPs story was a replay in
the Liberty Party (LP) where
its former vice presidential
candidate
in
the
2011
presidential election, Franklin
Siakor, was the sole senatorial
candidate. The Alternative
National Congress (ANC) was
able to overcome its internal
strife to produce James Gbarbea
as the partys candidate.
At the start of the campaign
Thursday, the arena did not
seem to pack the kind of
excitement that was witnessed
four months ago. While the
candidates saunter into the
arena and the debate on whether
the election should be held
amid the outbreak of the Ebola
virus in Liberia, the question
remains, what has taken the
shine off the usually flamboyant
electioneering in Bong County?
NPPs Assistant
Secretary
General, Marvin Cole, says the
answer lies in the incumbency
factor of Senator Taylor has

in her favor. Those who want

to contest are intimidated by
her performance and are afraid
that they might not meet the
expectations of the people who
are now praying that someone
as good as she wins, Cole says.
But some other people have
different reasons. Emmanuel
Scott, a politician in Gbarnga,
attributes the quiet political
terrain
Thursday
to
the
uncertainties about the holding
of the election due to the
outbreak of the Ebola virus. He
argues that no sane contestant
would want to begin to
campaign on any platform that
he is not yet sure of.

election cannot count their eggs

before they are hatched.
Even the incumbent senator
Howard-Taylor seeking reelection appears not too sure
of success. Many political
observers say it is fifty-fifty. A
game of chance!
An aide of the senator who
spoke with FrontPage Africa
Thursday, said performance
appeared not to matter so much
to the poor folks of citizens of
Bong County, but stomach
infrastructure.
My brother, the way things are
at the moment, nothing is sure.
Nobody is sure of anything. If
you talk about performance, we

While traversing the nooks and

crannies of the county prior to
the launch of the campaign,
Jackson pledged to promote
good leadership if elected. The
UP candidate says youths will
be employed, and that market
men and women, artisans and
other groups will also benefit
from his leadership if elected.
Implication of victory for UP
Victory for UP in the December
16 election, according to
political observers, would stamp
the UP authority in the county
and could fend off attempts
by some political elites of the
county who formed the Peoples
Unification Party (PUP) with
an eye on the 2017 presidential
ambition.
It would mean that beyond
politics, the people are really
satisfied with the Unity Party
and the Superintendent of the
county, Selena Polson-Mappy,
who has vowed to campaign for
the party.
It would also vindicate the claim
of good performance being made
by the superintendent PolsonMappy and supporters of the UP
in the county. It goes otherwise;
it would seem that Bong County
people had just been tolerating
the party. It would also mean
that claim of performance was a
hoax after all.
What a victory will mean for
CDC

Undecided race in Bong

By this time three weeks from
now, it would have started
getting clearer where the javelin
of victory is headed. But no
matter where the pendulum
swings, it would not have come
on a platter of gold.
The reason is that the 13
senatorial candidates cleared
by the National Electoral
Commission
(NEC),
have
worked assiduously to earn a
victory.
Across
Bong
County,
apprehension has reached fever
pitch. It is expected. A lot is at
stake power, integrity, ego,
wealth and many more. For now,
candidates for the senatorial

have done so, but when people

begin to say, Oh if you tarred
the roads, have you tarred our
stomach? So, it is all about
stomach now. We really hope
that the people of Bong County
will vote with their conscience,
because if they do, theres no
doubt that we will carry the
day, he said.
What is NPP offering the
people?
The incumbent senator and
candidate of NPP believes
she deserves victory going
by the level of development
her leadership has brought
to the county in the last nine
years. According to her, such

Should the CDC win the election

on December 16, it would have
emboldened the party to plan
how to take over the county in
the 2017 presidential election. It
would also point to the direction
of future elections in the county.
If the result is to the contrary,
however, the CDC would then
need to go back to the drawing
board, because it would mean
its aspiration to win the county
in the 2017 presidential election
would remain a pipe dream.
Too much talk, allegations,
name-calling and foul languages
For over two months now,
contenders for the Bong
senatorial race have been
crisscrossing the length and
breadth of the county selling
their manifestoes. While doing

so, allegations, claims and
outright falsehood had been
sold to the people.
In the course of pre campaigns,
much dust has been raised and
so much sentiment whipped up.
There have been accusations
over raising and training of fake
policemen to rig the election.
Religion is also a campaign issue
as candidates are beginning to
spent so much time and energy
talking on elevation of one
religion over and above others;
administration of schools and
the actions and inactions of the
current senator dominated much
space on the lists of agenda at
pre campaign venues.

Friday, November 21, 2014

PAGE
RONT

Frontpage

EBOLA

Page 7

AS GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA STRIVES TO MEET ZERO EBOLA

CASE TARGET BY DECEMBER 25, MINISTRY OF HEALTH IMPOSES

STRINGENT EBOLA MEASURES

Monroviaiberia is showing
improvement in the
fight against the deadly
Ebola
virus
with
decline in the number of cases
recorded daily as compared to
the prevalent nature of the viral
infection between August to
September.
President Ellen Johnson has
vowed that Liberia achieves the
target of zero cases of Ebola by
December 25 and in an attempt
to ensure that the target is met,
the Government of Liberia
through the Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare has issued
a regulation declaring several
practices illegal and warning that
violation of measures intended to
fight the virus will be punishable
under the Public Health Law of
Liberia.
In a regulation issued Thursday,
November 20 signed by
outgoing Minister of Health
Dr. Walter Gwenigale, attested
by Cllr. Benedict F. Sannoh,
Acting Minister of Justice and
approved by President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, the government
is warning that violators of
the regulation when convicted
will held liable and face fine or
imprisonment.
Under
the
name
the
Anti-Ebola
Regulation
(MOHSW/R-001/2014),
the
Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare has declared public
gathering as illegal describing it
as a direct mode of transmission
of the deadly virus.
Section 15, restrictions on
assembly of the MOH regulation
states Acknowledging that
bodily contacts between persons
provide a direct mode for
the transmission of EVD, all
public rallies, demonstrations,
and gatherings in public areas
including beaches, except for

Acknowledging that bodily contacts between persons provide a direct mode for the transmission of EVD, all public rallies, demonstrations, and gatherings
in public areas including beaches, except for political rallies during the campaign and election period, are hereby prohibited until the Government of
Liberia (GOL) declares Liberia EVD free Anti Ebola Regulation, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

political rallies during the

campaign and election period,
are hereby prohibited until the
Government of Liberia (GOL)
declares Liberia EVD free.
For political rallies in the wake
of campaign activities for the
midterm senatorial election,
the regulation is cautioning that
rallies be carried out in keeping
with the guidelines of the
National Elections Commission.
Stated the MOH regulation
Notwithstanding, all political
rallies shall be held only in
keeping with the guidelines
and regulations of the National
Elections Commission and the
Preventive measures put in place
by Government.
MOH noted that the regulation
is intended to prevent and
abate the spread of infectious
and communicable diseases
which endanger public health

or threaten conditions of public

health importance.

bodily pains, skin rash, bleeding,

and read eyes among others, the
regulation declared.
The Ministry says until the
Government of Liberia (GOL)
declares that Liberia is EVD
free, any and all deaths occurring
in household or communities
shall be reported to the local
health authorities, head of
family, and household or
community leaders for onward
reporting to healthcare facilities
or authorities.
People in charge of owners of
commercial facilities public
buildings and residences and
commercial facilities such as
video clubs, cinemas, bars, night
clubs, and restaurants, among
others are also warned as per
the regulation not to knowingly
or negligently permit a person
affected with or showing
symptoms of EVD to enter

All citizens must report

The Ministry is charging all
citizens with the task of helping
to curb the spread of the virus by
reporting suspected case of any
individual showing symptoms of
Ebola.
It shall be the duty of every
citizen, resident or legal
personality in Liberia to
report any person within his/
her household or community,
suspected of or manifesting
symptoms of EVD, to the nearest
local health facility or authority,
head of family, community. For
the purpose of this Regulation,
symptoms of EVD includes
elevated body temperature,
fever,
vomiting,
running
stomach, persistent headache,

F
NEWS EXTRA
IFAD HEAD TRAVELS TO GERMANY TO STRENGTHEN
PARTNERSHIPS FOR INVESTMENTS IN RURAL PEOPLE
PAGE
RONT

Rome
n light of the impact that
Ebola and other global
crises are now having
on food security in some

developing
countries,
the
President of the International
Fund
for
Agricultural
Development (IFAD), Kanayo
F. Nwanze, travels to Germany

next week to strengthen

partnerships directed at building
the resilience of rural women
and men.
Even as we act to address the

current crises, we must make

long-term efforts in the places
where small family farmers live
and work, Nwanze said about
recent reports that all areas
of Liberia are food insecure
because of the outbreak
of Ebola. Unless rural
communities become more
resilient, we will be reduced to
jumping from crisis to crisis and
treating the symptoms rather
than the disease of poverty. But
no single entity can succeed
by itself, and with challenges
ahead, our partnership with
Germany is more crucial than
ever.
While in the country, Nwanze
will meet with Gerd Mller,
Minister
of
Economic
Cooperation and Development.
Nwanze, Minister Mller and
Christian Schmidt, Minister of
Food and Agriculture, will take
part in the panel discussion:
A world without hunger is

into or work in such buildings,

facilities and residences.
Owners or persons in charge of
public buildings, residences or
commercial facilities are also
mandated to have the duty to
place faucet attached bucket(s)
containing chlorinated water or
sanitizer and ensure that each
person, prior to entry into such
facility, washes his/her hands
and his temperature, according
to the regulation.
The regulation further adds
that every owner, driver or
other person in charge of a
vehicle or other transport
equipment, whether private
or commercial, and used for
transporting passengers are
mandated to immediately report
to a local healthcare authority
or healthcare facility for the
disinfection of such vehicle
or transport equipment free
of charge, immediately after
having knowledge that he/she
has conveyed a person suffering
from EVD.
The
regulation
empowers
healthcare workers to have
access to premises at any time to
inspect when there is a cause to
believe that a person suffering or
suspected of Ebola is within that
facility.
A healthcare provider may at
any time enter and inspect any
premises in which he/she has
reasonable cause to believe that
a person is suffering or suspected
to be suffering from an EVD
infection, or where one who has
recently suffered resided, or has
recently been present, or in which
any inmate has recently been
exposed to the said infection ,
and may medically examine any
person on such premises for the
purpose of ascertaining whether

such person is suffering or has

recently suffered, treated and
discharged but is manifesting
symptoms evidencing relapse or
is of any such disease and may
cause a postmortem examination
to be made on any corpse
discovered at such premises for
the purpose of ascertaining if
the cause of death has been the
result of an EVD infection, the
regulation states.
Section 16 of the regulationviolations and penalties states
that violators if convicted will
be liable to fine or imprisonment
in accordance with the Public
Health law of Liberia.
Any person who violates any of
the provisions of this Regulation,
shall upon conviction, be liable
to a fine or imprisonment as
provided under the Public Health
Law, the regulation disclosed.
Ebola hit Liberia in March
this year crossing over from
neighboring Guinea into the
border town of Foyah in Lofa
County.
The virus eventually spread
to the capital, Monrovia and
other parts of the country where
has led to death of over three
thousand Liberians.
Two Liberians Patrick Sawyer
and Eric Duncan transported the
virus to Nigeria and the United
States of America respectively
raising fears in the international
community that if the virus is not
curbed, it could become a world
problem.
International
response
in
helping Liberia fight the virus
has been overwhelming with
the United States of America,
China, Switzerland, Cuba and
several others countries making
contributions

possible at the One World

Forum for the Future on 24
November 2014 in Berlin.
The event is the culmination
of
nationwide
dialogues
addressing the key future issues
of development and humanity.
In addition, Nwanze will meet
with Norbert Kloppenburg,
Executive Board Member
of KfW Development Bank,
an institution specializing in
developmental policy, and
Ludger Schuknecht, Director
General Economic and Fiscal
Policy Strategy, International
Economy and Finance, at
Germanys Federal Ministry of
Finance.
At the event Nwanze will outline
the importance of investing in
the more than three-quarters
of the worlds poorest people
who live in the rural areas of
developing countries. He will
highlight that these areas are
vulnerable to shocks and crises
precisely because they are
already close to the edge, with
little or nothing to fall back on.
At the same time, the goods and
services most in demand today
must come from rural areas
food, natural resources and

carbon sequestration, to name

a few.
Germany has been a leader in
conceptualizing the Sustainable
Development Goals, which
are being proposed as the
Millennium
Development
Goals (MDGs) expire at the
end of 2015. This includes
the recommended second goal
to end hunger, achieve food
security and improved nutrition
and
promote
sustainable
agriculture. The German
Federal Ministry for Economic
Development
Cooperation
(BMZ) has made rural
development and food security
one of its priority areas. The
BMZ's ongoing collaboration
with IFAD promotes smallfarmer access to markets
for agricultural products by
developing value chains, so
that small farmers can produce
more, in a sustainable way, and
increase their incomes.
Germany has been a staunch
supporter of IFADs work since
the Fund was founded in 1977
pledging a total of US$ 467.8
million to its resources.

Page 8 | Frontpage

Monrovia obert Alvin Sirleaf has

apologized to all for a
recent comment he
made about placardwielding youths in district 17.
Some youths have served as a
distraction for Sirleaf on his antiEbola awareness in Montserrado
County but got the worse of him
in the Red Hills community early
November.
I dont have the Ebola virus. It
is our country [that has it]. It is
our counties [that has it]. It is our
districts [that has it]. And it is our
communities that are suffering
[from Ebola and] not Robert
Sirleaf. What Robert Sirleaf
does is to go out and talk and
try [to lobby for help]. I cant do
everything. The commissioner
cant do everything.
She is trying her best. Shes
here. Shes not everywhere
holding a placard.
You are here. You all need to be
proud of yourself. You all are
standing in the face of an enemy
that doesnt care, what I think,
about policy; doesnt care about
the government and doesnt care
about the president. It is not
about your representative.
It doesnt care. All it cares about
is let me comeback, ready and in
fury and catch one of them. Let
me comeback in this community
[to see] those people holding the
placards [because] I cant wait
to catch them around. They will
feel their stomach coming out of
their stomach. And them when
I finished with them and they
think they can hold something, I
will deal with them in my most
final word as the Ebola virus. I
will make them bleed! Sirleaf
said.
The video and audio of his
comments have gone viral on
social media and a condemnation
from
the
Congress
for
Democratic Change (CDC) did
make matter worse.
But with campaign activities
having been declared officiallyopened on Thursday by the
National Elections Commission,
Sirleaf conceded to calls for him
to apologize about his terror
statement.
He went to the Blues Field to
greet passionate supporters,

PAGE
RONT

Friday, November 21, 2014

POLITICS

REMORSEFUL ROB
Sirleaf Apologies To Liberians For Terror Statement
Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

who trooped to the stadium as

early as 6:00AM, to commence
the campaign after a cameo on
the Truth Breakfast Show on
Thursday.
I cleared that up today. I
apologized [to everyone]. If you
actually listened to the tape [from
Red Hills], I was trying to make
a dramatic point and not to point
to anybody in the crowd. And
this morning when they asked
that question [on the show], I
apologized to the people of Red
Hills; I apologized to the people
of District #17 and I apologized
to the people of Montserrado
County that [my statement]
was taken out of context, said
Sirleaf in an interview with
FrontPageAfrica and Power FM/
TV.
Sirleaf responds to Sanvee
On Sky FMs 50-50 program with
T-max Jlateh, Liberty Partys
Benjamin Sanvee questioned the

rationale behind the candidacies

of Sirleaf, George Weah and
Christopher Neyor, who have
been viewed in some quarters as
the front-runners.
Thats what I called the three
pillars of the system. And this
is how I define them and you
will be hearing more of this
[when the campaign starts].
You have a representation of the
system, who has now mocked
into a candidate, passing around
peddling false hopes and talking
about believing again. You have
an accomplice and a benefactor
of the system, who inspires so
much hope, but is now sitting at
the queens table.
So he, too, is quiet. He is sitting
and eating at the queens table.
So he can no longer speak. And
the last pillar of this system is the
disgruntled child, who helped,
was a part of the system and
cut deals with the system, but is
obsessed now because the system

PAGE
RONT

is not allowing him in the room

anymore. What we represent
is a fresh start. We dont have
[any of those characteristics]
and none of them can point their
fingers to me to say I am part
of this system, said Sanvee on
November 10.
In response Sirleaf said:
Anybody can look at the records
over the last six years. And I will
be more than happy to put my
records about development in
Montserrado County against Ben
Sanvee. And thats the end.
No issues with UP
At a press conference in Congo
Town, Unity Party secretarygeneral Wilmot Paye called
Sirleaf a creeping monster with
presidential ambition in 2017.
We must stop this creeping
monster once and for all. His
senatorial bid is only a shadow of
the biggest thing to come. Robert
Sirleaf wants to be the next

president of Liberia, a situation

that could provoke yet another
crisis.
If Mr. Sirleaf is not stopped,
he will destroy the purpose of
our nation. The Unity Party will
stop Robert Sirleaf now or he
will alter the course of Liberias
history in the 21st century,
Payesaid on November 14.
The statement comes amidst
reports that Sirleaf rained insults
on some officials.
In a meeting with some
executives on October 21,
Sirleaf reportedly insulted the
partys hierarchy and described
the assembled youth leaders as
malnourished.
Paye claimed that Sirleaf does
not have a family and as such
cannot become a sound senator.
Besides,
what
moral
compunction would a senator
without a family have or feel?
The Senate is a platform, not the
target. If Liberians disapprove
of a Benoni Urey presidency,
how much would they detest
Robert Sirleaf? We will bury his
ambition right in Montserrado
County.
Of course, we knew right
from the onset that Robert
Sirleaf would be a serious
distractionone that could have
been avoided. We sounded this
warning more than two years
[ago]. We foresaw that detractors
would find an easy scapegoat in
this Sirleaf. If care is not taken,
he will destroy the purpose of
our nation.
Responding, Sirleaf said he was
taken aback by last Fridays
press statement.
I have no issue with the Unity
Party, none whatsoever. I
campaigned with the Unity Party
in 2011. Now, I will maybe take

LEGISLATIVE BEAT

BUDGET APPROVED
Liberia Legislature OKs FY 14/15 Budget at Over $600M

Monroviahe
Liberian
Legislature
has
approved the national
budget for the fiscal
year 2014/2015 of Ebola hit
Liberia.
A budget of six hundred-sixty
Million, two hundred thirtysix thousand United States
dollars (US$ 660,236,000) has
been approved by the House of
Representatives followed by
subsequent concurrence by the
Senate.
The Draft National Budget
for FY 2014/2015 was
submitted by the Executive
to the Plenary of the House
of Representatives and in line
with legislative practices the
budget was turned over to
the joint committee on Ways,

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@frontpageafricaonline.com

Means and Finance of both

the House of Representatives
and the Liberian Senate. The
Joint committee was mandated
by plenary to scrutinize
the draft budget and make
recommendations to the body
for action.
According to the committee
chair,
Representative
Emmanuel
Nuquay,
in
adherence to the mandate
of the plenary, the joint
committee
engaged
the
Ministry of Finance, Liberia
Revenue Authority, and other
major stakeholders to jointly
scrutinize the draft budget.
In the committees report to
plenary it stated that following
scrutiny of the budget, the
committee identified other
sources of funding that led to

another layer to your question

and say individuals within
the Unity Party made those
statements. I dont think I can
attribute those statements to the
Unity Party, he stated.
But did Sirleaf insult party
executives or try to split the party
in a bid to win support?
That is not our intent. We
engaged, over the last month,
with everybody and all political
actors. We have never tried to
split the party. Splitting the
party is quite interesting. Our
entire campaign team is [madeup of] only 13 [persons]. Can 13
people split the Unity Party? You
dont want to believe that. And
I dont want to believe that, he
answered.
Darius Dillon worked with
Sirleaf as a personal assistant
when he served as board
chairman of the National Oil
Company of Liberia (Nocal) and
senior presidential advisor.
But Dillon, who has since turned
to a critic of the regime, heads
Sanvees campaign team. Does
this worry Sirleaf?
You have been around Dillon.
Hes a very funny guy. He makes
me laugh. If you were around
me and Anthony [Stephens]
was around me and you all were
funny, you could come and sit
down and we laugh. Dillon
is a funny guy. Everybody
knows that. This is not a secret
that Dillon mixes his life with
laughter. [There are] 33 muscles
to frown; three to smile, he
added.
Sirleaf said he doesnt fear
anyone but admitted that Weah
will be a tough candidate to
beat while also addressing
himself to sex same marriage
and doubting whether President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will play
a part or two in his campaign
activities.

increment in the draft figure

submitted to the Legislature.
The initial draft budget had
US$473,252,000
but
the
legislative committee identified
additional
revenue
from
budget hearing including,
US$ 7,047,000, Grant (core)
USD$
24,000,000,
Grant
(contingent) US$ 50, 3000,000
and Borrowing (core) US$
70,637,000.
The committee also reported
that it derived at borrowing
(contingent) of US$ 10,000,000
and signature bonus on (Blocks
6, 7, 16, and 17) of US$
25,000,000.
The Committee report stated:
Honorable
speaker
and
Members, having thoroughly
scrutinized the Draft National
Budget for FY 14/15 and
derived a National Budget
Envelope of US$ 660,236,000,
the joint committee request
the passage of the FY 14/15
National Budget into law.
The body has been lying before
the body for several months
forcing government ministries
and agencies to operate on 1/12
of the previous year budget.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Frontpage

INFIGHTING IN RESPONSE EFFORTS

AS GOL UNVEILS EBOLA SPENDING

Monroviahough the deadly Ebola

outbreak
continues
to see improvement
for several weeks
now, the response seems to be
marred by poor coordination
and infighting between officials
at the Ministry of health, donors
and agencies helping with the
response. Minutes from the
Incident Management Meeting
obtained by FrontPageAfrica
suggest that there is no data on
the quality of contact tracing
because the government is not
doing it properly and people are
going back to treating people in
their homes.
Experts believe the government
is not taking the issue of contact
tracing seriously as it should
be doing. Richard Ragan of
the United Nations Emergency
Ebola Response UNMEER,
says: You always report on
suspect cases, but tracking
the suspect cases from day to
day what percentage of the
suspect cases become actual
cases? The World Health
Organization during the meeting
responded to the question
saying: Give me a functioning
database, and I could tell you
but right now, I cant answer
that. There are very important
quality improvement activities
needed. The government says
it is gathering a lot of qualitative
data, but has not been analyzing
it. Human behavior now will
be extremely important in this
phase of combating of the
disease. I am wondering whether
we are looking at this closely
enough to identify behaviors that
are leading to this, or is there
any level of analysis regarding
qualitative data after all? Asked
Dr. Emmanuel Dolo.
We need qualitative research
from people who know the
local context. We are reaching
a different phase and I think this
data will be extremely important
for us to look at specific nuances
of each local outbreak. Our rapid
response wont be effective if we
dont know these local cultural
issues.
UNMEER Ragan stated that
there are 6-7 different medical
anthropologists in Liberia at the
moment but they need to get
more focused together on what
the response efforts need them to
do. It was revealed in the minutes
that many confirmed cases still

go unreported and countries

refuse to change plans to erect
ETUs in the wrong places.
Dr. Luke Barwo said the Ebola
Response Team is undoubtedly
missing cases, particularly in
the hot spots adding that the first
deaths in the new hot spots did
not appear in Situation Reports.
We do not need more beds here
in Monrovia in the next month,
but we do need beds in many
other areas. This is a concern
because good resources are not
being optimally used, he said.
The Contact Investigation
summary is now the most
important page in the SitRep
report. Under follow up, we now
have about 6,000 contacts. He
stated that contact visits need
to be made every day in a highquality way because this is the
only way Ebola can be defeated.
This is how we beat this virus
by finding new cases early,
before they begin to transmit.
We must ensure that everyone
that has a positive specimen is
entered into contact tracing,
he said. During the meeting, it
was revealed that the percentage
of newly confirmed cases that
were on the contact list is still
unknown and probably about 2040% only.
We need better reporting on
contact tracing data those
counties reporting that not all
contacts are seen each day are
likely doing a more accurate
job of reporting contact visits
than are counties that report all
contacts seen every day, stated
Dr. Barwo. Though the team is

now able to distinguish between

new positive and repeat positive
lab tests at the county level, daily
regular meetings at county level
on the epidemic are nonexistent.
Ebola Financing
The Minister of Finance has
reported that as of October 31,
2014, the Ebola Trust Fund
received a total of US$14.282
million in both US dollars and
Liberian dollars. Of this amount,
US$8.387 million has been
disbursed to and/or on behalf of
various Government entities.
Minister Amara Konneh said
at a regular Ministry of Health
briefing that more than US$4
million was disbursed to the
Ministry of Health; more than
US$2 million toward security
operations; and US$745,000
toward response and burial
activities.
The Minister stated that
the Ministry of Finance &
Development Planning has also
disbursed US$0.931 million
to six highly affected counties
(Bong, Margibi, Grand Gedeh,
River Gee, Gbarpolu and
Montserrado) for Ebola responserelated activities outside of the
Trust Fund mechanism. These
disbursements were triggered
by resolutions of the legislative
caucuses of the respective
counties.
As at 25 October 2014, total
donor commitments for Ebola
Response aid that Government
has validated with its partners,
including
disbursements,
stands at US$373.3 million. Of
this amount, US$70.0 million

represents additional funding

from the World Bank, which
has been approved but is not yet
finalized, said Minister Konneh.
Excluding that additional World
Bank financing, the remaining
US$303.3 million includes a
US$152 million commitment
of resources from the United
States Government which, at 41
per cent of total commitments,
is so far the largest pledge to
the Ebola effort in Liberia. This
amount includes nearly US$100
million in in-kind support from
the US Department of Defense.
A further 34 per cent of the total
funds have been committed
for use by United Nations
Agencies. 11.5 per cent has been
committed by donor partners
for use by the Government of
Liberia, and the remaining 13.3
per cent is committed for use

by NGOs. Out of the US$303.3
million,
US$244.7
million
has been disbursed by donors
to implementing partners or
agencies.
He said the government does
not know how much of that
has actually been spent locally;
however, the amount includes inkind donations such as supplies
and
construction
activity,
amounting to US$103.5 million,
stating that Technical assistance
accounted for US$12.8 million
of the total US$303.3 million,
while the remaining US$127
million as provided as actual
cash donations.
Konneh said an additional
US$$157 million in General
Budget Support has so far been
committed to the Government
of Liberia for FY 2014/15 for
sector support and investment
in
economic
stabilization
initiatives.
Of this amount, US$60.6
million has been disbursed into
the Governments consolidated
account so far, comprising
US$48 million from the IMF,
US$10 million from the
European Union, and US$2.6
million from the United States
Agency
for
International
Development (USAID) as a
Fixed Amount Reimbursement
Agreement (FARA), he said.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
has said that she wants to see
a country free from Ebola by
Christmas and with this burden,
the Ebola Response team is
under pressure to meet deadlines
thereby the anxiety.

CHRISTIAN HERBERT, FORMER

DEPUTY PW MINISTER DEAD

M
Monrovia -

r. Christian Herbert, a former

Deputy Minister of Public Works
for Rural Development has died.
He was 53.
A former minister of Labor during the Charles
Taylor government and Minister of Planning and
Economic Affairs during the National Transitional
Government of Liberia headed by Gyude Bryant
, Herbert died early Thursday at the Tappita
Hospital.
Mr. Herbert is also a former vice president of the
University of Liberia Student Union(ULSU).

Page 9

SO BAD
Health Minister Designate Describes
Health Sector, Vows Effectiveness
Henry Karmo (0086522495)
henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviaince President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf nominated a new Health

Minister, concerns about the medical background of the
man who previously served as Director General of the Civil
Service Agency has been a point of debate on the media and
at intellectual centers in Liberia especially at a time when the country
is faced with a major health crisis.
Mr. George Werner, Health Minister designate Republic of Liberia at
his confirmation hearing Thursday before the Senate Committee on
Health clarified the doubt about his Medical background by informing
members of the committee that he has worked as an educator and
clinical therapist in out of Liberia describing the health sector of the
country as so bad, promising to ensure effectiveness when confirmed.
Werner said: I worked as a clinical therapist in the United States
for many years. I also worked in sustaining a program for leadership
in helping and knowing about pediatric and how to use health care
management to attend to the needs of children with health issues and
that was at the children program in Philadelphia.
He also told the committee that outside of government he worked
at the Mother Pattern School of Health Sciences for a year. So, I
bring to my work experience in education and health care and public
administration- the three are important for the issues we face in the
healthcare sector, Werner said.
Justifying why the senate should confirm him he said, the Chief medical
officer of Liberia is charged with the responsibility of delivering on the
medical services at the various institutions.
The Health Minister Designate promised to carry his worth of
experience in personnel management to resolve the management
issues at the Ministry and mobilize resources to improve the system
which he described as so bad.
Werner said, prior to his nomination as Minister of Health designate,
he worked with the World Bank and development partners on what
could happen to health care workers who die and their families during
the Ebola crisis and what government could do.
Salary issues
He also disclosed that plans are underway to synchronize the payroll
system of the Ministry for all health workers by rationalizing the issue
of salaries.
Giving my experience I want to assure you that if you give the
opportunity, I will not prove you wrong. I will help to reform the
health care sector, take care of the needs of health care workers and
improve access to delivery across the country, he added.
Werner commenting on the sticky issue of reinstating two dismissed
health care workers said he will seek advice from his boss Madam
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on how to proceed with the issue.
He also promised not to reduce the work force of the ministry of
Health because according to him the Ministry needs a workforce more
than what it currently has, indicating that there are plans funded by the
international community to train up to thirty thousand young Liberians
in the health sector.
The issue of reinstating two dismissed health care workers has been a
major issue of contention at the Ministry of Health with health workers
threatening to go on strike if their colleagues are not reinstated with
mounting pressure on thelegislature to perform its oversight.
All efforts by the Legislature to perform that oversight did proved
unsuccessful as the former Minister was very adamant, refusing to
reinstate the two on grounds that he had the full backing of his boss
who gave him the power to appoint and dismiss despite a mutual
agreement reached between the Minister and members of the Senate
health committee to re-instate the health workers to avoid strike action
from the health workers especially during a time of major health crisis.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wrote thelawmakers informing
them that the constitution gives her the exclusive power to appoint
in the executive and warned them to desist from interfering with the
executive duties and responsibilities.
Prior to Werners nomination the Senate passed a vote of no confidence
in his predecessor Dr. Walter Gwenigale for what they termed as
disrespect to the senate health committee members through his stance
not to reinstate the two health officials and accused them of fueling
protest by the health workers a statement the senators excepted.
President Sirleaf during her recent appointment of new officials
reconfirmed her explicit confidence in Dr. Gwenigale and told the
public that she will keep him at the Ministry as adviser until his
retirement in February 2015.

Page 10 | Frontpage

D
Monrovia-

PAGE
RONT

NEWS EXTRA

Stephen D. Kollie, Stephen.kollie@frontpageafricaonline.com

ue to the outbreak
of
the
deadly
Ebola virus that
has resulted to
a huge decline in economic
activities, Liberias Finance
and Development Planning
Minister says the nations
economy is in serious trouble
and that Liberia must tighten
its belt to stabilize its economy.
Speaking Thursday at the
regular press briefing of
the Ministry of Information
Cultural Affairs and Tourism,
Minister Konneh said before
the outbreak of the Ebola Virus
Disease the Liberian Economy
which grew 8.7 percent in
2013, was projected to grow
5.9 percent in 2015 but a 2.5
economic growth projection
in August by the countrys
economic management team
in was further reversed to 1
percent.
He said as of October end,
the nations economic growth
stands at 0.4 percent, indicating
that Liberias economy is in
serious dilemma.
It is the responsibility of the
government to be honest to the
people who they govern so that
we all can adjust our lifestyle
and our interventions, the
Minister said.
According to Minister Konneh
the impressive GDP growth
that Liberia sustained over the
last seven years growing at an

average rate of about 8 percent

has now dip into negative
territory thus signifying the
swing of the nations economy.
Worst affected
He named the worst affected

areas of the Liberian economy

as agriculture and fishery,
mining which are projected
to decline by 4.3 percent and
5.9 percent respectively, down
from 49.5 percent.

Said Minister Konneh: With

economic activities expected
to further deteriorate in the
remaining months of 2014 and
likely even worsen in 2015 our
growth rate for next year is still

Friday, November 21, 2014

a subject of revision. So we are

working hard on this.
External factors beyond control
Konneh went on to reveal that
other external factors that are
beyond Liberias control that
are also hurting the countrys
economy include a sharp 21.2
and 39.3 percent decline in
the price of rubber and iron
ore respectively due to the
consequence of economic
slowdown in China as well as
an appreciation of the United
Sates dollars.
As of September 2014, the
price of rubber has drop from
$126 per pound in 2013 to 74
dollar per pound in 2014 while
the price of iron ore went down
from 145.40 to 82.30 per metro
tons in 2014.
The Liberian Minister of
Finance and Development
Planning noted that the massive
decrease in the countrys
primary export commodity has
resulted in a 31 percent and
81 percent decrease in export
earning on rubber and iron ore
respectively, while the average
inflation rate is now projected
at 11.4 percent for 2014 and
from 7.6 percent in 2013.
Continued Minister Konneh:
This is something that we
are closely monitoring and
following at the level of the
economic management team
together with the Central
Bank. We are making sure that
the exchange rate does not get
out of control. You will agree
that this is the most stable it

STEPPING UP EBOLA FIGHT

Lions Club Donates to Health Ministry
Stephen D. Kollie, Stephen.kollie@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovian a bid to join the

Government of Liberia
in eradicating the deadly
Ebola virus in the country,
the Lion Club international, the

worlds largest service club has

donated a consignment assorted
medical equipment
to two
hospitals in the country through
the Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare.

The James Davies Memorial

Hospital in Neezoe community,
Paynesville and the St. Timothy
Hospital in Robertsport, Grand
Cape Mount County are the
two recipients of the Lion Club

gesture.
The Lion club International
donated to the James David
Memorial Hospital one large
examination table, 6,500 mask,
1940 antiseptic glasses, eight

and cartoons of new born and

children clothing, among others.
The St. Timothy Hospital was
proud to receive 6,000 mask,
1940 antiseptic glasses, 1000
blue pajamas, 7 cartoons of
clothing 80 cartoons of hygienic
gloves, two medical electrical
beds among several other items.
Presenting the items Thursday
at the Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare, French
Ambassador to Liberia and
chairman of the Liberian Lions
club zone indicated that Lion
Clubs laudable contribution
reflects the solidarity shown by
the Government and people of
France to the countries affected
by the Ebola virus.
Ambassador Joel Godea said by
extending its support to those
working to contain the Ebola
outbreak, and to restart essential
health care services in the
community health centers, the
MEDICO Lions Club of France
brings its to the rehabilitation of
the Liberian health system and to
the assistance of people who are
collateral victims of Ebola due
to the collapsing of many health
center.
Ambassador Godea assure the
Health Ministry that the people
of France through humanitarian
associations like Medico Lions
Club of France, will remain

has been its because of the

tightened coordination on the
economic team. Even with
this increase in inflation we
are ensuring that the prices of
major commodities like rice
and other food items dont get
out of control as well. This is
a serious problem for us as
country when we depend on
everything we eat from other
people.
Economic stability
Suggesting what would result
to a stable economy, Minister
Konneh
said
psychical
discipline is required as the
countrys
expenditure
is
increasing with low revenue
due to help financing to various
ministries and agencies of
government.
The
Minister
said
the
Government is proposing to
invest US$ 10 million in the
domestic private sector, $5
million dollars in Information
Communication Technology
(ICT) as a means of helping to
speed up the nations economic
recovery plan.
So now we are even talking to
Arcelor Mittal, talking to Putu,
talking to China Union on
what can be done to make sure
that they continue to operate
because with depressed iron
ore prize it becomes difficult
for these companies to become
profitable. As we mobilize this
funding, we are also working
with our contractors that build
our roads to resume work this
dry season, Minister Konneh
said.

alongside the Liberian people

all together in the fight against
the Ebola virus, that is claiming
the lives of many persons in the
country
At the same time, the Clubs zone
343 Chairman Cllr. Dickson N.
Doe explained the lions have
been working tirelessly in the
communities using their mega
resources to buttress the fight
against the deadly disease.
The first donation arrived
November 15, 2014, which is
here today. We expect to get the
second contain in sometime the
first week in December. I have
been told there will be another
third container so we are grateful
to Medico France yea the people
of France for this assistance,
Cllr. Doe said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Health
Minister for Administration
Matthew Flomo thanked the
Lion Club International for
the donation adding that the
Ministry will ensure the items
are properly used towards basic
health services. We are gratified
by these gifts and we are quite
aware of your individual efforts
been made to the fight against
Ebola and now you have come
as a group to make this donation.
So we want to say a big thank
you to the donors, the Medical
Lion Club of France and a big
thank you to the Lion Club of
Liberia for identifying with the
Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare, Minister Flomo said.

Friday, November 21, 2014

PAGE
RONT

NEWS EXTRA

Frontpage

Page 11

or more than two

decades, Lucy Barh
has been helping
women deliver babies.
Even during Liberia's violent
civil war, when other midwives
left, Barh stuck around.
But none of this prepared her
for a patient she saw a few
months ago.
"I was on duty that day when
the patient came in," says
Barh, at the headquarters
of theLiberian Midwives'
Association in Monrovia. "We
did the examination. She was
not in labor."
Last night we received three
ladies. They had been in labor
one week, two weeks. Nobody
to help them. ... The babies
died before they came.
- Midwife Ester Kolleh at the
Eternal Love Winning Hospital
outside Monrovia
The woman didn't even seem
close. So Barh sent her home
and told her to return to the
maternity ward when her
contractions started. Barh was
expecting her in a couple of
days, maybe a week.
"But to our utmost surprise, the
very next day," she says, "that
woman was rushed on our
ward, bleeding profusely."
The woman was in full labor.
The midwives raced to deliver
the baby.
"Right after the fetus came out,
that woman started bleeding
from all over," Barh says. "We
did everything we could, just
to save her life. But even with
a blood transfusion, she ended
up dying."
The baby died, too. And it was
only then that Barh and her
team learned the truth about
the woman's medical history:
Two of her relatives had died
of Ebola.
If a person can get treatment, he
or she has nearly a 40 percent
chance of surviving Ebola. But
for a pregnant woman and her
fetus, Ebola is almost a death
sentence. One small study
founda fatality rate around 95
percent. The woman invariably
passes the virus to the fetus.
And the fetus dies before labor,
or it's born and dies shortly
after.

A pregnant woman waits for help in a cab outside John F. Kennedy hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, in September. Then closed,
the hospital's maternity ward reopened in October and is now one of the few places in Monrovia delivering babies.

The devastation doesn't stop

there.
Both the baby and the woman's
amniotic fluid are flooded with
Ebola virus and are highly
infectious.
"After a few days, the midwife
who did that delivery came
down with Ebola," Barh
says. "She spent 21 days in a
treatment center. It was only
by the grace of God that she
recovered."
Many other midwives haven't
been so lucky.
Right outside Barh's office is
a whiteboard. There are about
three-dozen photos taped on
it. At the top, it says, "Nurses
and midwives who have died
during the Ebola crisis."
Not all of them caught the
infection
from
pregnant
women, but in Liberia, you
hear the same story over and
over again: Someone got Ebola
while trying to help a pregnant
woman in trouble.
When a woman is bleeding,

minutes
can
mean
the
difference between life or
death for the baby and mom,
Barh says. "Sometimes it
doesn't even give you ample
time to put on your gloves. ...
That alone is so dangerous for
the midwives."
With so much blood and so
much bodily fluid involved in
deliveries, even doctors with
access to protective gear are
getting infected.
That's how the American
doctor Rick Sacra got Ebola
in August. Sacra, who is now
recovering in Worcester, Mass.,
was helping pregnant women
at a hospital outside Monrovia
called Eternal Love Winning
Africa, or ELWA.
"Sacra was being very
cautious,"
says
ELWA's
assistant director, Dr. John
Fankhauser. "But it's also just
very risky. What we consider
our two riskiest places are the
OB ward and the operating
room."

The problem, he says, is that

women who are miscarrying
often have bleeding and
cramping, like someone with
Ebola. So it's very difficult to
tell the difference.
The risk to health care workers
is so high that many clinics in
Liberia refuse to treat pregnant
women. Hospitals have closed
their maternity wards.
The ripple of effects of that
breakdown in the health
care system could be more
catastrophic than Ebola itself.
ELWA is one of the few health
facilities in Monrovia where a
woman can deliver her baby.
The midwives there now wear
full Ebola suits gown,
gloves, face mask, goggles
during every delivery. And
they get sprayed down with
chlorine after a shift, just like
in the Ebola clinic.
"So far, by the grace of
God, we haven't had another
infection," Fankhauser says.
"But all we can do is take great

precautions. We can't stop

caring for patients."
Even as careful as Fankhouser
was, he is now back in the U.S.,
under quarantine, after possible
exposure to Ebola. So far, he's
had no symptoms.
And many midwives across
Liberia have stopped caring
for patients, says Ester Kolleh,
the lead midwife at ELWA.
They've quit or stopped coming
to work. "Everybody is afraid
of catching Ebola," she says,
"because most nurses who
caught Ebola died."
Around that moment, a nurse
walks by in the hallway of
ELWA's OB ward. In her
arms is a baby who isn't
moving. Kolleh explains what
happened.
"Last night we received three
ladies," she says. "They had
been in labor one week, two
weeks. Nobody to help them."
The three women had gone
from hospital to hospital in
Monrovia. They were turned

away at each one. By the time

they made it to ELWA, it was
too late for their babies.
"All of them had stillbirth," she
says. "They couldn't get help
from anyone. The babies died
before they came. Now we
have three dead babies in the
delivery room."
The United Nations Population
Fund says the problem is
widespread across Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Maternal death rates are
climbing. And
tens
of
thousands of women and
their babies could die in
the region over the next year
unless more maternity wards
reopen and ERs start seeing
pregnant women again, the
agency predicts.
Kolleh says that's why she's not
quitting, no matter the danger.
"We keep doing it because we
have to do the work," she says.
"We have to save lives."
And bring tiny new ones into
the world, too.

U.S. SCALES BACK NUMBER OF

EBOLA TREATMENT UNITS IN LIBERIA

Washington Post
he United States
is scaling back the
number of Ebola
treatment units it is
building in Liberia because
of a reduction in cases in that
country, a spokesman for the
U.S. Agency for International
Development said Wednesday.
Instead of 17 treatment centers,
the United States is now
planning to construct 15. The
U.S. military is building 10 of
themthe first one opened last
week. With USAID funding, a
German non-profit is building
another four in southeastern

Liberia, and Save the Children

is building one, according to
USAID spokesman Matthew
Herrick.
At the same time, U.S. officials
said there is a continuing
urgent need to fight the fastmoving Ebola epidemic in
West Africa and shore up U.S.
preparedness. They testified
before Congress this week
in support of the Obama
administrations request for
$6.2 billion in emergency aid
to combat Ebola and address
longer-term recovery and
prevention needs.
Although there have been

signs of progress in parts

of Libera, the latest report
Wednesday from the World
Health Organization shows a
huge jump in confirmed Ebola
cases in Sierra Leone, 533
new cases in the week ending
Nov. 16. Much of the most
intense transmission was in the
capital of Freetown, the WHO
said. In Sierra Leone, Liberia
and Guinea, the three hardest
hit countries in West Africa,
the number of confirmed and
suspected Ebola cases is 15,
113, including 5,406 deaths.

Page 12 | Frontpage

Friday, November 21, 2014

Vacancy Announcement
The American Refugee Committee seeks to establish an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Liberia. The ETU will be a highcapacity, isolated unit with up to 10 beds upon completion, which will require the oversight of approximately 125 staff, over a
period of 6-9 months. Given the magnitude of the need, the plan is to set up the ETU immediately in Fish Town. Staff safety
is an absolute priority of the ARC, therefore, strict adherence to infections control procedures will be undertaken to protect
staffs. Given the nature of the work, staffs dealing directly with confirm and/or suspected Ebola patients will be required to
wear protective equipment gears and must adhere to ARC/WHO/CDC/MHSW infection control protocols and procedures at
all times.
ARC is therefore soliciting applications from qualified candidates for the below listed positions to be based in Monrovia,
Harper and Fish Town Republic of Liberia. All interested candidates are encouraged to send your resume and cover letter with
the title of the job you are applying for in the subject line of the email to jobs@arcliberia.org.
Contract duration: Six (6) months with attractive salary and Benefits.
1) Monrovia Based Position
Finance Manager (1), Accountant (1), Logistic and Procurement Manager (1), National HR Manager (1), HR Assistant (1),
Drivers (2), Cleaner (1), Cook (1)
2) Harper Based Position
Logistics Officer (1), Cleaners (2), Driver (1), Cook (2)
3) Fish-Town Based Position
Status: 3 month Rotations
Clinical/Health staff
Physician Assistants (4), Nurses and Nurse Aids, (5), Pharmacist(1), Pharmacy Assistant, Laboratory Technician, (1) Ambulance
Nurses (4)
ETU Other Program Staff:
ETU Site Manager Staff: (1),Surveillance Officer (1), WASH Coordinator (1) Local WASH Staff (44)Coordinators (5) Warehouse
Manager/Storekeeper (1)Waste Management Specialist (1) PSS Staff (1)Driver (Ambulance/Regular) (5), Sprayers (18)
ETU Support Staff:
HR Coordinator (1), Logistics and Transportation Officer (1) Accountant
IT/Communication Coordinator (1), Foreman (1),Daily Labor (4),Security focal point
Tent City / Fish Town
Cooks and Cleaners (30)
Deadline is November 30, 2014. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Diversity
ARC is committed to gender equity and ethnic and racial diversity in programs and organizational policy. ARCs employment
policy provides for the equality of opportunity, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status,
physical or mental disability, or past, present, or future service in the uniformed services. ARC will not violate any applicable
law by showing partiality or granting any specific favors to any employees or group of employees

Friday, November 21, 2014

PAGE
RONT

Frontpage

NEWS EXTRA

Page 13

REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET

Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale

UBA LIBERIA LTD DONATES

ADDITIONAL US$300,000 TO THE
FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA IN LIBERIA

Monrovia
n the wake of the gains made in the
fight against Ebola, the United Bank of
Africa (UBA) Liberia Limited has made
additional donation of US$300,000 to the
Government of Liberia to help in its fight.
According to an Executive Mansion release,
the Banks chief executive officer (CEO) and
manger of the Liberia branch said the amount
being the second intervention by UBA was
in further demonstration of a strong show of
solidarity with the Government of Liberia. She
believes progress can never be made in human
and economic development if Ebola is not
totally eradicated.
Two months ago, in September 2014, the bank
made an initial donation of a pick-up truck to
logistically support governments fight and
promised to keep observing the situation and
would make an additional donation when they
found it expedient.
Madam Chioma Mang said the donation was
in fulfillment of the banks corporate-social
responsibility to Liberia as it has been doing
since its establishment in Liberia more than nine
years ago.
During the presentation of the symbolic check,
Madam Chioma Mang reassured President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf that UBA will continue to work
with Liberia to ensure an Ebola free country.
The UBA Liberia CEO used the occasion to
praise the Liberia leader for the able leadership
role demonstrated since the outbreak which she
believes led to the current gains being made in
the fight. The improvement recorded in Liberia
is remarkable and we appreciate and commend
your effort, Madam Meng said.
She also informed President Sirleaf that the
bank has begun offering a unique payment
solution to the Government of Liberia through
the Visa prepaid card which allows salaries
and allowances to be uploaded in advance for
Government employees thereby allowing them
to access cash as they await salary disbursement.
Responding, President Sirleaf termed the
donation as a reinforcement of good partnership

between Liberia, the UBA and the Federal

Republic of Nigeria which she further described
as long standing partnership benefiting all
sides.
She praised UBAs strong commitment to
Liberias recovery and assured the bank that its
interventions in Liberia, especially in the Ebola
fight, has had a great impact on the operation.
President Sirleaf particularly expressed delight
that Liberians took ownership and leadership of
the Ebola fight through the various communities
with support from the partners.
She used the opportunity to remind the UBAs top
management of the post-Ebola reconstruction era
as financial institutions partnering with Liberia
will greatly be needed in this direction. President
Sirleaf encouraged the bank and other financial
institutions to begin planning for the post-Ebola
economic revitalization which she said will
center on agriculture and macro-finance.
The Liberian President believes that financial
institutions are indispensable to the countrys
growth and urged the UBA to maintain this
partnership.
Madam Sirleaf asked CEO Mang to convey, on
behalf of the Liberia people, great sentiments
and appreciation to her counterpart, President
Goodluck Jonathan, for encouraging Nigerian
businesses to invest in Liberia and to the
chairman of the group, Tony Elumelu, for
braving the storm to invest in Liberia especially
at the time when everything was broken down
after years of war.
I like to remind Mr. Elumelu through you,
Madam CEO, that Liberia still awaits his visit
as he once upon a time promised me. Liberias
investment potential is great, President Sirleaf
indicated.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia, H.E.
Chigozie Obi- Nnadozie who accompanied
the UBA Liberia CEO to the Liberian leaders
Foreign Ministry office, expressed thanks to
the President for remaining steadfast during the
Ebola outbreak; promising Nigerias solidarity
with the people of Liberia in time of need.

Page 14 | Frontpage

IN BRIEF

PAGE
RONT

WORLD NEWS

Friday, November 21, 2014

DHS ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY PROTECTED

FOR LIBERIA, GUINEA, & S. LEONE

NIGERIAN TYCOONS LEAD

AFRICA'S 50 RICHEST TO
GAINS IN 2014

or the first time in the four

years that FORBES has
been tracking Africas
richest, Nigeria bests South
Africa. At the top yet again is
cement tycoon Aliko Dangote
of Nigeria, joined on the list of
Africas 50 Richest by 12 other
countrymen.
In comparison
South Africa claims 11 spots,
down from 14 a year ago.
Nigeria is showing its strength,
having earned commendations
for its efforts to snuff out Ebola
in the country, which Dangote
helped fund and despite a
recent drop in oil prices.
There are three new billionaires
on the list: Orji Uzor Kalu
of Nigeria, Tony Elumelu of
Nigeria and King Mohammed VI
of Morocco. Three billionaires
on last years list are no longer
members of the 10-figure club:
Vimal Shah of Kenya is off the
list, replaced by his father Bhimji
Depar Shah at a lower net worth.

Washington
ue to the outbreak of
Ebola virus disease in
West Africa, Secretary
of Homeland Security
Jeh Johnson has announced his
decision to designate Liberia,
Guinea, and Sierra Leone for
Temporary Protected Status
(TPS) for 18 months. As a result,
eligible nationals of Liberia,
Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are
currently residing in the United
States may apply for TPS with
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

MISS HONDURAS SHOT

DEAD 'AFTER FLEEING
SISTER'S BOYFRIEND'

Santa Barbara (Honduras)

(AFP) iss
Honduras
was fatally shot
as
she
tried
to escape her
sister's jealous boyfriend, police
and reports said, hours after the
siblings were found dead beside
a river.
Maria Jose Alvarado, 19, who
had been due to fly to London
to compete in the Miss World
beauty pageant, disappeared
with her sister Sofia Trinidad
Alvarado six days ago after a
party, sparking an exhaustive
search.

SENIOR ISLAMIC STATE

FIGURE KILLED IN
MOSUL: SOURCES

BAGHDAD (Reuters) n Islamic State

leader has been
killed in an air strike
in the northern Iraqi
city of Mosul, residents and a
local medical source said on
Thursday.
They said Radwan Taleb alHamdouni, who they described
as the radical militant group's
leader in Mosul, was killed with
his driver when their car was hit
in a western district of the city
on Wednesday afternoon.
The ultra-hardline Islamic State
(IS) swept through northern
Iraq in June almost unopposed
by Iraq's army, consolidating
on gains made in the country's
Sunni heartland region of
Anbar.
Hamdouni was buried later on
Wednesday. Large numbers of
supporters, some carrying black
Islamic State flags, attended the
funeral, one source said.

Monrovia
he Ebola crisis in
West Africa differs
from other emergency
situations in almost
every way. This is not a crisis
where needs can quickly be
identified, supplies distributed
and measures implemented to
put people, communities and the
economy back on track.
The situation is getting more
serious every day. While the
number of Ebola cases are
doubling every three weeks,
the virus also keep taking
an increasing economic toll,
affecting the poorest half of
the Liberian population who
lives in conditions of extreme
poverty, the hardest.
Emmanuel T. Tumbey, General
Manager of the
Liberia
Marketing Association, said his
members are severely affected
by the crisis, especially those
selling bush-meat, which has
been banned due to the risk of
contagion, but also those selling
other goods, due to high prices,
travel restrictions and closed
borders.
Commodity exports, such as
iron ore, palm oil and rubber
form the backbone of Liberia's
economic growth. It is striking,
though perhaps not surprising,
that workers in these particular
branches of the economy are
also among those hardest hit
by poverty, food insecurity and
malnutrition.
According to a recent report
produced by Liberias Ministry
of Agriculture, about 75 per cent
of mine-workers, more than 70
per cent of those working in the
palm oil industry and about 63
per cent of those working on

Services (USCIS). The Federal

Register notices provide details
and procedures for applying for
TPS and are available at www.
uscis.gov/tps.
The TPS designations for the
three countries are effective Nov.
21, 2014 and will be in effect
for 18 months. The designations
mean that eligible nationals of
Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone
(and people without nationality
who last habitually resided in
one of those three countries) will
not be removed from the United

States and are authorized to

work and obtain an Employment
Authorization Document (EAD).
The 180-day TPS registration
period begins Nov. 21, 2014 and
runs through May 20, 2015.
To be eligible for TPS, applicants
must demonstrate that they
satisfy all eligibility criteria,
including that they have been
continuously residing in the
United States since Nov. 20, 2014
and continuously physically
present in the United States
since Nov. 21, 2014. Applicants

also undergo thorough security

checks. Individuals with certain
criminal records or who pose a
threat to national security are not
eligible for TPS. The eligibility
requirements are fully described
in the Federal Register notices
and on the TPS Web page at
www.uscis.gov/tps
Liberians currently covered under
the two-year extension of Deferred
Enforced Departure (DED) based
on President Obamas Sept. 26,
2014 memorandum may apply
for TPS. If they do not apply

for TPS within the initial 180day registration period, they

risk being ineligible for TPS
because they will have missed
the initial registration period.
Liberians covered by DED who
already possess or have applied
for an EAD do not need to also
apply for one related to this
TPS designation. However, such
individuals who are granted TPS
may request a TPS-related EAD
at a later date as long as the TPS
designation for Liberia remains in
effect.
Applicants may request that
USCIS waive any or all fees
based on demonstrated inability
to pay by filing Form I-912,
Request for Fee Waiver, or by
submitting a written request.
Fee-waiver requests must be
accompanied by supporting
documentation. USCIS will reject
any TPS application that does not
include the required filing fee or a
properly documented fee-waiver
request.
All USCIS forms are free.
Applicants can download these
forms from the USCIS website
atwww.uscis.gov/forms
or
request them by calling USCIS
toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.
Applicants seeking information
about the status of their individual
cases can check My Case Status
Online or call the USCIS National
Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800767-1833).
For more information about
USCIS and its programs, please
visit www.uscis.gov or follow us
on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/
uscis), Facebook(/uscis), and the
USCIS blog The Beacon.

THE EBOLA CRISIS IN WEST AFRICA:

TAKING LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS

rubber plantations suffer severe

to moderate food insecurity. The
economic slow-down currently
caused by the Ebola-epidemic
has exacerbated the situation
further.
People survive by eating what
they grow in their own gardens,
and by selling vegetables
from their back yards, said
Deroe Weeks, Director of
Food Security and Nutrition
Programme at the Ministry of
Agriculture. For the bush-meat
hunters, there are not many
alternative livelihoods. Food
insecurity will increase, she
said.
Liberian businessman Amin
Modad who is leading an
economic recovery strategy
initiative, said two of the
main obstacles for Liberian
businesses is the lack of skilled
entrepreneurs and lack of access

to credit. But, he adds, the

situation now is acute. I have
loans to pay. If it continues like
this, I will not make it.
UNDP is now reprogramming
its resources in Liberia to
meet a range of Ebola-related
challenges. So far, UNDPs
support
helped
strengthen
coordination of assistance at
the country level, promoted
social mobilization, as well as
organized Ebola sensitization
and
preventive
awareness
campaigns in all 15 counties in
Liberia.
Massive social mobilization,
awareness creation and active
engagement of the society is
necessary if we are to stand a
chance to contain Ebola, said
UNDP Country Director for
Liberia, Kamil Kamaluddeen.
The risk of social unrest and
violence is likely to escalate

as the situation continues to

deteriorate.
UNDP has also provided
expertise to enhance information
management capacities, and
supplied vehicles to improve
the national response capacity
of the Command Centre for
coordination, surveillance and
case management.
A team of UNDP experts
is helping to improve crisis
response capacity at the
national and local levels, and
design measures to revitalize
the economy, including a widereaching social protection plan-cash transfers to the poorest part
of the population.
Another specific area where
UNDP will provide support
is reducing the spread of
infection in prisons by training
selected corrections officers to
prevent outbreaks, and uphold

the human rights of inmates,

strengthening prison health
facilities, and improving the
diet of inmates.
UNDP has been designing
response and recovery efforts.
Its staff is ensuring that the
health response is integrated and
coordinated. It is also working
to ensure that the response is
inclusive by helping meet some
of the pressing needs of the
most-affected communities.
This focus is essential so that the
services that support livelihoods
and hold communities together
can be quickly restored. By
helping communities, Liberia
can more effectively begin to
move beyond the epidemic by
accelerating the recovery effort
and returning the economy and
society to a path of longer term
development.
With the dramatic toll the Ebola
crisis is taking on individuals,
communities and the economy,
the income structure in Liberia
could be severely affected. As
families lose their breadwinners,
livelihoods disappear and prices
of commodities, health services
and other emergency expenses
increase, the social fabric of the
country could change.
In this scenario, social
protection mechanisms will
contribute to improving stability
and security, and make the
Liberian society as a whole
more robust and resilient, said
Kamaluddeen.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Frontpage

Sports

COLLEAGUES REMEMBER ZOEGAR

JAYNES; SIGN BOOK OF CONDOLENCE

Monrovia wo former officials

of the Sports Writers
Association of Liberia
(Swal) want journalist
Zoegar Jaynes to be greatly
remembered for his dedicated
and unmatched services to sports
journalism.
Zoegar,
a
spirited
sports
commentator and basketball
coach, died on November 14 at a
clinic in Paynesville.
Jaynes death has shocked his
professional colleagues and sports
programs, including on ELBC
99.9 FM and Radio Veritas 97.8
FM where he worked respectively,
have been dedicated to his
memory.
UNMIL
Radios
FrontPage
program, which discusses issues
affecting the growth of the media,
was dedicated to his memory
on November 15 and its Sports
Extra program on November 17
continued from where the latter
stopped.
But ex-president Hilary JustinColnoe, who represented Zoegars
wife Tina Jaynes, told a ceremony
to mark the signing of the book of
condolence on Wednesday that
Swal should remember a colleague
who was a mentor.
I am recommending to the
leadership of Swal that an award
be named in memory of Zoegar
as the best sports commentator of
Liberia award just like you have
for Herbert Grisby [memorial
lecture series]. And to the young
and promising sports reporters,
I want to encourage you to get
involved in sports commentary. I
think they have the potential and
we could produce more Zoegar
Jaynes.
But one thing I need to tell
them is that they should be very
serious in whatsoever they do.
And they should be committed to
their profession. They should not
put money first. They should be
professional at all times. Thats the
kind of person Zoegar was. And
if you emulate the examples of
Zoegar, I can assure you that well
have more commentators, said
Colnoe, award-winning journalist,
who disclosed that Zoegar will be
buried on November 29.
Ex-vice president Horatio Willie
worked with Zoegar at Veritas and
knows a thing or two about him.
To say how well I knew Zoegar
will be an overstatement.
Zoegar and I have come a long
way. I have been practicing as
a journalist between 15 to 20
years and I have known Zoegar
from the first day. Zoegar and I
worked together in Swal as sports
journalists. We worked together as
political journalists. We worked
as economic journalists. And we
worked as friends and partners in
a lot of ways.
We
organized
the
first
professional economic grouping
of
journaliststhe
Liberia
Economic Journalists Association
and Zoegar rose to the role of
acting chairman and we were there
providing the support. Outside
of the media, we worked at the
Ministry of Finance in a media
role but in different departments,

Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Swal president Roland Mulbah

Zoegar Jaynes

Page 15

SPORTS

BONY SIGNS NEW

SWANSEA CITY CONTRACT

ilfried
Bony
has
agreed
a new fouryear deal with
Swansea City, ending speculation
surrounding
the
in-demand
striker's future.
The Ivory Coast international
revealed last week that he was
close to agreeing a new contract
and is now tied to the club until
the summer of 2018 following the
one-year extension.
Bony scored 26 goals in an
outstanding first season at the
club, prompting a bid from
Liverpool and interest from
Tottenham during the summer
and Garry Monk is delighted
to see the club-record signing
recommit.
"It's great news for the club,"
Monk told the club's official
website.. "I've spoken a lot about
what Bony has brought to the
club not just on the pitch but off
it as well.

LEO'S LAST SEASON? WHY MESSI IS

CONSIDERING BARCELONA EXIT

Ex-Swal Veep Horatio Willie

said Willie, who is an assistant
foreign affairs minister for public
affairs.
Like Colnoe, Willie also wants
Zoegar to be remembered in
aspecialway.
All of grew-up and heard Herbert
Grisby but Herbert Grisby didnt
impact our lives. We have a
forum named The Herbert Grisby
Forum. I think either a tournament
or another lecture [series] should
be named to the memory of
Zoegar Jaynes. Why am I saying
this? Zoegar didnt only impact
the lives of journalists.
Zoegar impacted the lives of
basketballers and footballers.
Zoegar was a basketball coach.
He trained girls and boys and a
lot of young people. In the media,
Zoegar was a trainer. He had a job
at the Finance Ministry but he still
had passion for sports and was
doing commentary for ELBC and
other stations. So Zoegar Jaynes
shouldnt be laid to rest and his
memory be forgotten, Willie
advised.
Willie said he will work with
the Liberia National Olympic
Committee, where Zoegar was
director of communications, to
havean annual memorial debate
or tournament which could rotate
from football to basketball and
from tennis to handball among
others.
But Willie warned against erasing
the memory of Grisby whom he
believes led the touch of sports
commentary.
Zoegar co-chaired Swal adhoc
elections committee last December
before PresidentRoland Mulbah
appointed him as chairman of the

constitution review committee in

March.
His death will create further
setbacks for a process that has
cast doubt over the legitimacy of
the Mulbah-led administration,
which
suspended treasurer
Momoh Siryon for financial and
administrative malpractices in
late September.
Swal, as a mark of respect,
has suspended its anniversary
activities pending the burial and
Mulbah said Zoegars memory
will forever live on.
We have been receiving a lot of
calls [to do something in honor
of Zoegar] and that is in our
plan. We are going to announce
it officially during the funeral
service.Perpetually, we are going
to remember Zoegar. And like
Herbert Grisby, Zoegar will not be
forgotten in Swal.
November should have been
our awards ceremony. We have
pushed it to December. And I am
of the conviction that the rest of
the leadership will agree that we
name one of our awards or a forum
in Zoegars honor, he explained.
Zoegar was president of Flames
and coach of Phoenix Basketball
Clubs and national team coach.
And Rufus Anderson, president
of
the
Liberia
Basketball
Association, told Sport Extra that
plans are underway for the fallen
coach to be given a state funeral.
We received this shocking news
that took everybody by surprise
[on Friday] and we highly regret
his lost. Personally, we were good
friends and he was a friendly guy.
Professionally, he was up to the
task and I am sure everybody who

PUL president Abdullah Kamara

interacted with him will definitely

miss all of those good attributes
and things that he inspired into our
players.
The association will definitely
pay a visit to his family in a very
special way but we are in the
process of communicating to the
government, through the Ministry
of Youth and Sports who is the
custodian of the national teams, for
onward submission to the Foreign
Ministry [for an official gazette
and a state funeral] because of
the role Zoegar played as national
team coach, said Anderson on
November 17.
Zoegar was also a respected
member of the Press Union of
Liberia (PUL), having served as
financial secretary for two terms
(four years) and on the grievance
and ethics and sports and
entertainment committees, besides
captaining the unions squadthe
Pen Pushers up to his demise.
He quitted mainstream journalism
locally to work for the BBC
as a sports correspondent and
combined that role with a
consultancy at the Ministry of
Finance.
And doctors said Zoegar, who
was recently commissioned by
Finance Minister Amara Konneh
as a director, died of diabetes but
those who knew him said he had
no history of such illness.
Ive come across Zoegar as
someone who insisted upon
getting better in anything he was
involved with. He was someone
who was very open about his
personal condition so that you will
understand. When we got news
about his death, it really shocked

us. And then they say diabetes, it

was a further shock.
I know Zoegar had one open
health condition. He doesnt use
[consume] milk products. He
says it in every situation. And so
if you and Zoegar are somewhere
and you know the product you are
using is milk [contains milk] you
will tell him because he would
have told you several times and he
will say that over that he doesnt
sue milk products, PUL president
Abdullah Kamara said.
Several former Swal executives
and other personalities including
Jerry S. Yekeh, deputy chief
referee of the Liberia Football
Referees Association, Timothy
Paulus, ex-vice president of the
Monrovia Black Stars FC, Moses
Wenyou, press attach to Senate
Protemp Gbehzhongar Findley
and talk show hosts Melody
Meazy-Ketter and Smith Toby
signed the book.
Zoegar becomes the fifth journalist
who has died since August
with Star Radio Kru announcer
Sitonneh Targbeh Weah, having
predeceased him a day earlier.
His death is undoubtedly a serious
blow to a media profession that
has suffered brain drain where the
veterans and a talented few leave
for greener pastures.
Zoegar joins Joe Worlorbah
Mulbah, Victoria ChristopherCoopers, Tom Kamara, Charles
Gbeyon, Veronica Kpan, Komla
Afeke Dumor and Patrick
Wrokpoh in the celestial world of
journalism.
May God grant him and all faithful
departed eternal rest.

different discourse.
Lionel
Messi's
claims
that
he
no longer knows
whether his long-term future
lies at Barcelona are fruit of the
forward's growing frustration
at the Catalan club. Once a
marriage made in heaven, Messi
and Barca could now be set for
an unhappy break-up.
The Argentine attacker has
always said he wants to retire at
Camp Nou or at least stay until
late in his career before ending
up at boyhood club Newell's
in Argentina, but he has now
changed his tune. On Tuesday,
he told Argentine sports daily
Ole that he does not know what
the future holds. And it was no
coincidence.

LIVERPOOL CONFIRM
STURRIDGE INJURY
SETBACK

iverpool
have
confirmed that Daniel
Sturridge has suffered
another thigh strain in
training and is now unavailable
for Sunday's Premier League
clash with Crystal Palace.
As reported by Goal, Sturridge
pulled up during a session at
Melwood on Tuesday and it is
believed the injury is similar
in nature to the thigh problem
that originally sidelined him
while on England duty in early
September.
The precise extent of the
new problem has not been
elaborated on and the 25-yearold will be assessed by
Liverpool's medical staff in the
coming days, but the striker has
been ruled out of contention to
face Palace.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

Sports

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

VOL 8 NO.725

PRICE L$40

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1998, CHELSEA WILL

BE UNAFFECTED BY THE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

can happen in just a few short years, including the emergence

of strange conditions that will see neither Nigeria nor Egypt
-- i.e. the champions of Africa in four of the last five editions
-- contest the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Unexpected, to
say the least.
We're also entering uncharted waters here as far as Chelsea are
concerned. Or at least waters that haven't been charted since about
1998, as for the first time in recent memory, Chelsea will be completely
unaffected by the continental tournament and it's ever-disruptive midwinter schedule. A couple of our loanees will be there (Christian
Atsu, currently at Everton, for Ghana and Bertrand Traor, currently

at Vitesse, for Burkina Faso), but the first-team proper, barring any
permanent or temporary transfers in the meantime, will retain our full
complement of players.
Incidentally, a couple times on Wednesday, both Nigeria and Egypt
where within touching distance of making the tournament, but despite
John Obi Mikel's and Mohamed Salah's best efforts, both fell short.
Nigeria couldn't find a third goal to complete the comeback against
South Africa, while Egypt couldn't find a second goal before giving
up the lead in the second half against Tunisia. So instead, the lastin honors as the best third-place team went to Congo, who are also
entering newly rediscovered country with their first appearance since

the year 2000.

Here's Chelsea participatory record over the last 15 years in Africa's
crowning jewel of international football:
2000: Nigeria (Celestine Babayaro)
2002: Nigeria (Babayaro)
2004: Nigeria (Babayaro), Cameroon (Geremi)
2006: Nigeria (John Obi Mikel), Ivory Coast (Didier Drogba)
2008: Nigeria (Mikel), Ivory Coast (Drogba, Salomon Kalou), Ghana
(Michael Essien)
2010: Nigeria (Mikel), Ivory Coast (Drogba, Kalou), Ghana (Essien)
2012: Ivory Coast (Drogba, Kalou)

VISIT UNCLE ZEH'S LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SERVICE ON CROWN

HILL, BROAD STREET WHERE THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST

CALL: 0775 149 376, 0775 149 161