TOP

STORIES

GENDER

ISSUES pg 12

EBOLA

pg13

HAVEN FOR
THE DEAD

IN MIDST OF
EBOLA IN LIBERIA

PORO & SANDE BUSH

PRACTICES PERSIST

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

Liberia Secures New

Site to Bury Ebola
Victims and Others

BUYING

FrontPage

L$82.00/US$1

L$83.00/US$1

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

L$82.00/US$1

L$83.00/US$1

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014

L$82.00/US$1

L$83.00/US$1

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 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

PRICE L$40

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2014

VOL 8 NO.751

SELLING

WORK OF THE DEVIL

NEW EBOLA EPICENTER

ON GURLEY STREET

This situation is an attack of the devil on the church, most especially during such a time like this. This is
a spiritual attack to bring the church down to paint this church black, but God is in control. Let us focus
our minds on God and let us remain committed. I call on all the friends and family of World Resurrection
now; the best you can do is to pray for Resurrection and not to scandalize resurrection.
- Rev. Apostle Habakkuk B. Powell, founder of Mountain of Holiness Ministries in Paynesville

Ebola- pg.9

LIBER IA VOTES 2014 - YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2014 SENATOR IAL ELECTIONS
FINAL REVIEW OF PROGRESS
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA

UNMEER CHIEF
ARRIVES IN LIBERIA

p 13

LINA BOSS
SUSPENDED

Director General Nagbe Sloh of the Liberia News

Agency will be on the sidelines for Time Indefinite

Your Vote is your Voice Vote your Nation & Vote Right

p 12

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 2 | Frontpage

Monrovia tate-Owned Enterprises and financial institutions play

a vital role in the operations of the Liberian economy.
International stakeholders have been concerned over
the lack of clear and transparent oversight in some
organizations which some say is key to ensuring that public
services are delivered to the highest possible standard in a bid
to ensure that development goals and government policies are
implemented fully.
In the past few years however, some financial institutions and
SoEs which have the potential to generate millions, if not
billions of dollars into the national economy, have fallen short of
projections and the deadly Ebola outbreak in the past year has not
helped the situation. The International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank consistently point to the SOEs as a key reason for the
rise of the Liberian government GDP. The decline of revenues in
the past few years however, suggests that something is amiss. At
the start of 2014, SOEs were asked to present financial details for
FY2013/14, including projected revenue and expenditure for the
future. Today, we continue our assessment for 2014 with a look
at the State-Owned Enterprises and Security sectors and financial
institutions.

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

The CBL during the year under review maintained stronger
communication with the public and private sectors on
macroeconomic developments and activities of the Bank. The
bank also consulted with major stakeholders on consensus building
and understanding of policy decisions and various initiatives
of the CBL intended mainly for private sector development,
empowerment of Liberian businesses through increased access
to finance, and sustainable job creation through inclusive growth.
But it is the banks taking over of the regulation and supervision
of the insurance sector that paid great dividends during the course
of the year. Prior to taking over the regulation and supervision of
the sector, the Bank concluded a comprehensive assessment of the
sector. The findings of the assessment showed serious weaknesses
in many critical areas, including capitalization, corporate
governance, underwriting standards and re-insurance coverage.
With the assumption of the regulation and supervision of the
sector by the Central Bank of Liberia, all existing companies were
required to meet the minimum standards in each of these areas
in order to qualify for re-licensing by the Bank. Presently, there
are 20 licensed insurance companies up from 23 prior to 2011,
many of which were significantly undercapitalized and some with
no offices or physical presence in the country. Over 15 of the
licensed insurance companies are wholly or significantly owned
and managed by Liberians. The CBL has also instituted several
measures which have brought significant improvement to the
sector, in terms of better corporate governance, risk management

and stronger capitalization.

Another important goal of the CBL is to build a strong and viable
insurance sector with significant Liberian participation in both
management and ownership. Accordingly, the Bank has required
in the new capital regulations that all existing and new companies
must have significant Liberian ownership. The Bank will also be
issuing several new regulations aimed at strengthening the sector
in 2015. Going into 2015, the Bank will be working with all of the
stakeholders in strengthening the sector in order for it to play its
rightful role in the economy.
During the course of the year, the Board of Governors approved
the Consumer Protection and Market Conduct Regulation which
is intended to promote transparency in the activities of financial
institutions, as a means of empowering consumers to make
informed decisions. It is also aimed at fostering confidence in
the financial services sector by ensuring that financial institutions
provide quality services to their customers and other stakeholders.
This regulation requires financial institutions to establish and
implement efficient and effective mechanisms for handling
consumer complaints relating to the provision of financial
products and services. It also requires the Liberian Bankers
Association (LBA) to develop a code of professional conduct for
commercial banks to promote ethical and professional standards
in the banking industry.
2014 HIGH: During the year also, the Board of Governors
amended Regulation for the Management of Foreign Exchange
Risk Exposure and Placement Abroad. This amendment provides
that the level of placement abroad by commercial banks, which
was 50% of the foreign currency deposits, be reduced to 40% as
a means of creating the incentive for the banks to deploy some
of their excess US dollar liquidity domestically. The Bank also
approved the Mobile Money Regulation which replaces the
guidelines for mobile money issued in 2011 to allow for the
establishment of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) for the
purpose of providing mobile money services.
2014 LOW: Depreciation of the Liberian dollar to a low of 92
to One US dollar and reduction in Liberia's foreign exchange
reserves had many economists and ordinary Liberians lurking at
the bottom of the economic ladder scrambling for answers.
2015 OUTLOOK: Dont be surprised if the noise surrounding
Governor Mills Joness perceived presidential quest resurrects
again although the rushed efforts to force his resignation appear
to have subsided.
GRADE: B+

NATIONAL SOCIAL
CORPORATION

SECURITY

&

WELFARE

The agency responsible for administering the countrys social

security scheme for both the private and public sectors employees;
has for the past few years been consumed with the construction
of a multimillion dollar commercial complex which was finally

dedicated this year. But since the dedication, murmurs have been
circulating about the facial decline of the building even before the
first office or entity set foot in the building.
More importantly, critics cite the lack of transparency and
accountability at NAASCORP as a burning issue for many
investing millions into a sector holding their financial future
security. The agency operates in secrecy and its website provides
very little information about its operations or how it is carrying
out its responsibility to manage the social security scheme.
Since an Audit from the General Auditing Commission in 2006
chastised NAASCORP for failing to put in place an investment
policy for the Corporation, nothing has been done. In fact, the
European Union had reportedly offered US$120,000 to the
corporation to put in place an investment policy which would
guide them on how to use money and how spend it. With virtually
no guidelines and no actuarial evaluation, critics say Naascorps
failure to allow internationally-recommended auditors to look at
all its books to see how much money it has and what has been
done with the money is adding to the mystique surrounding the
corporations operations. For example, the law requires that
only spend 1.5 percent of insurable income should be directed
to investment but NAASCORP has reportedly been spending 97
percent, leaving three percent for investment.
2014 HIGH: NASSCORP says it has in recent years instituted
several reform measures, including automation of its accounting,
registration, contribution records, claim processing and benefit
payment processes, which have facilitated its operations and
ensured prompt service delivery. But the high point of the year
must be the official dedication of the commercial complex.
2014 HIGH: The National Social Security and Welfare
Corporation (NASSCORP) on Friday, June 6, 2014 dedicated its
multi-purpose commercial complex located at the ELWA junction
as a component of its investment portfolio.
2014 LOW: The continued lack of transparency and accountability
at NASSCORP whose investment portfolio continues to remain
inadequate is raising more questions than answers about the inner
workings of NAASCORP.
2015 OUTLOOK: Expect more of the same here in the coming
year: No oversight, no accountability, no transparency putting the
retiring and welfare of millions of Liberians in jeopardy.
GRADE: F

LIBERIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS
(LIBTELCO)

CORPORATION

Three years after the arrival of the much-anticipated fiber optic

cable to Liberia, many are still waiting for the project which was
projected to transform Liberia in a major technology way to bear
fruit, prompting renewed calls from many suggesting that the legal
monopoly granting the Liberia Telecommunications Authority on
fixed line telephone services threatens the survival of LIBTELCO.
2014 HIGH: LIBTELCO says it has connected fiber optic to
the U.S. Embassy, Ministry of Public Works and the National
Elections Commission.
2014 LOW: The dismissal of the entire board of the corporation
by President Sirleaf due to their failure to follow PPCC
procedures and other laws of the executive branch of government
was a low point for LIBTELCO. Based upon the report of an
investigating team, the government cancelled the Memorandum
of Understanding which the previous Board of Directors of the
Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LIBTELCO) had
signed with Ketter Telecom (K3), a European company, because
of the failure to comply with provisions of the Public Procurement
Act.
2015 OUTLOOK; So much potential but very little hope for
optimism. Perhaps Sebastian Muah has a plan to fix the mess.
GRADE: D

LIBERIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY

The regulatory and competition authority charged with the
statutory responsibility of ensuring a vibrant telecommunications

see page 3

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Frontpage

sector spent much of the year hunting down Media institutions and
engaging in dubious dealings over incoming international calls.
Several radio and television stations were sent letters from the
LTA which threatened to shut down radio and Television stations,
it considers illegally operating.
The regulators found itself engulfed in questions after a red
flag was raised over a dubious deal entered into between the
Global Voice Group and CONEX TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INCORPORATED, owned by Mr. Sheriff Abdallah and
the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA). The LTA
signed a Consolidated International Gateway Management
Project Agreement with the Global Voice Group and CONEX
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED. The group
alarms that the LTA has contracted GVG and Conex Telecom to
monitor traffic of incoming international calls. For every incoming
international call to Liberia, the LTA charges international callers
the amount of fourteen cents USD($0.14USD) per minute. In
return for ensuring that Liberian GSM companies are reporting
the correct number of minutes to the LTA, Conex and GVG are
paid a percentage of this fourteen cents.
Interestingly, the company was incorporated on December 23,
2011. Under the agreement, Global Voice Group, as a technical
partner is tasked to have the expertise and technical capacity
to implement telecommunication traffic monitoring, quality of
service, and revenue assurance systems for Liberias international
telecom gateways.GVG is headquartered in Cape Town, South
Africa. GVG has come under fire recently amid allegations of bad
business practices. The company was reportedly kicked out of
Senegal and Haiti. Conex Telecom is a Liberian company owned
by Cherif Abdallah, a Liberian businessman and staunch Unity
Party supporter and Financier.
The LTA was also entangled in a controversy over a controversial
lease agreement signed with a Chinese Landlord for which the
LTA had committed the government of Liberia to pay US$1.1
million over a three-year period. In the lease agreement, the LTA
agreed to pay US$385,000.00 (THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY
FIVE THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) per year,
with a three-year upfront payment to a Chinese Landlord totaling
US$1,155,000.00 (ONE MILLION, ONE HUNDRED FIFTY
FIVE THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS). In fact,
further investigation by FrontPageAfrica uncovered that the
LTA entered into a separate contract to cover cosmetics and
maintenance of the building for the duration of the contract.
2014 HIGH: Very Little to write home about although
2014 LOW: Lonestarcell MTN, Cellcom and Novafone, the
three major cellular companies operating in Liberia may were
threatened with closure in the wake of what the companies argued
amounted to unfair penalties for unregistered SIM cards. As a
result of the breach, FrontPageAfrica reported that the three major
companies were being forced cough up US$231 million in total
US$123 million for Novafone; US$92 million for Lonestarcell/
MTN and US$16 million for Cellcom.
GRADE: F
2015 OUTLOOK: Will this be the year the LTA finally acquires a
land to build its own headquarters and save government millions of
dollars in rent and controversial lease agreements? A new Express
of Interest for the purchase of land is expected to submitted in the
first quarter of the new year.

NATIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Transportation remains a burden for many Liberians and 2014 is

coming to a close with the problems likely to continue in 2015.
During the course of the year under review, the NTA says it has
managed to expand Bus Transit Service across the Country,
procured 9 New Ashok Leyland Buses in May and an additional
six buses acquired with funding from NTA fiscal year 2013/2014
budgetary allotment from the Government of Liberia. The NTA
also received 15 New Ashok Leyland Buses from the Government
of India: Consistent with a request from the President of Liberia to
the Government of India, additional 15 brand new buses recently
arrived in the country and have started normal operations at the
NTA. The arrival of the new buses increased the total number of
buses procured or received in 2014 to 24. The augmented fleet,
according to the NTA will respond to the challenges of growing
demand for bus transit in the city of Monrovia and beyond. These
24 buses are being used exclusively in Monrovia and its environs.
During the period under review (January 1 December 2014)
total ridership recorded amounted to 1,846,079 commuters. This
consists of two categories of riders- regular ridership 1,816,804
and discount ridership 29,275 for discount riders. This is a 35.1%
decline in regular ridership when compared to statistics for
2013. Development of Public Safety Measures against the Ebola
Outbreak
Construction of Bus Terminals: During the period under review,

management completed three of four bus terminal projects.

Three of the four projects were sponsored by the National Oil
Company of Liberia through a grant to the NTA whilst one was
undertaken by the NTA through subsidy from the Government of
Liberia and internal revenues generated from transit services. The
bus terminals are situated in central and intermediate locations
relative to the movements of passengers and freight. Specifically,
these bus terminals are located in Buchanan (Grand Bassa
County), Bo-Waterside (Grand Cape Mount County), Gbarnga
(Bong County), and Kakata (Margibi County). These terminals
are indeed obligatory points of passage for agrarian locales and
will be of benefit in storing and conveying produce to commercial
centers.
2014 HIGH: NTAs Anti-Ebola Measures: The Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD) manifested itself as an appalling nightmare
ravaging every sector of the Liberian society. In concert with the
national Ebola response, management instituted several internal
and external measures to protect its employees and the commuting
public. These measures were superintended by NTA Anti-Ebola
Response Committee.
As external measures, management reduced the number of
commuters on all its buses by half and made it mandatory that all
commuters boarding NTA buses have their hands sprayed with
0.05% chlorinated water. Additionally, management ensured that
no acutely ill persons ride any of its buses.
As internal measures, management ensured that all buses routing
Monrovia and other parts of the Country are disinfected with
0.5% chlorinated water. NTA Anti-Ebola Response Committee
in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
conducted workshop with all employees on the causes and
methods of preventing the spread of EVD.
2014 LOW: NTA Drivers continue to run amok at times, leading
to near-fatal accidents on major highways and city streets.
GRADE: B2015 OUTLOOK: What steps would the NTA take to ensure
proper care and maintenance of buses in the coming year?

Page 3

Commission as an autonomous commission, the Commission is

yet to be established but its work is being performed by the Civil
Service agency which was established in 1973 by an Act of the
Legislature to increase efficiency in the civil service and also act
as the central personnel agency of MACs.
During the course of the year, much was made about the
Director General of the CSA, George Werners policy that those
categorized as non-essential staff be sent home to contain the
spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). President Sirleaf had
in August directed heads of government ministries and agencies
to send home all employees considered non-essential as a way
of decongesting offices to prevent the spread of Ebola virus.
However, a controversial plan reportedly endorsed by President
Sirleaf to permanently terminate their services from government
drew ire. Werner later explained that the proposal was only a draft
that will be reviewed by all sectors that constitute the government
to determine whether it should be implemented. He was later held
in contempt by lawmakers who later railroaded his nomination as
Minister of Health.
2014 HIGH: The CSA perform well in building human resource
capacity as scholarships were provided to several Liberians to
study in foreign universities but jobs upon return and welfare of
students overseas remain a lingering challenge for many.
2014 LOW: Salary disparity across ministries and agencies of
government and lack of transparency in employment opportunities
are all shortcomings of the CSA.
GRADE: C
2015 OUTLOOK: Liberians are still wishing to see a transparent,
effective and efficient CSA that provides open opportunities for
all where employment is not based on nepotism, kinship and other
relations.

NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

The EPA mandated to ensure the integration of environmental
concerns overall, in national planning, environmental protection
and conservation of the Republic of Liberia complained of lack
of financial support to carry out its mandate. The entity has
been complaining that its inspectors are unable to visit the field
and carry out inspection because it does not have the requisite
equipment for inspection. Constructions are still being carried
out in wetlands and environmental pollution are glaring on
main streets and in communities without advice from the EPA.
During the year, the EPA was embarrassed by a lawsuit from Cllr.
Charles Brumskine when the lawyer sued the entity for granting
permit for the construction of gas storage terminal in a residential
neighborhood.
The case is still at the Court but the EPA failed to provide reports
of environmental assessments carried out before granting the
permit for the construction of the fuel storage terminal.
EPA is now being used to individuals to get at some entities but
the actual impact of the entity is not felt across Liberia.
2014 HIGH: the EPA has nothing to show during the year as
achievement.
2014 LOW: The removal of the head of the EPA by President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf drew widespread criticisms from
environmentalists as a political decision that was in violation of
the act that created the EPA.
GRADE F
2015 OUTLOOK: Alarming environmental issues facing
Monrovia are alarming likely to linger in the coming year.

The National Elections Commission has a crucial role to play in

the maintenance of peace and good democratic tenants in Liberia
by supervising and holding free, fair and transparent elections
of public officials. NECs work is measured by the outcome of
elections and with elections normally held constitutional within
a given timeframe, NEC also show its level of work through the
holding of by-elections in case of vacancy caused by unexpected
causes. To this end, during the year NEC performed incredibly
well by overcoming all the obstacles to the holding of midterm
special senatorial election. Despite a writ of prohibition against
the holding of the election, the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus
and other distractions, the NEC was able to organize and conduct
a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election. Today, the fear that
without election there could have been potential constitutional
crisis with 15 illegitimate senators is gone as NEC was able to
announce the results of the elections with at least only two known
protest from candidates. The 2014 special senatorial election is
evidently seen as one of the most peaceful and successful post war
election in Liberia unlike the 2005 and 2011 elections which led to
mass protest and deaths.
2014 HIGH: The successful conduct of the 2014 special senatorial
election amid distractions and obstacles has put the NEC on the
track of restoring confidence in the Liberian people and world that
the current leadership at the entity mean well and is in readiness
to take on the huge task of conducting the 2017 general and
presidential elections.
2014 LOW: Before the election NEC was placed in the spotlight
by one of its former employees on allegations of corruption but
NEC challenged the former employee,insisting that he returns to
Liberia to prove his case. Although yet to be tested in court, but
in the court of public opinion, NECs credibility was brought into
question by the allegations.
GRADE B+
2015 OUTLOOK: NEC has a by-election to conduct in River Cess
County after a sitting member of the House of Representatives
Francis Paye won a senatorial seat in the just ended special
senatorial election. All eyes will be on NEC to replicate what was
done with the senatorial election and for the commission to live up
to expectation in meeting any electoral challenges ahead.
GENERAL AUDITING COMMISSION OF LIBERIA

CIVIL SERVICE
AGENCY

COMMISSION/

CIVIL

SERVICE

In keeping with Article 89 of the 1986 constitution of Liberia

which provides for the establishment of the Civil Service

Audit is one of the best ways of accounting for resources entrusted

to individuals to manage and the General Auditing Commission
of Liberia was one institution that helped Liberia in its recovery
process after the years of civil wars. The commission conducted
the crucial heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC)
audits, one of the pillars and conditions for the waiver of Liberias
debts of over 2 billion dollars. Since the departure of John S.
Morlu, II who served the GAC for four years and restructured the
institution, gaining international recognition, his successors have
failed to continue the path he started. During the year the GAC

see page 4

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 4 | Frontpage
instead of being the institution responsible for fighting corruption,
it was instead a center of public attraction for the wrong reasons.
A new Auditor general who previously worked at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and a friend to the President was appointed after
former Auditor General Robert Kilby was dismissed for Conflict
of Interest. Since stepping in, the new Auditor General Yusador
Gaye has made no significant difference in terms of restoring the
lost image of the GAC brought about during the Kilbys reign.
Salaries disparities, lack of public trust in the GAC audit reports,
and reports of GAC auditors taking bribes, something that was
never rumored in publicly during the Morlu era is now hurting the
anti-graft agency.

PUBLIC
PROCUREMENT
COMMISSION (PPCC)

There is now little discussion about the work of the GAC with
the exception of audits done under the regime of Morlu that are
being reviewed by the Public Accounts Committee of the National
Legislature. Auditees no longer fear the work of the GAC like
time past, there is no longer scrutiny of the National budget by
the GAC like the past when the National legislature relied on the
Auditor general to scrutinize the budget and recommend other
sources of revenue for inclusion and also come out with the
projected amount to be carried forward from the previous budget
year to the current.
2014 HIGH: The GAC released a few audit reports during the year
2014 but the public now views the commission as just another
puppet institution heavily controlled by the President, lacking
independence, declining in terms of professionalism.
2014 LOW: There is high internal dissatisfaction at the GAC
due to huge salary disparity. The transparency institution does
not have a well-structured salary and incentive allocation scale
as increment are done based on the discretion of higher-ups
rather than a documented policy outlining processes leading to
increment in salaries and incentives. The GAC has lost its morale
in the eyes of the public and will require serious work to regain
that public confidence.
GRADE: D
2015 OUTLOOK: For many observes, the GAC will just be
another institution of government until the end of the tenure of
President Sirleaf. But many will look to see what new changes
will take place at the GAC under Auditor general Gaye.

LIBERIA ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION

The LACC stole the show once controlled by the GAC and
the PPCC. While the other two anti-corruption institutions
endured a bad year due to leadership changes and allegations of
wrongdoings internally, the LACC at least rose up to the occasion.
The Commission released a list of individuals it recommended
to the Ministry of Justice to face prosecution. Whether the
Ministry of Justice acts on the recommendations or not, the LACC
declared that it has evidence to take to court against the accused.
Although the Ministry of Justice is yet to implement the LACC
recommendations as individuals recommended for prosecution
are still moving around freely but the LACC fulfilled its statutory
mandate by investigating and making recommendations.
During the year, the Commission commenced investigation into
high profile cases including money payment between the national
Oil Company of Liberia and the National Legislature involving
Speaker Alex Tyler and other lawmakers.
2014 HIGH: LACCs recommendations for the prosecution of
several individuals including cabinet ministers and local county
officials were widely discussed during the course of the year.
2014 LOW: Still not having prosecutorial power the work of the
LACC was weakened during the year, relegating the communion
to just making recommendations.
GRADE B2014 OUTLOOK: Instead of the LACC just making
recommendations, the commission should rather push for
prosecutorial power to enable it take individuals to court.

AND

CONCESSION

The PPCC, established to ensure transparency in the procurement

sector failed to live up to its mandate during the year. The
commission was rocked by successive procurement scandal
including grating of no objection on major road construction
projects and other contracts.
The awarding of the contract for Catering services for recruits
of the Liberian National Police, which was awarded to a close
confidante to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Adelaide Gardner
which was one issues that ruined the public image of the PPCC.
Peggy Varfley Meres during whose tenure as head of the PPCC,
she spearheaded the amendment and restatement of the Public
Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA) in October 2010,
to allow for easier implementation by practitioners, and better
enforcement by the Public Procurement and Concessions
Commission resigned as head of the PPCC after the catering
contract was awarded without her knowledge.
Several no objection letters were issued by the PPCC for road
construction contracts between the Ministry of Public Works
and several contractors which led to contracts awarding to
incapable companies that lack the ability to perform. The PPCC
also approved awarding of contracts for construction of Ebola
treatment units, supplies of materials in the fight against Ebola
and other Ebola related expenditure to relatives of Government
officials.
2014 HIGH: The commission, which was instrumental in a number
of high-profile dismissals including Ellen Corkrum, Robert Kilby
and Pearine Davis Parkinson, completed its regulations and step
by step guide for government ministries and agencies, hired
additional compliance monitors, erected for the first time in the
commissions history, several billboards around Monrovia and its
environment as part of a rigorous awareness campaign to enhance
the knowledge of local government authorities and the public in
general, on the provisions of the PPCC and the benefits accrued.
The commission also hosted private sector workshops on public
procurement to foster competition and promote the development
of Liberia through private sector entities.
2014 LOW: The resignation of PPC boss,Peggy Varfley Meres and
the controversy surrounding the awarding of close to US$500,000
contract for catering services to Adelaide Gardner caused image
problem for the PPCC during the year.
GRADE: C
2015 OUTLOOK: The PPCC has to worked overtime to clean the
mess created by the awarding of contracts to individuals on the
basis of connections and make the institution transparent.

NATIONAL PORT AUTHORITY (NPA)

The National Port Authority during the Ebola year put in place
Ebola preventive measures at the port to give importers and
foreign ship-owners confidence that the port was safe to continue
doing business. Conditions at the port in terms of fees charged
remain exorbitant with importers complaining of high port
charges as compare to other West African countries like Ghana,
and others. Despite the cry of high charges the NPA did not make
any meaningful contribution to the National budget. There is no
known history or any major achievement by the NPA during the
year while its Managing Director is known as one of the most
flamboyant heads of agency, living in luxury. Ports around Liberia
are yet to be rehabilitated and port users are still complaining of
other forms of delays in clearing containers.
2014 HIGH: The putting into place of Ebola preventive measures
by the NPA was lauded by international partners and port users, as
the port is yet to report any case of the deadly virus.
2014 LOW: Progress at the port is said to be slowing down in
part due to the fact that the Managing Director and her principal
deputies at consistently at loggerheads. Furthermore, a number of
key projects are reportedly being stalled by the NPA management,
particularly, the interest of a French company looking to modernize
the Buchanan Port similar to the arrangement another French
company, APM Terminal has with the main port in Monrovia. The
NPA management is also said to be delaying a loan deal to dredge,
expand diversify the Greenville port.
GRADE: D
2015 OUTLOOK: The NPA and other ports around the country
will need to be rehabilitated and be up to the task. Charges on
importation have to be reduced to match other ports around
the region and people will look to see the NPA become more
transparent and contribute to the National budget.

LIBERIA PETROLEUM REFINING CORPORATION

In wake of Ebola in Liberia, the LPRC kept the wheels of the
economy turning, ensuring the constant supply of petroleum
products on the market. The corporation along with the Ministry
of Commerce and Industry has been able to maintain price
stability-as gasoline, fuel, kerosene and other petroleum products
prices did not skyrocket.
Today, gasoline is sold at US$3.56 retail and US$3.38 wholesale
while fuel is sold at US$3.71 retail and US$3.53 wholesale. Also
Kerosene is being sold at US$3.40 retail and US$2.30 wholesale
far below the prices before the outbreak of Ebola.
The LPRC has also concluded arrangements for the Conex Crude
Storage Terminal (CST) project which is expected to be completed
December this year. Upon completion, the CST facility will be
used to import Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) which was lately imported
in Liberia in 1990.
The LPRC also donated to several hospitals, clinics and other
organizations in the fight against Ebola across the country. LPRC
donated consignment of medical supplies in the tone of US$

10,000.00 to the health teams of four counties including Bomi,

Margibi, Bong and Lofa in addition to numerous donations made
in Montserrado County including US$75,000.
2014 HIGH: Maintaining price stability and constant supply of
petroleum products on the market was a remarkable achievement
by the LPRC during the Ebola period. Also, despite the Ebola
crisis, the LPRC made a net profit of Six million United States
dollars (US$ 6m). In terms of capacity building, four employees
from the LPRC travelled to the United Kingdom and United States
for further studies in various petroleum courses. The company
took on another aspect in fighting Ebola by bringing to the fore
fuel allocation to medical facilities and media institutions. 700
gallons of fuel were each donated to the Redemption Hospital,
Benson Hospital, St. Joseph Catholic Hospital and the J.F.K.
Memorial Medical Center to ensure 24 hour operations to attend
to the sick. Also, 500 gallons of fuel were each donated to the
S.D.A. Hospital on 12th Street and the James Davis Memorial
Hospital on the Somalia Drive, Paynesville to ensure 24 hour
operations to attend to the sick.
2014 LOW: The LPRC experienced few days of shortage of fuel
which led to power outage by the Liberian Electricity Corporation
in some parts of Monrovia but the problem was later resolved.
GRADE: B
2015 OUTLOOK: While prices of petroleum products were stable
during Ebola, Liberians are looking to see the same trend post
Ebola.

LIBERIA MARITIME AUTHORITY (LMA)

Since its establishment by an Act of Legislature in September

2010, the LMA has continued to contribute immensely to the
national economy through direct budgetary support reporting a
total of US$18.3 Million (January -December, 2014 ) and also
to the government's job creation initiative. Until June 2014 when

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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Frontpage

funding was discontinued, more than 1,900 beachfront community

dwellers benefitted from the popular Beaches and Waterways
Campaign. This did not only contribute to the economic livelihood
of the dwellers of the affected communities but also enhanced the
sanitary conditions in these communities (New Kru Town, Sinkor,
King Gray, Mamba Point, etc).
With a long coastal line, the beaches in Monrovia and other parts
of the country remain very untidy with people suing waterways
and beaches as latrines but the Liberia Maritime Authority has
since stepped in to provide decency along the beaches. The LMA
introduced a program where locals from communities along the
Atlantic Ocean were hired and paid to clean the beaches. The
Maritime authority paid over US$600,000 to people hired to clean
beaches during the year, a major source employment providing
livelihood for these people.
The tragedy that led to the death of four (4) Maritime Search
and Rescue Cadets saw a peaceful out-of -court settlement. The
families of the deceased cadets agreed to an out-of-court settlement
and LiMA has been current with the terms of the agreement. The
effort to decentralize the activities of LiMA received a boost when
the Buchanan offices were upgraded to respond to maritime safety
and security issues in that area. In compliance with the Public
Procurement Act, the Authority, during the year under review,
completed all procurement procedures regarding the construction
of the Corporate Headquarters of the Liberia Maritime Authority
in Marshall
City, Margibi County. Construction works are
expected to begin in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2015. The second
(2nd) class of the General Purpose Rating (GPR) training
commenced at the campus of the LMTI. It can be recalled that the
first class graduated May of last year. That was the first class since
the school was forced to close due to the Liberian civil war. Also,
five (5) young Liberians pursued and obtained Masters degrees in
various maritime disciplines - three from the Regional Maritime
University in Accra, Ghana and two from the World Maritime
University in Malm, Sweden. They have since returned to
contribute to the Authority's industry development efforts.
2014 HIGH: As Designated Authority, Mr. Binyah C. Kesselly,
Commissioner and CEO of the Liberia Maritime Authority and
then Board Chair of the National Port Authority , spearheaded the
process that led to Liberia being white listed by the US Coast
Guard and other bodies. Part of this process was to ensure that
a Port Facility Security Plan was instituted and all port officers
and users trained and made aware of the Code (International Port
Facility Security Code). During the period under review, LiMA
conducted several ISPS awareness workshops . These workshops
were conducted by the Maritime Investigation and Intelligence
Unit (MIIU) and the Liberia Marine Training Institute (LMTI).
Additionally, as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
outbreak, measures were put into place at various ports and the
Authority as the Statutory body responsible for safe shipping
and security under the Liberia laws, conducted several Ebola
preparedness awareness for vessels calling to Liberian ports.
2014 LOW: People hired to clean beaches protested over delays
in the payment of their allowances, blocking the entrance of the
Ministry of Finance building.
GRADE: B
2015 OUTLOOK: The maritime industry of Liberia has always
been known for generating millions and the country will rely on
the LMA to help generate income for the recovery process after
Ebola.

ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The runway at the Roberts International Airport has been

discouraging big international airline from continuing flights to
Liberia. Air France pulled out of the country and other airlines
have been complaining about the runway. The RIA is making
no major improvement on the major international airport in the
country; the airport has not seen expansion for the past 10 years.
Since plans for the rehabilitation of the airport were thwarted by
the Ellen Corkrum scandal, nothing has been heard during the
year about improvements. The Roberts international airport is one
of the least developed airports in the West African sub region.
2014 HIGH: The RIA in the current Ebola crisis put in place
vigorous screening measures for passenger moving in and out of
the country to be closely monitored for Ebola.
2014 LOW: The RIA made no major development on the airport
during the year.
GRADE: D
2015 OUTLOOK: With Liberia growing in terms of commercial
activities with the search of oil currently ongoing, the air traffic
will be huge when oil is discovered as the economy gets set to
boom and the RIA needs to revamp and expand the airport.

NATIONAL BUREAU OF CONCESSIONS (NBC)

This is another entity established but yet to show anything for its
establishment. It has become a huge burden to the Government of
Liberia salaries and other incentives paid to employees when their
output is not visible. The NBC is another means of creating jobs
for cronies to the President with the commission with no work to
perform.
2014 HIGH: Nothing is known about the work of NBC.
2014 LOW: The NBC is another heavy financial burden to the
Government of Liberia could easily just be a department under
one of the relevant ministries or agencies of government rather
than becoming an independent commission.
GRADE: F
2015 OUTLOOK: Expect more questions about the role of the
NBC as an independent commission in the coming year.

Page 5

thereby denying the existence of the killer virus. Up to present,

the LNP says it remains in the vanguard of providing security to
health facilities and healthcare workers, a strategy that is being
requested in other parts of West Africa. The LNPS Deputy
Director of police for operations remains a power member of
the Ebola Incident Management Team. The LNP along with
international partners have continued their fight against the virus.
2014 HIGH: The LNP helped to ensuring calm in the just
concluded special senatorial election where a sitting lawmaker,
Senator Lahai Lansannah was arrested for attempting to cause
disturbance during the tallying of votes in Tubmanburg, Bomi
County. Also, The LNP, as part of her crime reduction strategy,
initiated the re-spraying of motorcycles with specific colors
as was assigned to various communities by the LNP. This new
approach takes into consideration a numbering system that allow
for immediate identification of those cycles, in cases where they
are involve in any criminal activities. The color coding system
remains yet another crime reduction strategy that have contributed
to the enhancement of law and order in Liberia, during the year
in review.
2014 LOW: Indiscipline issues continue to dog the police. The
West point saga that led to the shooting to death of little Shaki
Kamara is one example of poor performance of the police.
GRADE: C+
2015 OUTLOOK: Eagle eyes will be watching to see if the
LNP will polish its tarnished image of the past year and address
lingering and nagging indiscipline issues.

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (NSA)

LIBERIA NATIONAL POLICE (LNP)

The LNP is responsible for maintaining civil law and order and
with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) working
on a drawdown plan; state security will remain in the hands
of the police. But the past year has been marred by a mix bag
of bad news for the LNP which found itself entangled in some
controversial shooting incidents.
The most notable involving a Commissioner for Intelligence tied
to a shooting incident at his home. Police insists that the man was
an intruder in Thomas Nimleys home and did not die as a result
of the injury. Critics have taken the police to task on the issue.
But despite negative moments like those, the LNP, during the course
of the year was involved in mending fences between members of
the Gio Town Community, in Congo Town and members of the
Grace Manner family. The LNP initiated a non-violent approach to
ensure the restoration of calm during violent protest that ensued as
a result of an Ejectment order from the courts. A similar approach
was taken to restore peace at the Susan Berry School, when the
school was ordered closed by the court, and the administration
ordered evicted, based upon a case filed by individuals who
purported to be the legitimate owners of the facility, thereby
leaving the plight of school going kids unaddressed, especially
in the situation where the students had already registered for the
academic period. Parents, students, teachers and other community
members joined the protest, in demand for the kids to continue
learning in that facility, despite the courts order. However, with a
robust conflict resolution mechanism, the LNP was successful in
bringing that situation under control.
In July of this year, the Liberia National Police responded to an
act of vandalism that was being carried out by a group of citizens
calling themselves Tokady Development Youth, in which
Arcelor Mittal Liberia sustained the loss of properties valued at
over one million United States Dollars. In the interim, our officers
sustained bodily injuries from single barrel pellets been fired by
the protesters. However, several protestors were arrested and
placed into the criminal justice without the use of any lethal force
by the LNP.
Also, in the face of the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, the
LNP organized an effective response team in the Black Gina
Community in Jacob Town, to handle cases of violence wherein
citizens who themselves did not fully understand the danger of
the virus and resulted to violence protests, against health workers,

The entity responsible for intelligence gathering continues to find

itself engulfed in criticisms over its massive budget and little to
show for it. Drugs traffickers and people who commit crimes
in other countries continue to use Liberia as a hideout. During
the year 2014, five officers of the NSA were involved in scandal
when they were involved in the confiscation of money from
some Korean businessmen. A Special Independent Committee
appointed by the Liberian leader with a mandate to investigate
accusations of money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal arrest
and conspiracy to defraud, involving some Korean nationals, a
Lebanese and the National Security Agency (NSA) recommended
that actions be taken against the NSA officers.
As part of its report, the David Jallah-led Special Independent
Committee recommended to President Johnson-Sirleaf that
appropriate administrative actions be taken against five operatives
of the agency and two of their co-conspirators.
2014 HIGH: Confiscation play dampened the NSA in 2014, not
much to boast or write about.
2014 LOW: The confiscation of Koreans money is something
hanging over the NSA.
GRADE: F
2015 OUTLOOK: After major international incidents involving
Nigerian businessman Valentine Ayika and this years snafu with
the Koreans, the next confiscation at a port of entry will be closely
watched. More importantly, will NSA officials accused in the
confiscation of the Koreans cash face prosecution?

NATIONAL OIL COMPANY OF LIBERIA (NOCAL)

While Liberia was engulfed in the midst of a major Ebola outbreak,
the National Oil Company of Liberia was busy auctioning off oil
blocks overseas. To its credit, the oil company explained that
pressing financial constraints was a driving force behind the bid
rounds which has been subject to much controversy. NOCAL
explained that prior to the onslaught of the Ebola virus disease,
the post-war nation's economy was being affected adversely by

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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 6 | Frontpage
various factors, including significant drops in prices of our key
exports - rubber and iron ore. "The impact was evident at the end
of the first quarter of calendar year 2014. Economic growth was
being seriously challenged and Government faced prospects of
significant financial deficits due to the consequential shortfalls
in revenue collection," CEO Randolph McClain said.
2014 HIGH: NOCAL worked with stakeholders on two laws,
the Draft petroleum law and another law on reform in the
oil sector all intended to help strengthen participation and
transparency in the oil sector of Liberia.
2014 LOW: The granting oil contracts to foreign companies
is something the Liberian public continues to complain about
coupled with lack of transparency in managing the affairs of
NOCAL.
GRADE: C
2015 OUTLOOK: Now that Four undrilled offshore petroleum
exploration Blocks (LB-6, LB-7, LB-16 and LB-17) are in the
pipeline of being allocated, attention is now shifting to the
ability of the companies and prospects for local content.

LIBERIA ELECTRICITY CITY CORPORATION (LEC)

During the year, the LEC made some strides in providing
electricity to Monrovia and immediate environs. The task
has been very difficult for the LEC, hampered by power
theft, collapse of light poles and shortage of fuel oil, the LEC
struggled to provide electricity to the population. Collapse
of light poles in the Sinkor area created image problem for
the LEC although the corporation promised that it is in the
process replacing old poles with new ones. Some segments of
Monrovia and environs speak highly of LEC power supply in
the absence of a functioning hydroelectric plant.
2014 High: The LEC endeavored ruing the year to provide
electricity mainly to Monrovia and immediate environs
as businesses and private homes are benefiting from the
corporations supply of electricity.
2014 LOW: The collapse of LEC poles in the Sinkor area
especially during the visit of foreign dignitaries including the
President of the World Bank cause a major embarrassment to
the corporation and the entire country.
GRADE: C
2015 OUTLOOK: The LEC has to improve on providing
electricity to the population in the ensuing year.

LIBERIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM

The Corporation tasked with providing Liberia with fordable
and sustainable electric power had an up and down year. But
it was never expected to be an easy ride. More than a decade

of civil war ruined infrastructure and other facilities including

substations, power lines and transformers were destroyed as a
result of 14 years of civil war.
Since 2006 ushered in the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led
government, the government with the help of partners
inaugurated in 2007, 22 megawatts of install generation to
cater for the population of Monrovia and its environs and LEC
says efforts are undertake to connect as many households as
possible and to provide sustainable services to our people
despite the limited generation of 22MW.
A number of development projects is being undertaken to
ensure that the slogan small lights today, big lights becomes
a reality. A lot has been achieved in 2014 to fulfill and the
vision and goals of the LEC.
2014 HIGH: During the year under review, the LEC began the
rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant after its
commemorative launch on January 25, 2014 in White Plains.
The civil works and other major technical components have
been completed and many of the machines and turbines have
been procured and are in various stages of manufacturing
according to specifications. When completed, the Mount Coffee
Funding in the amount US$230M has been secured from the
Governments of Norway, Germany and Liberia as well as the
European Investment Bank to rehabilitate the Mount Coffee
Hydro plant. The 80MW (wet season peak) plant was expected
to become fully operational by June 2016 with the first
commercial power unit capable of producing up to 22 MW of
power restored in December, 2015.
The LEC is feverishly overseeing the construction of two
10MW Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) plants. The first 10 MW being
constructed under a grant from the Japanese Government was
scheduled to have been commissioned on December 15, 2014.
The structure has been built, mechanical work on the engines
had commenced.
The LEC also broke grounds for the construction of a
World Bank-funded 10MW HFO which was scheduled to be
commissioned in March 2015.
The LEC replaced most wooden poles in Monrovia to steels
poles. The project will extend to all outlaying parts of
Monrovia including Sinkor where the first set of wooden poles
was planted under the emergency
Power Program in 2007.

Under the Cross Border electrification project which benefits 18
communities in Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Maryland Counties,
the LEC has completed the following:
In Nimba County, the LEC has completed the construction of
distribution lines and installed street lights thereby connecting
650 customers to the grid.
In Maryland County, distribution lines have been built and
energized from Prolo to Harper. Street lights have been
energized and key installations provided electricity as testing
continues.
In Grand Gedeh, construction of lines and various infrastructures
were underway.
Many of these projects could be completed on time to due to
the outbreak of the Ebola Epidemic, which has forced foreign
experts to leave the country.
In spite of all these unforeseen setbacks, the management of the
LEC continues to design plans to provide unhindered service
and cater to the needs of its customers.
The LEC has connected 8,659 single phase customers in
seven low income communities in and around Monrovia and
connected a little over 13,000 customers in other communities
this year. This brings to 39,000 the total number of customers
connected so far.
The Transmission and Distribution Department in particular,
has replaced faulty underground cables at the Fish Market area
which has created more reliability in the 22KV network.
The LEC also divided Monrovia into three zones to enable
the company respond quickly to customer emergencies and
other issues from their respective locations. With this system
in place, customers have reported between 15-20 minutes of
response time by the LEC compare to the nearly two-hour
period they had to endure
To allow technicians to leave Bushrod Island facility to
respond to a customer, say in Paynesville especially during the
afternoon or evening rush hour.
During the past year, LEC began a program with Lone Star
MTN allowing its customers to purchase tokens for prepaid
electricity using their Mobile Money payment system.
Customers are able to purchase electricity from a push of a
button on their mobile phones whenever they need it wherever
they may be. In addition, transactions done via Mobile Money
are done in Liberian dollars.
The LEC has purchased some software and hardware needed
to build its ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platform. The
ERP will enable LEC to streamline its administrative process

and introduce an increased level of efficiency and transparency

into its operations. The ERP will also allow LEC to continue to
grow from 25,000 customers to more than 100,000 customers
over the next several years.
The welfare of our employees is cardinal and critical to the
efforts to provide unhindered service to our valued customers.
As a result, management, in keeping with the Collective
Bargaining Agreement, increased salaries of unionized
employees by 11%; increased their transportation allowances
by US$10.00; secured group life and medical insurance for all
employees; and provided two bags of rice to each employee.
We must mention here that one of the grave issues that is
hampering our efforts is POWER THEFT. And it must be go
unnoticed because it accounts for 15-20 percent or more which
represents US$200,000 (two hundred thousand United States
Dollars) monthly in revenue loss to the company.
2014 LOW: Ambrose Nmahs exit after yet another airing of
clips from the opposition provided yet another ammunition
for advocates pressing for the state broadcaster to become a
national public broadcast with access to all.
GRADE: D
2015 OUTLOOK: New boss Ledgerhood Rennie has his
work cut out like Nmah, funding and support would be key to
success here.

FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (FDA)

Liberias rain forest has over the years been a subject of abuse
with logging companies extracting trees without benefits to the
locals.
During the year 2014, a mega 150 million dollars agreement was
signed between the Government of Liberia and the Kingdom of
Norway on September 23, 2014 to preserve Liberias forest in
return for the amount.
In the deal Liberia will be provided the money to protect its
rain forest something that will help the country prevent global
warming, a threat to the environment.
The signing of the agreement is a major step to help protect the
countrys forest. The FDA also during the year strengthened its
engagement with the public with the start of the implementation
of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA)
2014 High: the FDA which has the mandate to sustainably
manage and conserve all forest resource for the benefit
of present and future generation played a lead role in the
agreement with the Norwegian and should be commended for
the deal.
2014 Low: The controversial Public Use Permit (PUP) granted
to logging companies under questionable circumstances is still
hampering the image of the FDA and the authority has to ensure
the smooth implementation of the agreement with Norway to
have any chance of restoring confidence in the entity.
GRADE B
2015 OUTLOOK: signing the agreement with Norway is
one thing and successful implantation is another; the FDA
must monitor to ensure that Liberia adheres to its side of the
agreement.

COMING TOMMORROW: THE PUBLIC CORPORATIONS

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 7

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL BUSINESSS BRIBERY SHIFTS COUNTRY
Frontpage

Commentary

DIVIDENDS TO A PRIVILEGED FEW

THE PERFECT
RESOLUTION FOR LIBERIA

LOOKING TOWARD
AN EBOLA-FREE 2015
THE DOG DAYS of 2014 are drifting away into oblivion
and many are looking forward to putting a dreadful past
twelve months that put Liberia at the doorsteps of the
worlds mercy, behind.
BENEATH THE trenches of the pains, sufferings, deaths
and turmoil that saw many lose their friends, loved ones,
family members, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, lay
a chilling reminder of how the little things we take for
granted can strike us when we least expect.
EBOLA, in every sense of the world took Liberia off guard
because our leaders took their eyes off the ball by failing
to put the right mechanisms and health systems in place to
keep Ebola from our midst when it was knocking on our
doorsteps and already causing havoc in next door Guinea.
IT IS SAD THAT despite all efforts to have an Ebola-free
Christmas and New Year, it is inevitable that Liberia will
emerge into 2015 with the deadly outbreak still haunting
in our midst.
EBOLA has left a trail of dead health-care workers
including doctors and nurses who risked their lives saving
others.
THOSE DEATHS included not just Liberians, but foreign
doctors as well.
THE JOHN F. KENNEDY Hospital, the premiere medical
facility in the country lost several top doctors during the
year.
THE HOSPITAL FIRST lost DR. SAMUEL BRISBANE,
its leading doctor and later, Dr. Abraham Borbor, the
Deputy Chief Medical Doctor, who was one of three
doctors injected with the Anti-Ebola trial drug, ZMAPP.
Two Ugandan Doctors, Dr. Samuel Muhumuza Mutooro,
who died in July and Dr. John Taban Dada, a gynaecologist
and surgeon also lost their lives in the struggle against the
killer virus.
DR. KENT BRANTLY, an American helping respond to
the outbreak in Liberia and aid worker Nancy Writebol
of the medical humanitarian group, Samaritan Purse both
tested positive as did other American and foreign nationals
and health workers operating in Liberia.
IN NEXT DOOR SIERRA LEONE and Guinea, the story
has been the same, a killer virus with no mercy wreaking
havoc on West African nations shut out from its neighbors
because of Ebola and under the microscope of the rest of
the world.
TWO LIBERIANS, PATRICK SAWYER and Thomas Eric
Duncan were blamed for transporting the virus to regional
neighbors Nigeria and the United States of America but
the impact of the virus is still being deeply felt in West
Africa where Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are still
wrestling with curbing the virus.
SINCE LAST DECEMBER when the epidemic began in
a village near Guckdou, a trading town in rural Guinea
where it was not identified until February, regional leaders
appear unsure how to handle to virus, which at first was
considered to be lassa fever by authorities in Liberia.
THREE MONTHS LATER in May, the disease resurfaced
in capital, Monrovia, spilling out of control and killing
anyone within its reach.
THE WORLD finally answered numerous SOS call
and over the course of a few months, have managed to
help Liberia contain the virus with the availability of
more beds and medical personnel. But the reality is, the
outbreak remains a threat in neighboring Sierra Leone and
Guinea. With porous borders and still underperforming
health sectors, the challenge of total elimination of the
virus remains a daunted task for those at the center of the

J. Yanqui Zaza, Jyanqui@aol.com, Contributing Writer

or big business to get its sweet heart deal, President Ellen

Johnson Sirleaf paid $31,000, predictably, to each Liberian
Senator, to approve an Oil Agreement between Liberia and
the Liberty Petroleum Corporation, an American Company.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, against the advice of Global Witness
that Liberia should not negotiate any concessionary agreement from
a position of weakness as well as in the midst of the Ebola Crisis,
did otherwise. Lawmakers wasted no time in approving President
Ellen Johnson Sirleafs request after they received the $31k each. The
bribery check issued to Senator Sando D. Johnson reminded me of an
earlier big business bribery case, famously known as the Clemenceau
Urey bribery case.
In the Urey bribery case, checks were paid to lawmakers in order for
them to approve another sweet heart oil agreement awarded to a big
business. The Audit Commission Report did discover a photocopy
of the bribery check and advise the Executive Branch to prosecute
Urey and others in accordance with the Liberian Statutory Law on
Bribery. Is the recent bribery payment prosecutable? Better yet, would
successful prosecutions of bribery cases inhibit big business from
offering bribes as part of business transactions to promote and protect
profit-rights? These questions are good issues for another discussion.
But for now, let us review the impact of big business bribery on social
and capital investments. Reviewing the budgetary documents of
Liberia as well as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, etc., I did observe
several similarities. The different budgets show that these countries
received minimal revenue and, or dividends from their natural
resources. And consequently, they are compelled to generate significant
portion of these revenue from users taxes (excise tax, import, value
added tax, etc.). And of course, users taxes are the primary sources
for the continuous increase in the prices of goods and services. Other
casualties for the minuscule revenue from natural resources were the
limited investment in social and capital investments and excessive
borrowing as well as the high cost of indebtedness.
Besides reading the World Banks economic policies such as
Poverty Reduction Strategy and Millennium Challenge Goals
within the different budgetary documents, I also read that democratic
leaders governed all of these countries. So, why are these countries
experiencing deficits year after year, even though they are endowed
with abundant and lucrative natural resources, managed by democratic
leaders, and supervised by the World Bank? Consequently, the
increase in deficit, as well as borrowing, is forcing bureaucrats to shift
limited revenue from social programs to pay huge interest expense to
lenders such as the World Bank.
If democracy and World Banks supervision are not the remedy, what
else? What if big business did not offer bribe in exchange of sweet
heart deals? What if these countries economic policies did stipulate
within their laws for the government to receive a reasonable share of
the dividends and, or profits from the management of these resources?
Or more so, why is it that the democratic system has instituted
economic policies that shift the countrys resources dividends to a
privileged few?
In a paper called Democracy Dividends, Not Democracy delivered
in 2012 by SylvsterOdionAkhaine, the failure of democratic policies
was presented. He said the universal question is whether Democracy

can deliver Dividends. He added, apart from the moral appeal,

Democracy has yet to put food on the table in Africa, or in other
words, has yet to solve the issue of bread and butter.
Maybe because of my shortcomings, I did not find within the
discussion the issue of how big businesss bribery has a ripple effect
on the war against corruption. In fact he kind of indicated that the
electorate was partly responsible for the failure of democracy because
they were voting with their pockets, but not with their interest. In
fairness to Mr. Akhaine, such a view, of shifting the blame to the
voters, is widely shared by scholars as well as ordinary citizens.
The Liberian history is replete with prosecuting corrupt officials,
yet corruption is rampant. President E. J. Roy was executed for
corruption. So were President William R. Tolbert and thirteen other
officials in 1980. President Samuel K. Doe was not spare either.
President Charles Taylor is in prison for life. Therefore, instituting
policies that reduce the profit motive might reduce corruption. For
example, if a government were to share in dividends and, or profits,
investors might have less incentive to offer bribe. On the other hand,
private owners of a lucrative resource will offer the highest bribes in
order to earn huge profits at the expense of society.
The concept of government or institution instituting policy to
protect its interest is universal. For example, let us look at Liberty
Petroleum Corporation, the giver of the bribes in exchange of the
recent sweet heart deals. On its web Site a sentence reads, Over the
last ten years Liberty successfully gained direct government grants
to ten international petroleum exploration blocks http://www.
libertypetroleumcorporation.com/properties.html. This statement
implies that America institutes laws that allow the government to
indirectly participate into the ownership and management of other
countries natural resources, while it prohibits poor countries from
playing the same role.
Centuries ago, when British and other Europeans wanted to discourage
India and Egypt from growing food crops to growing cotton, colonial
administrators and capitalists cajoled farmers to switch to growing
only cotton. To enforce the anti-growing-food growing, capitalists
instituted trade policy against growing food, which led to the shortage
of food supply. (Vikas Bajaj, NY Times).
Quiet recently in the 70s, Eugenists used laws to prohibit perceived
weak citizens, primarily minorities, from having offspring. Currently,
the World Bank used programs of Structural Adjustment, Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries, and, or Millennium Challenge Goals to
shift revenue away from government coffers to its portfolios. In order
to generate interest income from lending, World Bank needs insolvent
customers to borrow money from its loan program. Were the World
Bank to institute prudent economic policies; thereby allowing poor
governments to receive reasonable dividends and, or profits from
their lucrative resources, it would have had to change its business to
survive.
In essence, until Liberia can institute laws that do not allow big
business to offer bribes, offering kickbacks to bureaucrats in exchange
of sweet heart deals will continue. Consequently, our deficits will
increase as well as our debts; a recipe for chaos and disruptions in the
lives or both the rich and the poor.
Happy New Year!

epidemic.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT authorities in nations far and wide
will see the need to beef up preparation and implementation
of medical facilities in order to ensure that 2015 will be a
much safer year for the West African sub region.
TOO MANY PEOPLE have lost their lives and too many
more remain vulnerable. Nevertheless, some, if not many are
adopting a complacent posture which is giving rise to the

emergence of more new cases during this holiday season,

particularly in the Grand Cape Mount area.
AS WE ENTER 2015, it is important for all Liberians, Sierra
Leoneans and Guineans to make Ebola free from our midst.
2014 was bad but 2015 can be better, if not the best year
for redemption as we move toward redefining our lives and
making more a meaningful charge toward an Ebola-Free
New Year.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 8 | Frontpage

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE

DECISIONS; DECISIONS: LIBERIAS

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS RESCHEDULED
TQ HARRIS TOP COMMENTER CEO AT HV WOODGAS
TECHNOLOGY
What is wrong with an electorate that puts a person into office for
NINE YEARS (18 YEARS for those re-elected) without knowing their
platform or having enough time to quiz the candidate due to a rushed
election? Why encourage Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to destroy our country?
Wake up, my fellow Liberians, we can do better. Change is on the way.
PHIL GEORGE TOP COMMENTER
Mr. Harris, I don't always agree with Ellen but I disagree that Ellen is
destroying the country. I think your ill-conceived charcoal machine
poses a serious threat to the environment. Where do you plan to get all
that wood from to operate your charcoal machine, or WoodGas machine
as you call it.
RAYMOND SUMO TOP COMMENTER CUTTINGTON
UNIVERSITY, LIBERIA
Ebola is a deadly virus that with the help of the international community
will be eliminated. However, the virus that is slowly killing Liberians
daily is corruption in government. Can the Supreme Court rule on
corruption cases too or will the court regard corruption cases as a
political matter in the future when such case is before the court?
ALPINA CLAY OUTREACH OFFICER AT DEN-L
Matter lay to rest finally, the High court has given its decision. Election
scheduled for Dec. 20, 2014. let this one election go ahead my people.
JAY WION TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT NPRC
MY TURN: Look at the illogical reasoning of the two dissenting justices,
Banks and Kibena, that these two men didn't know Ebola fear is NOT
a constitutional issue baffles me. Now you know why Banks has been
trying to overshadow Chief Justice Francis Kporpor, and why Banks put
the "stay order" on this frivolous lawsuit. And why in most instances
Banks is awarded the "Justice in Chambers" role? That a "smart" Banks
as "Justice in Chambers" could not find that the rule of law was abused,
and question of constitutional violation in the FPA/Rodney Sieh versus
Chris Toe case tells me how some on the Court are "pushing personal
agendas" or trying to legislate from the Court.
SAINTM75 (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
Philip Banks is not an astute judge and can only be a judge in Liberia.
Where is the Nigerian man's money? Ja'neh is a rebel and is also not
qualified to sit on the bench. I have not read in any news media any
creditworthy dissenting opinion from these two judges. They feel
because a group of Liberians filed a lawsuit so it's their constitutional
right to be heard. Stupid. Only in judicial matters should this be the case.
The decision by the Legislature to hold elections with Ebola measures
in place was not unconstitutional. Both Ja'Neh and Banks are agents
of Ellen Sirleaf. The names Laveli Supuwood, Emmanuel Bowier and
Blamo Nelson should have been a red flag. Selfish old men who have
been involved in Liberian politics for over 100 years with nothing to
show for it. They hoped their selfish political greed would have halted
the elections. They lost. They should all be fined for wasting the court's
time on their selfish political interests. Supreme Court opinions are based
on "Reasoned Judgment". Where is the "Reasoned Judgment" in Ja'neh
and Banks opinions? None. Zero. Ebola is not a constitutional matter.
People are so dumb.
JAY WION TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT NPRC
Saintm75: You are very correct, and these are the characters Ellen put on
the Supreme Court. And the Senate helped to confirm them.
Yes, I forgot to mention the $500, 000.00 taken from the Nigerian man
at RIA. In court, Banks who was the Justice Minister could not produce
the money (evidence). Instead, Banks said he used the money to chase
down runaway prisoners who broke jail from the Zwedru Palace of
Corrections/jail. Newspapers reports including FPA had it that some
of the money supposedly went to putting up a fence around President
Sirleaf's house. At one point, President Sirleaf hinted that the Nigerian
man was said to be "a drug dealer and money launderer."
That Nigerian man is now an elected member of the Nigerian Parliament.
When Liberia was given a judgeship on the ECOWAS Court, the
Nigerian argued that Liberia does not deserve the seat on the Court if
Liberia refuses to abide the Court's decision to give him his money.
Hence, the Liberian taxpayers had to pay for the criminality of Philip
Banks. And now Banks sits on Liberia's Supreme Court. The curse on
Liberia takes many forms from the president who confessed to funding
our civil war that killed 250, 000 Liberians, to warlords who carried out
orgies of mass killings now in our Ligislature. But 99 days for rogue, and
one day for master.
In the end, the Liberian taxpayers paid back the Nigerian man's money
after he sued L I beria at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, Nigeria.

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

Send your letters and comments to:

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

"WHEN YOU
GET TO THE
SENATE,
GEORGE, WHAT
WILL YOU DO?"

The Editor,

o one is surprised that the low information voters of

Soniewehn, PHP, West Point, etc would elect Weah
to be their shyster, oops, I mean senator. 90 percent of
their vote is always guaranteed for any CDC goon on the
ballot! (See elections results for 2005, 2011, 2014)
The last I checked, these were the same folks who elected old rogues
like Reps Edwin Stole, Edward Fraud and Alomiza Ennos, also
known as the Barbie Doll Swindler of Soniewehn, to the House of
Representatives!! So nothing has changed!
But what does Weah's victory mean for these people in particular
(residents of PHP, West Point, New Kru Town, etc) ?? Should they
expect Weah to bring run water, build hospitals and schools in their
area? Puh-lease.. Weah has done nothing for these people in the past!
He's totally useless!!!
In fiscal year 2012/2013, US$5 million was given to Weah for "peace
and reconciliation". And in the next fiscal year (2013/2014), another
US$2 million was appropriated"! (See page 5 of the APPROVED
National Budget for 2012/2013).. But guess what Weah did with the
money?
Instead of spending other people's money wisely, he (Weah) went
on his self described "listening tour" to display his footballer of year
trophy to low information voters in the rural parts of Liberia; b) he
invited American strippers to do lap dance for his CDC goons! and c)
he invited European footballers (Roger Miller, Okocha, Fallon, etc)
to a cocktail party, oops, I mean, to play in a "peace match" at SKD
stadium! After the game, the Club beer starting flowing non-stop!
But yet some folks believe that Senator Weah will provide free
medical care; pay their rent when they get evicted! and pay their
phone bill when their service is shutdown! (Re "When You Get to the
Senate, George, What will You do?")
Time will tell, but you see-- some folks believe Senator Weah is Santa
Claus Weah! Thus their song:
We-ah We-ah, Santa Claus We-ah aye yah! Ohh We-ah we-ah,
Santa Claus We-ah, aye yah You're a goon, Senator We-ah, aye yah
Ohh We-ah weah Santa Claus We-ah aye
But how disappointed will these faithful CDC congregants be when
they find out that Santa Claus Weah is an opportunist, a liar, a goon-(as if they didn't know that already)--- thus delaying the fulfillment of
their fantasies!
Sorry folks, but elections have consequences. Depending on Senator
Weah to be your Santa Claus is a recipe for great disappointment!
Martin Scott
Atlanta, Georgia

THE FUMBLED AND

TWISTED READING OF
THE RIVER GEE ELECTION
PROVISIONAL RESULTS

The Editor:

e congratulate the national election commission for

conducting what is considered to be a peaceful, free
and fair election.
Notwithstanding this commendable efforts, we have
reasons to doubt some of the reading of the results from River Gee
county. This is a reason for concern because commissioner Davidetta
Browne Lasannah gave a blurred picture of transparency when she
misread figures or assigned and reassigned
votes or numbers to different candidates in the reading of the River
Gee provisional results.
Commissioner Davidetta Browne Lasannah in her reading of the River
Gee election provisional results initially read that candidate Jonathan
Boy Charles Sogbe received a total votes of 2672, constituting 26.1
percent and Conmany Wesseh, the commissioner pulse briefly, but
failed to read Mr. Wesseh's number and said "let me start from the
top, if you don't mind".
Commissioner Lasannah for the second time read Sogbe received
1719 votes, Wesseh received 742 votes but retracted her words
and said "there you go again". The next reading was the swapping
of numbers and reassigning of votes to read as Wesseh received a
total votes of 2672, the number earlier assigned to Sogbe and now
reassigned to Wesseh.
What a mistake! A mistake too grave to throw out the window that we
thought deserves an explanation beyond the fumble.
Looking at commissioner Davidetta Browne Lasannah's performance
from a rational perspectives would be that the commissioner read all
the other candidates provisional results in a clear and straight forward
way, but consistently gave confusing account twice when reading the
Sogbe and Wesseh's results, thus swapping the two positions with
Sogbe finally dropping to Wesseh. This resemble an orchestration of
modus operandi, or a doctored results, though this assumption could
be wrong.
Therefore, we want to know whether this was an inadvertent error,
typographical error, or a critical error, she referred to as "sorry for
the fumbled".
This concern is far stretched because according to opinion polls
considered to be credible and conducted in River Gee county prior
to the election, Boy Charles was considered the leading contender
far ahead of Mr. Wesseh who struggled to clinch a fourth place in
the polls.
This is also a serious issue because commissioner Fromoyan, former
chairman of NEC was in similar position in 2011 which inflicted a
dent in his credibility and subsequently removed from his position.
We the people and stakeholders of River Gee are raising this concern
now to ensure that whosoever is declared the winner in the River Gee
polls will enjoy the mandate of the people of River Gee. This will
save the county from political bickering and undeserving leaders who
siphon the county coffers.
We have to face up to the challenge now and elect a deserving
leader who is a consensus builder. We call on this paper to do an
investigative story on the fumbled and twisted reading of the River
Gee provisional results.
Thanks
Tony Hiton
tihiseentarty.2012@gmail.com
Baltimore, Md.

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

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Monroviahe
World
Resurrection
Ministries
located
on Gurley Street in
the heart of Monrovia was
a scene of exasperation on
Monday when active case
finders poured on the church
to get to the bottom of reported
Ebola cases among members
of the church. Despite the sign
that reads: Bye Bye to Ebola
senior members of the church
and one of its pastors have
been quarantined as a result
of its members dying from the
deadly disease, while some
are still receiving treatment in
Ebola Treatment Units around
Monrovia.
It all started when a pastor of
the church went out to pray
for someone who was sick
and that person too became
sick. Later the disease began
to spread to other members of
the church when one member
who was sick came to church
one Sunday and vomited in the
church. One senior member of
the church took the sick person
to his house to care for him
and the sick person vomited
on the senior members wife
leading the wife to also get
sick according to the active
case finders. The case finders
and contact tracers found
that the church had a night
service of prayer, which was
attended by many and the
pastors including those who
contracted the disease, used the
same microphone that night.
A member of the church name
withheld, who is currently
being followed up by contact
tracers said he was the one who
encouraged the sick members
to turn themselves over to the
ETU for treatment. The contact,
which currently resides on the
Old Road in Sinkor, said that
he took the sick members of
the church to the hospital in his
car. He said health workers at
three health facilities refused to
take the sick because they were
not sure they had Ebola. He
said he then took them in his
vehicle to the ETU and health
workers sprayed the car before
he came home. He said that he
is also observing a period of
21 days to be sure he does not
have Ebola.
Blackmail
The senior pastor and some
members of the church
struggled to come to terms
with news that Ebola that is
killing their members. On a
fact-finding mission to the
church, FrontPageAfrica found
that the elders and pastors were
tightlipped at first in giving any
information on the matter to the
press. But after contact tracers
arrived on the scene and began
to tell the story and question
why the church held a wedding
when it was under observation
by the health ministry, the
whole story began to unravel.
But
Pastor
Amos
B.
Korvahpaces up and down
like a confused person; he is
senior pastor of the Church
and terms the news of Ebola
at the church as a device of
the enemy. Korvah and other
members think of it as a stigma
for the church to be singled
out as an Ebola epicenter in
Monrovia and said it is the

Frontpage

Page 9

WORK OF THE DEVIL

NEW EBOLA EPICENTER ON GURLEY STREET

This situation is an attack of the devil on the church, most especially during such a time like this. This is a spiritual attack to bring the
church down to paint this church black, but God is in control. Let us focus our minds on God and let us remain committed. I call on all the
friends and family of World Resurrection now; the best you can do is to pray for Resurrection and not to scandalize resurrection.
- Rev. Apostle Habakkuk B. Powell, founder of Mountain of Holiness Ministries in Paynesville

Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com

work of its detractors. He said

members of the church were
simply rendering service to
the sick, when the unfortunate
happened.
The actual fact is that those
people that they are referring
to as people who have lost
their lives due to Ebola didnt
take Ebola from the Church,
he said. Some went outside
and contracted the virus;
perhaps prayed for somebody
and later on the person, or
perhaps a medical personnel in
the church treated somebody.
People should not use this
incident to tarnish the churchs
reputation; destroy the churchs
image that has been built for all
these years.
He recognizes the fact that
those who have died and
others still sick with the
disease in ETUs are members
of the church but refuses to
accept that they contracted
the disease while worshipping
at the church. The pastor and
his members try frantically to
clarify that the members did
not contract the disease from
the church.
Said Pastor Korvah: One of
our pastors went outside there
to pray for somebody and took
another person with her; while
praying we dont know what
happened; later on when she
came, we got to know that she
prayed for somebody but the
person had the virus and after
she got through praying for
the person, I think the person
died.
Another guy who had been
with us here, who is a medical
person treated somebody and
I think the person came down

with the virus. It was after

some time that the person died.
But since then he had been here
and we didnt know the actual
story. It was later that we got
to know what really happened.
This is how this whole Ebola
talk we are hearing around
came about.
He said the church is taking
all of the preventive measures
that need to be taken to protect
its members from the disease.
But it seems contact tracers
are still finding it difficult to
get members of the church
to follow simple instruction
on the quarantining of its
members.
Dr. Mosoka Fallah who heads
the contact tracing team who
went to find out what was
happening at the church as it
relates to the Ebola outbreak
was visibly frustrated, not
getting the kind of information
he was seeking from the
church about the location of
people who might have been in

contact with people who have

contracted the disease.
Some
members
and
sympathizers still consider
the outbreak a rumor and are
still in denial of the epidemic
among members of the church.
This situation is an attack of
the devil on the church, most
especially during such a time
like this, said Rev. Apostle
Habakkuk B. Powell, founder
of Mountain of Holiness
Ministries in Paynesville.
This is a spiritual attack to
bring the church down to
paint this church black, but
God is in control. Let us focus
our minds on God and let
us remain committed. I call
on all the friends and family
of World Resurrection now;
the best you can do is to pray
for Resurrection and not to
scandalize resurrection.
Post
Christmas
resurgence

Ebola

On Sunday the Incident

Management System an arm of
the Liberian government and
partners responsible for the
containment of the Ebola virus
disease in the country stated
that the Ebola virus is growing
at an alarming rate in Grand
Cape Mount County.
Mr.
Tolbert
Nyenswah,
assistant minister of health
said a total of 49 cases have
been reported in the area and
this hike in the number of
cases is due to failure to follow
health procedures laid out by
the government of Liberia.
He said the county now
joins Montserrado as the two
counties with the most Ebola
cases.
The Incident Management
System the overarching body
for Ebola Virus Disease
Response is concerned about
the alarming increase of
Ebola Virus Disease cases in
Grand Cape Mount County,
he said. In the past 25 days,
December 1-25, 2014, fortynine cases have reported, 27
confirmed, 9 probable, and 13
cases suspected. It puts Grand
Cape Mount County in the
Red County Category as the
epidemiological map shows,
second to Montserrado as
counties with highest burden
of EVD.
He said the disease continues
to spread of a high level of
complacency on the part of
community dwellers in gross
disregard for the preventative
measures that has been laid out
by the ministry of health.
Mr. Nyenswah said the
migration of suspected and
probable cases within and

out of the county, continuous

denial by community dwellers
that people are dying from
Ebola. He said despite such
denial the bodies that are being
tested turn out to be Ebola
positive.
Mr. Nyenswah said traditional
and cultural practices are still
entrenched and people are
refusing to stop touching or
bathing dead bodies. He said in
many cases due to denial, some
are even hiding the sick in their
homes and caring for them and
when they eventually die, the
family arranges secret burials
for their dead relatives.
We even noticed secret burials
are still ongoing in Grand Cape
Mount County, he said. Mr.
Nyenswah said on Sunday
that in Montserrado County,
six to eight cases are being
reported on a daily basis. As of
December 24, 2014, the World
Health Organization puts
Liberias probable, suspected
and confirmed Ebola cases at
7,977, with 3108 confirmed
cases.
The new Ebola epicenter in
the heart of Monrovia at the
World Resurrection Ministries
is a cause for alarm and
residents of the area were
seen
uncomfortable
with
some secretly calling for the
closure of the church until the
Ebola situation can be brought
under control. The Church is
located in the same vicinity
of the Gurley Street Mosque,
where Muslims gather every
day to pray. It also overlooks a
restaurant and a busy meat shop
where traders and working
class Monrovians stop to cool
off during lunch hours.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Page 10 | Frontpage

JUSTICE
MUST BE
SERVED
Child Group wants
prosecution for
Child Abuser

Henry Karmo (0886522495)

henrykarmo@
frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia he National Children

and Youth Advisory
Board of Liberia said
it is closely following
the case involving a woman
who allegedly used plastic to
burn the private part of a twelve
year-old girl in the Brewerville
community.
Mary, the childs real name
withheld was reportedly burned
few weeks ago in the Red hill
Community by her foster mother
because she urinated in bed,
which is common among some
children in Liberia and the case
is currently being heard at the
Brewerville Magisterial court
outside Monrovia.
The child group describes the act
against the child as barbaric and
tantamount to posing negative
psychological threat to the life of
the victim.
We as an institution been
fully supported by children
international, Liberia chapter
(DCI-Liberia) that have vowed
to combat all forms of violence
against children want proper
justice to be served to this child,
stated the group.
We are tired of seeing the rights
if children of Liberia violated,
our government must do
something now in order to halt
this dreadful act.
Article 21 session 1 of the
African chatter on the Rights
and Welfare of a Child states
that, state parties to the present
charter shall take all appropriate
measures to eliminate harmful
social and cultural practices
affecting the welfare, dignity,
normal growth and development
of the child. Article 14 sections 1
of the same instrument also states
that every child has the right to
enjoy the best attainable state of
physical and mental health.
The group National chairman
Henry Garneo during a press
Conference called on the
government of Liberia especially
the judiciary and the Ministry of
Gender to ensure that justice is
served to their friend. This call
for justice is a noble cause and
must be given serious attention,
Garneo said.
The National Children and Youth
Advisory Board referenced the
case of the late Angel Togba,
Shakie Kamara, Titus Noah and
many other children as incidents
of child abuses that went without
fair treatment /justice
Our government has the
responsibility to protect its
citizen most especially the
vulnerable
ones
(Women
and children), therefore such
responsibility should be exercise
at this time, stated the group.
Though the case is still in
court, we just want to say again
that we are closely monitoring
the process and we hope a fair
verdict void of sentiments or bias
will be rendered.

FalieTown, Grand Cape Mount

Countyesidents of Falie, a
town of about 30
houses and over
200 inhabitants in
Grand Cape Mount County have
expressed joy over the opening
of a modern town hall, one of the
best in towns and villages in the
county.
During the opening of the town
hall, one of the elders in Falie
described the opening of the
newly constructed town hall as
a great day in their town history.
Elder Abdullah Pusahspeaking
before the cuttingof the ribbon
said in the history of the town,
the opening of the town hall was
one of the greatest achievements
he has seen so far.
We as people of Falie Town
welcome you all today in our
beloved town as we are about
to open our town hall and I am
pleased to say thank you to all of
our sons and daughters because
it was through their help this
town hall has been built and we
will forever remain grateful to
them said Elder Pusah.
Elder Pusah emphasized that the
day was a great one in their town
history because they have been
wishing many years for the town
to have access to such beautiful
building with DSTV satellite
facility.
I am pleased to say thank you to
all of our children and everyone
who put aside their activities in
order to make this day a reality
he said.
He urged the youth of Falie
Town to always be in readiness
to join hands with their parents
in the development of their town
and said he hopes that they as
youth will be able to maintain
their town hall and the function
of all of the facilities that have
been provided in the interest of
the town and people.
I want you all to understand that
you as young people of Falie are
the main people who are going
to enjoy these facilities so I am
appealing to you all to please
make it your duties to properly

RURAL GRAND CAPE MOUNT

TOWN GETS MODERN HALL
Residents Express Joy

A. Macaulay Sombai, Sombai121@gmail.com 0777217428

manage these equipments that

have been provided for you with
total attention and neatness in
order for all of us to continue
enjoying these facilities, he
cautioned the youths.
Former Grand Cape Mount
County lawmaker Mohammed
Kiawu who attended the
ceremony told other citizens who
turned out to grace the occasion
citizens of Falie town have been
determined when it comes to
development.
We the citizens of this historic
town stand between the
government and development
and that we have put aside all
other things and are focusing all
of our attention on development
for the good of our town, today

generation and generation to

come after us, said the former
lawmaker.
Honorable Kiawu emphasized
the importance of education
which he said contributed to the
development of their town and
called on parents of the town
and the county to do everything
possible in order to educate their
children for a better future for
their town, the county and the
country at large.
The construction of this town
hall we are sitting in today was
made possible through education
and we are very grateful to all of
those that contributed immensely
to it construction, the former
lawmaker added.
Mr. Kiawu paid homage to every

citizen of the town for what he

called the togetherness and hard
work they exhibited during the
construction of the town hall and
called on them to get ready for
the construction of a clinic in the
town.
He acknowledged that citizens
of Falie Town have long been
calling for development for their
town and historically speaking,
they established an association
for development purpose even
though it did not materialized
as they wanted it to be, but they
still realized a tremendous result
by establishing an elementary
school that is presently supported
by the government of Liberia.
The further lawmaker further
said Because of good education,

CHRISTMAS
BONANZA
Trusted Angel Liberia reach out to orphans
C

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@fronpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia hristmas around the

world is observed
by Christians as the
birthday of Jesus
Christ the most reverent person
besides God and many Christians
believe it is a time of sharing and
reaching out to the needy.
As part of its humanitarian
gesture, the Trusted Angel
Foundation in Liberia distributed
several food and nonfood items
to several orphans in and around
Monrovia as a Christmas gift
from the organization.
Mr. Joe Daweah country
Director of Trusted Angel
Liberia and Partners said the
gift is in continuation of the
organizations efforts to reach
out to several orphanages in
Liberia especially during this
festive season.
Daweah said: This donation
was made possible by our
international partners, we as an
organization will always work
to make these kids feel a part of
the society, no matter what their

situation and I think that should

be one thing all well-meaning
Liberian should get involved
with.
Mr. Daweah said an American
philanthropist,
Mr.
Robert
Peirce from Pennsylvania who
is a Friend of Liberia, made the
donation possible.
Mr. Daweah said: Trusted
Angels foundation has over
the years supplied several
orphanages, Health canters
including ELWA and the

Respirational Therapist School

located at Symthe Institute in
Sinkor, Bromley Episcopal
Mission school and Firestone
Liberia where we have provided
them with deworming pills.
He said during crisis such as
Ebola, more attention is given
to the sick, but his organization
is also interested in the children
who are alive and have no one to
provide for them. He disclosed
plans by the organization to
extend similar programs into

Bomi and Margibi Counties.

One of the ten orphanage homes
benefiting from the donation was
the Child Survival Orphanage
Home. The proprietor of the
home Mr. Othello Findley told
the organization that the children
of the home had no food for that
day and the donation by the
Trusted Angel foundation was
not only timely but needed.
Findley said: As I speak to you
we are not ashamed to say that
this rice is highly needed, we

most of the teachers that are

teaching our future generation
in this our town and all other
towns in the county are all from
Grand Cape Mount County and
Falie respectively so it would be
a great help for us if we focus on
our children education
He also added Falie Town has
always been lucky when it comes
to development; I am saying
this because it was in the same
Falie Town that the ministry of
Public Work built one of its main
garages during the construction
of the county capital city Robert
sport main highway in the early
1970s.
It can be recalled that in 1974 the
Liberia government under the
leadership of President William
R. Tolbert Jr. built a presidential
residence alongside Lake Piso in
the same Falie Town vicinity.
Citizens of the town have agreed
to focus on the completion
of a clinic and which when
completed would consist of six
bedrooms with office spaces and
extra three bedrooms apartment
for the nurses.
During the program six of the
town citizens were certificated
for their hard work toward the
completion of the town hall.
Those certificated included
elder Abdullah Pusah, Boima K.
Sombai, Boima J. Sombai, Mr.
Varney Pusah, Mrs. SafuaPusah
and Mr. SokoSombai.
The honorees extended thanks
to their fellow citizens for given
them their flowers of honor while
they are still alive.
have not even cooked yet because
we are totally out of food. I can
tell you that joy is in the hearts
of the children and my heart
because, this Ebola crisis, it is
difficult to go around and solicit
help for the children because all
activities have slowed down.
He described the donation as
not a mere gift but a special
blessing placed in the hearts of
the organization by God. Like
Findley, Mrs. Helena Zeon
owner of the Susie County Home
on the Roberts International
Airport highway said she
currently has close to 30 orphans
at her facility and getting support
for the children is difficult.
Thank you Trusted Angel
for this donation and please
remember us in your prayers,
life now-a-days for me and the
children is not easy, Mrs. Zeon
said.
Trusted Angel continued its
humanity activities to the
Barnerville area in a community
known as Keba, few kilometres
from the main streets where
the Sis Iye Children orphanage
home is located. The orphanage
has over 30 children between the
ages 3 to 16.
The caregiver at the center in
a joyous mood described the
donation as timely adding that
children in the home would have
food on their table for the next
few weeks.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Frontpage

FACE AFRICA LAUNCHES CHIEFDOM AND

MARKET TASK FORCE ON EBOLA RESPONSE
IN YARPAH TOWN- RIVERCESS COUNTY

ver twenty seven members from

various communities, villages and
towns participated in the launch of
a Chiefdom and Market Task Force
on Ebola Response by FACE Africa, a non-profit
organization working on water, sanitation and
hygiene (WASH) programs in the county. Since
July, FACE Africa has been working on Ebola
response and carrying out community outreach,
distribution of hygiene kits and supporting the
Rivercess County Health Team.
The launch ceremony is the beginning of a
community level program intended to work with
local, youth, traditional and market leaders to
strengthen the fight against Ebola in the county.
Speaking at the launch ceremony at FACE
Africa Regional Office and Resource Center
in Rivercess on Monday, FACE Africas
Program Manager, Emmett G. Wilson said the
full training which will begin in January, will
enhance community outreach activities and
Ebola prevention programs with the overall
goal of preventing further spread of the virus in
Rivercess.
Let us all join the Ebola fight in order for it to
leave our communities, towns, villages, county
and Liberia as a whole Ebola is not a good
thing, and Ebola must go, said Mr. Wilson.

According to FACE Africas Executive Director,

Ms. Saran Kaba Jones, the upcoming training
exercise will provide members of the Task
Force with the messaging and tools they need
to conduct proper awareness and sensitization
in their communities. FACE Africa will further
train close to 600 community volunteers that will
go door to door in their various communities and
spread anti-Ebola messages.
Rivercess County had not experienced a high
number of cases in the county until recently when
there was an outbreak in GoZohn that killed 13
people. The outbreak has since been contained
and Rivercess has not reported any new cases
in recent weeks. Ms. Kaba Jones raised this fact
and stressed the importance of continuing to take
safety measures so that another outbreak does
not occur. Building on President Ellen Johnson
Sirleafs latest Ebola Must Go campaign,
all participants at the ceremony left highly
motivated and took the campaign message very
seriously.
FACE Africas Executive Director, Saran Kaba
Jones and Program Manager, Emmett G. Wilson,
2 Paramount Chiefs, Market Superintendents,
several Town Chiefs and youth and women
leaders, attended the launch ceremony.

Page 11

Page 12 | Frontpage

Monrovia he
Ministry
of
Internal Affairs has
with
immediate
effect
suspended
operations of Poro and
Sande activities in Liberia,
threatening that violators will
be prosecuted and groves shut
down.
The Ministry in a statement,
says its attention has been
drawn to reports of the
continued operation of Poro
and Sande societies in several
parts of the country as it
declared the acts as a violation
of the moratorium placed
on the operation of Poro and
Sande Societies on June 2,
2014.
The release further stated
that the Ministry of Internal
Affairs through its Bureau
of Customs and Culture and
in collaboration with the
National Council of Chiefs
and Elders recently announced
the immediate suspension of
all Poro and Sande activities
throughout Liberia.
The Ministry said its decision
was intended to ensure that
there was no outbreak of the
Ebola virus in any Poro or
Sande grove in Liberia.
The statement signed by
Minister Morris Dukuly, said
the continued operation of
Poro and Sande Societies in
the face of the Ebola epidemic
exposes citizens to increased
incidents of the virus and
untimely death, and therefore
directed that all such practices
must ceased and be seen to
have ceased by September 17,
2014.
This would be a disaster,
the Ministrys statement said.
It continued that virus must
be prevented in the interest
of saving additional lives of
citizens. The Ministry states
that in spite of its demonstration
of
understanding
and
accommodation,
some
individuals have continued
to operate Poro and Sande
Groves and conduct cultural
festivals.
Grove operating or reopening
its doors to initiate persons
will be seen to be in defiance
of its General Circular No. 13
and its more recent statement
reaffirming the provisions
of the General Circular, the
statement said.
Bomi County is the birth
home of President Ellen

PAGE
RONT

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

GENDER ISSUES

IN MIDST OF EBOLA IN LIBERIA

PORO & SANDE BUSH PRACTICES PERSIST

Mae Azango maeazango@frontpageafricaonline.com

Johnson Sirleaf and several

government Officials in the
Country including: Speakers
Alex Tyler, Morris Dukuly,
Morris
Saytumah
and
Former Senior Senator Lahai
Lansanah, among others but
little is being done to prosecute
violators of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs mandate.
Regardless of the warnings
from the Ministry of Internal
Affairs during the recent
Senatorial elections in Bomi,
children, as young as seven
were dressed in blue Sande
traditional outfits upon their
graduation
and
paraded
throughout the capital city
of Tubmanburg in Bomi
County where some were
photographed
after
their
graduation from the Bush
School.
Julia Duncan Cassell, Minister
of Children Protection, said
her ministry is there to seek
the welfare of women and
children but the Ministry of

Internal Affairs is responsible

to ensure that the Sande and
Poro bushes discontinue,
because it gives clearances to
traditional people to run the
bushes.
Speaking via mobile phone,
Bomi County Superintendent
Samuel Brown said since the

PAGE
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mandate by the Internal Affairs

minister, his office, directly
under the Sande Activities is
still ongoing in the County.
Yes it is true that the
Ministry of Internal Affairs
came up with a mandate that
all Sande activities stop due
to the Ebola outbreak but

Some Sande groove are still

graduating children while
others are saying they will be
graduating the girls in the first
week in January of which they
promised not to host any more
bushes again, Says Samuel
F. Browne, Bomi County
Superintendent

GOVERNMENT NEWS

Superintendent Browne also

said the prolong activities of
the Sande bushes is due to
some political influence from
politicians.
Some Senators at the time
were telling traditional people
to continue the Sande bushes
because they were the owners
and would have ensured that
nothing happens to stop the
practice. They were doing this
at the time to get votes, but
now that elections are over,
they will have to abide by the
laws. My office is carrying on
massive awareness to ensure
the practice stop, now that
schools are about to reopen.
While the laws given by the
Ministry of Internal Affairs
are yet to be implemented,
childrens lives will continue
to be at risk as the Ebola virus
slowly creeps into Bomi and
Cape Mount respectively.

LINA BOSS SUSPENDED

Director General Nagbe Sloh of the Liberia News Agency will be on the sidelines for Time Indefinite

Monrovia
ust days after making a
controversial comments
in the aftermath of
President Ellen JohnsonSirleaf sons lost in the justended Montserrado County
Senatorial elections, Mr. J.
Nagbe Sloh has been suspended
as head of the Liberia News
Agency.
The decision was taken
Monday
by
Information
Minister Lewis G. Brown who

reportedly suspended Mr. Sloh,

for time indefinite, according
to LINA.
In a letter to Mr. Sloh, Minister
Brown said the action was
for administrative reasons.
Although
the
ministers
letter did not disclose the
administrative reasons, the
action followed a brief meeting
between the two men in the
ministers office.
When contacted for comments,
Mr. Sloh said as a good student

of management, he has been

taught not to discuss internal
office matters in the media. He
referred reporters to Minister
Brown.
His statement comes in the
aftermath of a statement he
made during a recent talk show
in Monrovia during which is
purported to have said that:
The unpopularity and the
dislike of President Sirelaf led
to the eventual defeat of her
son, Robert.

Mr. Sloh also said during

the show that dislike of the
President is also to blame for
the defeat in the Grand Bassa
capital Buchanan on Friday
of President Pro Tempore
Gbehzohngar Findley. If
the President had not gone
to Grand Bassa County to
campaign for Senator Findley,
he would have won, Mr. Sloh
said.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Frontpage

F
UN NEWS
FINAL REVIEW OF PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA
PAGE
RONT

Page 13

tcare facilities and 70% of

burials conducted safely in the
three most affected countries
by the 60th day of the mission
on 1 December.
To reach zero new cases,
UNMEER has also supported
Liberia in the organization and
launch of the Ebola Must Go!
Stopping Ebola is Everybodys
Business Campaign.
Recognizing the importance
of this initiative by the end
of the year, Mr. Banbury
pledged $10,000 dollars to the
campaign and $1,000 dollars to
the UNICEF designated New
Georgia Signboard Community
where the campaign was
launched December 8, 2014.
UNMEER has also donated 10
Nissan Patrols to the Liberian
Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare in early December.
In addition, Mr. Banbury,
working
closely
with
the
Governments
of
Liberia,Guinea and Sierra
Leone is coordinating crossborder efforts to fight Ebola.
Upon his arrival, Mr. Banbury
is scheduled to meet with
President
Ellen
JohnsonSirleafand UNMIL/UNMEER
staff. After Liberia, he will
conclude his tour of the region
with a trip to Sierra Leone.

REGULATOR
STILL
IN
LACC
DRAGNET
UNMEER CHIEF ARRIVES IN LIBERIA
Commission on Higher Education
Director General long Corruption tale
by Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed period.

Monrovia nthony Banbury,

the Head of the
first
ever
UN
System
wide
Emergency Health Mission
called the UN Mission for the

Ebola Emergency Response

(UNMEER) is arriving in
Liberia today as part of his
final tour of the three countries
most affected by the Ebola
Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.
In each county, he will review

progress in the fight against

Ebola and areas where the UN
can do more to help.
Appointed in September,
Mr. Banburys tour of duty
is coming to an end on 03
January. He will be replaced

PAGE
RONT

of Mauritania who is expected

to visit the ebola affected
countries in early 2015.
During Mr. Banburys two day
visit in Liberia, hewill travel
to Sinje, Grand Capemount
County for the opening of the
new50 bed Ebola Treatment
Unit run by the Intenational
Organization on Migration.
As of 22 December five new
EVD cases had been reported.
During the period from 23 May
to 22 December there had been
a cumulative total of 194 EVD
cases and a cumulative total of
111 deaths from EVD.
Mr. Banbury will also
travel to Saniquellie, Nimba
Countywhere he will meet
with the County Health Team,
Ebola suvivors and healthcare
workers. As of 22 December
the county had reported zero
new cases. During the period
from 23 May to 22 December
had been a cumulative total of
326 Ebola cases. Cumulative
number of deaths from Ebola
stands at 56 during the same

Today, 10 of Liberias 15
counties have no new reported
cases of Ebola. Lofa County
has not reported any new
cases over the last seven
weeks. Ebola Crisis Manager,
Peter Graaff said that this is
significant, as Lofa County, the
initial site of the first outbreak
in Libeia, is bordered by
Sierra Leone and Guinea; both
countries grappling with the
Ebola Virus Outbreak.
UNMEER coordination and
information sharing with the
community, medical personnel,
county health teams and nongovernmental
organizations
are credited for the success
in winning the fight against.
However, there is still more
work to be done in terms
of contact tracing, behavior
change and the cross border
prevention and control of
Ebola.
Liberia has met the 70-7060 target set byMr. Banbury
standing for 70% of reported
infected people taken to health

GOVERNMENT NEWS

CARD OF THANKS LIBERIA SECURES NEW SITE TO BURY

EBOLA VICTIMS AND OTHERS

T
We the Vah, Wesley, Harmon, Sie-Weabo, and Siebo
families extend sincere thanks and appreciation to
all of you, at home and abroad who identified with us
during our hour of bereavement: the home going of
our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister,
cousin, relative, friend and associate, Sarah Rebecca
Nyene-Dio Wesley-Vah.
We the family remains grateful for all contributions
through prayers, cash, kind, visitation, counseling,
phone calls, and well wishes.
We also say thank you to the St. Augustine Episcopal
Church, Barnersville Road Family.
May God Almighty bless you all richly.
We love our mother, but God loves her best.
Sleep on, Mama, we love you forever!
This card of thanks was brought in by Nyemade
Harmon, Amanda Wisner, Wade Wesley, Otis Mason,
and Ade Wede Kekuleh, for the family.

Monrovia
he Government of
Liberia has secured
50 acres of land as the
new burial site for all
Ebola related deaths. Twentyfive acres of the land have been
landscaped and is ready for use.
According to an Executive
Mansion release, the 25 acres of
land, situated behind the Disco
Hill Community, was secured
through the intervention of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs in
collaboration with the Council of
Chiefs and Elders, and the United
States based non-governmental
organization,
Global
Community, and the citizens of
Disco Hill Community along the
Robertsfield highway, Margibi
County.
The burial site, which will
eventually become the new
national cemetery, will enable
relatives and loved ones to
identify graves of Ebola victims
instead of the earlier format
where Ebola victims were
cremated.
Speaking
to
journalists

following a tour of the site by

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
recently, the Coordinator of the
Incidence Management System,
Mr. Tolbert Nyensuah said
areas have been demarcated for
Christian burials and Muslim
burials; while a place has been
earmarked to erect a memorial
monument for those victims
of the Ebola virus disease that
cremated before now.
He said victims will be identified
by tombstones and relatives,
friends, and even pastors and
imams will be allowed to
perform burials rites at the site,
but void of touching. He said
securing the new burial site is
that relatives, loved ones and
clerics can now work with the
safe burial teams and victims
can have dignified burials. This
will become a national cemetery
so that people will not hide dead
bodies because of cremation, he
stressed.
Right now as we are, we started
cremation as a country when
Ebola was very much intensified
in August and September but

there are a lot of people who

are rejecting cremation of their
bodies.
So as people in the Ebola
fight to have safe and dignified
burials, we decided to identify
the site which is now ready for
both Christians and Muslim
to have well dignified and
safe burials where people can
practice their rituals but not to
touch dead bodies, Mr. Tolbert
Nyensuah said.
Mr. Nyensuah said as a new
national cemetery other people
who might want to bury their

loved ones there can come as

it will not only be for Ebola
victims but anyone that dies.
Already, Government has paid
an initial amount of US$25,000
to secure the land and has
committed to make a final
payment of US$25,000 once a
Memorandum of Understanding
has been reached between
Government and the people
of Disco Hill Community.
They have requested for
primary school, clinic, road,
and safe drinking water for the
community.
Chief Zanzan Kawon presented
the check of US$25,000 on
behalf of the Government of
Liberia, while Mr. Kaizon
received the check on behalf his
community. President Sirleaf
witnessed the presentation.
Meanwhile, a US based nongovernmental
organization,
Global Community, informed
the gathering that a well
has been completed in the
community, while the road
is being rehabilitated. Global
Community has committed to
building a primary school for the
Disco Hill Community.

Page 14 | Frontpage

IN BRIEF

TRINIDAD HUNGER
STRIKER CLAIMS TO
SURPASS 100 DAYS

D'ABADIE, Trinidad (AP)

prominent
environmental
activist in Trinidad
who claims to have
passed the 100-day mark of a
hunger strike said he will reject
medical intervention and keep
protesting a highway project he
says could hurt wetlands and
remote villages.
Wayne Kublalsingh, 55, told
The Associated Press in an
interview this week he will
suspend the strike only if the
government lets independent
mediators assess the project.
He declined government offers
for dialogue, saying community
leaders have met repeatedly
with officials without results.

ITALIAN PREMIER: EVACUATION

OF GREEK FERRY IS COMPLETE

BARI, Italy (AP) -elicopters defied high

winds and stormy seas
Monday to evacuate
hundreds of passengers
and staff from Greek ferry that
caught fire off Albania. Seven
people died and survivors told of
a frantic rush to escape the flames
and pelting rain.
The evacuation was completed in
the early afternoon and only the
vessel's captain and four Italian
sailors remained on board to try
to hook the ferry up to a tug boat,
Italian Prime Minister Matteo
Renzi said.
The navy said the latest numbers
indicate 414 people have been
rescued from the ferry, and seven
bodies removed.
The ferry company had originally
said there were 478 passengers and
crew on board the ferry. Officials
couldn't immediately explain the
discrepancy between the numbers.

IRAN HOLDS FUNERAL FOR

GENERAL KILLED IN IRAQ

PAGE
RONT

WORLD NEWS

'BOTTOM OF SEA'
INDONESIA SAYS MISSING AIRASIA PLANE COULD BE AT

SURABAYA,
Indonesia/
JAKARTA (Reuters) missing AirAsia jet
carrying 162 people
could be at the bottom
of the sea after it was
presumed to have crashed off the
Indonesian coast, an official said
on Monday, as countries around
Asia sent ships and planes to
help in the search.
The Indonesia AirAsia plane, an
Airbus A320-200, disappeared
after its pilot failed to get
permission to fly higher to avoid
bad weather during a flight from
the Indonesian city of Surabaya
to Singapore on Sunday.
Flight QZ8501 did not issue a
distress signal and disappeared
over the Java Sea five minutes
after requesting the change
of course, which was refused
because of heavy air traffic,
officials said.
"Based on our coordinates, we
expect it is in the sea, so for now
(we think) it is on the sea floor,"
Soelistyo, head of Indonesia's
search and rescue agency, told
reporters when asked about the
missing plane's likely location.
A senior Indonesian civil
aviation source told Reuters
that authorities had the flight's
radar data and were waiting for
search and rescue teams to find
debris before they started their
investigation into the cause.
Transport Minister Ignasius
Jonan said the search was
focused on an area of 70 square
nautical miles between the island
of Belitung, off Sumatra, and
Borneo island.
He said the sea there was only 50
to 100 meters deep, which would
be a help in finding the plane.
Ships could hunt around the
clock, but aircraft were expected
to suspend operations at dusk.
Air force spokesman Hadi
Tjahjanto said searchers were
checking a report of an oil slick
off Belitung. They had picked

"The airplane's performance is

directly related to the temperature
outside and increasing altitude
can lead to freezing of the static
radar, giving pilots an erroneous
radar reading," said a Qantas
Airways pilot with 25 years'
experience flying in the region.
The resulting danger is that pilots
take incorrect action to control
the aircraft, said the pilot, who
requested anonymity.

PLANE CLIMBING
SLOWLY?

up an emergency locator signal

off the south of Borneo but no
subsequent signal was found, he
said.
On board Flight QZ8501 were
155 Indonesians, three South
Koreans, and one person each
from Singapore, Malaysia and
Britain. The co-pilot was French.
The disappearance caps a
disastrous year for Malaysiaaffiliated airlines. Indonesia
AirAsia is 49 percent owned by
Malaysia-based budget carrier
AirAsia.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
went missing on March 8 on
a trip from Kuala Lumpur to
Beijing with 239 passengers and
crew and has not been found. On
July 17, the same airline's Flight
MH17 was shot down over
Ukraine, killing all 298 people
on board.
The AirAsia group, including
affiliates in Thailand, the
Philippines and India, had
not suffered a crash since its
Malaysian budget operations
began in 2002. The group's
shares in Kuala Lumpur closed

8.5 percent lower.

ANGER GROWING
Indonesian
Vice
President
Jusuf Kalla, visiting relatives of
people on the flight in Surabaya,
told reporters the search by
30 ships and 15 aircraft, about
halfway between Surabaya and
Singapore, was being hampered
by bad weather.
Anger grew among about 100
relatives at a crisis center at the
airport in Indonesia's secondlargest city.
"We only need clear information
every hour on where they are
going," said Franky Chandra,
who has a sibling and three
friends on the flight, referring to
the search teams.
"We've been here for two days
but the information is unclear.
That's all we need."
Australia, Malaysia, Singapore
and South Korea have sent ships
and aircraft to join the search.
In a statement on its website,
China's Defence Ministry said it
had sent a warship to the South

AIRLIFT BEGINS FOR HUNDREDS

TRAPPED ON BURNING ITALIAN FERRY

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)

ran held a funeral on
Monday for a senior
Revolutionary
Guard
commander who was
killed during a battle against the
Islamic State extremist group in
Iraq.
State TV said the funeral for
Brig. Gen. Hamid Taqavi was
held in a Guard compound
in Tehran. He will be buried
in his hometown Ahvaz in
southwestern Iran on Tuesday.
The Guard said Sunday that
Taqavi was "martyred while
performing
his
advisory
mission" in Samarra, a town
north of Baghdad that is home to
a major Shiite shrine. He is the
highest ranking Iranian officer
known to have been killed
abroad since the Iran-Iraq war
in the 1980s, in which he fought.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

he military repelled
the
coordinated
attacks and regained
control of the base,
they added.
At least 41 militants and one
soldier were killed, the officials
said.

The Nigeria-based group is

increasingly carrying out
cross-border raids, threatening
Cameroon's security.
The latest fighting was the
most intense, lasting for three
days along several fronts,
reports the BBC's Jean-David

Mihamle from Cameroon's

capital Yaounde.
'New escalation'
About 1,000 militants attacked
five
villages,
including
Amchide, and seized the nearby
Achigachia military base, army
spokesman Lieutenant Colonel

China Sea and planes "have

begun preparatory work" for
search operations.
Soelistyo said Indonesia might
not have the best technology
to search underwater and had
accepted offers of help from
the United States, Britain and
France.
Flight QZ8501 was traveling at
32,000 feet (9,753 meters) and
had asked to fly at 38,000 feet to
avoid clouds.
Permission was not given at the
time due to traffic in the area.
Five minutes later, at 6.17 a.m.
on Sunday (6.17 p.m ET on
Saturday), the plane lost contact
with air traffic control, transport
officials said.
Data from Flightradar24.com,
which tracks airline flights in
real time, showed several nearby
aircraft were at altitudes ranging
from 34,000 to 36,000 feet at
the time, levels not unusual for
cruising aircraft.
Pilots and aviation experts said
thunderstorms, and requests to
gain altitude to avoid them, were
not unusual in that area.

Didier Badjeck told Reuters

news agency.
"After that, the head of state
ordered the air force to carry out
strikes. With the bombardment,
the fighters were forced to
decamp from Achigachia," he
said.
In a statement, Cameroon's
Information Minister Issa
Tchiroma Bakary said the
multiple attacks showed that
Boko Haram had adopted
a new strategy aimed at
"distracting
Cameroonian
troops on different fronts,
making them more vulnerable
in the face of the mobility
and unpredictability of their
attacks".
At least 34 militants were killed
after the army raided one of
their bases in Cameroon, while
another seven were killed in
a separate clash which also
claimed the life of a soldier, Mr
Bakary said, Reuters reports.
The air strikes marked "a new
escalation in the Cameroonian
response... to multiple enemy
attacks", he added, AFP news

TOO

Online
discussions
among
pilots centered on unconfirmed
secondary radar data from
Malaysia that suggested the
missing plane was climbing at
a speed of 353 knots, about 100
knots too slow in such weather
conditions.
"At that altitude, that speed
is exceedingly dangerous,"
Sydney-based aviation expert
Geoff Thomas told Reuters.
"At that altitude, the thin air, the
wings won't support the aircraft
at that speed and you get an
aerodynamic stall."
Safety authorities say accidents
involving a loss of control, such
as might occur in bad weather,
are rare but almost always
catastrophic.
The Indonesian pilot was
experienced and the plane last
underwent maintenance in midNovember, the airline said. The
aircraft had accumulated about
23,000 flight hours in some
13,600 flights, according to
Airbus.
Malaysia AirAsia chief Tony
Fernandes flew to Surabaya and,
along with Indonesian officials,
updated relatives.
"My heart bleeds for all the
relatives of my crew and our
passengers. Nothing is more
important to us," he said on
Twitter.

agency reports.
Last week, Cameroon said it
had dismantled a Boko Haram
training camp on its territory,
and had seized 84 children who
were being trained there.
More than 40 of its soldiers
have been killed in fighting
with Boko Haram this year,
according to Reuters.
Boko Haram launched its
insurgency in north-eastern
Nigeria in 2009, saying it
wanted to overthrow the
government and create an
Islamic state.
It recruits mainly unemployed
youth and has seized large
swathes of territory in Borno
state, raising fears that it could
launch an assault on its main
city, Maiduguri.
At least 2,000 civilians have
been killed by the group in
Nigeria this year.
The kidnapping of more than
200 schoolgirls by Boko
Haram in April from the town
of Chibok in Borno state
sparked international outrage.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Southampton
(United
Kingdom) (AFP) helsea
manager
Jose
Mourinho
claimed that there
is a "campaign"
to get his players wrongly
punished for diving following
his side's 1-1 Premier League
draw at Southampton.
After Eden Hazard had
cancelled out Sadio Mane's
opener for Southampton on
Sunday, referee Anthony
Taylor booked Chelsea's Cesc
Fabregasafter he went down
under a challenge by Matthew
Targett in the second half.
Television replays indicated
that the official may have
made a mistake, as Targett
appeared to make contact with
Fabregas after slipping, but
Mourinho suggested that there
was more to it than that.
He listed previous incidents
when Chelsea players had
been booked for perceived
dives, including one involving
Diego Costa against Burnley
on the opening weekend of the
season.
Diving had also been the topic
of post-match conversation
after a 2-0 home win against
Hull Cityearlier this month,
which saw England defender
Gary Cahill topple to the turf
in an eye-catching manner.
"Why was it not a penalty?
Because the referee made
a mistake," Mourinho said.
"People make mistakes -- he
made a mistake. A big mistake,
but a mistake.
"I think it is the result of
something that looks like a
campaign. In the first match,
Diego got a yellow card when
it should have been a red
card (for the defender) and a
penalty at Burnley.
"A few months later, Fabregas
gets a yellow card. The double
punishment is unbelievable.
You have a penalty and
probably you win the game.
You don't get the penalty and
you get a yellow card.
"We have had bad yellow
cards for simulation. I am not
saying all, but we are speaking
about crucial decisions. For
example, the game against
Hull City -- do you think the
most important thing was
Cahill or Filipe Luis almost
with a broken leg?"
Chelsea's Boxing day fixture

Frontpage

Sports

DIVING TREND

Page 15

SPORTS

'ROBBEN & RIBERY

AREN'T INDIVIDUALS'

Mourinho cries foul over Chelsea diving focus

ayern
Munich
sporting
director
Matthias Sammer
has rejected claims
that Arjen Robben and Franck
Riberyare individuals who
don't work hard enough for the
team.
The pair have often been
accused of possessing a selfish
streak and not working for the
greater good of the side, despite
being two of the club's star men
during their success in recent
years.

BRAZIL BOSS DUNGA VOTED

RONALDO OVER NEYMAR IN
BALLON D'OR 2014

had also featured a simulation

controversy,
with
West
Ham United manager Sam
Allardyce having accused
Branislav Ivanovic of going
down too easily during his
side's 2-0 defeat.
On that occasion the officials
punished neither side.
- 'Stupid mistakes' Asked who he thought was
behind
the
"campaign",
Mourinho replied: "I don't
know, but after the game
against West Ham -- a good
game, a normal game -(Enner) Valencia made a very
bad dive and at the end of the
game, Sam is speaking about
Ivanovic. What is this? Why?
"It is not against me because
I am not on the pitch, but
against Chelsea, yes. Do you
want me to tell you the two
most important things that
happened in my matches,
in my opinion? Filipe Luis
and Eden Hazard could be
in hospital now with broken
legs."
The point kept Chelsea at the
top of the Premier League
table, three points ahead

of Manchester City, who

surrendered a two-goal lead to
draw 2-2 at home to Burnley.
"Chelsea have been playing
very well since the beginning
of the season. We are top of
the league because we deserve
to be," added Mourinho

home midfielder Morgan

Schneiderlin sent off late on
for two bookable offences.
Southampton, who are in
fourth place, had previously
lost home fixtures against City
and Manchester United, and
the Dutchman was satisfied

"The difference was we played

until the last second. We didn't
make stupid mistakes like we
did against United and City."
Koeman, who was a colleague
of Mourinho's at Barcelona
when Louis van Gaal was
coach, admitted the Fabregas

razil boss Dunga has

revealed he voted
for Real Madrid star
Cristiano Ronaldo not his own player Neymar- to
win the 2014 Ballon d'Or.
Ronaldo, who was handed the
award in 2014, is the favourite
to win the trophy for a third
time but faces competition
from
Barcelona's
Lionel
Messi and Bayern Munich
goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Neymar was nominated in the
23-man shortist having been
one of the stars of this summer's
World Cup until injury ended
his tournament, and Brazil
simultaneously
careered
towards an embarrassing semifinal exit to Germany.

SUAREZ STILL UPBEAT

DESPITE LACK OF GOALS

defiantly. "I am so happy with

my players."
Ronald
Koeman,
the
Southampton manager, was
also delighted, having seen
his players defend for most
of a second half that saw

that his players had applied

the lessons learnt the hard way
from those defeats.
"One point against Chelsea
is maybe three points against
another opponent," Koeman
said.

incident could well have gone

against his side.
"Maybe it's a penalty. I don't
know," he said. "If it's a penalty
they can be disappointed about
that decision, but it's part of
football."

FERNANDO TORRES RETURNS

ON LOAN TO ATLETICO MADRID

MADRID (AP)
ernando Torres could
make
his Atletico
Madrid return in a Copa
de Rey match with
crosstown rival Real Madrid two
days after rejoining his boyhood
club.
Atletico said in a statement
Monday that Torres will return to
the club on loan from AC Milan
next Monday, when the Italian
transfer window opens. The
move is subject to Torres passing

a medical examination.
"At last I'm returning back
home," Torres wrote on Twitter.
"Thanks to all who have made
this dream come true."
The first match the striker would
be available for is the first leg of
the cup match against Madrid on
Jan. 7.
On Saturday, Chelsea sent Torres
to Milan on a permanent basis,
thus allowing the Italian club to
loan him to Atletico.
Atletico said the 30-year-old

Torres, who was born in the

Madrid suburb of Fuenlabrada,
"returns to his home, where he
trained as a player and became
one of its biggest stars."
Torres played his first official
game for Atletico in 2001, when
he was 17. He played in 244
games and scored 91 goals.
"When I was a boy my dream
was to play for Atletico," Torres
said. "I achieved it, and to return
now is to fulfill another dream."

ARCELONA
(Reuters) - Barcelona
forward Luis Suarez
is confident his
scoring form will return and he
can put a slow start to his debut
season in Spainbehind him.
Suarez needed eight La Liga
games to open his Barca
account with a goal against
Cordoba last weekend and has
two in three Champions League
appearances, a meagre return
for the player who was Premier
League top scorer with 31 goals
in his final campaign with
Liverpool.
The Uruguay international plays
in a three-man attack at Barca
with Lionel Messi and Neymar
and although he has not been