The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Today’s summary of the local dailies highlights news of Foreign Minister, Madam Marjon Kamara’s assertion that Liberia has reached a point in its development drive where it would like to add value to its resources, create jobs for Liberians, and increase trade with the outside world and the temporary closure of the Central Bank of Liberia banking all to the public  

DOMINANT STORIES

“Add Value, Create Jobs, Increase Trade”…Foreign Minister Tells Investors

The INSIGHT newspaper reports that Foreign Minister, Madam Marjon Kamara says Liberia has reached a point in its development drive where it would like to add value to its resources, create jobs for Liberians, and increase trade with the outside world. “We are very pleased by the decision that was taken to visit Liberia to hold exploratory discussions and look at possibilities to strengthen collaboration in the forestry sector. We have natural resources, many of them we have been exporting as raw materials. We would like to add value by doing some processing of these materials in our country to create jobs for our people and increase trade with the outside world and forestry is one area,” she emphasized. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Minister Kamara made the assertion when a high-level delegation from the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) State Forestry Administration and five Chinese enterprises paid her a courtesy call on Thursday, July 13, 2017. They were accompanied by Liberia’s Ambassador to the PRC, His Excellency Mr. Dudley McKinley Thomas. For his part, PRC’s Deputy Director General for State Forestry Administration, Mr. Kong Ming, said their visit to Liberia is based on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s request to Chinese businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Liberia, during a visit to China a few years ago; and their interest is the forestry sector. He noted that they fully understand Minister Kamara’s concerns about adding value through processing, creating jobs as well as establishing long-term mechanisms to develop and utilize the forest in a sustained way. The Chinese Deputy Director General for State Forestry Administration assured that they have the potential to establish a long term and sustained cooperation mechanism.

Related Captions: “Add Value, Create Jobs, Increase Trade”…Foreign Minister Tells Investors (Daily Observer), ‘Add Value, Create Jobs, Increase Trade’… Minister Kamara Tells Investors (The INQUIRER)

CBL Temporarily Closes Banking Hall

The INSIGHT newspaper says the Central Bank of Liberia has announced the temporary closure of its banking hall to the public beginning Monday, July 17 – August 4. The temporary closure is intended to facilitate the hosting of the West African Monetary Zone Statutory meetings at the head office of the Central Bank. The CBL is directing all civil servants and pensioners to conduct their banking services with commercial banks in the country. Banking activities at the CBL head offices will resume on Monday, August 6.

Related Captions: Temporary Closure of CBL Banking Hall (Daily Observer), CBL Announces Temporary Closure Of Banking Hall (The INQUIRER)

OTHER STORIES

President Submits Bill To Manage, Control Public Resources

According to the Daily Observer, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted a draft bill entitled “Amendment and Restatement of the Public Financial Management Act of 2009” in order for ministers, heads of agencies and autonomous agencies, including the Central Bank of Liberia, to manage and control public resources. In her letter, read in Thursday’s session, she said the Public Financial Management Act of 2009 contains gaps and oversights that could be detrimental to the full and robust implementation and intent of the creation of the 2009 Act. The President said the purpose of the act is to include more detailed and specific contents that are germane to creating more ‘specificity, checks, and balances, accountabilities, responsibilities, authorities, and productivities among government ministers, agencies, enterprises, and stakeholders as it relates to public funds, spending, allocations, resources, and control.’

Spending Boost EU Injects $11Million Into Liberia’s Budget

The Government of Liberia has received a grant of $11 million from the European Union (EU). The EU disbursed the money directly into the treasury account of the Government to support the country’s budget. This is the third payment under the EU’s budget support program after a first payment of $33 million in 2015 and $18 million in 2016. Disbursement of the third payment comes after the Government of Liberia made satisfactory progress in improving public financial management and toward specific targets relating to security and rule of law in line with the Agenda for Transformation, Liberia’s medium-term development strategy, the New Democrat newspaper reads.

Related Caption: EU Injects $11 Million Into Liberia Budget (INSIGHT)

Finance Minister Tours RIA Rehabilitation Works

The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Boima S. Kamara along with other senior officials of the Ministry yesterday toured the ongoing upgrade and expansion work at the Roberts International Airport. The upgrade and expansion work covers the rebuilding of the New Terminal, the Rehabilitation of the Runway, Road Station, Parking lots, Sewage Treatment System, Electricity systems and other major key components at the Airport. He also praised the courageous leadership of the President of Liberia, Her Excellency Johnson Sirleaf, who braved the storm in ensuring that the rebuilding of the airport becomes a reality, the New Democrat newspaper reads.

House To Probe GAC, Others

The House of Representatives has agreed to investigate the General Auditing Commission (GAC), the Public Accounts Committee and Expenditure (PAC) for allegedly clearing persons reportedly linked to corruption by the GAC. According to a communication addressed in session yesterday, indicated several reports emanating from the GAC, and the PAC on public hearing and submission of two separate reports from 2014 to 2015 to the President of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for implementation, was understood that President Sirleaf forwarded the two communications to the Tas Force for advice, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

Lawmaker & Wife Charged With Criminal Conspiracy

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged Grand Gedeh County District #2 Representative Morias Waylee and his wife for Criminal Conspiracy in an alleged rape case involving a 12 year old girl. According to the preliminary report released during a press conference held at the headquarters of the LNP yesterday, following the arrest and detention of Representative Waylee, the Representative was charged with the crime of criminal conspiracy. Chapter 10 of The Liberia Panel Law, titled: Inchoate Offenses, subsection 10.4 of said chapter states that “A person is guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime if, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating its commission, he agrees with one or more persons to engage in or cause the performance of conduct which constitutes the crime, and any one or more of such persons does an act to effect the object of the conspiracy”. The release stated that the Representative and his wife denied knowing or seeing the victim, whereas investigation shows that the victim, who is reported missing is the daughter of the driver of Rep.Waylee, the newspaper says.

Related Caption: Rep. Waylee Detained In Rape Case –Charged With Criminal Conspiracy, Obstruction Of Investigation, Among Other (Daily Observer)

BWI North America Alumni Hosts Dallas Convention, Honors Class of ’59

According to the Daily Observer, the Booker Washington Institute Alumni Association in North America (BWIAANA), on June 29 to July 2, 2017, convened its 26th Convention in Dallas, Texas, United States of America. The Convention, which also commemorated BWI’s 88th Founder’s Day, had as its distinguishing feature the honoring of the Class of 1959.  BWIAANA President Eric Harris told the gathering that the Class of ’59 was being singled out as one “whose fingerprints have been seen in many places.”