THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY MONDAY, MAY 16, 2016

U.S Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield's three-day visit to Liberia and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's meeting with the Cyber-Ed Christian School of Excellence Liberia and the Turkish International School are stories dominating today’s edition of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

US Assistant Secretary of State In Liberia - Speaks at AMEU

U.S Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield is in Liberia on a three-day visit from May 15-17, 2016. According to the New Dawn newspaper, Amb. Thomas-Greenfield will meet with senior representatives of the Liberian Government, including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to discuss bilateral and regional issues. She will deliver a speech focusing on the challenges facing Liberia and the 2017 Presidential Elections at the African Methodist Episcopal University.

Related Captions: U.S. Asst. Secretary Addresses AMEU Student (The NEWS), U.S Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield Visits Liberia (Women Voices), Amb. Greenfield Address AME Students Today (The Analyst)

Pres. Sirleaf Visits Cyber-ED Christian School of Excellence--Commends Students for Commitment to Pursuing Quality Education

The Analyst newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has commended students of Cyber-Ed Christian School of Excellence Liberia—Turkish International School for being so courageous, disciplined and committed to pursuing quality education at their various schools of learning. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the commendation on Friday, May 13, 2016, when she made a brief stopover at the Cyber-Ed Christian School of Excellence and the Liberia Turkish International Light Schools in Congo Town and Airfield Shortcut respectively.

Related Captions: Hailing Excellence  Sirleaf Commends Turkish School for Commitment to Pursuing Quality Education (FrontPage Africa), Pres. Sirleaf Visits Cyber-ED Christian School, Turkish International School (The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

Beware Of Pirates’

According to the Daily Observer, National Security Advisor Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh has cautioned officers of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) to beware of pirates who hijack ships and demand ransom from their owners. He made the statement in his keynote address at the program marking the graduation of 250 BIN recruits at the institution’s Sinje Academy, over the weekend. Dr. Fahnbulleh made reference to the abandoned vessel (Tamaya 1) that was discovered in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, which has created fear among citizens.  He said BIN officers have a major undertaking and with support from government and partners they would provide security and protect Liberia’s borders. He disclosed that as part of preparations to protect the country, the government would provide BIN with guns to enable them to protect the borders.

LRA Begins Strict Vehicle Inspection; More Fake Receipts Detected  

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) says it is with immediate effect commencing a vigorous vehicle inspection this week, as it has detected more fake receipts from owners. According to Mr. Maxwell Grigsby, Acting Manager for Sector Ministries, their sophisticated validity machine has detected that taxpayers have intended to defraud government of its taxes by presenting fake receipts to the LRA. “As of May 12 we turned five persons over to the Crime Services Division of the Liberia National Police because after testing their vehicle registration receipts, we realized that they were fakes,” Grigsby said, asserts the Daily Observer.

Gov’t Retrieves Missing Lifeboat From Buchanan

The Government of Liberia has reportedly retrieved a lifeboat that disappeared from the abandoned vessel which mysteriously anchored in Grand Cape Mount County recently. The Daily Observer quotes Grand Bassa County Superintendent Joseph Levi Demmah as saying that following preliminary investigations by the joint security the missing lifeboat which showed up on the coast of Edina City on May 11, e government has sent officers with the lifeboat to Monrovia.

Weeks Takes Over CBL

The newly appointed Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Milton A. Weeks, has been inducted into office, expressing his support for teamwork to ensure that the bank achieves its desired results in the remaining 19 months of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration. During the induction ceremony held over the weekend at the headquarters of the CBL on Ashmun Street in Monrovia, Mr. Weeks lauded President Sirleaf for his appointment and the opportunity to serve in the capacity of Executive Governor, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: 'Not Changing Anything Around': Weeks Takes Over Central Bank Mantle (FrontPage Africa)

Unifying With The Blind--Cameroonian Donates To School of the Blind

The Cameroonian Association of Liberia (CAL) in partnership with Saar Insurance, Hysaa (waste company) and Afriland First Bank has identified with the Liberia School of the Blind with a donation of mattresses, bags of rice, dust bins, vegetable oil, sardines and clothing. Presenting the relief items to the Liberia School of the Blind in Mango Town, the President of the Cameroonian Association in Liberia, William E.A. Ekerum said the school of the blind has always held a special an indelible spot in the heart of the organization reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

LACC Ends First Phase of Anti-Corruption Awareness in Schools

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has completed the first phase of its anti-corruption awareness campaign in schools. The first phase, which climaxed at the William V. S. Tubman High School in Sinkor, Monrovia, covered forty eight (48) schools in Monrovia. Speaking recently LACC Oversight Commissioner for Education & Prevention, Aba Hamilton Dolo, said talking to the young people of Liberia on corruption was a priority of the Commission, the Heritage newspaper reports.