THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

News of the naming of a street in the United States in honor of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; President Johnson Sirleaf’s Proclamation declaring Tuesday, September 27 as World Tourism Day and Liberia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Professor Al-Hassan Conteh’s tribute to the Nigerian military are among stories dominating today’s newsstand.

DOMINANT STORIES

City Names Street In Honor Of Ellen

The city of Winston-Salem in the United States has named a street Liberia Street for Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a ceremony in the city's oldest black neighborhood. Mayor Allen Joines read the proclamation naming the street “President Sirleaf Lane” to about 50 people who attended the ceremony. “She is a true definition of freedom, justice and equality for all people of Liberia,” Joines said of Sirleaf in the proclamation. The Heritage newspaper, quoting an Executive Mansion release says President Sirleaf visited Winston-Salem last weekend as part of her trip to the United States for the U.N. General Assembly’s annual meeting in New York. She is the first foreign head of state to visit the city during Joines’ 15-year tenure as mayor.'

Sirleaf said it was a great honor to have Liberia Street named after her. “I’ve resisted at home people naming things after me because I said ‘you don’t do that when I am in office. Do that when I leave office,” the Liberian leader said jokingly. “Since this is not at home, I am pleased to accept it. It’s not only an honor for me, but also it’s an honor for the Liberian people.”

James Hunder, Sr., President of Liberian Organization of the Piedmont, told the crowd that the naming of Liberia Street for Sirleaf was a historic moment.

Related Captions: City Names Liberia Street For Ellen (Daily Observer), Street Named In Honor Of President Sirleaf In U.S (WOMEN VOICES), City Names Liberia Street For President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (The New Dawn)  

Amb. Conteh Pays Tribute To Nigerian Military 

Liberia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, has paid tribute to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in the search of lasting peace and security in the world. A dispatch from the Liberian Embassy in Abuja says the Liberian envoy recognized in particular the important role and sacrifices of the Nigerian military in maintaining national and global peace and security. “The Nigerian military has taken a vanguard role restoring peace and stability in West Africa. My sister here [the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner] mentioned Sierra Leone and of course I can mention the same about Liberia. Ambassador Conteh made the commendation when he delivered his goodwill message during the observance of World Peace Day held in Abuja last week at a continental hotel, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Ambassador Conteh Pays Tribute To Nigerian Military (Heritage)

Today Is World Tourism Day

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by proclamation declared today, September 27, 2016 as “World Tourism Day” to be observed throughout the country as a Working Holiday. A Foreign Ministry release said this year’s celebration will take place in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, under the theme: “Tourism for All-Promoting Universal Accessibility”. President Sirleaf hopes that all Liberians will celebrate the value of tourism for all, promoting Universal Accessibility, and work together in making tourism a great market potential and great business opportunity. The Member States of the United Nations have declared September 27 of each year as World Tourism Day to foster awareness on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value, writes the Heritage newspaper. 

Related Caption: Today Is World Tourism Day (the New Dawn)

Solomon George, Children Denied Entry into U.S.

The headline story of the WOMEN VOICES newspaper reads that a ranking member of the CDC Legislative Caucus, Montserrado County District #7 Representative, Solomon Claudius George, who was granted a visiting visa for the United States and his two children, his son Christopher Solomon George, Jr., and his daughter Sharlene Bernice George were reportedly denied entry in the United States after arriving at the Chicago O’Hare Airport on September 19, 2016 onboard United Airline 973 from Brussels. According to documents in the possession of this paper from the United States Department of Homeland Security, “Representative Solomon George was inadmissible to the United States under Section 212 (a) (7) (A) (1) (l) of the INA because he (George) was seeking admission to join and live with his wife who gave birth on her last trip to the United States and is currently an overstayed visitor and to his elder daughter who is currently on Temporary Protection Status.

Related Captions: Shortly After Touching On U.S. Soil; Solomon George, Two Children Sent Back Home (Heritage), Liberian Lawmaker Denied Entry into U.S. For Attempting to Relocate Family After Wife Overstayed (FrontPage Africa), U.S. Denies Solomon George Entry (The New Dawn), Solomon Georg, Children Denied Entry Into U.S (WOMEN VOICES)

OTHER STORIES

Political Parties Commit To Violence-Free Election

About 23 political parties in Liberia have agreed to collaborate for the conduct of non-violent, free and fair elections next year. They reached the consensus over the weekend in Ganta, Nimba County during a workshop organized by the National Elections Commission (NEC) with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), European Union (EU), USAID, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Speaking at the opening ceremony in Ganta, NEC Co-chairperson Cllr. Sarah M. Toe said, the Commission is particularly pleased that political parties, which are the major stakeholders to the electoral process, are leading the discussions for the conduct of peaceful elections in 2017. Cllr. Toe assured that the prospect for peaceful elections is possible through adherence to the rules governing the polls. Also speaking, the Director for Democracy and Governance at USAID-Liberia, Jeremy Meadows said the United States recognizes the importance and necessary contribution well-structured and developed political parties can make to building and maintaining a stable, pluralistic democracy, noting that active and engaged political parties are hallmarks of a vibrant democracy. The 23 political parties agreed on an 11-count resolution, upholding free and non-violence elections, among others. The Secretary-General for the former governing National Patriotic Party (NPP) Andrew Peters, commended the NEC, UNDP, IFES and USAID for the workshop and pledged the parties’ commitment to free and non-violence elections come 2017. All of the 23 political parties at the inter-party consultative committee workshop signed the resolution, committing themselves to free and non-violence elections in 2017 reports the New Dawnnewspaper.

Demonstrate Tolerance, Honesty And Humility’-VP Boakai Urges Students

According to the Daily Observer, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has called on the student community to avoid vandalism, dishonesty and violent demonstration, and instead to be tolerant, humble and honest in their dealings with each other. Speaking to hundreds of students under the banner, “National Students Movement for Boakai” on September 23 in the auditorium of the College of West Africa, VP Boakai noted that some students have participated in vandalism, violent demonstrations and cheated; and they must change their attitudes if they want a better Liberia. The two-day conference was organized by the National Students’ Movement, and the vice president was invited to share his life story with students from different schools across the country. VP Boakai also told the students to stop cheating in exams and avoid giving bribes to teachers, noting, “You have to build confidence in others of what you can do, and not to get them wonder why you should be appointed to a position of trust having known your academic shortcoming.”

Judge Paye Gives Light Sentence To 6 JFK Robbers

According to the Daily Observer, the brains behind the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital syndicate who made away with over L$16 million and US$126,000, were yesterday sentenced by Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice to perform community service for the period of one month. Defendant Rebeah Arnaus was among five other co-defendants who Judge Emery Paye declared guilty before sentencing him for ‘community service’ as opposed to the other co-defendants who the judge sentenced to months and years of imprisonment. For Arnaus and the other co-defendants including Patrick Konuwa, former JFK account officers, Judge Paye adjudged them guilty of the crime of criminal facilitation and sentenced them to perform ‘community service’ for the period of one month. They will serve the service under the supervision of the court Sheriff. The judge did not explain the kind of ‘community service’ Arnaus would do relative to the crime he committed. Immediately after Judge Paye completed his judgments and subsequently sentenced the defendants, prosecution appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

Related Caption: State Lawyers Object Three-Year Jail Sentence For Guilty JFK Employees (FrontPage Africa)

2-Day Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue opens in Monrovia Today

A two-day Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue on Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Concession in Liberia begins today, Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at a local business center in Monrovia. A coalition of seven Liberian organizations, seeking the protection of community rights around land and natural resources is organizing the dialogue. The two-day Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue is organized by a coalition of seven Liberian organizations seeking the protection of community rights around land and natural resources. According to a member of the organizing committee of the Coalition, Wynston Benda Henries, the two-day Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue, MSD seeks Develop a common understanding on the status of tenure rights and Large-Scale Land Acquisitions through a review of national and international frameworks, the Heritage newspaper writes.  

Women Caucus Engages Media on Affirmative Action Bill 

 The Women Legislative Caucus Monday called on the Liberian media to raise awareness on the Affirmative Action Bill of 2016. The bill seeks to create 21 additional constituencies in the House of Representatives. It has already been passed by the Liberian Senate but the House of Representatives is yet to concur with the Senate on its passage. The day-long consultative media engagement was held at the offices of the UN Women in Central Monrovia, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Senator Taylor Extols UN Women, Others For ‘Affirmative Action Bill’ Support-As Several Lawmakers Back Passage Of Bill (WOMEN VOICES)

PSU Deploys At Cocopa Rubber Plantations

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has deployed officers of the Police Support Unit (PSU) at the Cocopa Rubber Plantations in Gbannah Clan, Nimba County, following series of strike actions in demand of salary arrears owed workers by the management. In September 2016, workers of the plantation blocked the main highway between Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties in demand of their salaries and other basic incentives that have been withheld by the management for unexplained reasons, the In Profile Daily reads.

Sime Darby Inaugurates $10 Million Oil Palm Mill in Liberia

A back-page story of the In Profile Daily newspaper writes that it was a colorful event when Sime Darby Plantation Liberia (SDPL) broke ground and inaugurated her first major Oil Palm Mill which is worth more than $10 million dollars in Garwula District, Grand Cape Mount County. According to the company, the mill is the first major oil processing plant in sub-Saharan Africa by SDPL. At the ground breaking ceremony, Grand Cape Mount County Traditional Chief, and Deputy National Traditional Council Chief, Sekou Balo, said his people were honored that Sime Darby has chosen Western Liberia, especially Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties as their destination for oil palm development in Liberia, the paper says.

Related Caption: Sime Darby Inaugurates US$10 Million Oil Palm Mill In Liberia (Heritage)

Police Storm Turtle Base

The Daily Observer says a joint team of Liberia National Police (LNP) and Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) officers over the weekend stormed the Red-Light Market “Zogos Turtle Base” and destroyed several makeshift zinc shacks. The team was led by LNP Commander Elijah Baysah of Depot 9 in Paynesville Red-Light. According to Baysah, most of the suspected criminals that resided at the Base are in the constant habits of snatching mobile phones and valuable items from business people, mainly women. Meanwhile, Commander Baysah has vowed to pursue the suspected criminals wherever they regroup.

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