The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018

Today’ edition of our summary highlights news concerning the launching of former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai’s Foundationto promote and propagate those ideals and values he struggled to improve all his life.

DOMINANT STORY  

Boakai Launches FoundationPrioritizes Agriculture, Youth Development And Health 

According Daily Observer, Former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai over the weekend launched a foundation to promote and propagate those ideals and values he struggled to improve all his life. The project shall be known as the JNB Foundation. “By now, most if not all of you, have heard me speak of my unparalleled love for this country, and the deep yearning to see the lives of our people transformed for the better. Such patriotic drive has pushed me to dedicate more than 40 years of my life to public service,” Boakai said. According to him, it is against this background that he formulated the Joseph Nyuma Boakai Foundation, to promote and propagate those ideals and values for which he struggled all his life. The JNB Foundation, he said, will be purely and 100 percent non-political, because it will be the beginning of the next chapter of “my service to Liberians.”

Related Captions:Boakai To Run Foundation For Agro, Others(The INQUIRER), To Support Government’s Developmental Initiatives, Others: JNB Foundation In The Making(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES  

Gov’t Praised For WTO Compliance 

The INQUIRERnewspaper reports that the Government of Liberia has been praised for ensuring the full implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitment. Speaking  Wednesday at the end of a two-day Ministry of Commerce/TBT Workshop, the  Deputy Minister for Commerce and Trade Services Mr. A. E. Nyema Wisner said despite numerous challenges, the Government of Liberia has  continue d to ensure full compliance to the implementation specific commitments enshrined in the Working Party Report. Mr. Wisner said under the reform program, the Revenue Code was submitted to the National Legislature for ratification and that Liberia has maintained a liberal pricing policy and continues to ensure compliance with publication obligation and price controls application in a WTO-consistent manner.  

LLA, World Bank To Launch Liberia Land Authority Project 

The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) and the World Bank will jointly launch the Liberia Land Authority Project today, Thursday, 19 April at the World Bank Liberia Office, German Embassy Compound, Tubman Boulevard, Monrovia. According to a World Bank media advisory, the LLAP will also establish processes and infrastructure require implementing land policies and laws focusing on identification, ownership, use and valuation of land. The Bank says this will  lead to the development of requisite land laws and regulations, and conducting awareness campaigns on land rights and usage, and establish and inventory of tribal land certificates in the country, reports the New Dawn newspaper.  

“Cuba-Liberia Relations Still Strong” Chargè d’Affaires proclaims 

The Daily Observer reports that it has been well over four decades now since Liberia and Cuba established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level in 1974, and this relation has remained solid regardless of pressure from sanctions imposed by the United States since the 1960s. As Cuba prepares to celebrate Liberia-Cuba relations today, Chargé d’Affaires Yordenis Despaigne Vera says relations between the two countries remain strong as both are mutually benefiting. Commenting on Liberian-Cuban relations in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer on April 18, 2018 Mr. Vera recalled that Liberia has been proactive in advocating for the lifting of U.S. imposed economic blockade on Cuba. He observed that the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries was on April 17, 1974. April 17 is also commemorated in Cuba each year as the day the Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro, crushed the U.S. backed invasion of the Bay of Pigs.  

LRA Threatens to Seize Under Declared Goods 

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)’s threat to seize all under declared goods to Customs at the various points of entry across the country has raised critical but unanswered questions about the relevance of the pre shipment inspection regime that the Government of Liberia through the Bureaux Veritas (BIVAC). The threat comes in the wake of LRA’s acknowledgement that many owners of goods passing through ports of entry have not been honest in declaring their goods, thus cheating the Liberian Government of its lawful taxes that must come in to help meet the goals and objective of the “Pro-poor Agenda.” Declaration of goods means telling authorized tax collectors what you have imported into the country. Such information is usually contained in what is called a Bill of Lading which describes the type and quantity of goods being imported. It becomes under declaration when a person brings in more goods than what is stated on the Bill of Lading at the port of entry, writes Daily Observer.  

House To Harmonize Salaries Of Public Servants 

Deputy House Speaker Prince Moye says the Legislature will use the upcoming budget review period to harmonize salaries of public servants, especially top-level appointees, in a move to address income inequality and curb excessive and extravagant allowances and benefits. He said the House of Representatives has set up a committee to review salary structures across government ministries and agencies, to give a clear picture of the level of income inequality. Issues of income inequality and excess benefits have resulted in 86.7% of Liberia’s budget accounting for recurrent expenditures. Due to the severity of the problem, the previous government’s Agenda for Transformation in 2012 warned that to avoid future violent conflict, Liberia needs to address income inequality; widely share the rewards of economic growth, and purposefully spread the benefits across the population, pens the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Deputy Speaker Speaks On Salary Disparity(In Profile Daily)  

Police IG, Nimba Authority Broker Peace For Nimba post election disputants 

On Monday, April 16, 2018 a high-powered delegation led by the Inspector General of Police Patrick Sudue, along with Nimba County Authorities led by Supt. David Dorr Cooper, broke peace among the citizens of the town of Soe Vayenglay, who went at loggerhead in post-election violence, which left one person injured by gunshot wound. The police, backed by the local authority, include Representative Samuel G. Korgar warned the citizens of Vayenglay, mainly supporters of former Rep. Garrison Yealue to desist from any unlawful acts and respect the rule of law. The incident began on Friday, when the Supreme Court announced the verdict in the long standing election case in Nimba District #4, precisely between former Rep. Yealue and in coming Gunpue Kargon over election bad practice in one of the centers in the district. The town Chief of Vayenglay, Mr. Emmanuel Karzruah, explained that when the verdict was announced, the supporters of Gunpue were coming with jubilation to one of their fellow supporters, John Miah, in Vayenglay, asserts Daily Observer.

UBA Liberia Opens New Cash Office in Gbarnga; Launches Visa Pre-paid ID Card for Cuttington University

United Bank for Africa Liberia (UBAL) as part of efforts in making banking services available to its customers has opened a new cash Office in Suakoko Bong County on the main campus of the Cuttington University. The event wish coincided with the launch of Cuttington University’s Visa Prepaid ID card brought together students, faculty and staff of the University and UBA Staff. The office will provide customers with advance 24hr ATM service make it possible for them to Open Account, withdraw money as well as deposit cash and cheques. Other services include Africash, MoneyGram, Western Union, Nobel, among others. The Co-Branded Visa Prepaid ID Card launched during the ceremony, will ease the constraints students experience during their registration process, by enabling students pay their school fees from UBA’s point of sale terminals, online, and also provide access to their financial record among several other great features. The CO- Branded Visa Pre-paid ID Card platform is a state-of-the-art payment and collection system that is expected to bring efficiency to the financial system of Universities in Liberia and serves as both ID and bank Card, says the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

MoE Delegation Make Presentation At UNESCO EMIS Conference

According to the New Dawn newspaper, a Liberia delegation has told a UNESCO conference that the Education Ministry here is putting in place a transitional program that will ensure a more effective and efficient electronic – based process that will promote simultaneous data collection, validation and data entry in Liberian Schools. A press release says the Liberian delegation at the Education Management and Information System International Conference held from 11 to 13 April at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France included Deputy Education Minister for Planning, Research and Development, Alton V. Kesselly and Research Office Joe Kai.

Sea Erosion Leaves Over 1,000 Residents Homeless

Over 1,000 residents rendered homeless and about 15 houses submerged by sea erosion in porpor Beach Community New Kru Town, Bushrod Island, Montserrado County’s Electoral District #16. The entire Bushrod Island, a commercial district, is a coastal area that faces the Atlantic Ocean with a population of several hundred thousand residents. Some of the victims explain to the New Dawn Tuesday that they are now living in the streets, while others are seeking refuge at families’ residences and neighbors’ premises in the district and surrounding districts, pens the New Dawn newspaper.