The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014

News of the first graduation ceremony of the William V.S. Tubman University with President Johnson Sirleaf stressingthe need to train more teachers to alleviate shortage of qualified teachers in the Liberian education system and the invasion of caterpillars in seven of the countries fifteen counties areamong stories dominating our selected dailies for today Friday, June 20, 2014 summary.

DOMINANT STORIES

TU Graduates 80, Honors Pres. Sirleaf

According to the Focus Newspaper, the William V.S. Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County Thursday held its first Convocation with 80 students from five Colleges awarded degrees in various disciplines. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who served as Keynote Speaker at the occasion, pledged Government's commitment to provide the kind of education system that will ensure that every Liberian child acquires quality education. President Sirleaf then stressed the need to train more teachers to alleviate the current problem of the dearth of qualified teachers in the Liberian education system. She commended the President of the Tubman University, Dr. Elizabeth Davies Russell, and the administration of the University for the Sacrificial Efforts that led to the transformation of the University. During the ceremony, the College of Health Sciences graduated 17, College of Education 16, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences 18 and the College of Management and Business Administration 29. Meanwhile, the William V.S. Tubman University has conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Law on President Sirleaf for “decades of non-violent struggle for peace, freedom and justice for the people of Liberia.”

Related Captions: Southeastern Liberia Rejoices -As Tubman University Graduates 80 Ellen Terms Institution “a Regional Magnet”(Daily Observer), TU Graduates 80, Honors Pres. Sirleaf (INSIGHT)

Caterpillar Infestation Intensifies--MOA Confirms

The Daily Observer reports that the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has confirmed a major outbreak of Caterpillar infestation in the country, identifying at least 7 counties as being so far affected. The MOA’s Deputy Minister for Technical Services, Dr. Sizi Z. Subah, confirmed the infestation Thursday, June 19, during the weekly Ministry of Information press conference in Monrovia. Dr. Subah named Gbarpolu, Bong and Lofa Counties as being the hardest hit, but also identified four other counties as experiencing minor infestations. “We are now experiencing major infestation of the pests (caterpillars) in Gbarpolu, Lofa and Bong Counties.  These counties fall within the continuous forest belt along the St. Paul River and Vai River,” he explained. He attributed the cause of the caterpillar infestation in these counties this year to climate change. Dr. Subah furthered that the caterpillar is also polluting with their Feces in rivers and creeks upon which rural people depend.

Related Caption: Caterpillar Invasion Hits Three Counties(The News). The New Republic newspaper under the caption“Senator Demands Tougher Measures Against Army Worms” writes that Montserrado County Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff has called for tougher measures against the prevalent wave of army worms in Lofa, Gbarpolu and Bong Counties. In her communication forwarded to Plenary of the Liberian Senate, the Montserrado County lawmaker said Liberians are going through difficult time with the outbreak of the army worms in the country. Senator Doe-Sheriff stressed that Plenary should cite authorities of the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare and Agriculture to provide briefings so that they could find remedy to the army worm situation in the three counties.

U.S Donates Supplies To Lofa Joint Security

According to the Focus Newspaper, Tetra Tech Mitigating Land Dispute in Liberia, a US State Department funded Program, has donated logistical supplies to the Lofa County Joint Security. According to the Liberia News Agency, the material include 17 Honda motorbikes, five Desktop computers, five 2.5kv generators, 12 Hotline/Cellcom desk phone and 70 Hotline/Cellcom mobile phones. Others are 125 reflector jackets for night patrols, five solar power systems and 4 Dell S320 projectors and Screens, among other items. Giving a brief history of the program, Tetra Tech Manager Martin J. Sopp said the project, which has three components, started in November 2011.

Related Caption: U.S. State Department donates Logistical Supplies to Joint Security(INSIGHT)

RSPO Continues Dialogue in Grand Kru

Visiting members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) recently completed a field visit to Sinoe County, Liberia and have proceeded to Grand Kru County. The RSPO team is meeting communities engaged in oil palm development with investor Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL). Over the past few days the delegation met with members of the Numopoh, Butaw and Tarjuowon communities, as well as GVL staff and managers. Also in attendance were non-governmental organizations, the Sustainable Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Development (SesDEV), Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) and Green Advocates. SAMFU was welcomed in Numopoh as a team who listens to the community and has local citizens as its advisors, the In Profile Daily reports.

Related Caption: RSPO Continues Dialogue in Grand Kru, Talk With Community Members(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

Pres. Sireleaf wants IFAD Agreement Ratified

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted the financial agreement between the government of Liberia and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) to the House of Representatives for ratification. According to the INSIGHT, President Johnson Said the financing agreement for a grant and supplementary loan is for a project intended to reduce post-conflict poverty and ensure food security to improve the living conditions of rural communities. The paper quotes the Liberia News agency as saying that the President’s statement was contained in a letter addressed to House Speaker, J. Alexander Tyler which was read in session on Thursday, June 19.

Gov’t Identifies With Harper Flood Victimss- Donates US$10,000

The Government of Liberia has identified with victims of a devastating flood that swept through the Old Kru Town Community in Harper City, Maryland County. The flood incident which occurred on June 1, affected more than ten homes and rendered over two hundred people homeless.  According to the Daily Observer, as a way of restoring hope to the victims, the Government of Liberia through President Johnson Sirleaf last Wednesday donated US$10,000 to the victims when she visited the victims many of whom are presently sheltering in the UNMIL compound in Harper and other communities.

“I’ll Take Along DEA, Liberia to My Heart” UNODC Out-going Official Asserts

The out-going Country Director of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) has promised to take along in his heart both Liberia and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as he leaves for another crucial world mission. Mr. Marco Teixera said he was glad that Liberia has become a complete nation having passed the long awaited anti-drug law which he said will go a long way in deterring the culture of drug abuse that was officially overwhelming the society. He registered his professional commitment to ensure that the seed that the UNODC helped to sow will bear desired fruits for the benefit of the Liberian people and the entire sub-region. “The baby is walking; it will run next year”, the UNODC official asserted meaning that there are many prospects in the pipeline for DEA Liberia, the In Profile Daily reports.

The Special Court For Sierra Leone Rests – For Good

According to the Daily Observer, at the formal closing ceremony of the court, UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares hailed this achievement as “a landmark, not only for the Special Court, but also for international criminal justice in general.”  The Special Court for Sierra Leone made its final major decision on 26 September 2013 when its Appeals Chamber upheld the 50-year sentence handed down to former Liberian President Charles Taylor. The court, ruling in April 2012, found Mr. Taylor guilty of five counts of crimes against humanity, five counts of war crimes and one count of other serious violations of international humanitarian law perpetrated by Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, whom he supported.

Gordon UMC, USA, Donates Four 6.5 HP Generators To District #3, Maryland County

The men organization of the Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee. USA, has donated four 6.5 HP (22KVA) generators to the people of electoral District #3, Maryland County, to be used by four health centers in the district. The donation comes as a result of a request made by Maryland County’s District #3 Representative, Rev. Dr. Isaac B. Roland, during his visit to the Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church, USA, in 2013. The District #3 Lawmaker told the church’s leadership that his district lacked infrastructure development, such as health centers, schools, etc., reports the National Chronicle newspaper.

CBL Boss Gives L$300,000 To Lofa Community College

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Dr. J. Mills Jones, has donated L$300,000 to the administration of the Lofa County Community College (LCCC) in Voinjama City Lofa County. Presenting the amount Tuesday, June 17, 2014 on behalf of Dr. Mills Jones in Voinjama, Cllr. Joseph Jallah said the money is in fulfilment of Dr. Jones’ social commitment in supporting less fortunate students at the college, as they strive to attain higher education. Receiving the amount to behalf of the administration of the LCCC, the Dean of Students, Mr. James Sallay, commended Dr. Jones for the gesture and promised that the amount would be used for the intended purpose, reports the Heritage Newspaper.

Liberia, others to Benefit From USADF and GE off-Grid Energy Challenge

Power Africa is a broad U.S. Government initiative to drive growth by increasing access to reliable, affordable, transparent and effective management of energy resources. Working with public and private sector partners, this initiative hopes to achieve these results: 1. Increasing electricity generation, 2. Increasing Electricity access with a focus on on-grid and off-grid or micro-grid solutions, 3. increasing cross border energy trade and, 4. Ensuring responsible and transparent management of energy resources. Initial countries targeted include Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria. USADF believes its greatest contribution to Power Africa is in increasing electricity access to underserved communities in the target countries.  To achieve that end, it launched an off-grid energy challenge to promote innovative and sustainable ways to deliver energy to underserved communities, the New Dawn writes.