The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2014

Today’s dominant stories include, the sentencing of a Lebanese sex trafficker by the Court, the call for more female teachers in Liberia by USAID, the return of AFL first Contingent to Liberia and the visit of a Sierra Leonean delegation to Liberia.

DOMINANT STORIES

Lebanese Sex Traffickers Sentenced

The court specialized in rape and sexual offense cases in Monrovia, has sentenced a Lebanese national and his son to prison at the end of a trial for alleged illicit trafficking of five Moroccan ladies as sex slaves. Mr. Edmond Kassabli has been sentenced to one year in prison, while his son, David Anthony Kassabli, is sentenced to seven years by the Criminal Court “E”. On multiple charges, the defendants were indicted by the Grand Jurors for Montserrado County last year for claims of recruiting their victims to Monrovia and harboring them as sex slaves between 2011 and 2013. Mr. Kassabli and his son were charged with crimes of first degree felony, including illicit trafficking in human being and migrant smuggling, gang rape, and possession and sale of physical object for lethal use. They allegedly transported the victims to Monrovia and harbored them by means of coercion. The convicts allegedly placed the victims under the pretense that they would be employed at Moulin Rojue Bar and Restaurant operated by the defendants, reportsNew Dawn.

Related Caption: Lebanese Sentenced (New Democrat), Father, Son Guilty For Human Trafficking, Others (Inquirer), Father, Son Sentenced…For Raping Moroccan Girls (NEWS), Two Lebanese Sentenced – For Gang Rape, Human Trafficking (IN PROFILE DAILY)

USAID Calls For More Female Teachers

One hundred and fifty-six graduates have been awarded Pre-service “C” certificates, qualifying them to teach in primary schools at a colorful ceremony witnessed by hundreds of people on the campus of the Zorzor Rural Teacher Training Institute (ZRTTI) in Zorzor district, Lofa County. According to a press release from the United States Embassy Information Services department, the graduates, mostly between the ages of 25 and 35, are from Lofa, Bong and Nimba Counties, respectively. “They are the most recent addition to a new cadre of teachers being trained by the Government of Liberia, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to ensure that qualified teachers are in classrooms across the country”. In a keynote address to the graduates on June 21, USAID/Liberia Mission Director John Mark Winfield, himself a former teacher, underscored the importance of increasing the enrollment of women in the teacher training program, New Dawn reports.

Related Caption: USAID Wants Increase In Number Of Trained Female Teachers (New Democrat), Trained Female Teachers Stressed – USAID Mission Director (IN PROFILE DAILY)

First AFL Mali Contingent Returns

According to the New Democrat Newspaper, the platoon size of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) that went for a peacekeeping mission in the West African State of Mali will return to Liberia tomorrow via the Roberts International Airport (RIA). The return of the first platoon of Liberian peacekeepers doesn’t end AFL peacekeeping mission in Mali, but brings to an end a year of peacekeeping duty for the first platoon. A statement from the Ministry of National Defense says the first postwar peacekeepers who have served in international peacekeeping with distinction will bring pride to our nation. Since its deployment to Mali on 23 June 2013, the platoon has over the last 12 months conducted several missions in and out of its area of operations.

Related Caption: AFL Peacekeepers End 1^st Yr. Duty In Mali (National Chronicle), AFL Officers Return (IN PROFILE DAILY), AFL Returns First Batch From Mali – 2^nd Platoon Leaves Thursday (The Analyst)

Sierra Leone Delegation Visits Liberia To Learn MOF E-Board Experience

A three-man delegation from the Ministry of Finance Economic & Development Planning of Sierra Leone is in the country for a two-day study tour on Liberia’s Open Budget Initiative and E-billboard. Speaking at the opening of the study tour section Tuesday, June 24, 2014, the head of the delegation Mr. Amadu Sidi Bah, said they are in Liberia to study, learn about the installation and functioning of  the E-Billboard installed at the Ministry of Finance in Liberia and other processes involved in the successful implementation of open budget, pens FrongPage Africa.

Related Caption:  Sierra Leone’s Delegation Here For “Open Budget” experience (Inquirer), Sierra Leone Imitates Liberia’s E-Billboard (FOCUS), Sierra Leone Delegation Studies (INSIGHT)

Robber Development Fund Introduced

The New Democrat Newspaper reports that in the wake of difficulties faced in the rubber industry, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf yesterday presented a proposed Act aimed to promote rubber farmers through incorporations and research to members of the legislature. In her communication to the House, the President explained that the “Rubber Development Fund Incorporated Act” comes as a result of government’s adopted ‘Liberia rubber industry master plan of 2009’ which provides strategy for the development of rubber sales from the country.

Related Caption: Rubber Development Fund Lands At Capitol – Pres. Sirleaf Prays For Enactment (INSIGHT)

Supreme Court Rotates Magistrates

In an effort to enhance the performance of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court has begun rotating stipendiary magistrates in and around Montserrado County. According to a judicial press release, stipendiary magistrate Nelson B. Chinneh is transferred from Monrovia City Court to the Paynesville Magisterial Court; stipendiary J. Kennedy Peabody replaces judge Chinneh at the Monrovia Matisterial Court; and Judge John Gbetee is transferred to the Gardnersville Magisterial Court, amongst others, the National Chronicle reports.

Related Caption: Judiciary Begins Rotation Of Stipendiary Magistrates (Heritage)

Man Charged For Allegedly Raping Children

Police in Monrovia have charged Mr. Macintosh N. Johnson, 34, with multiple sexual offenses he allegedly committed against several teenagers he recruited on scholarships at the “More Than Me Academy” since 2009 through 2014. The More Than Me Academy, operated by some Americans in Monrovia on Ashmum Street, is on a mission to provide education and opportunities for the most vulnerable girls from the West Point Slum of Liberia. Suspect Johnson was charged with rape, statutory rape and abuse of ward in violation of Section 14.70 and 14.76 of the Liberia Penal Code pending court trial. But police said suspect Johnson has denied police charges linking him to victimizing a total of 10 girls at ages of 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18 years, New Dawn reports.

Related Caption: More Than Me Principal Appears In Court On Rape Charges (Daily Observer)

US Agency Assists Liberian Orphans

An American NGO Non-Governmental Organization Trusted Angels Foundation has donated solar generator to the Mission for Disable and Unfortunate Children (MODUC) in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County to assist the orphanage of 600 children. The project is an outcome of a visit to Liberia by the director of Trustee Angels Foundation Director of Children Service,, Megan Scott in January of this year, when he saw the need to help the orphans with disabilities to fetch good life despite their condition, New Democrat writes.

LFLEA, KTK Organize Training For Female Security Officers

In a bid to help the government in building an efficient capacity for female security officers in the country, the Liberia Female Law Enforcement Association (LFLEA), in collaboration with the Liberia National Law Enforcement Association (LNLEA),  is organizing a full-scale training session for female security officers at LNLEA’s headquarters, Camp Johnson Road.  Speaking to a team of reporters yesterday, the president of LNLEA, Cecil B. Griffiths, said the ongoing training for female security officers is fully supported by LNLEA. He said the training targets over 100 female officers from a number of security institutions, and training sessions will be done in series, National Chronicle reveals.

Liberia Tips Uganda On Vocational Education

Saah Charles N’Tow, Deputy Youth Development said his coutry has experienced gains by focusing on technical skills to address high youth unemployment. Uganda and other African economies can achieve faster growth and reduce unemployment by increasing investment in vocational education, a visiting Liberian minister has advised. The minister warned that the growing population and high unemployment were a security threat to the continent’s gowth plan if emphasis is not placed on skills development, New Democrat reports.

‘Quality Education’ – The Greatest Gift We Can Bequeath To Our Children – President Sirleaf

“The greatest gift we can bequeath to our children, our people is quality education, which is the foundation for national development”. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told an audience including parents and guardians who had gathered to witness the commencement convocation of Tubman University (TU) last Thursday, Daily Observer reports.  

UN Renews UNOCI Mandate, Force For Liberia-Ivory Coast

On Wednesday (25 June), the Security Council is scheduled to adopt a Resolution renewing for a year the mandate of the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI). A first draft was circulated by France on 10 June. The draft text was put under silence on 19 June after two rounds of negotiations, and put into blue on 20 June. The resolution makes some changes to UNOCI’s mandate and reinforces the role of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in supporting political processes underway in Côte d’Ivoire. The draft resolution recognizes progress achieved in Côte d’Ivoire, including the improvement in the security situation. Perhaps reflecting the improved security, the text in blue ends UNOCI’s mandate to support the redeployment of state administration and the extension of state authority throughout the country.  The protection of civilians’ mandate has also been amended from protecting the civilian population from “imminent” threat of physical violence to protecting the civilian population from threat of physical violence, FrontPage Africa reports.

Kenneth Best To Address Cuttington Commencement

The Board of Trustees, Faculty Senate and student leadership at the faith-based Cuttington University (CU), formerly Cuttington University College (CUC), in Suakoko near Gbarnga, Bong County have selected veteran Liberian journalist Kenneth Y. Best to address the 53^rd Commencement Convocation. Mr. Best, a 1963 CU graduate, is the publisher and managing director of the renowned independent newspaper, Daily Observer, published by the Liberian Observer Corporation, Daily Observer writes.

LWSC Board Chair Urges Lawmakers To Prioritize Water In Budget

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Liberian Water and Sewer Corporation Dr. Kimmie Weeks has called on the House and Senate to prioritize the provision of pipe borne water for Liberia in the upcoming 2014 National Budget. Dr. Weeks made the call in separate letters to the House and outlined the dire need for the Government of Liberia to take the bold initiatives to ensure that all Liberians have access to water, which he described as “a very basic human right,” the Inquirer reports.

Pres. Sirleaf Gets Kiel Institute Award

Ligberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has received a key award from Germany for  her efforts towards finding solutions to global economic problems. In her own country, she is a controversial figure. Liberian President and Nobel peace laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the 2014 Global Economy Prize by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and its partner organizations on Sunday (22.06.2014). Other winners of the award were Indian biotech entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and US economist Richard Thaler. Dennis Snower, head of the Kiel Instituted, which is part of the University of Kiel, said the three “had helped us to understand how sustainability can evolve from globalization,” FOCUS reports.

“Children’s Future Depends On You”…Smile Liberia Executive Tells Parents

The Country Coordinator of Smile Liberia, Prince S. Parker, has told parents that education is the key to development and that no nation can develop in the absence of an educated population. Mr. Parker made the statement when he served as Keynote Speaker at the ceremony marking the Fourth Graduation ceremony of the Deki Early Learning Foundation Day-Care & Elementary School, in Barnesville on Sunday, the NEWS reports.

Paynesville’s Mayor Commended

A professional service provider has commended Paynesville City Mayor, Cyvette Gibson, for the transformational initiatives she is carrying out in the municipality. In a letter to mayor Gibson, the president of Madala Incorporated, Varlee Sanor, said over time he has noticed with keen interest, since her takeover as mayor of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), that she has been able to bring a dramatic change to the Paynesville City, especially with the beautiful landscaping of the ELWA intersection, the gateway to Monrovia, National Chronicle writes.