THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 

News of the Security Expert Guard Agency of Liberia’s donation of US$16,000 worth of equipment to the Foreign Ministry for use by the Passport and Visas Bureau, President Sirleaf‘s appeal for doctors threatening strike action for their two-month arrears to show patience and patriotism and the naming of Judge Yarmie Gbeisay as Judge of Criminal Court “C” are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Security Firm Donates CCTV, Biometric Access Equipment to Foreign Ministry 

The FrontPage Africa newspaper quoting a Foreign Ministry release says the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Security Expert Guard Agency of Liberia (SEGAL), Mr. Momo T. Cyrus, has donated an assortment of vital security equipment including several pieces of closed-circuit television (CCTV) to the Bureau of Passport and Visas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs worth US$16,000. Items presented includes 16 Samsung CCTV cameras, one recorder for the cameras, 16 rolls of cable for the inter-connection of the cameras, four (4) electronic locks for biometric fingerprint access control, four (4) magnetic locks and four (4) pieces of power supply control. Also included is a one-terabyte hard drive for storing the pieces of information that would be gathered by the cameras. Closed-Circuit Television is a TV system in which signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored and recorded primarily for surveillance and security purposes. Mr. Cyrus informed authorities that his technical team will maintain the system for a year at no cost to the Ministry after which, they will turn the maintenance duty over to the Ministry. He informed the Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs, Cllr. Deweh Gray, that he and his team had come to honor a promise he made few months ago. Receiving the items on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Marjon Kamara, Deputy Minister Gray thanked him for the donation. Cllr. Gray recalled that Mr. Cyrus had come to her office a few months ago and told her that when he was a student of the FSI, he became familiar with some of the challenges of the Ministry, including the Bureau of Passport and Visas, and so decided he would do something someday. Deputy Minister Gray assured him that the items would be used for the purposes for which they were donated.

Related Captions: Security Firm Donates CCTV, Biometric Access Equipment To Foreign Ministry…Volunteers To Maintain System For One Year (FOCUS), Security Firm Donates CCTV, Biometric Access Equipment To Foreign Ministry…Volunteers To Maintain System For One Year (Heritage)

President Sirleaf Appeals To Doctors To Show Patriotism In Their Service To Nation

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has appealed to doctors who are threatening a strike action for their two-month arrears to show patience and patriotism by continuing their service to humanity. According to a dispatch from Marrakech, Morocco, President Sirleaf in a special but passionate message said recent delays in payments reflect the need to make changes in the currency of payment, reflecting the serious financial situation in the country. President Sirleaf said nevertheless, Cabinet discussions have centered on the need to improve the salaries and benefits of doctors, particularly those who are specialists, in order to provide better incentive for their valuable service. Meanwhile, the President has asked the doctors to meet with her upon return to the country.  Liberian Doctors Tuesday gave the government 72-hour ultimatum, to resettle their two months arrears, that ends today, threatening to embark on nationwide strike action, according to the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Appeals To Doctors To Show Patriotism Amid Service (FOCUS), President Sirleaf Appeals To Doctors…To Show Patriotism Amid Service (In Profile Daily), As 72-Hour Ultimatum Approaches: Ellen Begs Doctors (Heritage), Ellen Pleads With Doctors to Be Patriotic Amid Strike Action (FrontPage Africa)

New Judge Takes Over Global Witness Bribery Case

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, during the opening of the November Term of Court opens Monday across the country, the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice has named a newly assigned judge to try economic crimes. Judge Yarmie Gbeisay, a former lawyer with a long year of experience in the legal profession was appointed to the position of Judge by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf earlier this year. Judge Gbeisay’s new assignment to replace Judge Emery Paye was made known during the opening of the November 2016 Term of Court on Monday. It is part of the Judiciary rotational process of judges. Judge Gbeisay, formerly assigned in Nimba County is coming to Criminal Court “C” amid reports of 139 cases pending on the court’s docket with the latest being the bribery case involving former House Speaker Alex Tyler, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman and others. Former Speaker Tyler and others were indicted on May 24, 2016 when a Global Witness Report accused them of bribery in the amount of US$950,000 to change the Public Procurement and Concession Act (PPCC) in favor of a British company, Sable Mining. The Grand Jury of Montserrado County indicted Speaker Tyler and others on May 24, 2016. Besides being charged with bribery, former speaker Tyler and others stand to face charges of economic sabotage, criminal solicitation, facilitation and conspiracy. .FrontPage Africa

Related Captions: Gbeisay Takes Over Criminal Court ‘C’ (In Profile Daily), Judiciary Holds The Key To National Peace…Says Newly Assigned Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge (Heritage), New Judge Takes Over Global Witness Bribery Case(FrontPage Africa)  

Defense Ministry, Maritime Reaffirm Collaboration 

Authorities of the Ministry of National Defense and the Liberia Maritime Authority have reaffirmed their commitment to work collaboratively in securing Liberia’s 360 miles (580K) maritime domain form illegal actives. The comment was made by the heads of both entities during their partnership discussions on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 when Dr. James Kollie, commissioner of Liberia Maritime Authority at the head of a four man delegation paid a courtesy call on Liberia’s Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai, Jr, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

Related Captions: MOD, Maritime Reaffirm Collaboration (In Profile Daily), Defense Ministry, Maritime Authority Reaffirm Collaboration (Heritage)

Lawmaker Remains Arrive

The remains of Lofa County Representative Eugene Fallah Kpakar have been deposited at the Samuel A. Stryker Funeral Home in Sinkor, following his death in India where he had gone to seek medication. According to the New Dawn newspaper, fellow lawmakers led by Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay, family members and sympathizers, including officials of the opposition Liberty Party, which the fallen lawmaker was a member, where on hand to receive the coffin bringing his remains. The 41-yrs old Liberty Party lawmaker died at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 10 at the Polay Hospital in India after battling sickness.

Related Captions: Fallah Kparkar Body Deposited At Samuel Stryker (FOCUS), Rep. Kparkar’s Remains Arrive In Liberia-Pending Funeral Rites (In Profile Daily), Rep. Kparkar’s Body Returns From India (Daily Observer), Kparkar Remains Arrives in Liberia (FrontPage Africa)

 OTHER STORIES  

Ellen Arrives In Marrakech, Morocco Ahead Of COP22 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, at the head of a high-level Liberian delegation has arrived in Marrakech, Morocco to participate in the Twenty-Second Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) and the 12th Session of the Conference of Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP12) in Bab Ighli. According to a dispatch from Marrakech, President Sirleaf is expected to deliver a special statement on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia at the conference and as well hold talks with the King of Morocco on bilateral issues including African leaders, reports the Heritage newspaper.  

Canadian Prime Minister To Visit Liberia 

The Daily Observer reports that the Prime Minister (PM) of Canada, Justin Pierre James Trudeau, will arrive in Liberia onNovember 24, for a two-day official visit to the country. During his stay, Prime Minister Trudeau is expected to hold bilateral talks with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, cabinet members and other senior officials of the Liberian government. The daily quotes a release issued by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism as saying that the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit will focus on the health sector, gender and children issues in post-Ebola Liberia. The daily said Prime Minister Trudeau will also hold a roundtable forum with a cross-section of Liberian women and children and also visit a health facility in Monrovia.

Gender Ministry Condemns Sexual Violence against Women and Girls

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has condemned the continuous act of domestic violence and all forms of violence against women and girls. In a release, the Ministry stated that it sees the repeated acts of violence and attacks against women and girls of Liberia as a serious threat to their existence, peace and security. Therefore, the Ministry is calling on all those in the usual business of violating the rights of women by constant harassment in the name of pleasure to desist immediately. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the Ministry call comes following a recent act of sexual violence that was meted against a girl in the Township of West by one Delima George and others of District #7 in the West Point Community. The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that the Gender Ministry demanded that all those associated with the inhumane act be prosecuted because Liberia is a party to a number of International and Regional Conventions to include the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ((CEDAW).  

Resign Now, If You Want To Get Into Politics…Chief Justice Tells Judges, Others 

According to the INQUIRER newspaper, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has called on Judges and Magistrates who have the desire of contesting as candidates in the impending 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections to turn in their resignations now. Justice Francis S. Korkpor made the call Monday at program marking the Joint formal opening of the First Judicial Circuit Criminal Courts, A, B, C, and D of the November Term of court 2016 at the Temple of Justice.

PUL Holds Elections Saturday In Ganta

The Elections Commission of the Press Union of Liberia says it has finalized plans for the holding of the union’s elections at the Peace Empire Hotel in Ganta, Nimba County on Saturday, November 19. The In Profile Daily reports that the commission is urging all qualified candidates to proceed with engaging members of the union to solicit their support for this year’s elective congress. According to the daily, congress is geared towards transforming the Press Union of Liberia as the country prepares for National Elections in 2017.

Related Caption: PUL Elections Commission Finalizes Plans For Union’s Elections (Heritage)

MoA, Partners Hold Farmers ‘Exhibition In Nimba

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has held an exhibition and sale of locally grown cash and food crops, livestock, fishery, and agro-inputs in Saclepea City, Nimba County to climax this year’s Wood Food Day celebration. The program was celebrated under the auspices of the MoA, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA), and the World Food Program (WFP) under the theme: Climate Is Changing; Food and Agriculture Must.” Giving an overview of the celebration, MoA Deputy Minister Thomas Gbokie said the occasion in Saclepea was the climax of series of activities carried out by the MoA, FAO and WFP to mark World Food Day, reports the Heritage newspaper.