The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2017

The Executive Branch of Government’s submission of the draft 2017/18 National Budget, the head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy, Ms. Elizabeth Harleman, assertion that a strengthened civil service has an important role in Liberia’s effort to reduce poverty and Criminal Court “C” decision to approve the leave of absence for Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman to seek medical treatment abroad are stories dominating today’s newsstand in Liberia.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Gov’t Submits US$526.5m Budget 

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf-led Administration has submitted what is expected to be its last budget to the Liberian Legislature in the tune of US$526.5M for Fiscal Year 2017/2018, a 12.3 percent reduction from last fiscal year’s US$600.2M approved for 2016/2017. Presenting the Draft Budget to the Legislature on Monday, 22 May, Deputy Finance and Development Planning Minister Tanneh Brumson, says this year’s budget reflects 3.5 percent decrease on the end-of-year forecast of US$545.5m. House Speaker J. Emmanuel Nuquay, who received the draft instrument, assured the Executive Branch that the Legislature will ensure that the budget is done in time for the conduct of the October elections.

Related Captions: FY 2017/18 Budget Submitted Compensation For Employees Takes Lion Share (FrontPage Africa), US$526.5M Draft National Budget Hits Legislature (Heritage), Executive Submits Delayed US$526.5M Budget Speaker Nuquay Says Legislature Will Prioritize Roads, Safe-drinking Water (Daily Observer)

A Strengthened Civil Service Reduces Poverty

The New Dawn newspaper reads that Ms. Elizabeth Harleman, head of Development Cooperation, at the Swedish Embassy says a strengthened civil service has an important role in Liberia’s effort to reduce poverty; and allows for the smooth operations of the private sector. The private sector, she added, is important for job creation, and consequently in the peace and state building of the country. According to Ms. Harleman her country is pleased that Liberia has developed a pay reform strategy through the civil service agency, and urges the Liberian government to continue its efforts directed at implementing the strategy. For her part, Mrs. Patience Coleman-Beyan, Director of the Civil Service Reform Directorate, says so far, seven ministries, agencies and commissions of the Liberia government were selected to form part of the pay reform strategies, which according to her, was based on their readiness for reform.

Related Captions: ‘A Strengthened Civil Service Reduces Poverty’, Sweden Embassy Official in Liberia Affirms (FrontPage Africa), “A Strengthened Civil Service Reduces Poverty” Swedish Embassy Official (In Profile Daily), A Strengthened Civil Service Reduces Poverty…Sweden’s Embassy Official In Liberia Affirms (INSIGHT)

Sherman Granted Permission To U.S.

The New Dawn newspaper reads that the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, on the approval of Justice-in-Chambers Philip A.Z. Banks, III, has permitted Sen. H. Varney G. Sherman, to travel to the United States to seek advanced medical intervention. “Your client, Cllr. H. Varney G. Sherman, is therefore hereby permitted to travel out of the bailiwick of Liberia for medical intervention sought, and to return to the country after the medical intervention aforesaid”, Court “C” Clerk Knowles W. Shain, wrote Sen. Sherman’s counsels on Friday, 19 May in the alleged US$900,000 economic sabotage trial, in the Global Witness case. Sen. Sherman fell off on Thursday, 11 May at the Capitol Building, while attending the endorsement ceremony of ruling Unity Party or UP Presidential aspirant, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, by majority members of the Liberian Senate. The Court’s permission to Sen. Sherman to seek foreign medical attention came after doctors at the government -run John F. Kennedy Medical Center here in Sinkor, Monrovia advised his wife and relatives to have him taken abroad. Doctors say the 64-year-old is a hypertensive and diabetic patient and was admitted into the emergency room at the JFKMC on 11 May.

Related Captions: Court Approves Sen. Sherman’s Medical Travel To U.S. (Daily Observer), Key Defendant In Sable Mining Bribery Trail Request Leave From Court Sherman Out For Medical Checkup (FrontPage Africa), Sherman Off For Treatment (The INQUIRER)

OTHER STORIES  

Vice President Launches Disbursement Indicator Payment System 

 Liberia’s Vice President over the weekend launched the Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) payment system to seven participating ministries of government’s Public Sector Modernization Project (PSMP), describing it as a significant milestone with governance and service delivery. “Everyone acquires education to perform. Most people look for their names on the payroll, but don’t show up for work. But, the reforms within the government being championed by the Civil Service Agency, the Governance Commission and the Liberia Institute for Public Administration are laudable efforts to fight corruption,” the vice president says. He was speaking during the launch of the Disbursement Link Indicators (DLIs), a system set up by the World Bank to track the performance and rate government development program; at the ministry of foreign affairs, in Monrovia. There are nine DLIs in the whole project. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, each year, DLIs are achieved, the performing ministry gets paid US$40,000 each and the government of Liberia through the ministry of finance and development planning gets US$400,000.00 when 90 percent of the participating ministry performs.

Related Caption: Veep Boakai Launches Disbursement Linked Indicator Payment System (In Profile Daily)

US Ends TPS for Thousands of Liberians, Others

The Trump administration through its Citizen and Immigration Service has ended the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for thousands of Liberians, Guineans and Sierra Leoneans in the United States. Following a teleconference held on May 16, 2017 followed by a release issued, a copy of which was sent to the African Star, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) advised nationals of the three West African countries that the TPS designations will terminate effective May 21, 2017. The US Immigration Service, however, warned that TPS related Employment Authorization documents issued to the nationals of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will no longer be valid after May 21^st, INSIGHT reports.

Related Caption: Liberia, S. Leone & Guinea In The Cold As Trump Administration Extends TPS For Haiti (FrontPage Africa)  

New Disease Outbreak Over 

National Public Health Institute Director, Tolbert Nyensuah, says the outbreak of the [meningococcal] disease in Liberia “is most likely over right now”, encouraging people to go about their normal businesses.  “What I can safely say and confidently is that there is no known transmission of this disease ongoing right now, because we’ve seen the incubation period of the disease”, Mr. Nyensuah said Monday, 22 May on a local radio. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the disease broke out in Sinoe County, southeast Liberia during some funeral activities and subsequently hit other counties, including Grand Bassa and Montserrado, leaving several casualties in a short period of time before subsiding. According to him, the good news about the disease is that it is vaccine-preventable and also has therapy drugs that can be used to treat infected persons. 

UNMIL Deputy SRSG Frowns At Prolonged Detention Without Trial

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Political Affairs and Rule of Law of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) says the peace and security of Liberia will be at risk if the prevalence of pre-trial detention is not adequately addressed. According to Mr. Waldemar Vrey, the commonness of pretrial detention continues to pose a challenge to the peace and stability of the country.  “It is important to understand that an effective criminal justice system is even more essential in this year of change for Liberia. The justice system does not operate in isolation-but rather has much significance for security and peace. For example, the prevalence of pretrial detention continues to pose a challenge. As of the end of April, 69% of the total prison population was awaiting trial and the highest numbers of pretrial detainees are those charged with serious offenses,” said Mr. Very, the Heritage newspaper reads. Justice Minister Frederick Cherue is calling on the media to at all time be ambassadors of peace and not to spread hate messages through their mediums. “You as press people have a cardinal role to play in maintaining the peace that we all enjoy so we are depending on you to continuously preach non-violence messages to citizens,” he stressed. He told a team of judicial and local reporters in Gbarnga that their medium is so powerful that it can build up and tear down a system in no time, but by preaching non-violence, particularly during this electioneering period, will provide for a smooth sailing of the process, the FOCUS newspaper says under the “Justice Minister Cautions Media Against Hate Message”.

Carter Center Executive Warns Judges Not To Succumb To External Pressure

Judges from the various courts around the country attending the first judicial retreat in Gbarnga, Bong County have been told not to succumb to external pressure in the discharge of their duties. Thomas Doe-Nah Program Lead of the Carter Center Access to Information Program made the comment when he spoke during the just-ended retreat held in Gbarnga, Bong County from Thursday, May 18 to Saturday May 20, 2017. Stated that at times there are external pressures being exerted on the Mr. Doe-Nah judges to influence their judgment by people who feel they are above the judges. Mr. Doe-Nah also indicated that there is a need for accessibility of information between the courts and the citizens. He said if this is done there will be better cohesion between the citizens and the court, reads theFrontPage Africa newspaper.

Dagoseh Off To Cameroon For Conference On Tackling Illicit Financial Flow In Africa

The Chairman of the African Organization of Public Account Committees, (AFROPAC), Edward Dagoseh, who is also Senator of Grand Cape Mount County is in Yaounde, Cameroon, to participate in a two-day international conference on tackling illicit financial flow in Africa.  The event is organized by the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions in partnership with AFROPAC, the Africa Tax Forum, and Africa Budget Reform. The conference which will run from 24^th May to 26, 2017 is organized with support from German Technical Cooperation and the European Union.  Speaking to reporters shortly before his departure for Yaoundé, the Grand Cape Mount Senator said he will look at the impact of illicit financial flow on Liberia in his presentation at the conference, INSIGHTwrites.

West Point Women Train Youth On Non-Violence Elections

The INQUIRER asserts that the West Point Women for Health and Development Organization (WPWHDO) has trained over 50 young people in the Township of West Point, to help combat Gender-based Violence, promote nonviolence elections and peace building initiatives in the community. Speaking at the opening of the one day workshop, the President of West Point Women for Health and Development Organization(WPWHDO), Madam Nelly S. Cooper disclosed that the workshop was intended to train and mode the minds of young people to help them do away with violence during the electoral process.

FAO-EU Launch “Promoting Women And Community Rights In Forest Governance And Management In Liberia”

Liberia hosts the largest remaining fragments of the Upper Guinea forest ecosystem across West Africa. Reform initiatives have led to policies and legislations to strengthen legal frameworks governing forestry and advance community rights and ownership. Liberia also signed and begun implementation of the Voluntary Partnership agreement (VPA) with the European Union in December 2013, committed to improved forest governance and poverty reduction. ActionAid Liberia in partnership with Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) and Foundation for Community Initiatives (FCI) announced the launch of a project, “Promoting Women and Community Rights in Forest Governance and Management in Liberia” which is being implemented with funding support from the European Union (EU) through the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Frontpage Africa newspaper reports.

‘Angie Brooks Was Not Born To Be Forgotten’ – Sister Mary Laurene Brown Launches Biography On The Late Liberian Diplomat, Jurist

Students, present and former Ministers of Education, other statesmen and women, veteran journalists Philip Wesseh and Kenneth Y. Best, among others over the weekend assembled at the Monrovia City Hall to witness the historic launch of the biography of Dr. Angie Elizabeth Brooks Randolph, authored and published by one of Liberia’s seasoned educators, Sister Mary Laurene Brown, president of the Stella Maris Polytechnic. Stating her reason for writing the biography of so enterprising a stateswoman, Sister Brown said her mission is centered on dedicating to Liberians children a lifelong memory of a great woman who has served not only her country but the world in general, Daily Observer reports.

First All Men Conference Underway

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has organized an ‘All Men’ Conference which will be held on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 under the theme: “Liberian Men: Stepping It Up  or Gender Equality,” in collaboration with UNMIL and a local NGO—Touching Humanity In Need of Kindness (THINK). A Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection release says the ‘All Men’ Conference, which takes place in Monrovia is the first ever and seeks to build on the initiative of the Ministry’s past engagements with men and solicits support to promote and encourage gender equality and equity. The objective of the conference is to increase men’s knowledge and involvement in the advocacy of addressing key issues affecting women and children so as to improve their understanding on the significance of their roles in advocating against gender inequality, the In Profile Daily reads.

Related Caption: MCCSP Organizes 1^st All Men Confab Tomorrow-Kick Off In Monrovia (FOCUS)

Gbarpolu Gets 22km Road

Gbarpolu County Superintendent Armah Sando, says construction for a 22-kilometer road by county officials in collaboration with members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), has been completed. Superintendent Sando told a local radio station that as part of government’s effort to boost development, the road was constructed to bring relief to the people of Gaylayah District. The County Superintendent told UNMIL Radio that in the history of Gbarpolu, residents of Gaylayah District had never seen [car] road.“For me I think the joint efforts by the AFL and Gbarpolu Legislative Caucus in constructing this 22- kilometer road speaks volume to the fact that our county is getting on the right path of transformation”, Supt. Sando says, asserts the New Dawn newspaper.

UPP Picks Vice Standard Bearer From Nimba

The United People’s Party [UPP] has finally picked its vice standard bearer from Nimba County, ahead of the October polls. UPP standard bearer Macdonald A. Wento announces United Liberia Inland Church former President, Rev. John N. Bleah, as his running mate for the October 10, 2017 elections. Addressing supporters in Saclepea, both the UPP Stander Bearer and Vice Standard Bearer vowed to preach unity and reconciliation to the Liberian people, reads the New Dawn newspaper.

Minister Nagbe Opts For Digital Migration

Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe has said the world cannot experience reliable, effective, and productive digital television system, which caters to the current and emerging needs of the people, without digital migration. Speaking at the 7^th African Digital TV Development Forum in Beijing, China at the weekend, Minister Nagbe urged delegates at the forum to discuss how African countries can migrate from analog to digital as they talk about the great benefits of digital television broadcasting in the next few days.”We must devise creative ways to enhance the digital migration process in Africa, where most countries are lagging behind and many will not meet targeted completion dates set by the International Telecommunications Union,”, the Heritage newspaper says.

Related Caption: Min. Nagbe Opts For Digital Migration (INSIGHT)

ILO Vows To Protect Liberian Workers

The Head of the International Labor Organization (ILO) for English-speaking West Africa States, Dennis Zulu, has promised that his institution will work towards ensuring that Liberia has in place a social protection regime that protects it workers. The ILO is one of the UN agencies responsible for the promotion of social protection of workers globally. Zulu, who is ILO Liaison Officer for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, is quoted by a Labor Ministry release as saying social protection is a mechanism that provides for individuals in a country to mitigate against social risk, vulnerability and other social factors. He is in the country to participate in the first National Dialogue on Social Protection Floors in Liberia which is being organized by the ILO in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Chinese Agric Center Launches Support For Local Farmers

The China-Liberia Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center in Suakoko District, Bong County has begun a partnership with local farmers in Kpatawee aimed at increasing agriculture production in the area. Under the partnership, the center will provide agriculture inputs and technical support to the farmers. A member of the senior management team, KO-Be, told the Liberia News Agency that under the partnership, the center will also provide market linkage for the farmers to sell their produce at supermarkets and other institutions in the country. He explained that the partnership project in Kpatawee is part of the sustainability aspect f the agriculture demonstration center, the FOCUS newspaper reads.