TOP STORIES

Politics

pg 12

FOR NOTHING TALK

The CBL does not touch government revenue, except upon instructions from the Ministry of Finance to make payments on behalf of the government. So those who talk about the CBL using taxpayers' money for its purposes are just simply wrong. CBL Governor Dr. J. Mills Jones

CBL GOVERNOR FIRES BACK AT CRITICS, VOWS TO CONTINUE BANKS POLICY

DECRIMINALIZING
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES COULD HINDER DECRIMINALIZING REPRESSIVE LAWS

Media Issues

pg 6

LIBEL

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

BUYING TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2014 L$83.00/US$1 L$84.00/US$1 L$84.00/US$1

SELLING L$84.00/US$1 L$85.00/US$1 L$85.00/US$1

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

VOL 8 NO.554

PRICE L$40

DONT BEFRIEND BRUTAL DICTATORS

We have been pressuring our government over the years to depart from such friendship. Our president that came to power in an election that was declared by all in the world to be free and fair makes us nervous, very nervous when she is getting closer to a man like President Obiang whose greed for power led him to killed his own uncle in other to replace him and now ruling a country that is blessed with so much money but majority of its people living in extreme poor condition. - Cllr. Tiawon S. Gongloe

GONGLOE LASHES SIRLEAF, EQUATORIAL GUINEAS OBIANG FRIENDSHIP

Politics pg. 5

Page 2 | Frontpage

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board in April 2010 following the signing of the Nigerian Content Act. He has worked for many years in the international oil and gas industry, gaining most of his experience within various capacities and functions at NNPC; Cindy Roberts, is a key component of her husbands Anchorage-based government and community relations consulting firm, Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates. Since its founding in 1972, she has dealt with a range of Alaska issues, most notably state oil and natural gas development policy and legislation, and public information regarding timber and mineral resources. Mrs. Roberts has held a variety of government positions with federal, state and municipal organizations; Malcolm B. Roberts, is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of the North and worked closely with the founder, the late Governor Walter J. Hickel, for nearly 40 years. The Institute studies and teaches about the Alaska economic model and how to care for and use commonly owned lands and resources for the benefit of the common man; Robert E. Smallwood, is an International Tax Director with PricewaterhouseCoopers African Tax Group based in New York. He primarily advises clients on tax and business matters relative to English speaking West Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone) as well as Angola and Mozambique. He has over 12 years of diverse tax experience including advising energy and mining clients on tax due diligence, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), corporate restructuring, tax planning, holding company analysis, and other related matters. Robert has presented on various African tax and business topics at forums and conferences in the USA, Europe and Africa. Robert is a Certified Public Accountant and has a postgraduate degree in Taxation; Taa Wongbe, Managing Partner of The Khana Group, a management consulting and advisory firm that combines private sector views with development approaches to positively impact and transform Africa. He is responsible for all aspects of the firms strategy, teams and operations across all four offices in New York, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana. In her communication, Gbowee encouraged the Sirleaf administration to make public the agreement NOCAL and the State of Alaska signed to bring Mr. Bernard and the other experts to speak before the National Legislature to quell questions that funds were misused. I also encourage that any materials Madam Khoury viewed on the Internet that demonstrates Mr. Bernards insights on the oil and gas industry be made publicly available along with any papers Mr. Bernard may have written. My search online was only able to find a video about your grand nephew speaking enthusiastically about a pre-college summer preparation course. Greater transparency on who is selected to speak at NOCAL roundtables and the expertise they bring will help buttress Liberians faith NOCAL is fulfilling its mandate. The Nobel Laureate said Liberians are rightfully optimistic about the great benefits an accountable, effective management of Liberias natural resources, especially the energy sector can bring to their liveshigher paying jobs, greater infrastructure development, and wider access to electricity and clean water among other benefits. The National Petroleum Policy report echoes this optimism. It states that the policy goal is to "manage Liberias petroleum resources in an environmentally responsible manner to optimize returns for Liberia and ensure equitable benefits to the people of Liberia now and in the future." Both the Government of Liberia and Liberians are on one accord that the oil and gas sector must be developed responsibly and for the benefit of all Liberians. It is my hope that you will invest in greater transparency to alleviate concerns of all Liberians that NOCAL and every government entity is acting in their best interests. Phase-two of the public engagement on the two draft oil legislations (The Draft Petroleum Exploration & Production Act of 2013 & The New NOCAL Act of 2013) will be Stakeholders Roundtable Consultations that sought to solicit observations and recommendations from Local and International Civil Society Organizations, the Donor Community, the Business Community, Political Parties, Youth & Student Organizations, International Oil Companies, and Faith Based Organizations. However turnout at the week-long engagement was poor. Expectations are high for Liberias budding oil program. According to NOCAL, since 2007, 10 Production Sharing Contracts have been signed, including four with two of the largest and most reputable companies in the World, Chevron (2010) and Exxon (2013). To date, five exploration wells have been drilled and more wells are expected to be drilled in 2014. Liberia has a total of 30 offshore Blocks: 17 Deep Water Blocks and 13 Ultra Deep Water Blocks. To date, some eight companies are in Liberias Deep Water Blocks currently looking for oil but no company has found oil in enough quantities to produce it.

N
Monrovia -

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

obel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Founder and President, Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa is questioning the credentials and credibility of oil experts brought in by the National Oil Company of Liberia(NOCAL) to make presentations on phase two of the nation-wide public engagement on the post-war Liberias Petroleum Sector Law Reform. Gbowee, who shared the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf expressed her disagreements in an open letter to the President Tuesday. The Nobel Laureate said it raises serious questions to learn that NOCAL entrusted your grandnephew Mr. Estrada Bernard III, husband of the Presidents sister, Mrs. Jennie Bernard, a South Anchorage High School student in the State of Alaska, USA, to make a presentation on the development of the National Oil and Gas Industry of Liberia, a country of three and a half million citizens. Gbowee reminded the president that the National Legislature, in 2000, established the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) to hold "all of the rights, titles and interests of the Republic of Liberia in the deposits and reserves of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons within the territorial limits of the Republic of Liberia, whether potential, proven, or actual, with the aim of facilitating the development of the oil and gas industry in the Republic of Liberia. Gbowee explained that it is her understanding that the young Mr. Bernard did an internship with Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates, a firm in Alaska, through his participation in an extracurricular program, the Anchorage School District Gifted Mentorships. Said Gbowee: I am curious how the 90-day after-school program (http://www. asdk12.org/giftedprogram/highschool/giftedmentorships/) in Alaska prepared 17 years old Mr. Estrada Bernard III with the requisite expertise to speak at NOCALs behest before the National Legislature of Liberia and key stakeholders at the National Oil Roundtable. My concern is that the inclusion of Mr. Bernard without further clarity on his expertise undermines your stated efforts to build a transparent process to developing the oil and gas industry. According to the Alaska schools web the Gifted Mentorship program is for the exceptional 11th and 12th grade high school student who has the self-discipline and interest to pursue independent study under the direction of a professional/ expert in a field of great interest to the student. The mentor program is a part of the district's Gifted Program. Mentorship study programs are for highability, high-achieving students who often have completed all advanced coursework available at the high school level or who are currently enrolled in coursework that applies to their area of interest. The program gives motivated, mature high school students an idea of what it is like to work in a field of their interest by being teamed with a professional who acts as their mentor during a 45- to 60-hour program. The mentor, the student, and the coordinator design a curriculum of activities and projects that expose the student

to real-life work situations as well as the latest information and technology in the field. The mentorship is usually completed in ninety days. Meeting times are arranged when it works best for the mentor and the student: usually after school and on in-service days. Students receive an elective credit for the mentorship when they successfully complete a range of requirements. Jacqueline Khoury, Director to the Board of NOCAL, explained to reporters last week that NOCAL was making use of the clause of the draft NOCAL law that talks about citizens participation. Khoury said Liberia has a Citizens participation clause in that law and that NOCAL is now drying to develop how this clause gives direct benefits to each and every citizen prompting a request to the government of Alaska to provide the experts. In the course of that, I saw young Bernard on the internet. Liberia pays nothing for their expertise; they were all, including the young man, given to us by the state of Alaska to help us with our process. Khoury went on to express disappointment in reporters for shifting focus on the issue when she said: This is the most important conversation that we will have for the next 15 to 30 years. Lets focus on how we will achieve the maximum benefit of our new law so we can now fund education, health, social welfare, roads, transportation and put fund aside for our people, that is the focus of our conversation thank you. Besides her criticism of the inclusion of the young Bernard in the presentation, Gbowee also raised credibility over the other experts brought in for the roundtable discussion. As your fellow Nobel Laureate, I supported your first and second term campaign platform to build an open, accountable government committed to rooting out corruption. Therefore, I join Liberians in keeping a keen eye on the NOCAL process. A March 10 FrontPageAfrica Online article listed participants of a roundtable consultation. Of the seven speakers listed in the article, one biography included direct experience working in the oil and gas industry, and another was an adult Liberian; three participants, one of whom is your grandnephewthe aforementioned current high school studentwere affiliated with the Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates firm based in Alaska. Gbowee said she searched for information about the Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates firm and its employees online, but was unable to locate a website underlining a lack of a web presence or footprints to authenticate their credibility. To curb criticisms that these roundtable consultations are not taking a serious approach to the development of the oil and gas industry, I strongly urge your administration to widely distribute the names and biographies of all invited participants. Among the experts presenters were Paul Brown, a former newspaperman, who according to NOCAL has more than thirty-five years of management, fund-raising, marketing and organizational development experience and has led and been a key member of projects in candidate and issue campaigns, community service, and the arts; Engineer Nwapa (MNSE) was appointed Executive Secretary of the

FrontPage COMMENTARY EDITORIAL SPORTS BETTING IN LIBERIA VS. THE

Frontpage
v

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Page 3

Commentary

IN SEPTEMBER 2011, the Roll Call, the newspaper of record for the United States Congress, quoting the Department of Justice, reported that while foreign countries were spending less to lobby Americas federal government and while several countries and foreign interests spent less in 2010, other countries, including a couple in West Africa, spent significantly more. Liberia is cited by the publication as one of those country which boosted its lobbying outlays by about 36 percent to become the largest-spending country in 2010 with $45.9 million. LAST WEEK, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf denied allegations that her government spent more than $200 million in lobbying fees to foreign firms in the United States as claimed by Representative Bhophal Chambers(CDC, Maryland). IN A LETTER to the plenary of the Liberian House of Representatives, Sirleaf said it is preposterous for anyone to believe that her government could spend such an amount. She said only the US firm KRL lobbied on behalf of Liberia from 2007 to 2013 and was paid a total of a little over $368,000. THE ROLL CALL report paints a different picture and for the first time offers some clarity over where some of the funds may have been directed to. Said the report: As is often the case with foreign countries, those with little often have to lobby the most. Liberia has endured several economic issues during the past decade, including a civil war. In 2010, it lobbied Congress on debt relief, litigation and defense issues. Cote dIvoire, commonly known as the Ivory Coast, came out of nowhere to spend $6.1 million in 2010, according to the DOJ. The country, located on Liberias southern border, spent just $56,000 in 2009. The Marshall Islands also spent more, boosting its spending by 135 percent last year as its lobbying expenditures rose to almost $8.8 million in 2010. THE PUBLICATION states that American special interests from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to General Electric Co. report their lobbying spending quarterly to Congress. The amounts spent by foreign countries are collected semiannually by the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and reported to Congress. LOST IN ALL of the debate surrounding the lobbying controversy is the fact that the government has failed to address the controversy head on leaving Liberians with a lot of unanswered questions: For example, did most of the money go toward lobbying for debt relief, more defense support or litigation as reported by the Roll Call? If so, why hasnt the administration come out to say so? IT NOW APPEARS that in the same year, the records show Liberia as the highest lobbying country, the Sirleaf administration secured debt relief in the tone of US$4.6 billion dollars, reducing Liberias external debt stock by more than 90 per cent to about 15 percent of GDP. AT THE TIME, it was widely believed that the decision to erase Liberias debt was reached after the post-war nation met the requirements for achieving the final step, or completion point, under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Now, it turns out, a lot of lobbying was utilized to secure the debt relief. THE FAILURE of the administration to address or respond appropriately to the lobbying saga has allowed the scandal to grow legs and more credibility to Representative Chambers allegations. CHAMBER, IN a VOA Daybreak Africa interview this week, is refusing to budge and is calling for an official inquiry into what some are calling the Sirleaf Lobby-gate scandal. CHAMBERS, Citing a US State Department report, says that from 2006 to 2009, 102 lobby payments were tracked by foreign lobby trackers, amounting to an alleged $263 million. I think the communication from the President, if she says from 2007, now she has not looked at 2006, which we discovered to be the amount of $19 million. Lets say $19.7 million that was spent for 2009 for lobbying and public relations. CHAMBERS explains that companies were paid huge sums

THE LOBBYING SCANDAL AND THE SIRLEAF GOVERNMENTS SILENCE

Andrew Denton Johnson, andejo21@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer

former President Charles Taylor, the Motion Picture Review Board of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, noticed that during its monitoring exercise, kids were seen in video clubs during school hours, some kids even boycotted classes to sit in video clubs. The Motion Picture Review Board came up with several regulations governing the operations of video clubs, cinemas etc. Prominent amongst the regulations was the prohibition of kids in uniform from entering video clubs, and stopping all video clubs from opening and screening movies during school hours. Considering our country with a high level of unschooled people, massive unemployment and other chronic socioeconomic factors affecting Liberia and its youthful population, what measures is this government putting into place to ensure that the young people are discourage from gambling and encourage to stay in school and develop a reading habit. Just last week it was reported that in Iceland one in every ten person will write a book, that tells us that they have develop reading and writing culture. Policy makers, Community Leaders, Parents and Guardians need to ensure that kids and young people focus more on developing a culture of reading, good study habits, academic excellence competitions like spelling bee and quizzing. There are young people who just five, ten years ago stood tall and developed themselves by reading. Today these young people are national leaders and professionals in various sectors. Notable examples include, Hon. Acarous M. Gray, Representative for Montserrado County, District number eight (8) was a quizzer at the Seventh Day Adventist High School. Youthful Phil Tarpeh Dixon, a young man with LLB degree from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, a Former Quizzer from the Assemblies of God Missions School, Baba Conteh, holder of a Master Degree in Economics, a former Quizzer of Monrovia College, and now an Instructor of Economics at the State run University of Liberia, Henry Luke , Financial Comptroller at First International Bank, Liberia limited is also a former Quizzer of Monrovia College, George Sie William, holder of a Bachelors in Biology and a Masters in Public Health and Francis Dopoh, Harvard Trained Masters holder,Nicholas W. Williams, A trained Mechanical Engineer,and Technical Manager of Metrology Lab at the Commerce Ministry, all Former Quizzers from Monrovia College. The list is endless with hundreds of young comrades who braved the storm and developed a culture of reading, asking critical questions and making objective and critical comments that have led them to leadership roles as State Actors and influential leaders in the private sector, NGOs and other sectors of Society. What are we Liberian youth doing to take our destiny in our hands? What role is the Federation of Liberian Youth currently playing to ensure that our young people refrain from gambling? What is the Liberia National Students Union doing to rescue the soul of academic excellence from purgatory?. About the Writer: Andrew D. Johnson is a Youth, Environment, and Community Activist. He holds a Bachelors degree in Public Administration from the University of Liberia, and have written several articles and essays on sports, politics and government. He can be reach at andejo21@yahoo.com cell: 0777517985/ 0880421015.
LOST IN ALL of this is a clear cut explanation for Liberians to understand from its government whether or not it spend all of that money on lobbying or whether it even spent it at all. The President insists that only $368,000 has been spent, an aggressive lawmaker things otherwise and insists that more than $200 million in lobbying fees to foreign firms in the United States. The people of Liberia are lost on what or who to believe in a scandal unlikely to go away anytime soon.

CULTURE OF READING

s Liberia strives towards ensuring that her youthful population become better citizens for tomorrow, there is a new phenomenon that is driving the young people into a frenzy or what can best be described as the fastest way of earning money in a country heavily dominated by people who live on less than one United States Dollar (U$ 1.00) a day and have a youthful population of over 60% of it citizens. This new phenomenon is call Sports betting and is widely practiced in western countries that has sports, particularly football as favorite pastime, and as a source of income. This new phenomenon has been given the green-light to operate by the Government of the Republic of Liberia. A quick squint at Modern gambling history in Liberia dates back to the regime of President William R. Tolbert, during whose tenure a bill was introduced by then Senator William V.S. Tubman Jr., son of the 18th President of Liberia William V. S. Tubman Sr. to legalized gambling especially the Casino type at the famous Ducor Intercontinental Hotel. This bill was widely criticized by youth groups, students, Church and other interest and pressures groups. Even though it was eventually passed into law .The pressure mounted against the bill indicated that Liberia being a conservative Country, with strong African traditions and cultural values fought against western cultural influences that have negative moral value. Today in Liberia, two Sports betting Companies are the leading businesses involve in Sports betting . On a daily basis young and old people are seen at various street corners, booths, stalls, in communities, around video clubs and just about anywhere that has a betting machine to place their bet for games in various Football leagues such as Spanish league, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, French League1, and the English Premier league, and many more , some even extend their betting to Finnish, Iceland and other leagues just to ensure that their ticket win. My investigation has proven that bet start for as low as thirty Liberian dollars (L$30.00) and the companies advert and publicity stunt promise a win as high as seven hundred thousand Liberian dollar (L$700,000.00) depending on your ticket. Our intent for writing this article is not to deprived government of much needed revenue, or to put employees and agents of betting companies out of job, our goal is to advocate and speak for the general good of the Liberian people, and ensure that we, as young people of Liberia are prepared to take Liberia forward in terms of adequately preparing ourselves educationally and having a broad sense of understanding the dynamics of the cultural, economic, social and political history and intricacies of Liberia. This preparation involves Liberia working towards becoming a Literate country like Tazania during and after the rule of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. We are concern about the issue of sport gambling amongst our youth. What regulations are there on the book to ensure that people below the legal age of 18 are not involve in betting? Who monitors the agents at various betting points to ensure that people of legal age are the ones allow to bet. Does the Government have agents from the relevant authorities to adequately monitor betting companies, their agents and operations across the Country? There are more questions to ask our government concerning regulations, monitoring etc. Years ago during the regime of
for lobbying for Liberia, dismissing Sirleafs claims that only one company was paid. She said 2007. She said KRL. Okay, lets look at 2007 from the documents we have. We have JWI, one group that did public relationship work for (Monrovia), and the amount spent was $31, 933.38. The next one is LISCR (the Liberia International Ship and Corporate Registry) for lobbying. Its $6.5 million. So, we want the president to come forth and tell us what she knows, says Chambers.

FrontPage

Page 4 | Frontpage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB

Send your letters and comments to: editor@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Reader's Page

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

COMMENTS FROM FPA ONLINE

LIBERIA - FAMILY, CRONIES PARADISE, UNCLASSIFIED US REPORT FINDS
JAY WION WORKS AT NPRC MY TURN: When Liberia's chief sponsor Uncle Sam is no longer supporting you, then classified and other confidential reports are made unclassified and are made available to the press and your public ridicule becomes the order of the day. You are no longer a darling child and accolades and titles ascribe to you before mean nothing (Africa's first elected woman president, Nobel Peace Prize winner, take noprisoner no-nonsense Iron Lady, war on corruption, corruption enemy number in my government), and they are ready to dump you into the dustbin of history. So for Ellen who rained nepotism and corruption on Tolbert; saw Doe as greedy and without a vision and country boy who loves three-piece suits, and Taylor as a combination of a blood thirsty mobster and a corrupt crook, Ellen embodies all characteristics. GABRIEL ZARWEA Ellen Johnson Sirleaf must go to court for all of the above wrong she is doing to the country and people of Liberia. ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF a criminal she is the worst president Liberia ever have, she is disgrace to the nation. ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF running Liberia like MAFIA country, she have her family members and friends in positions where they have the Opportunities to corrupt the nation to the ground. A MARVIN KANDAKAI UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA, MONROVIA Just knowing about what happens in our country everyday makes one a sick being. My question is, " Do we need another all Liberian conference" to help us through all of what we are encountering as a nation? From the Executive to the Legislature, worst of all the Judiciary need overhauling. I belief we can only achieve this if we do not have any outside interference with our electoral processes. We are capable of making these decisions right at the polls. The problems are with the three branches and no one branch should be held responsible for what our country is going through. The Executive Branch should be responsible enough not bribed the Legislatures to pass a bill in her interest, the Legislatures should be responsible enough not to accept bribes to pass a bill and the Judiciary should be responsible enough to prosecute corrupt officials and other criminals. You see, everyone is responsible for the wellbeing of this country and its people one way or the other. For an example, I am playing my part currently to ensure that children are protected from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation, but if the courts will decide to release alleged perpetrator in their custody without any trial, because they received kickbacks, then who is not working? This is the kind of situation we find in our country now a day. Let us just keep praying, but someone will ask again "for how long"? JOHN GBOMO This is one of the reasons why I am very much against any attempt to prosecute any alleged corrupt government or public officials, as this would be setting the stage for them to walk free. I think this should done when the time is right. If you have a government that is marred with corruption in all three branches and the government admits to the fact, then why in the world would anyone wants the government to prosecute itself or one of its own? This is the dilemma Liberia is faced withwe know the entire government is corrupt and therefore cannot be trusted to deliver justice, yet we want alleged corrupt officials to be prosecuted for their alleged crimes and let justice prevail. Well, we cant have bothcorrupt government and justice are not synonyms in the sense of the word! Is one or the other! PHILIP BLIDI ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY Impropriety exist in the Government of Liberia because the National Legislature is weak, greedy, don't know how important is their power and corrupt. The Executive Branch of the Liberian Government knows very well that these so-call Legislators are weak and greedy for cash, therefore, the Executive always taking them for a ride. Can we blame the Executive for getting away with all the political blunders she is making? The answer is no, because it is what a nation that is operating with weak legislature gets. Last Sunday, March 17, 2014, I was at a Town Meeting in Trenton, New Jersey with Liberia's Legislator Munah Pelham-Youngblood. During the question and answer period, she was asked about how the Legislature deal with the corruption that does exist the Government of Liberia? I was very much astonished to hear the Law Maker saying "corruption is in churches, schools, markets, government offices, private own businesses and homes" but she did not mention the Legislature of Liberia which she is a part. She did not mention any solution to the minimization of the epidemic. Was she saying that corruption is in Liberia to stay for ever? If that is what she meant then legislators like her need to go come October 2014.

Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Office of the President Ministry of State and Presidential Affairs Republic of Liberia

LEYMAH GBOWEE CHALLENGES SIRLEAF KHOURY ON 17 YEAR OLD EXPERT

YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!

that these roundtable consultations are not taking a serious approach to the development of the oil and gas industry, I strongly urge your administration to widely distribute the names and biographies of all invited participants. According to a March 17 FrontPage Africa Onlin e article, National Legislature Speaker Alex Tyler boycotted a March 14 presentation by Mr. Bernard because he had no direct experience in developing an oil and gas industry. Madam Jacqueline Khoury, a key Member of the NOCAL Board of Directors, justified the selection of your grandnephew under the "citizen participation clause" in the draft Petroleum (Exploratory and Production) law. FrontPage Africa Online recorded that Madam Khoury said she first learned of Mr. Bernard "on the internet" and that Mr. Bernard and his colleagues were "given to us by the state of Alaska to help us with our process." I encourage your administration to make public the agreement NOCAL and the State of Alaska signed to bring Mr. Bernard and the other experts to speak before the National Legislature to quell questions that funds were misused. I also encourage that any materials Madam Khoury viewed on the Internet that demonstrates Mr. Bernards insights on the oil and gas industry be made publicly available along with any papers Mr. Bernard may have written. My search online was only able to find a video about your grand nephew speaking enthusiastically about a pre-college summer preparation course. Greater transparency on who is selected to speak at NOCAL roundtables and the expertise they bring will help buttress Liberians faith NOCAL is fulfilling its mandate. Liberians are rightfully optimistic about the great benefits an accountable, effective management of Liberias natural resources, especially the energy sector can bring to their liveshigher paying jobs, greater infrastructure development, and wider access to electricity and clean water among other benefits. The National Petroleum Policy report echoes this optimism. It states that the policy goal is to "manage Liberias petroleum resources in an environmentally responsible manner to optimize returns for Liberia and ensure equitable benefits to the people of Liberia now and in the future." Both the Government of Liberia and Liberians are on one accord that the oil and gas sector must be developed responsibly and for the benefit of all Liberians. It is my hope that you will invest in greater transparency to alleviate concerns of all Liberians that NOCAL and every government entity is acting in their best interests.

Dear President Sirleaf, Greetings Your Excellency, In 2000, the National Legislature established the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) to hold "all of the rights, titles and interests of the Republic of Liberia in the deposits and reserves of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons within the territorial limits of the Republic of Liberia, whether potential, proven, or actual, with the aim of facilitating the development of the oil and gas industry in the Republic of Liberia." Therefore, it raises serious questions to learn that NOCAL entrusted your grandnephew Mr. Estrada Bernard III, a South Anchorage High School student in the State of Alaska, USA, to make a presentation on the development of the National Oil and Gas Industry of Liberia, a country of three and a half million citizens. It is my understanding that Mr. Bernard did an internship with Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates, a firm in Alaska, through his participation in an extracurricular program, the Anchorage School District Gifted Mentorships. I am curious how the 90-day after-school program (http://www.asdk12. org/giftedprogram/highschool/giftedmentorships/) in Alaska prepared 17 years old Mr. Estrada Bernard III with the requisite expertise to speak at NOCALs behest before the National Legislature of Liberia and key stakeholders at the National Oil Roundtable. My concern is that the inclusion of Mr. Bernard without further clarity on his expertise undermines your stated efforts to build a transparent process to developing the oil and gas industry. As your fellow Nobel Laureate, I supported your first and second term campaign platform to build an open, accountable government committed to rooting out corruption. Therefore, I join Liberians in keeping a keen eye on the NOCAL process. A March 10 FrontPageAfrica Online article listed participants of a roundtable consultation. Of the seven speakers listed in the article, one biography included direct experience working in the oil and gas industry, and another was an adult Liberian; three participants, one of whom is your grandnephewthe aforementioned current high school studentwere affiliated with the Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates firm based in Alaska. I searched for information about the Malcolm B. Roberts & Associates firm and its employees online, but was unable to locate a website underlining a lack of a web presence or footprints to authenticate their credibility. To curb criticisms

Leymah R. Gbowee 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate

The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

DISCLAIMER

Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666; 077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com; rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade. williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793 Francis F.B. Mulbah, Layout Editor; 0886639382 REPORTERS Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528 Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline. com Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline. com, 0886-304498

EDITORIAL TEAM

Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.sombai@ FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428 COUNTY NEWS TEAM Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042 Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666 Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@ frontpageafricaonline.com 0886257528 BUSINESS/ADVERTISING Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@ frontpageafricaonline.com

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

We have been pressuring our government over the years to depart from such friendship. Our president that came to power in an election that was declared by all in the world to be free and fair makes us nervous, very nervous when she is getting closer to a man like President Obiang whose greed for power led him to killed his own uncle in other to replace him and now ruling a country that is blessed with so much money but majority of its people living in extreme poor condition. - Cllr. Tiawon S. Gongloe

PAGE RONT

POLITICS

Frontpage

Page 5

GONGLOE LASHES SIRLEAF, EQUATORIAL GUINEAS OBIANG FRIENDSHIP

L
Monrovia -

iberia and the West African nation of Equilateral Guinea have enjoyed friendly relationship in recent years with that country offering to undertake a number of mega projects in Liberia including the rehabilitation of the Roberts International Airport which was stalled by what is now known as the Corkrum gate strings of secret recordings. Equatorial Guinea also pledged to construct housing units in Liberia for poor income earners but the donor country itself has a huge population living in abject poverty while the President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo and his son live in luxury. Estates worth millions of dollars belonging to the son of President Obiang were few years ago seized in France, the United States of America and other countries Liberian Human Rights Lawyer, Cllr. Tiawon S. Gongloe has frowned on the close ties between President Sirleaf and the Liberian Government on one hand and Equatorial Guinea and its president Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo, calling on the Liberian leader to depart from such association. We have been pressuring our government over the years to depart from such friendship. Our president that came to power in an election that was declared by all in the world to be free and fair makes us nervous, very nervous when she is getting closer to a man like President Obiang whose greed for power led him to killed his own uncle in other to replace him and now ruling a country that is blessed with so much money but majority of its people living in extreme poor condition, said Cllr. Gongloe. Cllr. Gongloe believes such friendship between President Sirleaf and Obiang is seen that the Liberian leader is endorsing dictatorship. No Gifts from Dictators Said Gongloe I call on President Sirleaf as an exercise of mine right to speak to stop her close friendship with president Obiang. She does not understand why the people opposed Obiangs offer to build free housing units and all that, we do not want gift from dictators. By her close friendship it is perceived as endorsing dictatorship and all the bad practices that go along with it including criminal libel and speech. The human rights lawyer recounted what he termed a long existing terrible relationship between Liberia and the country which was formerly Fernando Po, dating from accusations that Liberia was involved in slavery on the island which led to the establishment of an Inquiry Commission by the League of Nations. Stated Cllr. Gongloe perhaps some of the reasons some Liberians do not see anything good coming from Equilateral Guinea, especially in a situation where the current leader of that country is a brutal dictator is the history of the relationship between that island and Liberia, it is a terrible history. Some Liberians including this speaker do not want our government to befriend..leader. Providing an overview of repressive laws against freedom of expression in Liberia Cllr. Gongloe mentioned the case of a former Liberian lawmaker who was found guilty of sedition in Liberia because he testified before the League of Nations about Liberias involvement in the allegations of slave trade. Francis Morais, was a former representative of Maryland County who was found guilty of sedition and convicted by sp in 1935

simply because he testified before the commission of inquiry at the League of Nations that was investigating Liberia on allegations of slavery and slave labour to Fernando po, currently known as Equatorial Guinea, the human rights lawyer stated in retrospect. Sedition contradicts Liberias Establishment Cllr. Gongloe indicated that laws such as sedition, criminal malevolence and criminal libel against the president are laws that contradict the basis for the establishment of Liberia as a sovereign nation. He said as the name Liberia depicts, it was meant to be place for people to be free and having such laws on the books is not in the interest of the national existence of the country. Some of the laws he observed have been in existence for centuries and were at the time introduced to suppress people who were expressing dissent over the manner in which the pioneers were expanding in the interior of Liberia and as such should not be maintained on the books under the current democracy. Liberia, he said was founded on the basis where respect for the fundamental rights of human beings would be a priority in the governance process. Obiangs luxury amid poverty Obiang, the friend of President Sirleaf and his son live lavish lifestyle while the vast majority of the people live in poverty. Presdient Obaings son Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue is currently being sought on corruption charges with his lavish lifesttyle. His Paris villa is thought to be worth between 100m (79m: $124m) and 150m euros according to AFP news agency reports. Mr. Obiang, the 43-year-old son of President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo, denies any wrongdoing. Authorities seized the six-storey property on July 19, 2012. The luxury mansion is located on Avenue Foch in one the most prestigious neighbourhoods of the French capital, Paris. Mr. Obiang, who serves as agriculture minister, under his father rule is known for his lavish lifestyle. He hit the headlines in 2012 when he honoured his promise to pay his national football team $1m (641,000) for winning the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations which Equatorial Guinea co-hosted. In October 2011, the US government said it would seek to recover assets worth more $70m from Mr Obiang. A month earlier, French police seized some fifteen luxury cars belonging to Mr Obiang, including a Maserati, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce. Equatorial Guinea is one of Africa's largest oil exporters, but most of its 720,000-strong population lives in poverty. President Obiang seized power from his uncle in 1979 and was re-elected last year with 95% of the vote. Is Sirleaf inching towards Obiang? A recent report issued by the Liberia Governance Stakeholder Survey (LGSS) pointed to similar situation prevailing in Equatorial Guinea under the rule of Obaing.

DONT BEFRIEND BRUTAL DICTATORS

The LGSS report states that political patronage and family ties are still strong in Liberia with elites having a stronger connection with protecting their personal and business affairs and with such ties extending in the employment sector. Only a small fraction of Liberias relatively small population of 3.7 million operates in the formal political, governance, and economic sphere. As a result, kinship ties among those elites are strong, and everyone knows one another and their personal and business affairs. There is a cultural trend toward hiring people that you know well and not creating a stir when a family member, friend, colleague, or even an acquaintance does something that is clearly wrong or illegal. Likewise, many interviewees told the LGSS Team that the trend in Liberia is to live and let live. Suspensions vs. Sacked Interviewees during the survey told the LGSS team that those are some of the vices that led to the armed conflict the shattered Liberia. Stated the report Some people we interviewed suggested that both of these are coping strategies to deal with scarcity and protracted armed conflict. In other words, if you have access to a revenue or resources stream, then you must take care of your own and spread that wealth around. It is better, at such times, to look the other way than to take action if doing so could create a stir and lead to more violence. Together, these factors are a leading cause of the culture of impunity described above. Relative to the focus of the LGSS, there is no better example of this than the President herself. She has appointed three of her four sons to high-level government positions. Robert Sirleaf was head of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL). Fomba Sirleaf is head of the National Security Agency. Charles Sirleaf is a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank. Many interviewees suggested that they receive personal financial benefit from their positions beyond their official salaries. In August 2012, the President suspended Charles and 45 others for not declaring their assets consistent with her Executive Order. Some Liberia interviewees pointed out the nuance of suspended versus sacked within Liberias culture of political patronage and family ties: He essentially got a slap on the wrist and soon returned to his job. The President took care of her own and did not create a sir, the report stated. Robert Sirleaf has since resigned as head of NOCAL but has once again resurfaced and was recently appointed Special Envoy to Kuwait to negotiate petroleum deals on behalf of the Liberian government. Robert is also still said to be running the affairs of NOCAL behind the scene, making major decisions through proxies.

DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL S
Constitutional Issues Could Hinder Decriminalizing Repressive Laws
takeholders in Liberia including the Government of Liberia, Press Union of Liberia, international partners amongst them the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, lawyers and other are brainstorming on repealing repressive laws in Liberia that trampled on freedom of expression and free speech but constitutional issues could hinder the process, according to divided opinions on the issue at a one day stakeholder meeting held in Monrovia Monday. At a one day event organized by the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, media editors, publishers, lawyers and other professionals expressed diverse views on ongoing consultations intended to craft a legislation for submission to the National legislature to decriminalize the violation of the right of freedom of expression in Liberia. Some lawyers and media professionals called for immediate decriminalizing of laws that restrict right to freedom of expression in Liberia while other lawyers are calling for the act to be treated with caution as it has constitutional implications which should not be ignored. Human rights lawyer, Cllr.Tiawon S. Gongloe providing an overview of judicial decisions and relevant legislations criminalizing freedom of expression in Liberia named three laws that have been used over the years to suppress freedom of expression including sedition, criminal malevolence and libel against the president. Clllr. Gongloe maintained that these laws are repressive in nature and should be repealed immediately as Liberia was founded on the principle of freedom and should not have such laws on the books. He said the act should not remain a point of discussion until the end of the tenure of President Sirleaf. I hope this discussion will not be like former President Taylor used to say about peace talks, this is just about talk, just to only talk and prepare for another round of talk. I just told Minister Norris Tweh, I hope the issue of this act does not remain until the president tenure ends, this is possible and she will not have the credibility as someone who makes the change because effective change must affect you. We saw that with the change of the tenure of President and the senators which everybody wanted but they brought something different to us during the referendum.If I dont see any change, let me sound a caveat that next discussion you will not see me again, the human rights lawyer warned. He said Liberia was founded on a principle for respect for the fundamental human rights and such rights should never be trampled upon in any way. Sedition, he said first had a punishment of imprisonment for seven years but was later reduced to 5 years and noted that even with such it is still harsh to jail a person for expressing their view. He expressed that he has never seen the word criminal malevolence during his research as a legal word indicating that it is a making of Liberia to suppress freedom of expression. On the third repressive law, libel against the president, Cllr. Gongloe stated that once the president is immune from law suit while serving as president, the president must not also sue others so such law must be repealed without hesitation. Constitutional issues raised Cllr. Gongloe declared that he wants the laws repealed without precondition but Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission believes the act needs further consideration to ensure that the objectives for proposing its enactment are captured fully. Said Cllr. Barbu In a nut shell, we believe the proposed Act needs further consideration to ensure that the objectives for proposing its enactment are captured fully, thereby avoiding the creation of problems after its enactment that otherwise could have been avoided. On the constitutional issues associated with the act, Cllr. Barbu stated the Act is based on rights guaranteed in the Liberian Constitution pursuant to Article 15. That Article also provides that in exercising the right to free speech and press freedom, a person will be held to account if s/he abuses the use of rights. While the Legislature has the authority to enact implementing/enabling statutes, it cannot do so contrary to the Liberian constitution. Thus, even if the Legislature enacted this proposed law, we doubt that it will produce the desired result, for this same Constitution empowers the Judiciary to exercise contempt powers (Article 74) and it is clear that contempt is a quasi-criminal matter. Will that be decriminalized also via legislative action? We must remember that Article 66 prohibits the Legislature from making any laws or creating any exceptions as would deprive the Supreme Court, head of the Judicial Branch of Government of any of its constitutional powers. In essence, there are constitutional implications to this proposal and therefore the Constitutional review Committee is

Page 6 | Frontpage

PAGE RONT

MEDIA ISSUES

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

vital to moving this process forward. Cllr. Barbu stated that reverting to the Liberian constitution and opinions of the Supreme Court of Liberia it is clear that President is immune from any and all suits; while the Supreme Court has not had occasion to determine whether the President may sue and by that be subject to service of Court precept, the constitutional question as to the President filing civil action for injury to her or his reputation is a matter for serious consideration under Section 2 of the Proposed Act which provides that Only Civil Actions and Remedies are Permitted for abuse of the exercise of the right to free expression and free press. LRC cautions that there is more to consider for the national good as we pursue rights and therefore offers to work with proponents of this law to improve it any by that, meet the overall objectives, the head of the Law reform Commission stated. Cllr. Boakai Kanneh of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the issue of punishment which distinguishes civil from criminal should also be looked at carefully. The lawyer said in civil cases where those found guilty are not able to pay the fines imposed, punishment such as imprisonment comes in and the case becomes complex mixing civil and criminal. He called for the act to not be hastily submitted for the legislature so as to not create a situation where after passage into law, complexities emerge and become difficult to handle. GoL Committed to repeal laws Information Minister Lewis Brown assured that the Government

is committed to the repeal of repressive laws and is working with the Press Union of Liberia and other partners to work on repealing repressive laws but at the same time caution the media to be responsible in their reportage. Minister Brown challenged the media to be a pace setter for engagement on national and international issues instead of taking sides during debates on issues. When a person at the fray is the media Man of the Year, than where is the pace setting for engagement on issues, Minister Brown wondered. He said President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expressed the government commitment by signing the Table Mountain Declaration which calls for freedom of expression and free speech. Attorney Phillip N. Wesseh, Managing Editor of the Inquirer Newspaper said repealing the repressive laws will not in no way be used by the media to abuse the rights of others through their publications. Some media professional including Rodney Sieh of Frontpageafrica called for the law to be explicit on what documents can be quoted by journalists and which ones cannot. He said in some instances documents and reports from some institutions when quoted are declared not credible. The stakeholders meeting will be followed by consultations which will end up with a draft act to be submitted to the national legislature for passage into law decriminalizing the right to freedom of expression in Liberia.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

BACK ON THE DOCKET

Defense, prosecution argue Former LAC Manager Murder case
Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

PAGE RONT

LAW & ORDER

Frontpage

Page 7

efense and prosecution lawyers have been arguing a motion to dismiss and acquit defendants in the ongoing murder trial of the Liberia Agricultural Company (LAC) plantation manager Bruno Michaels. The grand jurors for Grand Bassa County, upon their oath, indicted Arthur Crusoe, Isaac Zantoe, Samuel Garpue Guah, Richard Dardea, Kalifa Gbotoe, John Tuku, Moses Saywon, Musa Dubai, Matthew Cooper, Gbugbodeh Geedah, Rufus Quotoe, Steven Badaygar, Prince Tarwo, Alex Peterson and others for murdera felony in the first degree and a capital offense in the February 2008 sitting of the second judicial circuit court in Buchanan on April 3. Bruno was shot and killed on November 17, 2007 in the vicinity of LAC by the defendants named hereinabove, according to the three-page indictment. But defense lawyers, in a four-page submission, have requested the first judicial circuit court in Montserrado County, where the case is being transferred, to acquit the defendants for a violation of their constitutional rights. And also that the circuit court acquired jurisdiction by virtue of the transfer and subsequently defendants were indicted by a grand jury. Thereafter, movants were arraigned, pleaded not guilty and a petit jury was empanelled. Both prosecution and defense presented their side of the casewitnesses testified, were directed and cross-examined and both parties rested evidence. Copy of the minutes of the circuit court, second judicial circuit, is hereto attached as movants exhibit A. And also that the law and practice in this jurisdiction, hoary with age, is that where the defendant has pleaded to an indictment, a jury empanelled, and trial progressed until both state and the defendant have rested evidence, double jeopardy attaches., Defense lawyers argued In further argument, defense lawyers contended R.L vs Karngbay, 30 LLR 127 (1982). Jeopardy attaches when a person has been placed on trial before a court of competent jurisdiction under a valid indictment or complaintupon which he has been arraigned and to which he has pleaded, and a proper jury has been empanelled and sworn to try the issue raised by the pleas.[Read] section 3.1 of chapter 3 of the criminal procedure law, Liberia code of Laws Revised, volume 1, title 2. Further, when during trial, the prosecution thereof is improperly terminated, the defendant cant thereafter be indicted or otherwise charged and tried for the same offense or any degree thereof, as double jeopardy attaches. [Read] section 3.2 of chapter 3 of the criminal procedure law, Liberia code of Laws Revised, volume 1, title 2. On the argument of double jeopardy, the argument stated Double jeopardy is defined as the fact of being prosecuted or sentenced twice for substantially the same offense. Blacks law dictionary, 9th edition. Movants say that the defendants, having pleaded to the indictment, the jury empanelled and trial progressed to the point where both the state and defense rested evidence, and the prosecutionimproperly terminated, that double jeopardy had attached. And article 21(h) of the constitution provides that no person shall be subject to double jeopardy. The parties rested evidence in total on Saturday, December 27, 2008, and trial judge Benedict Holt assigned the case for final argument on Monday, December 29, 2008, ruling thus: The request of counsel for the defendants for the submission of their case for final argument along with that of the prosecution having rested in total with the submission or oral or documentary evidence and subsequent admission of their various testimony this court accordingly accord this party the respective requests for final [argument] on Monday, December 29, 2008, at the precise hour of 10:00AM. Copy of the minutes of the circuit court, 2nd judicial circuit, is hereto attached as movants exhibit B, the defense, led by Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, argued. In count seven, the defense said that when the case was called for final argument, after an interlude brought about by the prosecution attempting to recall a witness as a rebuttal witness, trial judge Hold placed on record a complaint by then chief justice Johnnie Lewis about jury tampering and requested the suspension of the case and investigation into jury tampering. An order of trial court granting a new trial in a criminal case upon the courts own motion places the defendant in double jeopardy in a jurisdiction where the court has no power to enter such an order or improperly exercises its power. Wright vs Reeves, 26 LLR 38, 47 (1977). And the Supreme Court has often held that every litigant, including the state in criminal cases, is entitled to nothing less than the cold neutrality of an impartial judge. Ware vs Republic, 5 LLR 50 (1935); Howard vs. Dennis, 5 LLR 375 (1937).

In Republic vs Weafuah, 16 LLR 1222, 127, Mr. Justice Pierre, speaking for the Supreme Court, said: The proper exercise of judicial discretion in criminal trial should, in fairness to the rights of the accused and for the safety of society, be exemplified by acts of the court, the impartiality of which might be readily admitted by both sides. Only by such acts of a court could justice appear to be done, or could justice be seen to have been done on both sides, the count concluded. The defense recalled that although Judge Holt expressed doubt as to the level of jury tampering, he ruled that he was left with no alternative but to execute the directive of the then chief justice and preceded to declare a new trial. Movants submit that because Judge Holt knew that indeed there was no jury tampering, neither the clerk, sheriff, nor any other person was sanctioned by the court for the jury tampering, which was alleged by then Chief Justice Lewis. Defense also argued that once double jeopardy attaches, the only reason why the trial could have been terminated and the defendants retried in a new and different trials for the same offense, would have been if manifest necessity was established (section 3.1 of chapter 3 of the criminal procedure law, LCLR, volume 1, title 2). Manifest necessity relates to circumstances over which the court has no control. For example, illness of jurors, of the judge, of the defendant or of any person whose presence and participation is indispensable to a fair and impartial trial (Smith v R.L., 37 LLR 537, 541 (1994). But the prosecution has called for the motion to be dismissed, arguing that the magisterial court has only preliminary examination jurisdiction over capital offenses such as murder and when an indictment has been issued against a defendant for the commission of a crime, all proceedings in the magisterial court prior to the institution of an indictment become null and void and of no legal effect. In a seven-page counter-argument, Montserrado County Attorney Daku Mulbah and lead lawyer submitted that at no time was the constitutional right of the defendants denied by the alleged failure of the magistrate to determine a motion to admit to bail prior to the transfer of the case to the second judicial circuit court for Grand Bassa County. Responding to the issue of the defendants being subjected to double jeopardy, the state argued that both the plaintiff and defendants agreed with the judge that there was jury tampering by their failure to except to the ruling of the judge disbanding the jury and ordering a new trial. .Hence, count five of the motion, along with the entire motion, should be denied and dismissed and the trial of this case ordered proceeded with. Attached hereto and marked as plaintiff exhibit PR/1 is a copy of the minutes of the investigation and the trial courts ruling thereon in substantiation of the averment contained

herein. Plaintiff and defendants, and therefore the issue of double jeopardy will not lie. That also traversing count five of the motion and also as tocount five above, plaintiff says that judge Benedict Holt, having conducted an investigation and determined that there was jury tampering, thereby necessitating the disbandment of the jury and awarding a new trial, to which neither plaintiff nor defendants excepted, your honor is legally impotent and incompetent to pass on the issue of whether or not the disbandment of the jury by the judge was due to manifest necessity or not; for to do otherwise would be reviewing the act of judge Holt in violation of the law that judges of concurrent jurisdiction cant review the acts of their predecessor, the state countered. Continuing its counterargument the state declared That also traversing count seven of the motion, plaintiff/respondent says while it is true the Supreme Court held in the case Wright versus Reeves, 26 LLR 380, text at 47, that order of the trial court granting a new trial in a criminal case upon the courts own motion places the defendant in double jeopardy in a jurisdiction where the court has no power to enter such an order or improperly exercised its power, plaintiff says that the Wright versus Reeves case is not analogous to the instant case. In the Wright versus Reevescase, the jury returned a guilty verdict against the defendants and the judge sua sponte (set aside) the jury verdict and ordered a new trial. In the instant case, there was an allegation of jury tampering ---whatever the source of said allegation---and thereupon an investigation was conducted by judge Benedict Holt at the conclusion of which was determined by judge Holt, and plaintiff and defendants agreed, that in fact and indeed there was jury tampering, thereby necessitating the award of a new trial. Hence, the disbandment of the jury and awarding of a new trial buy the trial judge was not sua sponte as averred by the defendants. On the conduct of the judge, the state maintained, in count 10, that Holt was neutral and impartial in proceeding with the investigation of jury tampering and his subsequent decision to disband said jury was in the best interest of justice and fair play. That as to count 22 above, plaintiff says that there was no irregularity or illegality caused by the government or the court that violated the due process of the defendants by the court disbanding the jury and ordering a new trial based upon proof of jury tampering at the conclusion of an investigation. Hence, the law cited buy the defendants is not applicable to the instant case, Cllr Mulbah, in association with Sherman & Sherman law firm, pleaded with the court to deny and dismiss defendants motion, order the trial proceeded with, and grant unto plaintiff any other and further relief as the law and justice demand in the premises. Judge Yussif D. Kaba is expected to rule on the arguments and counter-arguments.

Page 8 | Frontpage

Governors of the Central Bank of Liberia. Mr. John Bestman, former Minister of Finance and former Governor of the National Bank of Liberia; Mr. David Vinton, former President of the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) and former Governor of the National Bank of Liberia; Mrs. Mildred Reeves, former General Manager, Liberia Bank for Development and Investment; and Mr. David Farhat, former Minister of Commerce and former Minister of Finance. They are all distinguished and experienced individuals. It has been a privilege serving the government and people of Liberia as Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia. I am grateful to President Sirleaf for affording me the opportunity to work for the government and people in this exciting time in our history. I am now well into my second term; and, together with the Board of Governors and the management and staff of the Bank, we have worked hard to make a difference in the Liberian economy. The CBL, under our leadership, has been one of the public institutions that have provided the most about its policies and programs, as well as information about the economy. It would be difficult to find a public institution that has done better. For the first time since its establishment, the Bank issues an Annual Policy Statement, outlining what it intends to focus on during the year. This document is distributed to the President, Vice President, individual members of the Legislature, Ministers and the general public. We also issue a monthly Fact Sheet, with monetary and other financial data, a Quarterly Economic and Financial Bulletin, and a Bi-monthly Liberia Financial Statistics.

FULL TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT DELIVERED BY THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA MARCH 18, 2014 irst, let me introduce the members of the Board of possibility of falling further behind other countries is real. If we

DR. J. MILLS JONES RESPONDS TO CRITICS

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

have policies without knowing or fully appreciating the particular situation that we are faced withand I sometimes feel that this is an issue for us as a nationthen it is difficult to see how those policies can produce the desired results. What are we saying? A review of the Liberian situation shows the lack of commercial funding sources that offer lower interest rates, longer periods for loan repayments, and lower collateral requirements, all of which pose major challenges to small and medium enterprises, farmers and low income earners. It is also difficult for the majority of the population to borrow from banks for building homes. Added to these concerns is the absence of commercial banks in most parts of Liberia. The standard answer is to let the market drive the process, and the situation will improve. But if one is true to one's understanding of the Liberian situation, it is clear that after 167 years as a nation, the market has not driven the process in a way that has brought financial inclusion. Let me be clear at this juncture: We believe in free enterprise. Our economics training was done against the background of the free enterprise system. We worked all of our professional life in institutions that believe in the free enterprise philosophy. However, even in the most advanced economies, it is recognized that there are times when there is a need for the visible hand; for affirmative action; for public sector stimulus (put simply, for government to do something to make things happen). If you try one way and it doesnt happen, common sense says, try another way. If there are no commercial banks in the towns and villages to serve our poor fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, what should we do? Let us keep in mind that commercial banks are not charitable institutions. Their objective is to make a profit; and their ability to make profit is linked, among other things, to the level of economic activity in a given area. If the concept of collateral as understood in the formal banking sector is difficult to apply for the majority of Liberian, what should we do? So, the main question becomes: how do you create economic activities in areas where poverty is looking people squarely in the face? Do we wait for the market to do it? Would it happen by itself? Keep in mind that we have had nearly 167 years as a nation to be able to conclude whether we should continue the same way regarding economic policy or do something else. The government and people have spoken on this through the Agenda for Transformation. And the policies of the CBL are consistent with that Agenda, which states that the CBL will continue a credit line for commercial banks on-lending to MSME and will implement proposal for modest credit lines to nongovernmental microfinance institutions and the Afriland Bank for small holder tree corps with them bearing the credit risks. The Loan Extension Availability Facility of the CBL and other initiative shows that the CBL is doing what the government of Liberia says it should do. How did that turn into misuse of the countys resources or a political agenda of the management of the CBL? It is important that you the public are aware of the following, among others: in 2012, for instance, the UN Women provided US$40,000 to support loans to village savings and loan associations (VSLA). UN Women supported the expansion of the VSLA program in 12 counties, providing over US$450,000 in contract funds to NGOs to help organize and train women. (This suggests that funds are not just being handed out by the CBL without some care.) Presently, there are 15,450 women in the 15 counties involved in the VSLA Program. UNCDF, under its Microloan Program has provided a 5-year grant, working in collaboration with the CBL, to help develop Credit Unions in Liberia, a project being implemented by the World Council of Credit Unions. Funding under the grant is building the capacity of primary credit unions and establishing four regional credit unions in rural Liberia. One of the buildings has been completed or is near completion in Zwedru. Assistance is also coming from the Irish League which is currently finalizing a project to provide support for building capacity for credit unions in conjunction with the Liberia Credit Union National Association. As a sign of support for inclusive access to finance through microfinance, the UN Secretary General Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, paid a three- day working visit to Liberia in 2009. Following that visit, the CBL became a member of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, an international organization comprising 94 countries, including Liberia. The Alliance is the key partner of the G20 Partnership for Financial Inclusion. (The G20 is the world's 20 major economies). The members of the Alliance are central banks and other regulatory institutions. These institutions believe that solving the problems of the majority of the world's unbanked population require thinking outside the box, and they have pioneered some of the most innovative policy approaches to extending financial services to the poor, while balancing safety and stability. The CBL is very much concerned about safety and stability of the financial system.

Dr. J. Mills Jones, Executive Governor, CBL

attention was that the Liberian Government institutions: namely, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Liberia, despite being on the LIFS Investment Committee, could not vote regarding the allocation of funds to the microfinance sector. This was because the Government of Liberia was making no financial contribution to the program. In other words, the CBL was Chair of the LIFS Investment Committee only in name and the other government institutions were mere observers. The Government of Liberia was basically a spectator in a program financed by some donors to develop the microfinance sector in Liberia, despite the governments position that the development of the microfinance sector was important in the fight against poverty. We did not think that this was the appropriate way to proceed. However, we also recognized that the LIFS program involved other peoples moneydonors money. We came to the conclusion that to move the microfinance program to a higher level, we had to follow the saying put your money where your mouth is. If, as a country, we believe what we say, that the microfinance program is an important tool to fight poverty, then as a country we must invest in the microfinance sector. How many of us know about a program called Celebrating Unsung Heroes? This was a program sponsored by our international partners to showcase a handful of Liberians who had used the microfinance program to improve their condition. It was a good program, but most of you today have never heard about such a program. It is because it was limited in scope with only few beneficiaries. Today, because the CBL made the decision to invest in the Liberian microfinance sector, there is a big difference. The popularity of the microfinance program shows what is possible when Liberians take ownership of a development objective. We do not have to do it alone, but we must show our partners that we are serious. There is broad agreement among those involved with economic development that ownership of a countrys development program by the government and the people is important for success. For us, what the CBL is doing, is a part of its understanding of the economics of poverty; and the lack of access to financing is an important part of that understanding. Fighting poverty is linked to macroeconomic stability; it is the basis of broad-based economic growth. The UNCDF and the UNDP have continued to work with the CBL on its financial inclusion program. We have received help from the IFC and UN Women. They have helped us in the areas of capacity building for microfinance institutions, policy development, resource mobilization, and dissemination of sound microfinance principles and practices. Right now, we have a Technical Advisor from the UNCDF working with the Microfinance and Financial Inclusion Unit of the CBL. There was an Advisor before this one. These are all reputable financial institutions. If what the CBL is doing is new to some in the general public, we believe that more effort should be made to find out the facts. Go to the internet and see what is happening in other places. In some of our speeches, we have talked about the importance of contextknowing your situation. This is very important for a country like Liberia, where the challenges are many, and the

A major objective of the Board of Governors, under our leadership, has been the reform of the banking system. This is still ongoing. When we took office as Executive Governor, there were 5 commercial banks in the country. The capital requirement was US$2 million. Almost all of the banks were facing major problems, including inappropriate actions on the part of some of their board members. We have had to take difficult decisions to have the banks recapitalized, have their boards reconstituted and some senior management removed. Today, we have 9 commercial banks, with the minimum capital set at US$10 million, and one specialized development finance institution. Credit to the private sector is up by 16.9 percent by end-December 2013, compared with 2006 when we came to the CBL, representing 6.9 percent of GDP. In simple terms, the banking sector is making a significant contribution to the economy, compared with when we took office as Executive Governor. And without such credit, the growth of the economy would have been more one-sided than is now the case. This means that the vision of the CBL to grow and strengthen the banking system has been a major factor in the performance of the economy. However, access to creditthe chance for poor people and people in the towns and villages across Liberia and Liberian business people in general to borrow money from banksis still a major problem. Although we can count as part of our success story the increase in the number of bank branches outside Monrovia, from 11 in 2006 to 32 in 2013, our mothers and fathers in the villages and towns have yet to feel the impact of the formal banking system (the regular banking system, to put it simply). It was against this reality that the CBL developed a strategy for Financial Inclusion, with the kind encouragement of the President, which was endorsed by the government. Financial inclusion fell under the second pillar of the governments Poverty Reduction Strategy. It was agreed by the local stakeholders working with the CBL in this document that exclusion from the financial sector is reflected in limited or no access to financial services, which accentuates the nature and extent of poverty in Liberia. Our work on this project was also supported by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). What is being established here is that financial inclusion was not a concept that the leadership of the CBL dreamed about overnight for selfish motives. And to those who say why didnt the CBL start this financial inclusion program earlier, we say that work started not too long after we took office at the CBL in 2006. When we came to the CBL as Executive Governor, there was no section or unit in the bank focusing on microfinance. However, the donor community, including UNCDF and UNDP were engaged with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Liberia in a program called the Liberia Inclusive Financial Sector (LIFS) Program. The goal of the program was to promote financial inclusion in Liberia using microfinance. The organizational framework of this program was that the Central Bank of Liberia was Chair of the Investment Committee which was responsible to make decisions on which institutions in Liberia would receive funds for microfinance lending. The three main microfinance institutions then were: BRAC, Liberty Finance and LEAP. What caught my

see page 9

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

FULL TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT DELIVERED BY THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA MARCH 18, 2014
The launching of the rural community finance institutions project, the enhancement of the mobile money framework, and deposits with commercial banks to support the capacity of those banks to make loans to Liberian-owned businesses are all part of the commitment of the CBL in the context of the objectives of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. The Central Bank is not doing anything strange, except that the Bank is breaking new paths in the Liberian economy. But is that a politicization of the Bank? That the people appreciate what the CBL is doing to empower them financially should be seen for what it is. Economic empowerment has implications for ensuring a stable macro economy; it contributes to a better distribution of income; it helps people get out of poverty; it strengthens the purchasing power of the people to support local investment. If there is any lesson to be learned, it is that we all should do our jobs well. The people will appreciate all of us. What the CBL is doing has broad international appeal and support. It has nothing to do with dishing out the peoples money. And this is the subject which I would like to deal with at this point. We have heard much talk about "the need to protect the country's reserves, because the nation's economy is in danger, if things continue this way"; about "the need to stop the Executive Governor from dishing out public funds"; about "the need to stop the CBL from giving out loans". I want to say that all of this has no basis in fact. And, therefore we should not be offering solutions in such of a problem. Let us take the issue of the country's reserves. But before going further, it should be noted that the fact that we can talk about the country's reserves is a credit to the Sirleaf's Administration. The present management of the CBL came in during this time. It should also be noted that the CBL over the last several years has been actively trying to stabilize the exchange rate through regular auctions of United States dollars to the private sector. Since 2010, for example, the CBL has sold over US$242 million to the market. The fact that today the CBL, has over 48 times the amount of reserves when we came in 2006, despite these sales, suggests that the management of the CBL has not been in the business of misusing the country's reserves. This is for nothing talk. Where is the evidence of misuse of the countrys reserves? It should also be pointed out that the CBL has also cooperated in helping the government smooth out its spending to keep certain development programs on track by providing short-term borrowing facilities. The CBL intends to continue such constructive engagement with the government, evidence by the present discussion with the government for a short-term facility to support the countrys infrastructure program. The CBL has also provided a facility to the LBDI to support lending to private firms implementing governments road projects. This should lay to rest the argument that the CBL is just out there dishing out the countrys money to certain people. Another background information is that it was under our leadership that a Reserve Management Guide was developed and approved by the Board of Governors. Neither the Executive Governor nor any Deputy Governor can just go dipping into the reserves of the CBL. Even amounts put up for auction are decided upon after a process of discussion, after which the appropriate instructions are signed by the appropriate authority. One last, but important background information: the foreign reserves of the CBL are not the government revenues deposited at the CBL. The CBL does not touch government revenue, except upon instructions from the Ministry of Finance to make payments on behalf of the government. So those who talk about the CBL using taxpayers' money for its purposes are just simply wrong. In December 2010, the Board of Governors passed a resolution to launch a credit stimulus initiative for Liberian-owned small and medium enterprises. The Board's decision came against the background where Liberian businesses were facing serious problems when it came to interest rates and the time given to pay off loans. The commercial banks had also informed the CBL that they were unable to extend the time for loan repayment because they were facing a situation of short-term deposits. Meanwhile, it was no secret that Liberian businesses were on the margins of the Liberian economy. The Board of Governors believed that this situation, which had existed for a long time, was not good for the economy, and was a major reason for the slow pace of development and widespread poverty in the country. The Board of Governors considered that it had the mandate to act to do something about the situation, and so made medium-term deposits with the local banks. The Board sought the advice of its legal experts before acting. Since we started the program, interest rates have dropped and repayment periods are longer in general. Let me repeat a point made on other occasions: the CBL has not been engaged in directly making loans to any business entity. Also, the CBL did not give any funds under the initiatives directly to the Liberian Business Association. Those who continue to say so are misinforming the public. Commercial banks are involved in all of the initiatives, and they were consulted on many occasions before these initiatives were launched. To clarify that the CBL has not been making loans to individual businesses, let me refer to a paragraph in the agreement on the placement/deposit with the banks on due diligence: "the (name of bank) commits itself and undertakes to exercise due diligence in assessing the creditworthiness of all potential borrowers consistent with its lending practices, it shall ensure that loans from the placement shall be made to only creditworthy Liberian-owned small and medium enterprises". Not only were these agreements notarized, they were also duly probated and registered at the Probate Court of Montserrado County. Does this look like an operation of the Executive Governor "dividing public funds"? A baseless statement no matter how many times it is repeated, no matter how important the office of the one making the statement, no matter how loud the voice of the person making the statement is nothing more than a baseless statement. Put simply, empty talk is empty talk. At the maturity of the placements/deposits, the agreements state clearly that the CBL will make automatic debits to the account(s) of the commercial banks with the CBL to cover interest and principal. The placements/deposits are made in US dollars, and the CBL would get its money back in US dollars. And it is important to note something which we have reported that the first US$5 million deposited for three years to help promote lending to Liberian-owned businesses in December 2010 was received with interest by the CBL on December 31, 2013, interest much higher than what would have been received if those funds were held abroad. 125 businesses received loans under this initiative according to the reports we received, 39 of which are owned by women. Those businesses employ about 3000 individuals. Many of those who are raising issues about the impact of this initiative have already been told about what we are saying today. Reasonable people may disagree, but we do not think that the help received by these Liberian businesses is about politics. We should all be worried when people, some in strategic positions, see economic empowerment of the Liberian private sector as politics. We submit, instead, that such empowerment is sound economicsan idea whose time is long overdue. We stand ready to debate this point not just as the Executive Governor of the Central Bank, but also as an ordinary citizen of this republic. And to those who should know better but keep saying that the CBL is misusing public resources, let me say that the CBL is well placed to discuss this matter if this is what they want to discuss. This leads us to two other issues. The first is the argument that we hear that the policies of stimulating the Liberian private sector amount to "infusing" money into the economy which is leading to the depreciation of the Liberian dollar, thereby causing inflation. This is nonsense, only intended to confuse the people that the CBL is not working in their interest. The question is, why go through such length to beat up on the CBL? Most of the CBL's initiatives have been done in United States dollars. How does an increase in the supply of US dollars lead to the fall in the value of the Liberian dollar relative to the US dollar? When there was no answer to this question, some began to talk about the CBL "infusing" Liberian dollars into the economy. What the public should notice is that they dont say how the CBL is doing this. Where is the evidence? When money is infused into the economy, it shows up in the money supply; it does not disappear. The CBL provides regular statistics on money supply. Is the CBL buying government bonds? Is the CBL printing money to finance the government's deficit? If that were the case would that not be a fiscal problem leading to an accommodating monetary stance? Is the CBL bailing out some ailing industry? Is the CBL standing on the street corners handing out Liberian dollars? We have said that the Liberian dollar component of the Bank's initiatives is not of the magnitude to create an unstable macroeconomic environment. Put simply, it is not the main driver of inflation. If there is evidence to the contrary, we would like to see it, so that corrective action can be taken. The people should ask for the proof when some of us stand up to speak on important matters of national interest. But simply calling press conferences, sometimes purporting to be the leader of a political party, to criticize the CBL, without a piece of solid evidence, is unfortunate. If they think they are making the CBL look bad, they should know that they are putting themselves in the position not to be taken seriously by the Liberian people and the international community. The second issue regarding the stimulus initiatives of the CBL is the concern that the CBL is putting the reserves of the country at risk. It should not be difficult to agree that there are risks in any banking system, even in the most developed economies. Where did the global financial crisis start from? In the developed countries. That aside, the risk to the resources of the CBL by placing or depositing those resources in local banks was no more than the risk that any of us takes when putting our money in a savings account in a local bank. Now, what kind of a system we would be running, if the CBL were afraid to deposit a small amount of its money with local banks, while telling the public to put their money in these banks? The areas to focus on are strengthening the regulatory environment for the banking sector and improving the credit culture, including taking drastic actions against delinquent borrowers, etc., and that is what the CBL has been doing in the past several years. The CBL has transitioned to risk-based supervision; has stepped up its on-site inspection; supported the establishment of the commercial court; and has had the courage to support the publication of the names of major delinquent borrowers and stop them from using the banking system. We have established a Financial Stability Committee within the CBL, headed by one of the Deputy Governors. We still have work to do to further improve the record for loan repayment, but this is not just a job for the CBL. All of us must work on this. This brings us to a matter which came up recently: some people saying that the IMF had noted that the country's reserves were below the target, again suggesting that this showed that the CBLs private sector initiatives amounted to bad policy. It is true that there are many ways to skin a cat, as the saying goes; but we should seriously think about why some individuals try to bad mouth the CBL at every turn in its attempt to help empower Liberian entrepreneurs and the people in rural areas. We have remained silent on this matter not because we havent had anything to say; however, at this point, silence would not be good for the image of the CBL. We should first consider what we are talking about when we use the word reserves (generally defined as assets which are held in major currencies such as the US dollar, Euro, British pound, and Japanese yen)", especially in the context of Liberia's program with the IMF. The IMF considers the foreign currency resources (for example, the US dollars belonging to the CBL) to be reserves" when they are transferred abroad and are not counted as part of CBLs reserves if deposited in local banks. That is, by definition, the placements we have with local banks are not counted as reserves, and should not be interpreted that the CBLs resources have disappeared somewhere. They are part of the Central Banks domestic assets, and they are denominated in US dollars. Of course, the money put in the bank abroad cannot be used by anybody in Liberia to do anything in Liberia to help grow the Liberian economy. This question of holding reserves abroad has come up in discussions among the governors of the West African Monetary Zone. In any event, whether a country (the central bank of a country, usually) keeps all of its reserves abroad or takes decisions as it sees fit to bring some of those funds home to help its economy in specific ways is a matter of judgment. Having reserves equal to three months imports does not necessarily mean that a countrys economy is secured from external shocks. The CBL Board of Governors, working with the staff of the Bank, used its judgment, that given the state of underdevelopment of the Liberian economy and given the necessity of helping meet one of the important needs of Liberian entrepreneurs, which is having better access of credit, to decide that a small portion of the country's reserves held abroad should be deposited at home where it can work for the Liberian economy. One final point that should be made on the CBL credit initiative. The Bank, through its Executive Governor, informed the relevant authorities of its policy intentions as part of the Executive Governor's regular consultations with relevant authorities. The Bank received encouragement for its efforts. In other words, this was not the CBL just doing things on its own without informing those who should have been informed. Also, from time, to time, the Executive Governor has extended invitations for working luncheons to members of both the House and Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, and the honorable members of these committees graciously accepted. The last such luncheon was held as a joint engagement with the two committees. There have been even more frequent contacts with the respective Chairs of those committees. We expect to continue such engagements. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me conclude by saying that I have a simple position when it comes to public service: serve with a difference; serve to improve the condition of the poor; serve to make Liberia a big tent that everybody can fit under. I believe in Liberia and the people of Liberia. For many years, I was abroad with my wife and children, and thanks to the Almighty God, we were successful. But the opportunity given by the President to serve Liberia is something invaluable. We have come home to sing our song of freedom: This Glorious land of Liberty shall long be ours. With unity of purpose, we can succeed as a nation, and we will.

DR. J. MILLS JONES RESPONDS TO CRITICS

Frontpage

Page 9

Page 10 | Frontpage

PAGE RONT

DIASPORA

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

the natural hairstyle forever synonymous with the "black is beautiful"

REMEMBER THE AFRO

RONT

PAGE

LIFESTYLE

AMERICAN-BORN SON OF POLITICIAN, LIBERIA PEACE COUNCIL LEADER, LAMENTS UNFAIR JUSTICE IN US

I can provide to the audio of the judge Reids determination to prove he lied, at some point I would like this published online with the witness testimony of Patrick Robert to prove our position. - George Boley Jr.
should be exposed for what they did and are still doing to many other people; because they wore my father down and locked him up illegally for more than 2 years! This is not unique many people leave the USA based on this back log. THE TRC WAS A FRAUD Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) confirmed the charges of mass killings, rape and the use of child soldiers by the LPC to be true and recommended the prosecution of Boley Sr. The counter argument from his son is that the TRC was a fraud.The TRC was a fraud as well this was documented by the War Crimes Prosecution Watch. Excerpts from the Report of Legal Expert and TRC Commissioner Pearl Brown-Bull on Why She Did Not Sign Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report of June 30, 2009, stating the Process was Illegal and anti-Peace. He further asserted that the TRC report is unconstitutional,The final draft the TRC report has been found to be in violation of the Liberian Constitution according to the Liberian Senate (Boley Exhibit 4) and on numerous claims found to be unconstitutional and a complete violation of Articles 3, 34, 42, 65, 73 and 91 of the Liberian Constitution. Guilty People dont ask for investigations In his endeavor to get justice Boley Jr. has written series of letters requesting top United States officials to conduct an investigation into manner in which his fathers case was handled. One of said letters that did not yield any fruit or get a response was dated August 10 and addressed to US President Barack Obama. The first paragraph reads: This is a follow up to my September 17, 2010 letter and package to you and your office. We are still asking the White House to get involved and request DHS OPR to conduct an investigation to the handling of my fathers immigration case and trail. Not deterred by ignores he got from the American presidents office Boley Jr takes his fight for justice to the Senate. About two weeks ago he wrote Senator Carl Levin Chairman again requesting and investigation into the matter. As I told President Obama, Guilty People dont ask for investigations, I have all the evidence to prove my case and I am asking for you Mr. Chairman, to conduct a Senate committee investigation, Boley Jr said in the concluding sentence. Did someone mastermind this? As it is expected politicians have enemies and so it is that the political rivals of Boley are been pointed to as the brains behind his removal and disgraceful deportation from the land were the founding fathers of Liberia originated. His son has promised to expose whoever is involved. I know who's behind this but this time is not to expose how they are involved and why...i promise youi will tell that story with documentation but today is not that day.

FOUL PLAY IN GEORGE BOLEYS DEPORTATION

he United States is known for having one of the best justice systems in World. With its three major components: police, courts, and corrections the system is known to give fair verdicts to all who appear under its jurisdiction. The system is credited worldwide to have highly trained court officials and hardworking civil servants who are said to be dedicated to the equal dispensation of justice to all. But this well-recognized system that serves a model for developing countries has come under serious criticism from an American of Liberian descent. George Boley Jr. says he has reasons to believe that there was a foul play in his father, George Boley Srs case. In his letter to Hon. Carl Levin Chairman, Chair of U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Boley Jr. says that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tempered with evidence and distorted the truth. These agents have been allowed to lie, threaten potential witnesses, pay witnesses for testimony, fabricate evidence, cover up evidence and even tried to abduct and kidnap a key defense witness. Even Federal Immigration Judge Reid lied about witness testimony and fabricated evidence in order to deport my father. Boley Jr. stressed that he has documentation to prove that the judge lied against father. I can provide to the audio of the judge Reids determination to prove he lied, at some point I would like this published online with the witness testimony of Patrick Robert to prove our position. The young Boley told this paper that the judge had ignored important evidence presented on his father's behalf and said none of the specific allegations brought against him were corroborated by credible and concrete evidence. His father George Boley Sr. was disgracefully deported to his home country Liberia on March 31, 2012 after a US judge said evidence that the ex-Liberia Peace Council leader had been involved in killings,and recruited children as fighters in the 1990s was grounds for his removal from the United States. After spending two years in a federal detention facility in Batavia New York, Boley decided not to appeal an immigration judges February 2012 decision that he had committed war crimes and is responsible for the rape of thousands of young girls in Liberia, and also had traveled between Liberia and his home in Clarkson on illegitimate papers. Boley like most if not all of Liberias politicians have homes in the United States.He went to the US almost four decades ago to attend The College at Brockport. After earning his bachelors and masters degrees there, he received his doctorate at the University of Akron. George Boley Jr. who claims that his father is not guilty of any of the charges against him says he is going after the case on grounds that the arrest and entire court proceedings of his father were faulty and criminal in nature. I am pursing this case because these people are criminals and

Abidjan (AFP) emember the afro, the natural hairstyle forever synonymous with the "black is beautiful" movement championed by African-Americans in the 1960s? A group in Ivory Coast is trying to persuade black women to turn the page on their expensive hairstraighteners, extensions and wigs and go natural instead. Blending "natural" with "happy" to produce "Nappy", the group calls itself Nappys de Babi -- Babi being a nickname for Abidjan, Ivory Coast's bustling economic capital. Founded more than two years ago, the support group now boasts some 2,400 members, meeting every two months in Abidjan's trendy Cocody district to share advice, tips, and practical help about keeping their hair natural. Nappys de Babi bucks a deeply ingrained belief all across Africa that straight hair conforms best to an ideal of beauty. In Ivory Coast, most women were teenagers when they began renouncing their naturally kinky, frizzy hair. As a result, most do not know how to care for it and "make it beautiful", says Miriam Diaby, one of Nappys de Babi's founders. "Society frowns on 'afro' hair overflowing all over the place," she said, lamenting that women have to opt for "conventional" styles involving straightening or using false hair in the form of extensions or wigs. The little knowledge on haircare is evident in some questions posed at the group's meeting, with one participant asking: "How do I know if my hair is hydrated?" "Well, when they are stiff and dry, that means they aren't hydrated at all," replies Bibi Gagno, who created a motivational website, omgiloveyourhair.com. 'Like a pariah' The African sisters of the 1960s American "Black Is Beautiful" advocates need to emancipate themselves from the dominant white model, the Nappys say. "When I arrived in Abidjan (after growing up in the United States and Europe), I noticed, and it struck me, that all the advertising showed light-skinned women with long, smooth hair," said Gagno. The fair skin -- achieved in the Ivory Coast mainly through constant application of carcinogenic whitening products -- is "synonymous to success", the businesswoman said. Going against the grain is deemed provocative. "People are uncomfortable about it. When they see you wearing natural hair, they look at you like you are a pariah, like there is a problem, when actually, it should be normal," said Liliana Lambert. Lambert, a 27-year-old half European, who adorns her naturally frizzy hair with flowers, said people "want to touch such hair all the time" because they don't know what it is like. "It's just ignorance," she said. The only Nappy-boy at the session, Ange-Dady Akre-Loba, a 28-year-old stylist with mid-length locks, said men, too, get odd looks if they do not stick with the usual close-cropped style worn by Ivory Coast men. "From five centimetres (two inches), it is considered too long here... Many people would say I have a bit too much hair," he said. Less conformist men are expected to "remain discreet", said AkreLoba, who let his own hair grow out during the post-electoral violence that rocked the country during 2010-2011. Leaving your home at the time was potentially dangerous and most of the barbers were closed anyway so the insecurity offered Akre-Loba the excuse to finally go natural, he said. He has since learnt to ignore what others think and "try to carry on regardless and to be myself".

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Frontpage

Page 11

JOB VACANCY

POSITION ADVERTISEMENT

OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR WEST AFRICA (OSIWA)

Liberia Country Program Coordinator

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is an advocacy and grant making foundation that forms part of the global Open Society Foundations Network. OSIWA is based in Dakar, Senegal and works to support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. It has offices in Abuja, Monrovia, Freetown and Conakry. The Country Program Coordinator will be responsible for the daily management, monitoring and evaluation, and administering of grants of OSIWA Liberias portfolio. The Program Coordinators overall tasks will be administrative and program-related: RESPONSIBILITIES: Program support: The development and management of OSIWA Liberias Program Portfolio in collaboration with and under the supervision of the Country Officer: Assess applications for support and prepare materials, including recommendations for project funding to the Country Officer and OSIWAs Board of Directors; Prepare and review the country program budget; Prepare monthly program reports for OSIWA Dakar; Regularly evaluate the overall progress of the country programs and use this information to inform the future direction of OSIWA Liberias involvement in the development of this area of work; Consistently monitor projects supported by OSIWA Liberias programs for their effectiveness; Keep current with developments in the relevant sectors in the country and attend meetings of relevant organizations to keep informed of issues, concerns and needs; Coordinate effective collaboration with OSF network programs and strategic networking/ partnerships with other development partners/organizations; Provide assessments of the future needs of relevant sectors in Liberia for which OSIWA could provide support and Represent the office at external meetings and events; Administrative tasks: Perform all administrative tasks related to the program, including but not limited to: Maintain proper records on grants such as correspondence and reporting on grants usage Maintain regular contact with projects Process new grant applications which includes acknowledging receipt of applications and obtaining adequate information about these applications to enable informed recommendations to be made by the Country Officer to the Board of Directors Ensure timely and accurate financial and narrative reporting from grantees. Perform other related duties as delegated by the Liberia Country Officer and the Executive Director. Among others, the Country Program Coordinator may stand in for the Country Officer in case of absence or vacancy. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Bachelors degree in social sciences Minimum of four to five years relevant work experience in program development and management; Experience in the management, monitoring and evaluation of programs Experience in rule of law, human rights and justice, civil society and policy analysis in West Africa Excellent written and oral English required; French will be an advantage. Exceptional analytic capacity; Flexibility and willingness to work as a team member and independently, with a high level of self-motivation; Ability to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced working environment; Ability to maintain strict confidentiality; Attentiveness to detail and ability to work well under pressure; Ability to travel locally and internationally; Computer skills including the ability to operate spreadsheets and word processing programs at a highly proficient level; Extensive computer skills and high comfort level with computer research, database management; Excellent coordination, networking and facilitation skills; High level of self-motivation and ability to work both independently and with others; Ability to operate in a difficult working environment; Sensitivity to diversity. Salary: Commensurate with experience with full benefits. Location: Monrovia, Liberia To Apply: send resume (in English), cover letter, brief writing sample and salary requirements, to: osiwarecruitment@osiwa.org Position will remain available until filled Include job code in subject line: PC-LIBERIA- OSIWA Early submissions are strongly encouraged Note: Due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted by OSIWA. No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundations are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Heavy & Light Duty Drivers and Drivers Assistant

GLOBAL LOGISTICS SERVICES Inc a Liberian owned logistical and clearing company is seeking qualified heavy & light duty drivers and drivers assistant. All applicants should submit a letter of application and CV to the Head office of the Company. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS Must be able to read and write simple English Two to three years experience in heavy or light duty driving Good communication and interpersonal skills Advanced training or driving skills is an advantage Self motivated and hard working Must be willing to work for longer hours Understanding the Customer needs

RESPONSIBILITIES Delivery of clients goods intact and safe Inspects truck condition before making a trip Make sure delivery orders are signed by Clients

All interested applicants should send their application to info@glsbusiness.com or the address below: G M Operations Global Logistics Services Inc. Kashour Building Broad and Johnson streets Monrovia, Liberia For more information, Please call 0880655857 or email: info@glsbusiness.com Deadline for Submission: Thursday, March 21,2014

Page 12 | Frontpage

C
Monrovia-

entral Bank Governor Dr. J. Mills Jones has vehemently rejected claims by his critics both in and out of government that he and other governors of the CBL are politicizing the banks monetary policy for their selfish gains describing his accusers as engaging in empty talks. Let me repeat a point made on other occasions: the CBL has not been engaged in directly making loans to any business entity, he said. Governor Jones said the bank did not directly give any funds under the initiatives to the Liberian Business Association adding that people who continue to say so are misinforming the public. He said commercial banks are fully involved in all of the initiatives that the bank has embarked on and were consulted on many occasions before those initiatives were launched. To clarify that the CBL has not been making loans to individual businesses, let me refer to a paragraph in the agreement on the placement/ deposit with the banks on due diligence: "the (name of bank) commits itself and undertakes to exercise due diligence in assessing the creditworthiness of all potential borrowers consistent with its lending practices, it shall ensure that loans from the placement shall be made to only creditworthy Liberian-owned small and medium enterprises", he said. Does this look like an operation of the Executive Governor "dividing public funds"? He asked his critics. A baseless statement no matter how many times it is repeated, no matter how important the office of the one making the statement, no matter how loud the voice of the person making the statement is nothing more than a baseless statement. Put simply, empty talk is empty talk. Addressing journalists at the banks edifice on Warren and Carey Streets in Monrovia, Governor Jones said the CBL has only embarked on a policy that aims at making an impact on the lives ordinary Liberians. The Central Bank is not doing anything strange, except that the Bank is breaking new paths in the Liberian economy, said Governor Jones. But is that a politicization of the Bank? That the people appreciate what the CBL is doing to empower them financially should be seen for

FOR NOTHING TALK

CBL GOVERNOR FIRES BACK AT CRITICS, VOWS TO CONTINUE BANKS POLICY

PAGE RONT

POLITICS

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The CBL does not touch government revenue, except upon instructions from the Ministry of Finance to make payments on behalf of the government. So those who talk about the CBL using taxpayers' money for its purposes are just simply wrong. CBL Governor Dr. J. Mills Jones

what it is. Governor Jones said economic empowerment has implications for ensuring a stable macro economy and it also contributes to a better distribution of income. He said empowering people economically also helps them get out of poverty by strengthening their purchasing power to support local investment and this is all the bank has been trying to do over the years for which executives of the bank have been targeted by the same government elements for which it is trying to work. If there is any lesson to be learned, it is that we all should do our jobs well, the people will appreciate all of us, he said. What the CBL is doing has broad international appeal and support. It has nothing to do with dishing out the peoples money. Protecting Liberias reserves Commenting on assertions made by high ranking individuals in both the legislative and executive branches of government, that the CBL through him (Jones) and other bank officials have put the countrys reserves in harms way and the need for action to stop the Executive Governor from dishing out public funds or to stop the CBL from giving out loans he said such assertions were far from the truth. Governor Jones said the CBL over the last several years has been actively trying to stabilize the exchange rate through regular auctions of United States dollars to the private sector adding that since 2010, for example, the bank has sold over US$242 million to the market. He said the fact that the CBL today has over 48 times the amount of reserves the current leadership met when it took over in 2006, despite these sales, suggests that the banks management under his watch has not been in the business of misusing the country's reserves.

This is for nothing talk. Where is the evidence of misuse of the countrys reserves? he asked. Continued Jones: It should also be pointed out that the CBL has also cooperated in helping the government smooth out its spending to keep certain development programs on track by providing short-term borrowing facilities. The CBL intends to continue such constructive engagement with the government, evidence by the present discussion with the government for a short-term facility to support the countrys infrastructure program. The CBL has also provided a facility to the LBDI to support lending to private firms implementing governments road projects. This should lay to rest the argument that the CBL is just out there dishing out the countrys money to certain people. Dr. Jones said that it was under his leadership that a Reserve Management Guide was developed and approved by the Board of Governors of the CBL which made it a policy that neither the Executive Governor nor any Deputy Governor can just go dipping into the reserves of the CBL, something he said relevant authorities in government are aware of. Even amounts put up for auction are decided upon after a process of discussion, after which the appropriate instructions are signed by the appropriate authority, he said. The CBL governor said the foreign reserves of the CBL are not government revenues deposited at the CBL as is perceived by many. He said the bank does not touch government revenue, except upon instructions from the Ministry of Finance and that is for the making of payments on behalf of the government adding that people who make such assertions that the CBL is using taxpayers' money for its purposes are just simply wrong. Credit Stimulus

Giving a brief synopsis of the CBLs stimulus package that has created much political disturbance in the government which has seen the legislature passing a bill which seeks to bar the current governors of the bank from running for political office and also amending several sections of the ACT creating the CBL, Governor Jones said the decision came about in December 2010, when the Board of Governors passed a resolution to launch a credit stimulus initiative for Liberian-owned small and medium enterprises. The Board's decision came against the background where Liberian businesses were facing serious problems when it came to interest rates and the time given to pay off loans, he said. Continued Jones: The commercial banks had also informed the CBL that they were unable to extend the time for loan repayment because they were facing a situation of short-term deposits. Meanwhile, it was no secret that Liberian businesses were on the margins of the Liberian economy. The Board of Governors believed that this situation, which had existed for a long time, was not good for the economy, and was a major reason for the slow pace of development and widespread poverty in the country. Governor Jones said the Board of Governors considered that it had the mandate to act to do something about the situation, and so made medium-term deposits with the local banks after seeking the advice of its legal experts before acting. He said there is clear evidence that this method introduced by the bank has been effective and as a result, since the initiation of the program, interest rates have dropped and repayment periods are longer in general. He said all of the agreements were notarized and also duly probated and registered at the Probate Court of Montserrado County. The National Legislature passed into law an

amendment to the CBL act and has been accordingly signed into law by the president. In passing into law, an amended provision of the March 18, 1999 Act authorizing the Establishment of the Central Bank of Liberia, the law prohibit the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia and members of the Board of Governors from contesting political office(s) while serving in their respective offices and shall not be qualified to contest any elected office within three years consecutively after the expiration of their tenure with the CBL. The passage of the bill and subsequent signing into law by the President was a result of a report submitted to plenary by a special committee established by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate chaired by the Ways, Means and Finance committee. The special committee chaired by Senator Isaac Nyenabo, Chair of the Senate ways, Means and Finance Committee included members from the Judiciary committee, chaired by Senator Fredrick Cherue of River-Gee County. The committee was mandated by the plenary of the Liberian senate to investigate the CBL on its Micro Credit Loan Scheme plans to print and supply legal tender banknotes by the CBL Governor Jones to ascertain facts if the governor had the power under the Liberian constitution and the CBL act of 1999. Sub-Section 3 of Part IV. Section 13 of the CBL amended Act calls for the removal of the board of governors from office upon a bill of impeachment by the House of Representatives, Upon finding by a majority of the Board of Governors and the recommendation of the President, for several reasons which include; Gross Breach of Duty, Misconduct of Office, Conviction of a Felony and Being declared Bankrupt and Violation of paragraph (a) and /or (b) of sub-section 1 of section 13. Part IX Section 44 which prohibits the Central Bank of Liberia from engaging in trade or participating directly or indirectly in the ownership of any financial, Agriculture, Commercial, Industrial, or enterprises was also amended. The law has led to protest on Capitol Hill in favor of Dr. Jones with many of protestors describing the law as targeting Governor Jones.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

PAGE RONT

tate and defense lawyers in an on-going mercenary re- trial of 18 defendants have taken a week without selecting a single juror out of the nine jurors currently needed under the new juror law to hear and bring down a verdict at the end of the trial. A total of 15 jurors who assembled in the court last week when the case resumed were all disqualified by the two groups of lawyers mainly on pre-emptory ground (meaning not satisfy with the performance of the juror). The suspicion raised against the prospective jurors either by the prosecution and the defense stemmed from the confession a juror made when the case was first heard in the 2013 during the May Term of court that he was being approached by the prosecution to be bribed US$1, 500 each to render a guilty verdict against the 18 defendants who are dominantly Grand Gedeans. Juror Jeremy Dweh alias Jeremy Neufville who the prosecution had picked up for allegedly bearing two names, one Jeremy Dweh and another Jeremy Neufville told the court while under investigation by the court for tempering said that he was singled out among the 12 jurors at the time because he had refused to accept bribe from the prosecution. Juror Dweh told the court he had bear the two names during the time he was recruited as juror because one of the jurors in the same group with him bears similar name. However prosecution lawyer and also County Attorney Daku Mulbah told the court at the time of the investigation that juror Dwehs statement that the state plan to bribe him was false and that he was trying to escape prosecution because bearing two names as a juror was suspicious and criminal in nature. At the end of the courts investigation into the juror tempering case, the court ruled that it was not convinced from the evidence provided by juror Dweh that he was being tempered with. Juror Dweh was ordered jailed at the Monrovia Central Prison for one month and all allowances forfeited when the then presiding Judge Yussif Kaba found him guilty of lying indicating that the act exhibited by the juror which was proven not to be true was criminal in nature. As the suspicion against the current prospective jurors continues to mount in the much publicized trial the court under the gavel of Judge Emery Paye Monday issued a citation to the various municipalities around Monrovia to include, Gardnesville, Paynesville, New Kru Town among others to send in additional jurors to continue the process of juror selection on Wednesday (today). Commenting on the present stalemate in the juror selection process defense lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe told FrontPage Africa that the juror selection process is one of the crucial stage in the trial therefore one gets to be very careful or else the wrong person will be selected. How can you employ a cook that you may suspect of cooking you a poison when you know exactly what poison does? Cllr.

MERCENARY TRIAL GETS DIFFICULT STARTING - Suspicion Mounts Against Jurors

Kennedy L. Yangiankennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077295781

POLITICS

Frontpage

Page 13

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Gongloe wondered. Court records indicated that the 18 defendants on trial for mercenarism some were arrested in 2011 while others in 2012 for their involvement in the cross border attack between the border of Liberia with Ivory Coast in the South East that left seven peace keepers

S
Andrew Dean
The body of the former deputy managing director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Andrew Dean, who died on March 5 in Monrovia after a period of illness, will be removed from the Samuel A. Stryker funeral parlors on March 22 at 9:00AM. An evening of silent wake-keeping will take place at his SKD Boulevard Road residence on March 21. Funeral service will be held at the Mount Nebo Baptist Church on the Airfield on March 22 at 10:00AM. You can contact his wife Beatrice Dean on 0886554594 and brothers Amos Colnoe on 0777528359 and Hilary Justin Colnoe on 0886519520 for more information.

RIOTING MOTORCYCLISTS FORMALLY CHARGED Kennedy L. Yangiankennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077295781

The court record continued that because of the bike left being on the road and was obstructing the free flow of traffic so he decided to instruct two his body guards to remove the bike but why in the process a group of motorcyclists under the command of one Ranger came and resisted while the rest of the motorcyclists decided to throw stones that damaged his cars, According to the Deputy Police boss as the result of the throwing of the stones two of his body guards received bruises all over their bodies, The court record also quoting a witness identified to be the escaping motorcyclist who was identified as Thomas Blamah also stated that while on his normal routine in the 72nd Community when he saw the Deputy Police boss for fear of being arrested he decided to flee but his bike fell and he flee but his friends decided to come in to rescue his bike from being taken away. The court record furthered that the action of the motorcyclists was a violation of chapter 10 of the penal law of the country. The 23 motorcyclists will either filed a bond for their temporary release or failure will lead them to jail pending prosecution based on notice of assignment.

from Niger Killed, the claim they have all denied. At the time of their first trial in May of 2013 the case was adjourned just close to its logical conclusion due to juror tempering but later resumed in late December but cut off by the presiding Judge at the time YussifKaba over

security concern when the defendants staged a demonstration in the court room after they alleged that a lawmaker from Grand Gedeh (name not disclosed) had told them that they could be freed at time they re-appear on that date in court was not true.

everal motorcyclists who reportedly went on the rampage in Paynesville last Wednesday and allegedly damaged the vehicle of Deputy Police boss for Operation Abraham Kromah have been formally charged The 23 motorcyclists were charged with various crimes including criminal mischief, rioting and disorderly conduct when they appeared before the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice Tuesday. Last Wednesdays protest action by motorcyclists is the second for motorcyclists to go on the rampage. Late last year a group of motorcyclists went on the rampage in the Stephen Tolbert Estate along the Somalia Drive in Gardnesvile and burned a 4o seated bus after a motorcyclist trying to over-take the bus was hit and killed instantly by the bus driver Court record stated that on March 13, Wednesday while the Deputy Police boss had left the SKD Stadium from a function and while passing through the SKD Boulevard, a motorcyclist saw him and decided to escape but while in the process he felt and left his passenger screening in pain.

Page 14 | Frontpage

US SUSPENDS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH SYRIA

IN BRIEF

WASHINGTON (AP) senior State Department official says the Syrian government has been told it must immediately suspend its diplomatic and consular missions in the United States. The order Tuesday essentially shutters the Syrian embassy in Washington and its honorary consulates in Troy, Mich., and Houston, Texas, and forces all personnel who are not legal U.S. residents to leave the country. It comes three years since the start of the bloody civil war in Syria that has killed more than 140,000 people. U.S. special envoy to Syria Daniel Rubenstein said the order responds to a decision by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad to suspend its own consular services. However, Rubenstein said the U.S. wants to continue diplomatic relations with Syria and maintain a relationship if Assad steps down from power.

PISTORIUS TRIAL: PHOTOS SHOW EVIDENCE WAS MOVED

MOSCOW (AP) ith a sweep of his pen, President Vladimir Putin added Crimea to the map of Russia on Tuesday, describing the move as correcting past injustice and responding to what he called Western encroachment upon Russia's vital interests. In an emotional 40-minute speech televised live from the Kremlin, Putin said "in people's hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an integral part of Russia." He dismissed Western criticism of Sunday's Crimean referendum in which residents of the strategic Black Sea peninsula overwhelmingly backed breaking off from Ukraine and joining Russia as a manifestation of the West's double standards. But the Russian leader insisted his nation has no intention to invade other regions of Ukraine, saying "we don't want a division of Ukraine, we don't need that." Putin referred to Ukraine as a state born out of an illegal secession from the Soviet Union. He also argued that today's Ukraine includes "regions of Russia's historic south" and was created on a whim by the Bolsheviks. The statement sounded as a clear warning to both the new Ukrainian government in Kiev and to the West to respect Russia's interests. In response, Ukraine's new government called Putin a threat to the whole world and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden warned that the U.S. and Europe will impose further sanctions against Moscow. "The world has seen through Russia's actions and has rejected the flawed logic," Biden said, meeting Tuesday

PAGE RONT

WORLD NEWS

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

WE DON'T WANT A DIVISION OF UKRAINE

with anxious European leaders in Poland. "Today's statement by Putin showed in high relief what a real threat Russia is for the civilized world and international security," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Evhen Perebinis said on Twitter. "(The annexation) has nothing to do with law or with democracy or sensible thinking." Thousands of Russian troops have been massed along Ukraine's eastern border for the last few weeks Russia

Putin signs treaty, adds Crimea to map of Russia

says that was for military training while the U.S. and Europe view the troops as an intimidation tactic. Putin argued that the months of protests in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev which prompted President Viktor Yanukovych to flee to Russia had been instigated by the West in order to weaken Russia. He cast the new Ukrainian government as illegitimate, driven by radical "nationalists, neoNazis, Russophobes and antiSemites." With strong emotion, Putin accused the West of cheating Russia and ignoring its interests in the years that followed the 1991 Soviet collapse. "They have constantly tried to drive us into a corner for our independent stance, for defending it, for calling things their proper names and not being hypocritical," Putin said. "But there are limits. And in the case of Ukraine, our Western partners have crossed a line. They behaved rudely, irresponsibly and

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) outh African police photographs of the blood-spattered scene where Oscar Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend show that evidence was moved around in violation of procedure during the investigation of the killing, the athlete's chief defense lawyer said Tuesday. In later testimony, a police ballistics expert police described how he tried to reconstruct the angle of the gunfire, citing tests that suggest the bullets were fired about 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) from a toilet door in Pistorius' home. The bullets punctured the door, and three of them hit girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was in the toilet cubicle. Warrant officer Bennie van Staden, a police photographer, took hundreds of photos of the scene, including of blood stains, bullet casings, a gun and a cricket bat found inside Pistorius' bathroom in the hours after the double-amputee Olympic runner shot Steenkamp before dawn on Feb. 14 last year

KUALA (Reuters) -

PLANE SEARCH SPANS ASIA, BUT INVESTIGATION SHOWS LITTLE PROGRESS

LUMPUR have so far failed to find anyone with a known political or criminal motive to hijack or deliberately crash the plane, Western security sources and Chinese authorities said. Malaysian Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference the "unique, unprecedented" search covered a total area of 2.24 million nautical miles (7.68 million sq km), from central Asia to the southern Indian Ocean. Flight MH370 vanished from civilian air traffic control screens off Malaysia's east coast less than an hour after take-off early on March 8. Investigators piecing together patchy data from military radar and satellites believe that someone turned off the aircraft's identifying transponder and ACARS

unprofessionally." Following the speech before lawmakers and top officials, Putin and Crimean officials signed a treaty for the region to join Russia. The treaty will have to be endorsed by Russia's Constitutional Court and ratified by both houses of parliament, but Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of upper house of Russian parliament, said the procedure could be completed by the end of the week.

n international land and sea search for a missing Malaysian jetliner is covering an area the size of Australia, authorities said on Tuesday, but police and intelligence agencies have yet to establish a clear motive to explain its disappearance. Investigators are convinced that someone with deep knowledge of the Boeing 777-200ER and commercial navigation diverted Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, carrying 12 crew and 227 mainly Chinese passengers, perhaps thousands of miles off its scheduled course from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. But intensive background checks of everyone aboard

system, which transmits maintenance data, and turned west, re-crossing the Malay Peninsula and following a commercial aviation route towards India. Malaysian officials have backtracked on the exact sequence of events - they are now unsure whether the ACARS system was shut down before or after the last radio message was heard from the cockpit

- but said that did not make a material difference. "This does not change our belief, as stated, that up until the point at which it left military primary radar coverage, the aircraft's movements were consistent with deliberate action by someone on the plane," said Hishammuddin. "That remains the position of the investigating team."

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

ETO'S SPOILS DROGBA RETURN

Sports

Frontpage

Page 15

SPORT BRIEF
COMING HOME: PHIL JACKSON IS KNICKS' PRESIDENT

helsea became the first English side to reach the Champions League last eight after beating a limp Galatasaray. Having drawn 1-1 in the first leg, former Blues striker Didier Drogba could not inspire the Turkish team, who fell behind early on when Samuel Eto'o fired past Fernando Muslera. Gary Cahill made it 3-1 on aggregate when he thumped home after John Terry's header was saved. Galatasaray's night was summed up by Drogba's stoppage-time miss. After Arsenal and Manchester City were knocked out last week Chelsea won this game at a canter. And the result means that Galatasaray boss Roberto Mancini has yet to beat Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in six European attempts. NonUnlike the first leg, where the visitors recovered from a poor start in Istanbul, Galatasaray did not look like troubling the Premier League leaders, who responded well to Saturday's surprise defeat by Aston Villa. Mourinho, who is aiming to

win a third Champions League trophy with a different team, said in the build-up to the game that Drogba was still one of the world's best strikers. But there was to be no fairytale return to Stamford Bridge for the Ivorian striker. Eto'o, whose age was recently doubted by Mourinho, took centre stage. The Cameroon forward, three years younger than the 36-year-old Drogba, looked sharp from the start and he put Chelsea ahead after four minutes with his 30th Champions League goal when he latched on to Oscar's diagonal pass to beat Uruguayan international Muslera. Chelsea, who remain on course to win their third consecutive European trophy, showed far more impetus in the first half with Frank Lampard and Willian wasting good chances after excellent build-up play from Eden

Hazard and Oscar. Felipe Melo's tame shot was Galatasaray's only real effort towards Petr Cech's goal. Drogba's free-kick ended up in the top tier of the Chelsea stand and they did not muster a shot on target all game. Added to their lifelessness in attack the visitors showed little desire to mark Terry at set-pieces and after the Chelsea captain volleyed over from a free-kick, he was free to head goalwards from a corner, with Cahill smashing home the rebound from close range. Prior to this encounter, Galatasaray had failed to beat English opposition in eight attempts and once they had gone two goals behind they rarely looked like changing the game's course. With Hazard again the creative force, Oscar, Willian and Lampard all had chances to extend

the lead after the break. Hazard also drew a late save from Muslera, who is likely to face England in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup. But despite Mancini's best attempts to give his team a boost with three secondhalf substitutions, they could not make an impression and Chelsea set themselves up perfectly for Saturday's game against Arsenal with a comfortable victory. Madrid 3, Schalke 1(9-2 aggregate) Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid reached the Champions League last eight with a 9-2 aggregate win over German side Schalke. The forward opened the scoring in the 21st minute when he converted Gareth Bale's square ball from close range. Schalke levelled when Tim Hoogland's low shot took a big deflection to beat keeper Iker Casillas. Ronaldo scored his 41st this season with a low shot before Alvaro Morata tapped in the Spanish club's third. In the build-up to Tuesday's game, Schalke manager Jens Keller admitted the tie was over after his side's 6-1 capitulation at home two weeks ago.

WORLD CUP 2022 BID INVESTIGATION REVEALS FORMER FIFA VICE PRESIDENT WAS PAID MILLIONS BY QATARI COMPANY

NEW YORK (AP) -hil Jackson has returned to the New York Knicks as their team president. The Knicks announced Jackson's hiring Tuesday at a news conference in the lobby of Madison Square Garden, where a giant sign reading ''Welcome Home Phil'' was overhead and shirts with the No. 18 Jackson wore as a player lined the racks in the merchandise store. Jackson signed a five-year contract that reportedly will pay him at least $12 million annually and said he will spend significant time in New York. ''This is the best place to play basketball,'' Jackson said. Jackson was a member of the Knicks' championshipwinning teams in 1970 and 1973, but they haven't won a title since. Jackson went on to become the league's most successful coach, winning 11 championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls. This will be his first time as an executive and the Knicks say he will be in charge of all basketball decisions. Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan said he ''willingly and gratefully'' is stepping back to give Jackson the power to make the changes the franchise needs.

n investigation conducted by the Telegraph has revealed payments of nearly $2 million from Qatari ex-Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed bin Hammam to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner and his sons shortly after Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup. Warner appears to have been personally paid $1.2 million (720,000) from a company controlled by a former Qatari football official shortly after the decision to award the country the tournament. Payments totalling almost $750,000 were made to Mr Warners sons, documents show. A further $400,000 was paid to one of his employees. It is understood that the FBI is now investigating Trinidad-based Mr Warner and his alleged links to the Qatari bid, and that the former Fifa officials eldest son, who lives in Miami, has been helping the inquiry as a co-operating witness. Warner resigned from his posts within FIFA in 2011 after both he and Bin Hammam, who was an opposition candidate to Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency, were suspended over allegations that they conspired to bribe Caribbean football officials to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA election. Bin Hammam was given a lifetime ban that was later annulled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
VOL 8 NO.554

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014

Sports

PRICE L$40

CANCER EATS UP BABY EYE .. MOTHER CRIES FOR ASSISTANCE L

Monrovia ittle Gabriel Flomo, a resident of Waka Town, Grand Bassa County appears to be dying slowly as his right eye is being destroyed by eye cancer, according to his mother. Hawah Flomo, mother of little Gabriel says, doctors have told her that they are unable to treat the eye cancer gradually eating up the eye of her only son. Doctors at several hospitals including Dusa , John . F. Kennedy, Tappita have all given up on my child, I am totally confused and worried now, Hawah says . The young mother says the eye cancer started few years back when her child began to complain about his eye and later some fluid was seen pouring down the eye. This thing was there when it was coming over the eye; time came it was red thats how it was coming out, coming out Hawah laments.

FrontPage

Spot News

The mother says her son started experiencing the eye cancer a year back when he was learning how to walk, something that is having negative effect on the growth of her child. The mother says she is confused and dont know how her child will recover as she has given up hope on the health sector in the country. The mother also narrates that she is unable to take her child for treatment abroad as she is not financially-empowered and is only depending on farming to survive. Hawah says the father of the child is in Guinea and she is only receiving help from family members including her boyfriend parents. I want help, I came to the government to help us. If they able to do anything , thats why I am here for

WANT TO HELP?

To assist Hawa and her child please call #231-880220792.