The “stakeholders” include the Government of Liberia, Liberia Labour Congress, Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs), the media, and civil society organizations, said Mrs. Ricardia Dennis, Executive Director of the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD), the Liberian Government’s arm on disabled people’s issues. “Currently I run the biggest computer training institute for visually impaired persons in Liberia,” Mr. Gewon, using Braille, blind people’s note book, during presentation, bragged. “The Civil Society Platform is pushing the general disabled people’s issues on qualification or competence of PWDs for work or advanced education, like in the case of Mr. Baryo,” Mr. Dempster said. Mr. Benjamin Nathan, Sr. and Mr. Matthew T. Bobowhe, served as Sign Language Interpreters of the Workshop for hearing-impaired participants. Mr. Nathan, Sr. is of the Liberia Sign Language Training Program; Mr. Bobowhe is of the National Commission on Disabilities.

The MPC noted favorable developments in the prices of palm oil, cocoa bean, rubber, and rice, as well as those of iron ore, crude oil, and precious minerals (excluding gold). The Liberian dollar, on the hand, appreciated to LD171.53/USD1.00 relative to LD 172.52/USD1.00 in quarter 4 of 2020. The banking sector, the MPC noted, remained compliant with the capital adequacy (CAR) and liquidity ratios (LR), at 29.3% and 47.6, respectively, well above their respective thresholds. Non-performing loans, however, remained above the regulatory tolerable level, worsening by a further 5.7 percentage points to reach 26.9% of total loans. Overall, the foregoing economic developments prompted the MPC to maintain the current Monetary Policy Rate at 25% and reserve requirements.

Let us unite to eliminate violence against women and girls in LiberiaThe 25th of every month has been proclaimed by the United Nations Secretary General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign as ‘Orange Day.’ This is a day set aside to raise awareness and to take action to end violence against women and girls across the world. The theme for this month’s ‘Orange Day’ campaign is ‘prevent.’ Advocacy efforts will therefore, focus on strategies to prevent violence against women and girls. Take a moment further to think about how we can prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls in Liberia. Let us intensify our efforts to end violence and enhance our commitment as governments, civil society, community members and individuals. “We encourage everyone to join us to share the information so that we unite to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in Liberia,” says Marie Goreth Nizigama, UN Women Liberia Country Representative.

Suicide is committed every day here in Liberia and elsewhere in the world. What I am focusing on today is the suicide danger in Liberia due to the lack of knowledge about the dangerous situations of sanitation, public health pandemic and medication. From motorbikes to kehkehs to taxis to buses, the mask wearing and social distancing protocols are violated as the order of the day. Then a Street Seller, without mask, told me that corona was not in Liberia and that was why he was not wearing a mask. Some persons, some governments and some international organizations have begun praising Liberia because they say that corona is going down in Liberia.

Impunity for individuals, who committed human rights abuses, including atrocities, during the Liberian civil wars that ended in 2003, remained a serious problem, although the government cooperated with war crimes investigations in third countries. Yet as soon as he returned home to an inquisitive press, he denied he ever said he sought the assistance of establishing a war crimes court. So, we must demand that the War and Economic Crimes Court be established just as the Special Court for Sierra Leone by the International Community and in accordance with international law. Without justice and accountability Liberia will never reconcile as a nation until those who committed atrocities and economic crimes during the civil wars past and present are held to account. Liberians are now demanding justice and accountability and now is the time to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court.

“The Marches are organized by the NUCFDC in collaboration with the 23 CFDC across Liberia”, NUCFDC National Facilitator Andrew Zelemen has said. The nationwide protest started in Zozor, Lofa County, and will be extended to three additional counties including Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh and Maryland. “We anticipate a peaceful nationwide protest for the Government of Liberia to see reasons to pay communities and counties share of land rental fees and ensure that the companies pay the arrears they owed communities”, Zelemen emphasized. In November 2020, the communities reiterated calls for their just benefits at the National Forest Forum held in the commercial City of Ganta, Nimba County. Although key forest stakeholders attended the Forum, it appears nothing tangible has happened, prompting communities through the NUCFDC to launch the long awaited nationwide protest it promised in 2019 and 2020.

Monrovia – The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kenya is proposing that the two countries revisit the draft agreement to establish the Kenya-Liberia joint commission for cooperation (JCC) which was initiated by the two sides during the previous administration. Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, SG, EGH indicated that over the years, Liberia and Kenya have managed to foster enduring linkages at various levels, adding Kenya highly values her relations with the Republic of Liberia. The Kenyan Foreign Minister’s statement was contained in his congratulatory message to his Liberian counterpart, H. E. Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah on his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia. Ambassador Omamo reminded his Liberian counterpart that the draft agreement to establish the Kenya-Liberia joint commission for cooperation (JCC) initiated by the two countries was never concluded during the previous regime. The Kenyan Foreign Minister then wished for His Excellency Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah, every successful endeavor and good health as he performs his role and responsibilities as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

Senator Zargo: “Liberty party has betrayed me. What guarantee I had that I would have won this election or Senator Karnga and Dillon would have voted me? “As an institution highly acclaimed for adherence to the rule of law, Liberty Party wishes to distance itself from Senator Zargo’s action against the consensus of the CPP Legislative Caucus. She said, the chairman of Liberty Party is targeting the party’s former chairman because of his support for Unity Party standard bearer Joseph Boakai. “I read the Liberty Party statement signed by Musa Bility against Senator Zargo and I must say that I am very disappointed by the level of deception by Bility and LP”.

Paynesville – Five robbers were early Thursday morning gunned down by officers of the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Liberia National Police while in an arm robbery attempt at the Fresh Frozen Food Liberia cold storage in the Redlight Market. Police Inspector General Col. Patrick Sudue said a huge sum of money was discovered in a rice bag at the scene. Two of the robbers who earlier opened fire escaped when police arrived at the scene along with a vehicle that parked there, Police Inspector General told reporters Thursday. Inspector Sudue, however, confirmed the two single barrels and a bag filled with Liberian Dollars, but did not mention seeing an AK47. Meanwhile, Inspector Sudue is calling for more support to enable the police effectively carryout it’s operations in combating crimes across the country.

Monrovia – Mr. David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group says the bank is heavily supportive of private sector development in Liberia. Said Malpass: “We’re strongly supporting the details of private sector development. In that spirit, the World Bank this week launched a comprehensive online portal that provides easy access to information about our projects, including individual country-financing operations. Mr. Malpass said debt sustainability and transparency will also be vital in attracting new financing and investment. This new World Bank financing, Malpass said, would build on an already strong country program.

Prince Johnson’s MDR Says The Embassy’s Statement on its Political Leader is Travesty of JusticeMONROVIA – Senator Prince Johnson’s Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) has termed the United States Embassy press statement Wednesday as a travesty of justice and accused the embassy of being a hypocrite. “The U.S. government is proud of our longstanding partnership with the Ministry of National Defense and Armed Forces of Liberia which will continue — but we can have no relationship with Senator Johnson,” the Embassy said. “This is not the first time Senator Johnson has chaired this committee. Hiding under support for War Crimes Court to fight Zargo is such a shame and must be condemned”. “I read the Liberty Party statement signed by Musa Bility against Senator Zargo and I must say that I am very disappointed by the level of deception by Bility and LP”.

Liberia: TipMe, My Watchman Sign Agreement for Customers to Pay for their Emergency Response Service Using E-money SystemMonrovia – TipMe, an electronic payment service provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with My Watchman, a new mobile app with 24 hours secured monitoring and emergency dispatch command center. The My Watchman app is a registered trademark of Advanced Converged Technologies LLC (ACT), a technology company with regional offices in Liberia. The partnership will allow individuals who have downloaded the My Watchman app, pay for the emergency services using TipMe electronic platform. Instead of you driving all the way to the My Watchman Office, you have an opportunity to pay for the service using TipMe. He is optimistic that the partnership will reduce crimes and help with other emergency services in a more convenient way.

According to the Ministry, during the height of the outbreak, the leadership of that country offered to share with Liberia, with no cost some quantities of the Madagascar herbs. Other countries had already placed in huge orders for the herbs from Madagascar. The offer by Madagascar did not include the shipment or transportation of the herb, rather it became the responsibility of Liberia to facilitate the movement of the herbal tea from Madagascar to Liberia. Considering the emergency nature, copied with the responsibility of the Minister of Health to save lives, a charter flight was arranged from Guinea Bissau to bring the herbs from Madagascar to Liberia. The ministry’s statement signed by its Communication Consultant, Sorbor George clarified that there was no irregularity neither was there any financial wrongdoings in the Madagascar herbs arrangement as being construed in some quarters.

BARCLAYVILLE, Grand Kru County – The Grand Kru County branch of Temple of Justice is in a jostle for an ‘unrestricted use’ of the County’s Administrative Building currently under the power of the County’s Authority headed by the Superintendent. The County’s Magistrate operates from the Administrative Building, based in the County’s capital, Barclayville, where it occupies two spaces (rooms)But there is a problem of unhindered use of the Administrative Building by the Magisterial Court. Mr. Sika repeated the same complaint to this writer during a telephone conversation on May 19, for clarification of his assertion in Grand Kru County. The Barclayville City Court has been in the County’s Administrative Building over ten years, Associate Magistrate disclosed during the telephone interview. “The boundary-land dispute between Maryland County and Grand creates a greater threat to the lives of Grand Kru’s criminals in Maryland”The place in contention is between a Town named Behwen (of Grand Kru County) and another named Wlowien (of Maryland County)The issue of lack of Prison Center in Grand Kru County was highlighted by the Commander of the County’s only Police Station during interview by a reporting team of Press Union of Liberia’s members on a Field Trip in Grand Grand Kru County as part of 2018’s World Press Freedom Day celebration in Maryland County—Grand Kru County’s closet sister southeastern region.

With that in mind, Senator Zargo has revealed that there are hidden hands trying to ensure that former Vice President Joseph Boakai, who many see as the potential candidate to head the ticket of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), does not get this privilege from the CPP. “There are hidden hands in this country that are trying to ensure that JNB (Joseph N Boakai) does not show up on the ticket of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP); so now trying to demonize me in a way and manner so that I become irrelevant,” Senator Zargo told Legislative reporters at his Capitol Building offices yesterday. However, Senator Zargo asserted that Lofa County politics is dynamic, cultured, traditional, and nurtured, and has its fabric in its DNA. “They have even removed my name from the official chat room of the Liberty Party which I created. Didn’t we see nine votes with Senator Wesseh, and ten with Senator Naatehn; what made you think that I would have gotten nineteen, and when there were already prior discussions?” Senator Zargo intimated.