MONROVIA – The National Commission Elections on Thursday announced that none of the eight propositions of the December 8, 2020 Referendum met the constitutional two-thirds requirement. Of this sum, you have to ascertain whether the yes votes on each proposition reach the two-thirds requirement for approval. “Because the referendum is a national election — the “Yes and No votes from the 15 Counties (on each proposition) must be added together to determine whether the yes votes reach the two-thirds requirement for approval. However, the referendum result from Gbarpolu County could not be announced because the voting in Nomodatouno was disrupted. Consequently, the NEC conducted the Special Senatorial Elections, SSE, and referendum elections in Nomodatouno on January 7, 2021.

Let it be known that printing additional bank notes is not the solution to Liberia financial and economic woes. The Liberian currency is only legal tender in Liberia and no where else on the planet. This is no secret that about ninety percent of the printed new currency sits with kleptomaniac government officials and their foreign business friends/partners in warehouses and homes in Liberia. Between eighty to ninety percent of the citizenry and residents living in Liberia are cash strapped. Let me end with this caveat, that powerful men and women have paraded Monrovia and Liberia in the past and are nowhere to be found today.

On the judiciary, the report states: “The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but judges and magistrates were subject to influence and engaged in corruption. “The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but judges and magistrates were subject to influence and engaged in corruption. 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse. Sherman’s acts of bribery demonstrate a larger pattern of behavior to exercise influence over the Liberian judiciary and the Ministry of Justice. Sherman and the judges alluded therein, but also on the Liberian Judiciary as an institution responsible for the fair and impartial hearing and disposition of cases.

Liberia: ANC Alexander Cummings Promises to Raise the National Budget to US$1bn If Given the ChanceMONROVIA — The Political Leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings, has vowed to help ensure the improvement of Liberia’s Fiscal National Budget from a little over US$500 million to at least US$1billion when given the opportunity to serve at the level of the Liberian presidency. The ANC is one of the political parties that make up the Collaborating Political Parties. Other political parties that form part of the CPP include: All Liberian Party (ALP), Liberty Party (LP) and the former ruling Unity Party. Ghana is about five times about our population and I believed that their national budget is around eight or 10 billion. He added that mixed choices from national leaders on addressing national issues have negatively affected the nation and its people“There are several reasons for where we are as a nation and people.

THE CRUX OF THE JUSTICE dilemma in Liberia, according to the report stems from the fact that the judiciary branch of government remains grossly inept and compromised. “The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but judges and magistrates were subject to influence and engaged in corruption. “The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but judges and magistrates were subject to influence and engaged in corruption. IRONICALLY, IN SPITE of all the red flags, all the signs and writing on the wall, those lingering problems persists. If that system is flawed, it leaves an entire nation vulnerable to the frailties and trappings of life.

On Thursday, March 25, Rep. Boley, while speaking on the floor, was confronted by Rep. Sebo, who became emotional and pointing at Rep. Boley, repeatedly said: “This man killed my family members. “This blatant lie and reckless allegation by Rep. Sebo was amplified by FrontPage Africa news organization. I have been a victim of similar lies and those culpable of these criminal acts, including Rep. Dixon Sebo, are walking around lies,” he debunked. “I am stating categorically that Rep. Dixon Sebo is a pathological liar… There is not an iota of truth to this accusation by Rep. Sebo. The TRC report you are quoting all around here is an absolute rubbish… I regret nothing during the civil war.

Kollie also hopes to create a collaborative partnership with Bong County citizens, stakeholders, Bong County affiliated organizations, and community partners to address the needs in our community. Kollie stated that BCTC needs help from Bong County citizens to make the college a success story. Kollie said he hopes that the BCTC leadership can be opened for a more transparent partnership with citizens and UBCAA. Is that the right investment in education, Kollie rhetorically asked? Kollie said we can work to create partnership in making Bong County one of the breadbaskets of the Country again.

Washington – The US State Department’s annual Human Rights Report for 2020 has highlighted significant issues of arbitrary killings, detention and major lapses within the judiciary branch of government. In the report released this week, the report cites arbitrary killings by police; cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by police; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions. According to the report, there were occasional reports that government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. “The child died on April 20, reportedly as a result of an injury he sustained after six LNP officers allegedly kicked over a pot of hot water that fell on him. The union’s National Media Council, launched in 2017 to address court cases against the media, continued to mediate cases during the year.

Similarly, policy dialogue were held in each county with county-level stakeholders and women rights organizations under the theme ‘Promoting Women Centered Land Governance in Rural Communities’. During the panel discussions the obligations and roles of County authorities and local structures in securing women land rights were emphasized. As the laws concerning these issues were made much clearer during the discussion, traditional authority vowed to always protect women rights. The legal awareness activities were facilitated by female lawyers from the JSGB and Associates law firm in collaboration with the County Attorneys of Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties. This was made possible through funding by the Government Bank for Development-KFW in Grand Gedeh County and Medicor Foundation in Sinoe County.

MONROVIA — The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the European Union Delegation in Liberia will host a two-day policy dialogue aimed at reviewing the portfolio on the European Union (EU) initiatives in Liberia from March 31 to April 1, 2021. The EU portfolio review aims to create a policy dialogue, that is part of efforts to improve aid transparency and effectiveness through government decision making. It will review the portfolio of the European Union funded projects by identifying challenges, lessons learnt, and make recommendations for improvement in the implementation of EU funded projects in the future. The dialogue is intended for stakeholders, partners and the Government of Liberia to agree on the right balance between the implementation of short and long-term services. Conversations during the dialogue are expected to focus on efficient and necessary interventions through remedial actions.

According to the US Embassy in Monrovia, congressman Chris Smith does not speak for the Biden Administration. Dr. Abdoulaye Dukule, [email protected], Contributing WriterWhat all this means, given the dependency that characterizes US-Liberia relationships, President Weah must take these words seriously. Congressman Chris Smith may have helped President Weah by warning him now and sounding the alarm. Rather than belittling the warning, President Weah handlers should take a step back and recalibrate. If President Weah and his team cannot prove Congressman Smith wrong, the nation should brace itself for another storm.

The Editor,Liberia’s Central Bank Governor J. AloysiusTarlue did more talking than his guests. People don’t trust the banking system in Liberia to put their money in the banks. Did Mr. Tarlue address that issue or does he simply think the Americans have forgotten or forgiven Liberia for such an international diplomatic crime? Mr. Tarlue failed to request for American banking experts to work in the Central Bank to teach the Central Bank of Liberia how to run a Central Bank and what it takes/requires to print new money. You would also think Mr. Tarlue would ask for American help to move away from two currencies to a single currency, be it to the Liberian or US dollar only for our country.

Jonathan T. Massaquoi, [email protected]On August 18, 2003, the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed, in Accra, Ghana which formally ended the civil war. Yet, the Government of Liberia has not fully implemented the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Agreement to date, including the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal. Except for Charles Ghankay Taylor, the principal actors who financed and directed the Liberian Civil War have not been called to account for their actions. A mechanism under the TRC as clearly laid out in HR 1055 appears to be the only International Partnership that will bring closure to the Liberian civil war for the Liberian people. Justice must come to Liberia with the Extraordinary Criminal Tribunal to deal with the issue of impunity and nothing less.

Eugene L Fahngon at the National Forum on Safety of journalists in Liberia. March 31, 2021Monrovia — The Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) on Wednesday, March 31, 2020, held a National Conference on the Safety of Liberia in Journalists. By Wremongar Blojay Joe, IIHeld in the Liberia YMCA conference hall, the forum also saw the adoption of a communique to guarantee the protection of journalists and media workers in the country. Deputy Information Minister Eugene Fahngon committed the Weah administration’s support for the establishment of a working group for the development of an action plan for the safety of journalists in Liberia. The Spokesman of the Liberia National Police- Moses Carter used the forum to caution journalists to be careful, seek the truth and verify the information before publication.

MONROVIA, Liberia – A former government soldier told the Finnish war crimes trial of Gibril Massaquoi, the former Revolutionary United Front commander, harrowing stories Wednesday of Massaquoi massacring women and children in Lofa County and roasting them. “Gibril Massaquoi killed women and children and opened up the bodies and roasted them just like roasted meat,” said the soldier codenamed “Soldier 1” by the court to conceal his identity. He said Massaquoi killed soldiers and civilians in the store in Waterside. “When I went to collect Bulldog’s body, I saw Massaquoi executing some soldiers and civilians,” he said. He said after his assignment was changed and he went back to Lofa, he never saw Massaquoi again.