…Minister Karnwea Warns ‘Economic Vampires’
Internal Affairs Minister Harrison Karnwea has sworn to fight corruption at the internal Affairs Minister. Mr. Karnwea promised when he took over the Ministry Wednesday that no economic vampire or corrupt official or person will be allowed an inch to siphon money or funnel into their personal accounts and uses any money intended for an item or project intended to meaningfully impact the lives of our people.
County Development Funds, Mr. Karnwea said, must and needs to be used for their intended purposes. “Anyone who touches any money or any thing not intended for you but for projects will be touched remorselessly by our leadership,” he warned.
“ To the staffers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs beginning with deputies to janitors or least persons in this ministry, let us inform you that true to our confirmation statement, under our leadership as Minister of Internal affairs of the Republic of Liberia, who need more from us,” Minister Karnwea warned.
Mr. Karnwea indicated that to show a sign of his seriousness to tackle the problem of corruption of corruption at the Ministry, “I have recommended to the president the immediate suspension without pay the Assistant Development Superintendent for River Gee County in person of Mr. Alexander Yeaher and have asked Mr. Yeaher to cooperate with and turn himself over to the County Attorney of Margibi County to answer to allegation levied against him by the Margibi County Administration’.
The Internal Affairs Minister further stated that doing so would ensure that the suspended Development Superintendent exonerate from the allegations levied against him by the County Administration of Montserrado County concerning a project in New Kru Town.
Stating that his leadership will reinforce vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure that monies spent commensurate with work done, he added that to this “… we will beef up and strengthen effective monitoring and evaluation machinery of the Ministry in order to achieve much in this limited time.”
He also warned against laziness and sluggishness on the job. “Let me also say quite clearly that lazy people who think that they will come to work and sleep on job instead of working will not be my friends and they need to rethink and readjust now and not later. Let me also say that those who will be given instructions and will not ensure that those instructions are executed should also rethink seriously,” the Superintendent added.
Superintendent Karnwea then thanked the Deputy Minister for Planning and Research of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mr. Peter Kamei, who he said has steered the ship of this Ministry during difficult period when Maryland and Lofa were in turmoil. We will work with you and all stakeholders to ensure that these matters are peacefully resolved.
Earlier, he started his expose’ by acknowledging that purpose of the gathering, which was to commemorate the official turning over of the mantle of authority to him to preside over the administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“We would love to use this opportunity to call on our partners who have been quite helpful in these challenging times to please redouble their efforts, put their assistance gear to an overdrive and ensure that those much needed assistances are made available and importantly aligned properly with our PRS deliverables,” he said saying he knows partners have been quite helpful and we believe that they are even prepared now to be even more helpful than ever before.
The turning over ceremony was graced by local chiefs, elders, zoes, traditional leaders among others, as the atmosphere was characterized by sounds of drums and traditional folksongs that filled the air the open of the vicinity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Amidst the pomp and pageantry, the Senate Committee Chairman on Internal affairs, Nimba County Senator Adolphus Dolo implored the newly inducted Minister of Internal to take advantage of his experience as former Superintendent of Nimba County to unite the people of Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties.
“If you are successful at reconciling the people of Nimba and Gedeh, your ministerial administration at the Internal Affairs would be most definitely successful in reconciling the people of the entire country,” Senator Dolo zealously exclaimed. The Nimba County Senator then challenge the Minister of Internal Affairs to raise high the cultural heritage and tradition of Liberians, which he added was gradually sinking to nothingness.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional governors of Liberia, the Dei Governor who chairs the Traditional Governor’s Association of Liberia decried the government’s down playing of traditional governors when it comes to decision making on internal affairs.
Dei Governor Blama Gaye said the Ellen Sirleaf Government was neglecting traditional governors while at the same time prioritizing the council of traditional chiefs and elders headed by Chief Zanzan Kawah, assuring the Minister of Internal Affairs that they were willing to work with the newly inducted Internal Affairs Administration of Minister Karnwea to bring to the country people the government so as to ensure that the ordinary traditional and country benefit from the government the necessary incentives befitting their welfare.
The traditional governors further assure the cooperation of governors and their people to help forge the development agenda of the government.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Allegation Against Morlu Not GAC
…Information Ministry Says of Yeaher’s Claims, Chides GAC Director
By Bill K. Jarkloh/+231-6-468-244
Bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
www.theperiscope.com (panwhanpen2.blogspot.com)
Information Minister Sieh
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism says the sexual harassment allegation raised by Ruth Yeaher against Mr. John Morlu is a person to person thing and not a matter involving the General Auditing Commission (GAC). As such, the Ministry says it is in the position to defend neither Auditor General John Morlu nor Mrs. Yeaher who is also from the GAC.
Before the Information Minister’s position Thursday, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) in a press conference Wednesday stressed that the President has to convince the entire GAC while it planted a woman to accuse the Auditor General, all because the Auditor General reported her husband to the very President, noting that it is unacceptable to knowingly appoint and induct into office a person who has stolen Government funds.
The Director of Press and Publicity, Ernest Maximore, further disclosed that the Government has left the substantive issues of accountability and transparency as captured by more than thirty audit reports produced and has resorted to attacking the GAC and the Auditor General. See below full text of the edited press release from GAC.
“We know the Minister of Finance and the Executive Mansion have led the attack on the Auditor General and the GAC, all intended to undermine the HIPC audits and 30 other audits GAC has conducted and released to the Liberian people.” Mr. Maximore indicated, saying the GAC has drawn a battle line between it and the Auditor General on the one hand, and the Executive Mansion and audit indictees on the other.
The Ministry of Information’s press release of yesterday describing as inflammatory the Auditor General’s comments that Finance Ministry cannot account for US$51m and if international auditing firms proves the GAC wrong in audits conducted under the same conditions, he would resign, Maximore accentuated, is evidently, Government mouthpiece has begun defender of the Executive Mansion and auditees against an Independent Commission of the State, describing it as a sad commentary in this country.
According to the GAC’s spokesman, “It is now evident that it was not just the Ruths and the Ngafuans bashing the GAC, the struggle is now manifesting itself in an organized Government war to damage another Government official and Government institution. Why would the Ministry of Information speak against another Government agency?”
He said but AG Morlu and GAC say no more. This issue has come to an end. Auditor General believes in the Colin Powell Doctrine: Go to war with overwhelming force and have an Exit Strategy. Minister Ngafuan and Executive Mansion has started a fight and condemned AG Morlu and GAC audit reports. Minister Ngafuan said GAC is scandalizing where there are no scandals.
Maximore added that there is no need to be superfluous on these cowardly verbal attacks; and since there will be time for questions and answers, let me say that AG Morlu and the GAC have endured too many aggressions in the last 3 years from people and groups who are clearly allergic to transparency and accountability, indicating further that for each time there is an audit, Government officials take the airways of radio stations and center-spreads of newspaper to attack the Auditor General, calling him “incompetent”, “rebel”, “witch hunting”, “unprofessional”, amongst other invectives.
Allegations personal
Addressing its regular press briefing at the Ministry of Information’s conference room, however, Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Jerolinmek Piah responded to the statement by the GAC spokesman. Mr. Piah, indicating the Ministry’s attention is drawn to what he referred to as reckless accusation of the Executive Mansion, said, “The claim was not against the Government of Liberia neither were they against the GAC; but they were against an individual.”
He reasoned that for a director of the GAC to accused the Executive Mansion is a total disrespect to constituted authorities, because the Executive Mansion is a symbol of authority, and by that the accusation by the GAC director is a direct accusation of the President of the Republic of Liberia.
Piah instead said it was the responsibility of the GAC to apply its internal mechanisms of probe to address the allegation by Ruth Yeaher against Auditor General Morlu in an attempt to establish the real truth or falsehood in Ms. Yeaher’s allegations against Auditor General, since both Yeaher and Morlu are all personnel or officials of the GAC.
Mr. Piah also suggested court option as another avenue for settlement if internal regulations would not be working to address the Yeaher-Morlu frail, saying that that it was unbecoming of a GAC director to link the symbol of authority, the Executive Mansion to the allegations by Ruth Yeaher against AG Morlu.
On other matters, Deputy Minister Piah accused those he referred to as “a number of failed officials” who he said are bent on misinforming the Liberian people regarding development projects on going in the country. The Public Affairs Deputy Minister recalled that these failed officials have always said the projects underway in the country are World Bank projects.
To the contrary, Piah said there is no such think like World Bank project in the country, saying that all projects are the Republic of Liberia projects undertaken by the Government of Liberia. According to him, some of these projects were being funded from taxpayers’ money while others were being funded through the assistance of the international community.
No World Bank project
Commenting on international assistance to the country through which projects were being funded, Mr. Piah explained that following ascendency of Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the height of State administration, a donor conference was convened in Berlin, Germany aimed at sourcing funding for the reconstruction of the country.
According to the government senior public affairs official, donor countries, friendly nations and organizations made pledges based on the benchmarks that the World Bank be the custodian of the funds, which the Liberian Government agreed to in line with its transparency policy.
“These pledges were made good and the monies are now reserved for Liberia; it is Liberia which can identify projects on which the money should be used.” Drawing a hypothetic scenario, Piah asked rhetorically: Assuming that a church is undertaking a project and rally people who made pledges and cash donations, will the money be for those who made the pledges and donation of the Church?”
He then noted that this is the situation obtaining and Liberia is the proud owner of the funds of which the World Bank is a custodian.
When the NEW VISION quizzed the deputy minister on how much was the total of the pledges, how much was being expended, on what sorts of projects and how much was the balance at the World Bank, Mr. Piah said how much was the funds does not matter for now, what matters is the project(s) undertaken. He however said the Ministry would give a breakdown later, after consultation with the appropriate government functionaries, adding “As we speak now, there is a situation of cash inflow and out flow in the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Funds at the World Bank, at the appropriate time statistical details would be advanced”.
Where do we take the money from?
The issue of corruption was also addressed at the briefings. Piah said corruption was not pervasive in government as it is been projected, alluding to the US$900 million domestic debts inherited by the government which are now reduced to half a million, the massive reconstruction projects including the construction and rehabilitation of clinics and hospitals, schools, road networks around the country , the electrification projects of governments amongst other.
“We inherited such a huge domestic debts of US$900 million and we reduced the debts so low to US$0.5 million; we met the budget of US$80 million with low salary structures, salaries are increase, these projects are ongoing some from taxpayers money and yet we successfully pay domestic debts. If this administration was pervasively corrupt, were we would be taking the money from? So no, corruption is not pervasive,” Piah responded to a question.
He continued that these failed officials raising corruption allegations were in power, electricity was good for chickens in Careysburg while the people were sitting in utter darkness. Today, the children are sitting under street lights and those who can afford are connecting their houses,” he rated the Ellen Sirleaf administration higher above past regime.
Earlier, he disclosed that Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh has departed Liberia for China to chair a 32-member Steering Committee of Expo 2010 of which Liberia is co-chairman, saying that Deputy Minister of Information for Administration, Mr. Norris Tweh will head Government’s information machinery until the arrival of Minister Sieh.
By Bill K. Jarkloh/+231-6-468-244
Bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
www.theperiscope.com (panwhanpen2.blogspot.com)
Information Minister Sieh
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism says the sexual harassment allegation raised by Ruth Yeaher against Mr. John Morlu is a person to person thing and not a matter involving the General Auditing Commission (GAC). As such, the Ministry says it is in the position to defend neither Auditor General John Morlu nor Mrs. Yeaher who is also from the GAC.
Before the Information Minister’s position Thursday, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) in a press conference Wednesday stressed that the President has to convince the entire GAC while it planted a woman to accuse the Auditor General, all because the Auditor General reported her husband to the very President, noting that it is unacceptable to knowingly appoint and induct into office a person who has stolen Government funds.
The Director of Press and Publicity, Ernest Maximore, further disclosed that the Government has left the substantive issues of accountability and transparency as captured by more than thirty audit reports produced and has resorted to attacking the GAC and the Auditor General. See below full text of the edited press release from GAC.
“We know the Minister of Finance and the Executive Mansion have led the attack on the Auditor General and the GAC, all intended to undermine the HIPC audits and 30 other audits GAC has conducted and released to the Liberian people.” Mr. Maximore indicated, saying the GAC has drawn a battle line between it and the Auditor General on the one hand, and the Executive Mansion and audit indictees on the other.
The Ministry of Information’s press release of yesterday describing as inflammatory the Auditor General’s comments that Finance Ministry cannot account for US$51m and if international auditing firms proves the GAC wrong in audits conducted under the same conditions, he would resign, Maximore accentuated, is evidently, Government mouthpiece has begun defender of the Executive Mansion and auditees against an Independent Commission of the State, describing it as a sad commentary in this country.
According to the GAC’s spokesman, “It is now evident that it was not just the Ruths and the Ngafuans bashing the GAC, the struggle is now manifesting itself in an organized Government war to damage another Government official and Government institution. Why would the Ministry of Information speak against another Government agency?”
He said but AG Morlu and GAC say no more. This issue has come to an end. Auditor General believes in the Colin Powell Doctrine: Go to war with overwhelming force and have an Exit Strategy. Minister Ngafuan and Executive Mansion has started a fight and condemned AG Morlu and GAC audit reports. Minister Ngafuan said GAC is scandalizing where there are no scandals.
Maximore added that there is no need to be superfluous on these cowardly verbal attacks; and since there will be time for questions and answers, let me say that AG Morlu and the GAC have endured too many aggressions in the last 3 years from people and groups who are clearly allergic to transparency and accountability, indicating further that for each time there is an audit, Government officials take the airways of radio stations and center-spreads of newspaper to attack the Auditor General, calling him “incompetent”, “rebel”, “witch hunting”, “unprofessional”, amongst other invectives.
Allegations personal
Addressing its regular press briefing at the Ministry of Information’s conference room, however, Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Jerolinmek Piah responded to the statement by the GAC spokesman. Mr. Piah, indicating the Ministry’s attention is drawn to what he referred to as reckless accusation of the Executive Mansion, said, “The claim was not against the Government of Liberia neither were they against the GAC; but they were against an individual.”
He reasoned that for a director of the GAC to accused the Executive Mansion is a total disrespect to constituted authorities, because the Executive Mansion is a symbol of authority, and by that the accusation by the GAC director is a direct accusation of the President of the Republic of Liberia.
Piah instead said it was the responsibility of the GAC to apply its internal mechanisms of probe to address the allegation by Ruth Yeaher against Auditor General Morlu in an attempt to establish the real truth or falsehood in Ms. Yeaher’s allegations against Auditor General, since both Yeaher and Morlu are all personnel or officials of the GAC.
Mr. Piah also suggested court option as another avenue for settlement if internal regulations would not be working to address the Yeaher-Morlu frail, saying that that it was unbecoming of a GAC director to link the symbol of authority, the Executive Mansion to the allegations by Ruth Yeaher against AG Morlu.
On other matters, Deputy Minister Piah accused those he referred to as “a number of failed officials” who he said are bent on misinforming the Liberian people regarding development projects on going in the country. The Public Affairs Deputy Minister recalled that these failed officials have always said the projects underway in the country are World Bank projects.
To the contrary, Piah said there is no such think like World Bank project in the country, saying that all projects are the Republic of Liberia projects undertaken by the Government of Liberia. According to him, some of these projects were being funded from taxpayers’ money while others were being funded through the assistance of the international community.
No World Bank project
Commenting on international assistance to the country through which projects were being funded, Mr. Piah explained that following ascendency of Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the height of State administration, a donor conference was convened in Berlin, Germany aimed at sourcing funding for the reconstruction of the country.
According to the government senior public affairs official, donor countries, friendly nations and organizations made pledges based on the benchmarks that the World Bank be the custodian of the funds, which the Liberian Government agreed to in line with its transparency policy.
“These pledges were made good and the monies are now reserved for Liberia; it is Liberia which can identify projects on which the money should be used.” Drawing a hypothetic scenario, Piah asked rhetorically: Assuming that a church is undertaking a project and rally people who made pledges and cash donations, will the money be for those who made the pledges and donation of the Church?”
He then noted that this is the situation obtaining and Liberia is the proud owner of the funds of which the World Bank is a custodian.
When the NEW VISION quizzed the deputy minister on how much was the total of the pledges, how much was being expended, on what sorts of projects and how much was the balance at the World Bank, Mr. Piah said how much was the funds does not matter for now, what matters is the project(s) undertaken. He however said the Ministry would give a breakdown later, after consultation with the appropriate government functionaries, adding “As we speak now, there is a situation of cash inflow and out flow in the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Funds at the World Bank, at the appropriate time statistical details would be advanced”.
Where do we take the money from?
The issue of corruption was also addressed at the briefings. Piah said corruption was not pervasive in government as it is been projected, alluding to the US$900 million domestic debts inherited by the government which are now reduced to half a million, the massive reconstruction projects including the construction and rehabilitation of clinics and hospitals, schools, road networks around the country , the electrification projects of governments amongst other.
“We inherited such a huge domestic debts of US$900 million and we reduced the debts so low to US$0.5 million; we met the budget of US$80 million with low salary structures, salaries are increase, these projects are ongoing some from taxpayers money and yet we successfully pay domestic debts. If this administration was pervasively corrupt, were we would be taking the money from? So no, corruption is not pervasive,” Piah responded to a question.
He continued that these failed officials raising corruption allegations were in power, electricity was good for chickens in Careysburg while the people were sitting in utter darkness. Today, the children are sitting under street lights and those who can afford are connecting their houses,” he rated the Ellen Sirleaf administration higher above past regime.
Earlier, he disclosed that Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh has departed Liberia for China to chair a 32-member Steering Committee of Expo 2010 of which Liberia is co-chairman, saying that Deputy Minister of Information for Administration, Mr. Norris Tweh will head Government’s information machinery until the arrival of Minister Sieh.
Liberia's Information Ministry Replies Critics
...Says Former Regimes Failed the State; Lewis Brown Was One
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
www.theperiscope.com
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism sharply reacted to criticisms from the opposition that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has failed, saying that the government to the contrary is succeeding in its mandate given President Sirleaf at the 2005 presidential poll.
Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh and his Deputy for Public Affairs Jerelimek Piah told the CEMPID Haitai Club yesterday on Carey Street that it was far-fetched for one to think that the building of roads and other reconstruction works in the country were being undertaken by the world bank, wondering why didn’t the world bank engaged these projects during the past regimes.
They told the gathering that the Ministry was on an outreach that would bring the government to the people, so that the people would have the opportunity to interact with the government directly.
The remarks by officials at the Ministry of Information come in the wake of criticisms by the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former Presidential Security Advisor to President Charles Taylor Lewis Brown when he addressed the Polit Bureau Hatai Center in Clara Town last Saturday
In his criticisms, Mr. Brown amongst other things indicated that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has massively failed the Liberian people by its alleged failure to provide basic social services to the people.
Brown further criticized that the only good that the government has done is to downsize civil servants, imposed hardship on the people by imposing tax system that has evaded the entities by exorbitant taxes leveled on the imported goods of the average Liberian doing business.
Amongst other things, he said due to the failure of the government to provide for its citizenry, may short limbs people and broad based masses of the citizens have become beggars in the streets while the government only cater to its officials.
But the Ministry of information was robust in its reaction to the CEMPID Hatai Center. Answering questions propounded by members of the hatai club, Minister Sieh told the gathering, “Yesterday the criticism was the government is doing nothing; today having seen the trend of development including road building and the modernization campaign amongst other, the criticisms change to otherwise saying it is the World Bank that doing this that doing that.”
According the Information Ministry boss, “You can see and judge for yourself; there are fanatics who see thing black when they are white and white when they are black – but what I can safely tell you is that the government is committed to delivering on its mandate.”
Sieh recalled that when President Sirleaf ascended to the Presidency, she decided to deliver on her campaign promises when she initiated a donor conference at which members of the international community, including America, Sweden, the World bank and other donor countries and organizations made pledges later remitted to the custody of the World Bank fort Liberia, noting that Liberia has been benefiting from the donor funds by identifying projects on which the money is being used.
“The Money is Liberia’s money. It is Liberia through this government that identifies how it should be used. It is Liberia that has decided to build the roads, the hospitals, the schools – these projects are not World Bank neither is the Money World bank money but contributions from donor countries and institutions towards Liberia’s reconstruction,” the Information Minister clarified.
The Information Minister was decisively buttressed by his deputy, Piah. “If they are saying the government is doing nothing, then who is building the 100 bedroom hotel in Ganta? Who is the University City, who is ensuring the re-electrification of the Monrovia and the rest of Liberia? The streets of Monrovia were more of dumpsites – who has been paving the streets to modern ones?
Mr. Piah noted that the money given by donors are donated based on benchmarks, which the Taylor government of which Mr. Brown was an integral part and prominent team-player had failed to meet, given their conduct in the governing process.
“Lewis Brown was part of that arrangement that labeled Liberia a failed state and therefore isolated the country from the comity of nations,” Piah noted, imploring Liberians, “Unless you
Can open your eyes and recognized the efforts by this government of President Sirleaf to redeem the country, I believe that Liberia is certainly in trouble”.
On the issue of corruption being rampant as being alleged in some quarters, Piah indicated that it appears that corruption is rampant than in the past regime because people join the government’s fight against corruption and are talking about it every where. That doesn’t necessarily mean its prevalence.
“Corruption is a public matter people are talking about it every where in the country. This means that everyone is involved in the fight. Like it was with the number of rape cases which were actually four cases when I was at the Gender Ministry, it appeared that there were so hundreds of rape cases because everyone was involving in talking about it – so it is with the case of corruption,” Deputy Minister Piah said.
In the face of the criticisms, the information Ministry bosses noted, the almost US$5 billion debt burden of Liberia from the 1970s, which former regimes could not work towards because of bad governance is being waived and the international community which disengaged from Liberia and isolated the country as a failed state has been converged and reengaged simply because the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf team is responsibly conducting itself as a redemptive regime, chiding at comments recently attributed to the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former President Taylor’s advisor security advisor Lewis Brown.
In a concluding statement, Piah said there are many who say things that the Ministry of Information cannot react to, lest they are given relevance as they seek to build political image, adding, “We speak for every Liberian irrespective of partisanship or religion or whatever affiliation, politicians who may want to answer such people may do so at their party level.”
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
www.theperiscope.com
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism sharply reacted to criticisms from the opposition that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has failed, saying that the government to the contrary is succeeding in its mandate given President Sirleaf at the 2005 presidential poll.
Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh and his Deputy for Public Affairs Jerelimek Piah told the CEMPID Haitai Club yesterday on Carey Street that it was far-fetched for one to think that the building of roads and other reconstruction works in the country were being undertaken by the world bank, wondering why didn’t the world bank engaged these projects during the past regimes.
They told the gathering that the Ministry was on an outreach that would bring the government to the people, so that the people would have the opportunity to interact with the government directly.
The remarks by officials at the Ministry of Information come in the wake of criticisms by the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former Presidential Security Advisor to President Charles Taylor Lewis Brown when he addressed the Polit Bureau Hatai Center in Clara Town last Saturday
In his criticisms, Mr. Brown amongst other things indicated that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has massively failed the Liberian people by its alleged failure to provide basic social services to the people.
Brown further criticized that the only good that the government has done is to downsize civil servants, imposed hardship on the people by imposing tax system that has evaded the entities by exorbitant taxes leveled on the imported goods of the average Liberian doing business.
Amongst other things, he said due to the failure of the government to provide for its citizenry, may short limbs people and broad based masses of the citizens have become beggars in the streets while the government only cater to its officials.
But the Ministry of information was robust in its reaction to the CEMPID Hatai Center. Answering questions propounded by members of the hatai club, Minister Sieh told the gathering, “Yesterday the criticism was the government is doing nothing; today having seen the trend of development including road building and the modernization campaign amongst other, the criticisms change to otherwise saying it is the World Bank that doing this that doing that.”
According the Information Ministry boss, “You can see and judge for yourself; there are fanatics who see thing black when they are white and white when they are black – but what I can safely tell you is that the government is committed to delivering on its mandate.”
Sieh recalled that when President Sirleaf ascended to the Presidency, she decided to deliver on her campaign promises when she initiated a donor conference at which members of the international community, including America, Sweden, the World bank and other donor countries and organizations made pledges later remitted to the custody of the World Bank fort Liberia, noting that Liberia has been benefiting from the donor funds by identifying projects on which the money is being used.
“The Money is Liberia’s money. It is Liberia through this government that identifies how it should be used. It is Liberia that has decided to build the roads, the hospitals, the schools – these projects are not World Bank neither is the Money World bank money but contributions from donor countries and institutions towards Liberia’s reconstruction,” the Information Minister clarified.
The Information Minister was decisively buttressed by his deputy, Piah. “If they are saying the government is doing nothing, then who is building the 100 bedroom hotel in Ganta? Who is the University City, who is ensuring the re-electrification of the Monrovia and the rest of Liberia? The streets of Monrovia were more of dumpsites – who has been paving the streets to modern ones?
Mr. Piah noted that the money given by donors are donated based on benchmarks, which the Taylor government of which Mr. Brown was an integral part and prominent team-player had failed to meet, given their conduct in the governing process.
“Lewis Brown was part of that arrangement that labeled Liberia a failed state and therefore isolated the country from the comity of nations,” Piah noted, imploring Liberians, “Unless you
Can open your eyes and recognized the efforts by this government of President Sirleaf to redeem the country, I believe that Liberia is certainly in trouble”.
On the issue of corruption being rampant as being alleged in some quarters, Piah indicated that it appears that corruption is rampant than in the past regime because people join the government’s fight against corruption and are talking about it every where. That doesn’t necessarily mean its prevalence.
“Corruption is a public matter people are talking about it every where in the country. This means that everyone is involved in the fight. Like it was with the number of rape cases which were actually four cases when I was at the Gender Ministry, it appeared that there were so hundreds of rape cases because everyone was involving in talking about it – so it is with the case of corruption,” Deputy Minister Piah said.
In the face of the criticisms, the information Ministry bosses noted, the almost US$5 billion debt burden of Liberia from the 1970s, which former regimes could not work towards because of bad governance is being waived and the international community which disengaged from Liberia and isolated the country as a failed state has been converged and reengaged simply because the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf team is responsibly conducting itself as a redemptive regime, chiding at comments recently attributed to the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former President Taylor’s advisor security advisor Lewis Brown.
In a concluding statement, Piah said there are many who say things that the Ministry of Information cannot react to, lest they are given relevance as they seek to build political image, adding, “We speak for every Liberian irrespective of partisanship or religion or whatever affiliation, politicians who may want to answer such people may do so at their party level.”
Liberia's Information Ministry Replies Critics
...Says Former Regimes Failed the State; Lewis Brown Was One
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
www.theperiscope.com The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism sharply reacted to criticisms from the opposition that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has failed, saying that the government to the contrary is succeeding in its mandate given President Sirleaf at the 2005 presidential poll.
Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh and his Deputy for Public Affairs Jerolimek Piah told the CEMPID Haitai Club yesterday on Carey Street that it was far-fetched for one to think that the building of roads and other reconstruction works in the country were being undertaken by the world bank, wondering why didn’t the world bank engaged these projects during the past regimes.
They told the gathering that the Ministry was on an outreach that would bring the government to the people, so that the people would have the opportunity to interact with the government directly.
The remarks by officials at the Ministry of Information come in the wake of criticisms by the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former Presidential Advisor to President Charles Taylor Lewis Brown when he addressed the Polit Bureau Hatai Center in Clara Town last Saturday
In his criticisms, Mr. Brown amongst other things indicated that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has massively failed the Liberian people by its alleged failure to provide basic social services to the people.
Brown further criticized that the only good that the government has done is to downsize civil servants, imposed hardship on the people by imposing tax system that has evaded the entities by exorbitant taxes leveled on the imported goods of the average Liberian doing business.
Amongst other things, he said due to the failure of the government to provide for its citizenry, may short limbs people and broad based masses of the citizens have become beggars in the streets while the government only cater to its officials.
Lewis Brown served the National Patriotic Front of Libeia's Government as Security Advisor to President Charles Ghankay Taylor. He also served the country as Managing Director of the nation's oil refinery, the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) and as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At present, Mr. Brown is the Chairman of the proposed Democratic Alliance of which the opposition New Democratic Alliance of Liberia (New DEAL)party is a member. He heaped his criticisms against the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Government in Clary Town Saturday last week when he addressed Hatai (Chinese tea) drinkers.
But the Ministry of information was robust in its reaction to Mr. Brown criticisms at the CEMPID Hatai Center on Carey Street.
Answering questions propounded by members of the hatai club, Minister Sieh told the gathering, “Yesterday the criticism was the government is doing nothing; today having seen the trend of development including road building and the modernization campaign amongst other, the criticisms change to otherwise saying it is the World Bank that doing this that doing that.”
According the Information Ministry boss, “You can see and judge for yourself; there are fanatics who see thing black when they are white and white when they are black – but what I can safely tell you is that the government is committed to delivering on its mandate.”
Sieh recalled that when President Sirleaf ascended to the Presidency, she decided to deliver on her campaign promises when she initiated a donor conference at which members of the international community, including America, Sweden, the World bank and other donor countries and organizations made pledges later remitted to the custody of the World Bank fort Liberia, noting that Liberia has been benefiting from the donor funds by identifying projects on which the money is being used.
“The Money is Liberia’s money. It is Liberia through this government that identifies how it should be used. It is Liberia that has decided to build the roads, the hospitals, the schools – these projects are not World Bank neither is the Money World bank money but contributions from donor countries and institutions towards Liberia’s reconstruction,” the Information Minister clarified.
The Information Minister was decisively buttressed by his deputy, Piah. “If they are saying the government is doing nothing, then who is building the 100 bedroom hotel in Ganta? Who is the University City, who is ensuring the re-electrification of the Monrovia and the rest of Liberia? The streets of Monrovia were more of dumpsites – who has been paving the streets to modern ones?
Mr. Piah noted that the money given by donors are donated based on benchmarks, which the Taylor government of which Mr. Brown was an integral part and prominent team-player had failed to meet, given their conduct in the governing process.
“Lewis Brown was part of that arrangement that labeled Liberia a failed state and therefore isolated the country from the comity of nations,” Piah noted, imploring Liberians, “Unless you
Can open your eyes and recognized the efforts by this government of President Sirleaf to redeem the country, I believe that Liberia is certainly in trouble”.
On the issue of corruption being rampant as being alleged in some quarters, Piah indicated that it appears that corruption is rampant than in the past regime because people join the government’s fight against corruption and are talking about it every where. That doesn’t necessarily mean its prevalence.
“Corruption is a public matter people are talking about it every where in the country. This means that everyone is involved in the fight. Like it was with the number of rape cases which were actually four cases when I was at the Gender Ministry, it appeared that there were so hundreds of rape cases because everyone was involving in talking about it – so it is with the case of corruption,” Deputy Minister Piah said.
In the face of the criticisms, the information Ministry bosses noted, the almost US$5 billion debt burden of Liberia from the 1970s, which former regimes could not work towards because of bad governance is being waived and the international community which disengaged from Liberia and isolated the country as a failed state has been converged and reengaged simply because the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf team is responsibly conducting itself as a redemptive regime, chiding at comments recently attributed to the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former President Taylor’s advisor security advisor Lewis Brown.
In a concluding statement, Piah said there are many who say things that the Ministry of Information cannot react to, lest they are given relevance as they seek to build political image, adding, “We speak for every Liberian irrespective of partisanship or religion or whatever affiliation, politicians who may want to answer such people may do so at their party level.”
………………….
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
www.theperiscope.com The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism sharply reacted to criticisms from the opposition that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has failed, saying that the government to the contrary is succeeding in its mandate given President Sirleaf at the 2005 presidential poll.
Information Minister Cletus Abenego Sieh and his Deputy for Public Affairs Jerolimek Piah told the CEMPID Haitai Club yesterday on Carey Street that it was far-fetched for one to think that the building of roads and other reconstruction works in the country were being undertaken by the world bank, wondering why didn’t the world bank engaged these projects during the past regimes.
They told the gathering that the Ministry was on an outreach that would bring the government to the people, so that the people would have the opportunity to interact with the government directly.
The remarks by officials at the Ministry of Information come in the wake of criticisms by the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former Presidential Advisor to President Charles Taylor Lewis Brown when he addressed the Polit Bureau Hatai Center in Clara Town last Saturday
In his criticisms, Mr. Brown amongst other things indicated that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration has massively failed the Liberian people by its alleged failure to provide basic social services to the people.
Brown further criticized that the only good that the government has done is to downsize civil servants, imposed hardship on the people by imposing tax system that has evaded the entities by exorbitant taxes leveled on the imported goods of the average Liberian doing business.
Amongst other things, he said due to the failure of the government to provide for its citizenry, may short limbs people and broad based masses of the citizens have become beggars in the streets while the government only cater to its officials.
Lewis Brown served the National Patriotic Front of Libeia's Government as Security Advisor to President Charles Ghankay Taylor. He also served the country as Managing Director of the nation's oil refinery, the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) and as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At present, Mr. Brown is the Chairman of the proposed Democratic Alliance of which the opposition New Democratic Alliance of Liberia (New DEAL)party is a member. He heaped his criticisms against the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Government in Clary Town Saturday last week when he addressed Hatai (Chinese tea) drinkers.
But the Ministry of information was robust in its reaction to Mr. Brown criticisms at the CEMPID Hatai Center on Carey Street.
Answering questions propounded by members of the hatai club, Minister Sieh told the gathering, “Yesterday the criticism was the government is doing nothing; today having seen the trend of development including road building and the modernization campaign amongst other, the criticisms change to otherwise saying it is the World Bank that doing this that doing that.”
According the Information Ministry boss, “You can see and judge for yourself; there are fanatics who see thing black when they are white and white when they are black – but what I can safely tell you is that the government is committed to delivering on its mandate.”
Sieh recalled that when President Sirleaf ascended to the Presidency, she decided to deliver on her campaign promises when she initiated a donor conference at which members of the international community, including America, Sweden, the World bank and other donor countries and organizations made pledges later remitted to the custody of the World Bank fort Liberia, noting that Liberia has been benefiting from the donor funds by identifying projects on which the money is being used.
“The Money is Liberia’s money. It is Liberia through this government that identifies how it should be used. It is Liberia that has decided to build the roads, the hospitals, the schools – these projects are not World Bank neither is the Money World bank money but contributions from donor countries and institutions towards Liberia’s reconstruction,” the Information Minister clarified.
The Information Minister was decisively buttressed by his deputy, Piah. “If they are saying the government is doing nothing, then who is building the 100 bedroom hotel in Ganta? Who is the University City, who is ensuring the re-electrification of the Monrovia and the rest of Liberia? The streets of Monrovia were more of dumpsites – who has been paving the streets to modern ones?
Mr. Piah noted that the money given by donors are donated based on benchmarks, which the Taylor government of which Mr. Brown was an integral part and prominent team-player had failed to meet, given their conduct in the governing process.
“Lewis Brown was part of that arrangement that labeled Liberia a failed state and therefore isolated the country from the comity of nations,” Piah noted, imploring Liberians, “Unless you
Can open your eyes and recognized the efforts by this government of President Sirleaf to redeem the country, I believe that Liberia is certainly in trouble”.
On the issue of corruption being rampant as being alleged in some quarters, Piah indicated that it appears that corruption is rampant than in the past regime because people join the government’s fight against corruption and are talking about it every where. That doesn’t necessarily mean its prevalence.
“Corruption is a public matter people are talking about it every where in the country. This means that everyone is involved in the fight. Like it was with the number of rape cases which were actually four cases when I was at the Gender Ministry, it appeared that there were so hundreds of rape cases because everyone was involving in talking about it – so it is with the case of corruption,” Deputy Minister Piah said.
In the face of the criticisms, the information Ministry bosses noted, the almost US$5 billion debt burden of Liberia from the 1970s, which former regimes could not work towards because of bad governance is being waived and the international community which disengaged from Liberia and isolated the country as a failed state has been converged and reengaged simply because the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf team is responsibly conducting itself as a redemptive regime, chiding at comments recently attributed to the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance, former President Taylor’s advisor security advisor Lewis Brown.
In a concluding statement, Piah said there are many who say things that the Ministry of Information cannot react to, lest they are given relevance as they seek to build political image, adding, “We speak for every Liberian irrespective of partisanship or religion or whatever affiliation, politicians who may want to answer such people may do so at their party level.”
………………….
Senator Nelson, Minister Sieh
….For Preferring Defense Boss To Run State Affairs
By Bill K. Jarkloh/06-468-266
www.theperiscope.com
(panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
Senator Nelson, Minister Sieh
….For Preferring Defense Boss To Run State Affairs
By Bill K. Jarkloh/06-468-266
www.theperiscope.com
(panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
As the Grand Kru County Senator Blamo Nelson bashed at the President for prefereing Defense Minister Brownie Samukai to steer the affairs of State for the period May 15-21, the Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism has reacted, saying that the President broke no law when he named the Defense Minister to chair the cabinet in the President’s absence.
Information Minister Cletus Sieh, addressing the Sinkor Intellectual, Social and Athletic Club on 11th Street Sinkor Wednesday told his audience in response to Senator Nelson that it is the President’s constitutional prerogative to name any one she has confidence in, to act in her stead as cabinet chairman in her absence.
Senator Nelson during plenary Tuesday bashed at President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when he said it is wrong for the Liberian leader to left the Minister of National Defense in charge of the State. The Grand Kru County Senator told Plenary that this is the second time the President left the country with the Defense Minister who could easily act otherwise eventually, and warned the President that this should be the last of its kind.
But Information Minister Cletus Sieh rubbished the claimed of the Senator. The Information Ministry boss who spoke at the Sinkor Intellectual, Social and Athletic Club at a Hatai center yesterday on 11th Street Sinkor noted that the President committed no crime.
Mr. Sieh, answering question of some members of the club, said leaving the country with the Defense Minister or anyone else is a matter of confidence, and that it is a right ascribed to her by the organic law of the land. “We don’t need to be negative; the President has the prerogative to decide who should act,” the Minister stressed. He the asked: “Why is the Senator crying than the bereaved?”
Leaving recently for the United States to participate in several events and consultations with U.S. Government officials, business executives and other partners, An Executive Mansion Press release state that in the absence of President Sirleaf, the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Christiana Tah, as Chairman of the Cabinet for the period May 15-21, and the Minister of National Defense, Hon. Brownie Samukai, for the period May 22- June 2, will coordinate the affairs of the Executive in consultation with Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and under the President’s direction by telephone.
Meanwhile, the Minister who was accompanied to the 11th Street Sinkor Hatai Center by his Assistant Minister-designate for Public Affairs Isaac Jackson, his Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Jerilimek Piah, his Director and Assistant Director for Public Affairs Abel Blackie and Anderson Chea amongst others articulated the policy of the government on the fight against corruption and on the Truth & Reconciliation Commission recommendations amongst others.
Addressing the TRC recommendation issue, Minister Sieh said the government was supportive of the TRC report as an instrument of recommendation, but noted, “Government disagrees to accept that the commissioners are blameless. Besides some of the recommendations within the TRC report are at variance with the Constitution,” he said.
According to Mr. Sieh, the positive aspect of the TRC was that Liberians were able to interact; victims and perpetrators were able to some face each other to resolve and talk about what went wrong.
The Information Ministry boss furthered that government will indeed implement those aspects of the report that are implementable, leaving those that are at variance with the Constitution with the Supreme Court to decide on them.
The Minister was also quizzed on the Motorbike “Pen-pen” Transportation system. On this Minister Sieh indicated that it is sometimes easier on the part of some officials to make pronouncement but difficult for them to implement the pronouncement.
He recalled the Ministry of Transport made certain pronouncement against the Pen-pen riders in the main streets of Monrovia, saying that he does not understand why the Transport Ministry has not enforce the decision.
On the question of the President’s travel with Lenn Eugene Nagbe, the Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change, he noted that it is not an attempt by President Sirleaf to buy him over, but it is an attempt to ensure that Liberians are reconciled at all times regardless of their political differences. The Government is forging reconciliation, and all the government is doing is to live by example, he said.
By Bill K. Jarkloh/06-468-266
www.theperiscope.com
(panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
Senator Nelson, Minister Sieh
….For Preferring Defense Boss To Run State Affairs
By Bill K. Jarkloh/06-468-266
www.theperiscope.com
(panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
As the Grand Kru County Senator Blamo Nelson bashed at the President for prefereing Defense Minister Brownie Samukai to steer the affairs of State for the period May 15-21, the Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism has reacted, saying that the President broke no law when he named the Defense Minister to chair the cabinet in the President’s absence.
Information Minister Cletus Sieh, addressing the Sinkor Intellectual, Social and Athletic Club on 11th Street Sinkor Wednesday told his audience in response to Senator Nelson that it is the President’s constitutional prerogative to name any one she has confidence in, to act in her stead as cabinet chairman in her absence.
Senator Nelson during plenary Tuesday bashed at President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when he said it is wrong for the Liberian leader to left the Minister of National Defense in charge of the State. The Grand Kru County Senator told Plenary that this is the second time the President left the country with the Defense Minister who could easily act otherwise eventually, and warned the President that this should be the last of its kind.
But Information Minister Cletus Sieh rubbished the claimed of the Senator. The Information Ministry boss who spoke at the Sinkor Intellectual, Social and Athletic Club at a Hatai center yesterday on 11th Street Sinkor noted that the President committed no crime.
Mr. Sieh, answering question of some members of the club, said leaving the country with the Defense Minister or anyone else is a matter of confidence, and that it is a right ascribed to her by the organic law of the land. “We don’t need to be negative; the President has the prerogative to decide who should act,” the Minister stressed. He the asked: “Why is the Senator crying than the bereaved?”
Leaving recently for the United States to participate in several events and consultations with U.S. Government officials, business executives and other partners, An Executive Mansion Press release state that in the absence of President Sirleaf, the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Christiana Tah, as Chairman of the Cabinet for the period May 15-21, and the Minister of National Defense, Hon. Brownie Samukai, for the period May 22- June 2, will coordinate the affairs of the Executive in consultation with Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and under the President’s direction by telephone.
Meanwhile, the Minister who was accompanied to the 11th Street Sinkor Hatai Center by his Assistant Minister-designate for Public Affairs Isaac Jackson, his Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Jerilimek Piah, his Director and Assistant Director for Public Affairs Abel Blackie and Anderson Chea amongst others articulated the policy of the government on the fight against corruption and on the Truth & Reconciliation Commission recommendations amongst others.
Addressing the TRC recommendation issue, Minister Sieh said the government was supportive of the TRC report as an instrument of recommendation, but noted, “Government disagrees to accept that the commissioners are blameless. Besides some of the recommendations within the TRC report are at variance with the Constitution,” he said.
According to Mr. Sieh, the positive aspect of the TRC was that Liberians were able to interact; victims and perpetrators were able to some face each other to resolve and talk about what went wrong.
The Information Ministry boss furthered that government will indeed implement those aspects of the report that are implementable, leaving those that are at variance with the Constitution with the Supreme Court to decide on them.
The Minister was also quizzed on the Motorbike “Pen-pen” Transportation system. On this Minister Sieh indicated that it is sometimes easier on the part of some officials to make pronouncement but difficult for them to implement the pronouncement.
He recalled the Ministry of Transport made certain pronouncement against the Pen-pen riders in the main streets of Monrovia, saying that he does not understand why the Transport Ministry has not enforce the decision.
On the question of the President’s travel with Lenn Eugene Nagbe, the Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change, he noted that it is not an attempt by President Sirleaf to buy him over, but it is an attempt to ensure that Liberians are reconciled at all times regardless of their political differences. The Government is forging reconciliation, and all the government is doing is to live by example, he said.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Liberia Refuses To Tap Tourism
…But Minister Sieh Regrets Past Failure
Information Minister Cletus Sieh
The Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism, Mr. Cletus Abenego Sieh has disclosed plans to boost Liberia’s tourism, indicating that the Ministry will be discussing the tourism sector of the country and will establish a tourism, boar of Liberia to map out plans that would boost the sector.
The Information Ministry boss also spoke of plans for the will establishment of a tourism board that that would map out plans to boost the sector.
Minister Sieh spoke Monday on Carey Street when he addressed the CEMPID Hatai Club. Sieh who was accompanied to the CEMPID Hatai center by an array of office staff along with Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs Jerilimek Piah say his trip was poaty of the Ministry’s public affairs strategy to bring the government to the people.
Answering a question from the Audience regarding Liberia’s tourism sector, the Minister responded with regret that Liberia has not been utilizing her tourism sector. According to him, Liberia is blessed with tourist attractions but noted that the country has not utilized its huge tourism industry.
“It hurts that those do not have more tourist attraction have used tourism as a huge industry while Liberia sits by without prioritizing its tourism sector,” he said He said
The Information Minister was apparently referring to our neighbors and sister countries such as Ghana and Ivory Coast, who have prioritized tourism.
Minister Sieh pointed to the Kpatawi Fall; the Sarpo National Park which he said contains 40 percent of the total forest land in West Africa with the appropriate wildlife, the major lakes in Liberia amongst others.
A lot of other natural beauties around the country and major hotels are also attractions that must be developed, according to the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism.
An independent survey of sites paraded to the NEW VISION New Vision, such hotels like Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo , Hotel Tropicana in Tamarindo, El Punto of 4 B&Bs / inns in Liberia, Boyeros Hotel & Conference Center, Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport ,Canon de la Vieja Lodge and El Sol Verde Lodge & Campground .
Others include Best Western Las Espuelas , Guanacaste Hotel, Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino,
Giardini di Papagayo Hotel, Posada del Tope, Hotel El Bramadero, Hostal Ciudad Blanca and Cabinas Michelle amongst others.
Minister Sieh added how the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism will be discussing the tourism sector of the country and will establish a tourism, boar of Liberia to map out plans that would boost the sector.
In his article Rebuilding Liberia’s Tourism Industry for Economic Growth, a Liberian researcher, Dr. Syrulwa Somah, enumerated challenges that were being faced by the Liberian Toursim industry. The Liberian elite found that in Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda stand out as tourism-driven economies. According to traveldocs.com, in 2003, tourism became Ghana’s largest foreign earner, about $600 million, while the BBC reports that tourism is a cardinal economic booster in Kenya, generating half a million jobs, which account for 12% of the Kenyan economy.
In Uganda, tourism is the second highest foreign exchange earner next to coffee, generating $276 million from 6,000 visitors between 1993 and 1996. Tourism is being developed and promoted elsewhere in Africa and other parts of the world, and we in Liberia need to exploit our tourism potential for the development and promotion of a fledging tourism industry in the 4th republic.
Recipe for improved tourism
Dr. Somah pointed to Liberia’s tourism Potential, saying that in spite of television images and news reports portraying Liberia as a country ravaged by starvation and the residual effects of a 14-year civil war, much of the roof of Liberia is fertile and well watered, with awe-inspiring scenery dominated by highlands and savannah grasslands are indicative of a potential useful tourist attraction.
“Liberia has tourist attractions such as shallow lagoons, islands, lakes, mangrove swamps, capes, rivers, colonial-styled wide porch homes and 350 miles white sandy beaches. Liberia’s unique history as the first black African republic and a haven for freed black American slaves in the 19th century can be great tourist attractions,” he said
The Liberia writer said in addition, palace of culture and ethnic Liberian kingdoms such as Bassa Kingdom, Belle Kingdom, Gola Kingdom, Klao (Kru) Kingdom, Grebo Kingdom, Krahn (Wee) Kingdom, Mende Kingdom, Sapo Kingdom, Kpelle Kingdom, Kissi Kingdom, Pleebo Kingdom, Gbii Kingdom, Via Kingdom, Dei Kingdom, Gio (Dan) Kingdom, Loma Kingdom, Mandingo Kingdom, and the Maih (Mano) Kingdom can be valuable tourist attractions once developed to host annual cultural history tours, rituals displays, etc.
“The majestic St. John River in Grand Bassa County, Cestos (or Nuon) River in Rivercess County, Yar River in Nimba County, St. Paul River and Cavalla (Youbou) River in Maryland County, and the Mano River that connects Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are among a few of Liberia’s magnificent rivers for environmental tourism,” he maintained
He said Liberia has enormous tourism potential to generate revenue for economic development in the country if only we could tap into the resources we have, saying that Liberia enjoys good dry and sunny weather, coupled with a gentle breeze unique in West Africa.
“Hence, Liberia has potential for the following tourist attractions and recreation activities, which he said include fee fishing, skeet shooting, canoe livery, biking, bird watching, hiking, hang gliding and hot air balloon rides.
The challenges
Tourism as we know it today did not appear on the world page until the 19th century, as an outshoot of leisure travel, which has formed the larger part of the tourist industry. Naturally, as the vanguard of the Industrial Revolution, Great Britain set the pace for leisure travel by offering leisure time to factory owners, traders, and other pillars of the Industrial Revolution. France followed suit with launch of the French Riviera, one of the glamorous holiday resorts in the world.
To establish a separate Ministry of Tourism detached from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism for efficient management and coordination of the revamped Liberian tourism Program, he said is a challenge, noting that another one lies in financing the plans with respect to general infrastructure, tourism facilities, attractions, marketing and delivery of quality tourism services.
He suggested therefore, four funding sources below to be considered, government funding, establishment of a Tourism Development Fund, international donor assistance and , private sector investment.
I don’t think we in Liberia need to sit around and cry about the kind of infrastructure developments and standards of living we should have been enjoying instead of begging for handouts from others. But we are not the only nation playing catch up in terms of our development.
The great nations of Europe had to count on the generosity of the Americans through the Marshall Plan to rebuild their societies. We can do the same. We can start with developing a tourism program that rivals Ghana and the Caribbean countries with respect to natural beauty, adventure sports and hiking, excursion tours and safaris up our mountains, traditional villages, and open fields.
He called for the political will to rebuild Liberia for the better by choosing the kind of national leaders that will hold our country together. We must show our moral empathy or courage as lawyers, doctors, journalists, farmers, students, market women and men to rebuild our country.
“ We must endeavor to build a new malaria-freed 4th Liberian Republic endowed with capital cities with technological innovations in communications and transportation to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, people, and information across Liberia in the faster and cheapest ways,” he said. Dr. Somah disclosed that the country needs an integrated transportation system and new national capital city that include with Planned airports, Sport Stadiums—around which Liberia should design and develop (West Africa Major Soccer WAMC) which will be first of its kind on the Continent, recycling plants, public and private buildings, colleges and universities and a four four-lane superhighways such as a new Liberia Highway and specific lanes for trucks only.
Recreation Parks, Bus stations, Buildings with postal zip codes for efficiency mail delivery and zonal location, rail systems are all considered recipe for a viable tourism, but Dr. Somah added, “We also need an Integrated Ferry System connecting ports of Harper in Maryland County, Greenville in Sinoe County, and Buchanan in Grand Bassa County to one another and to rivers and lakes adjacent to these ports for the free movement of people in these communities. We should develop our tourism industry to include not only traditional canoe safaris but also other non-vehicular mode of transportation.”
Information Minister Cletus SiehThe Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism, Mr. Cletus Abenego Sieh has disclosed plans to boost Liberia’s tourism, indicating that the Ministry will be discussing the tourism sector of the country and will establish a tourism, boar of Liberia to map out plans that would boost the sector.
The Information Ministry boss also spoke of plans for the will establishment of a tourism board that that would map out plans to boost the sector.
Minister Sieh spoke Monday on Carey Street when he addressed the CEMPID Hatai Club. Sieh who was accompanied to the CEMPID Hatai center by an array of office staff along with Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs Jerilimek Piah say his trip was poaty of the Ministry’s public affairs strategy to bring the government to the people.
Answering a question from the Audience regarding Liberia’s tourism sector, the Minister responded with regret that Liberia has not been utilizing her tourism sector. According to him, Liberia is blessed with tourist attractions but noted that the country has not utilized its huge tourism industry.
“It hurts that those do not have more tourist attraction have used tourism as a huge industry while Liberia sits by without prioritizing its tourism sector,” he said He said
The Information Minister was apparently referring to our neighbors and sister countries such as Ghana and Ivory Coast, who have prioritized tourism.
Minister Sieh pointed to the Kpatawi Fall; the Sarpo National Park which he said contains 40 percent of the total forest land in West Africa with the appropriate wildlife, the major lakes in Liberia amongst others.
A lot of other natural beauties around the country and major hotels are also attractions that must be developed, according to the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism.
An independent survey of sites paraded to the NEW VISION New Vision, such hotels like Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo , Hotel Tropicana in Tamarindo, El Punto of 4 B&Bs / inns in Liberia, Boyeros Hotel & Conference Center, Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport ,Canon de la Vieja Lodge and El Sol Verde Lodge & Campground .
Others include Best Western Las Espuelas , Guanacaste Hotel, Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino,
Giardini di Papagayo Hotel, Posada del Tope, Hotel El Bramadero, Hostal Ciudad Blanca and Cabinas Michelle amongst others.
Minister Sieh added how the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism will be discussing the tourism sector of the country and will establish a tourism, boar of Liberia to map out plans that would boost the sector.
In his article Rebuilding Liberia’s Tourism Industry for Economic Growth, a Liberian researcher, Dr. Syrulwa Somah, enumerated challenges that were being faced by the Liberian Toursim industry. The Liberian elite found that in Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda stand out as tourism-driven economies. According to traveldocs.com, in 2003, tourism became Ghana’s largest foreign earner, about $600 million, while the BBC reports that tourism is a cardinal economic booster in Kenya, generating half a million jobs, which account for 12% of the Kenyan economy.
In Uganda, tourism is the second highest foreign exchange earner next to coffee, generating $276 million from 6,000 visitors between 1993 and 1996. Tourism is being developed and promoted elsewhere in Africa and other parts of the world, and we in Liberia need to exploit our tourism potential for the development and promotion of a fledging tourism industry in the 4th republic.
Recipe for improved tourism
Dr. Somah pointed to Liberia’s tourism Potential, saying that in spite of television images and news reports portraying Liberia as a country ravaged by starvation and the residual effects of a 14-year civil war, much of the roof of Liberia is fertile and well watered, with awe-inspiring scenery dominated by highlands and savannah grasslands are indicative of a potential useful tourist attraction.
“Liberia has tourist attractions such as shallow lagoons, islands, lakes, mangrove swamps, capes, rivers, colonial-styled wide porch homes and 350 miles white sandy beaches. Liberia’s unique history as the first black African republic and a haven for freed black American slaves in the 19th century can be great tourist attractions,” he said
The Liberia writer said in addition, palace of culture and ethnic Liberian kingdoms such as Bassa Kingdom, Belle Kingdom, Gola Kingdom, Klao (Kru) Kingdom, Grebo Kingdom, Krahn (Wee) Kingdom, Mende Kingdom, Sapo Kingdom, Kpelle Kingdom, Kissi Kingdom, Pleebo Kingdom, Gbii Kingdom, Via Kingdom, Dei Kingdom, Gio (Dan) Kingdom, Loma Kingdom, Mandingo Kingdom, and the Maih (Mano) Kingdom can be valuable tourist attractions once developed to host annual cultural history tours, rituals displays, etc.
“The majestic St. John River in Grand Bassa County, Cestos (or Nuon) River in Rivercess County, Yar River in Nimba County, St. Paul River and Cavalla (Youbou) River in Maryland County, and the Mano River that connects Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are among a few of Liberia’s magnificent rivers for environmental tourism,” he maintained
He said Liberia has enormous tourism potential to generate revenue for economic development in the country if only we could tap into the resources we have, saying that Liberia enjoys good dry and sunny weather, coupled with a gentle breeze unique in West Africa.
“Hence, Liberia has potential for the following tourist attractions and recreation activities, which he said include fee fishing, skeet shooting, canoe livery, biking, bird watching, hiking, hang gliding and hot air balloon rides.
The challenges
Tourism as we know it today did not appear on the world page until the 19th century, as an outshoot of leisure travel, which has formed the larger part of the tourist industry. Naturally, as the vanguard of the Industrial Revolution, Great Britain set the pace for leisure travel by offering leisure time to factory owners, traders, and other pillars of the Industrial Revolution. France followed suit with launch of the French Riviera, one of the glamorous holiday resorts in the world.
To establish a separate Ministry of Tourism detached from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism for efficient management and coordination of the revamped Liberian tourism Program, he said is a challenge, noting that another one lies in financing the plans with respect to general infrastructure, tourism facilities, attractions, marketing and delivery of quality tourism services.
He suggested therefore, four funding sources below to be considered, government funding, establishment of a Tourism Development Fund, international donor assistance and , private sector investment.
I don’t think we in Liberia need to sit around and cry about the kind of infrastructure developments and standards of living we should have been enjoying instead of begging for handouts from others. But we are not the only nation playing catch up in terms of our development.
The great nations of Europe had to count on the generosity of the Americans through the Marshall Plan to rebuild their societies. We can do the same. We can start with developing a tourism program that rivals Ghana and the Caribbean countries with respect to natural beauty, adventure sports and hiking, excursion tours and safaris up our mountains, traditional villages, and open fields.
He called for the political will to rebuild Liberia for the better by choosing the kind of national leaders that will hold our country together. We must show our moral empathy or courage as lawyers, doctors, journalists, farmers, students, market women and men to rebuild our country.
“ We must endeavor to build a new malaria-freed 4th Liberian Republic endowed with capital cities with technological innovations in communications and transportation to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, people, and information across Liberia in the faster and cheapest ways,” he said. Dr. Somah disclosed that the country needs an integrated transportation system and new national capital city that include with Planned airports, Sport Stadiums—around which Liberia should design and develop (West Africa Major Soccer WAMC) which will be first of its kind on the Continent, recycling plants, public and private buildings, colleges and universities and a four four-lane superhighways such as a new Liberia Highway and specific lanes for trucks only.
Recreation Parks, Bus stations, Buildings with postal zip codes for efficiency mail delivery and zonal location, rail systems are all considered recipe for a viable tourism, but Dr. Somah added, “We also need an Integrated Ferry System connecting ports of Harper in Maryland County, Greenville in Sinoe County, and Buchanan in Grand Bassa County to one another and to rivers and lakes adjacent to these ports for the free movement of people in these communities. We should develop our tourism industry to include not only traditional canoe safaris but also other non-vehicular mode of transportation.”
LPC Fighters Are Being Recruited for Witnesses
…To Prosecute George Boley in Minnesota
Reports gathered in Monrovia have indicated that a the prosecutor of a Liberian warlord, George S. Boley, are finding it difficult to recruit Liberian witnesses as some members of the first batch of witnesses taken to Ghana destined for the United States have on already absconded with US$30,000.
According to the reports, the services of a U. S. based a Liberian journalist, who has been frequenting Monrovia to recruiting the witnesses for the successful the prosecution of the former warlord, but Boley’s son, George Boley Jr. contended via mobile phone that his father is totally innocent of charges brought against him, but was being pursued innocently.
George Junior however said modalities have been put place for legal defenses, adding that Dr. Boley is still in detention as he was not entitled to bail.
Dr. Boley was arrested by the Homeland Security for allegedly lying to enter to United States and extrajudicial killings during the Liberian civil war. He has been arraigned before the United States District Court B, in the District of Minnesota and detained pending prosecution.
Accordingly, prosecutors have embarked on proving their charges against Dr. Boley, and have been trying to rally former LPC fighters in Liberia to serve as witnesses.
As the story goes, Journalist Hassan Bility in 2009 travelled to Monrovia with two white Americans and contacted one Blama Monger, an influential LPC fighter who was also used to contact additional former LPC fighters.
It was disclosed that Monger and Mr. Bility has successfully listed some six men including Monger himself, who were taken to the Royal Hotel in Sinkor where the two Americans were reportedly lodging, and where the recruits for witness were interviewed as to their certain knowledge of any the atrocious acts by Dr. Boley during the LPC belligerence against the National patriotic front of Liberia.
Some of the fighters disclosed that they were asked at the Hotel on 15th Street Royal Sinkor questions like: Isn’t it true that Mr. Boley killed personally? The answer, accordingly by the fighters who wanted to snatch a US$30,000 each as was reportedly promised them was “Yes”.
“The two white man and Hassan Bility talked in my presence when he took me to them, but I didn’t know what the talk,” Monger explained to an insider and associate of Dr. Boley, who played the tape of the conversation on a mobile phone.
“I don’t get money at the time; but when it cause for me to go they will give me some money,” Monger said. HASSAN Bility along with Monger, it was indicated, came alone; “we went to the hotel, the interview us one by one. Ask us to testify against Boley,” Monger furthered said.
He claimed that they him their phone numbers to stay in touch. “They give me there phone number and all,” added, noting that for a second time, the other group of white five Americans came and lodge at the Mamba Point Hotel; hired a conference room in Cape Hotel where they called Monger and his colleagues to interview them further on their witness status in the case against Dr. Boley.
“This time they were five; the people from the states wanted to know the character of Dr. Boley. I told them I joined the LPC 1992. I told them Boley killed; he took his own gun and fire at people,” Monger explained. He was head saying that that they would call him when the wanted him.
However, our sources said the recruits were flown to Ghana. In furtherance of the deal, from where they were expected to have undergone their final interview before taking off for the Minnesota. But it appears that the plan is not materializing to expectation as three of the recruits intended for witness against Boley reportedly absconded with US$10.000, each.
The alarm from this has obviously alerted Ghanaian security, as suspicion abounds of some foul play that could be a threatening. s was created suspicion in the minds of those who recruited them; alerted Ghanaian security forces are now keeping surveillance on the rest including Monger who are now on the Bumdurum Refugees camps in Ghana.
Monger’s wife was contacted on the mobile phone by our reporter, and she confirmed that Monger was still in Ghana and is contemplating to return. She was suspicious and could not further answer to basic questions regarding how Blama Monger left Liberia for what.
Liberian Affidavit before US Court
An Affidavit filed before the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT B in DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA by Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner John H. T. Stewart in the case: George Boley, Plaintiff versus Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, a/k/a The Advocates for Human Rights and Jennifer Prestholdt, individually and in Her Official Capacity as Deputy Director of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Defendants and Counterclaimants quoted Mr. Stewart as saying, There is no question in my mind that George Boley has widespread public reputation in Liberia and amongst Liberians in the diaspora as a perpetrator of horrendous human rights abuses. He had this reputation well before 2006 and regardless of any radio interview given by Jennifer Prestholdt.
Page 5 count 6 of the Affidavit indicated, “In 1994, I was a reporter working for the New Democrat newspaper in Monrovia. I received a telephone from a lady (name withheld)-withhold name, whom I knew to be a girlfriend of George Boley and someone who worked under him on behalf of the Liberian Peace Council (LPC).
Stewart said, “ At the time, negotiations were under way to form a coalition government including representatives of the major warring factions controlling portions of Liberia. Charles Taylor, whose National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) controlled much of Liberia, disputed the right of George Boley to participate in a coalition government as he disputed Boley’s claim that that he controlled significant territory. The lady, withhold name, asked me, as an independent observer, to travel to Bong County and confirm that it was under the control of the LPC, headed by George Boley. She said one of Boley’s soldiers would pick me up and take me to Bong County.
“ Subsequently, I was picked up by a group by a group of soldiers led by someone known to me under the war name of jack the Rebel. This group drove me through ECOMOG lines to the town of Buchanan, and we then turned towards Bong County. On the way we evaded two land mines that I understood to have been set by the NPFL under the overall command of Charles Taylor. We were also set upon by the NPFL troops and there was a firefight. While several of four of our company were killed, the rest of us made it into Gbarnga, Bong County, Mr. Stewart told the Court .
According to him, “We joined a fighting force that were introduced to me by Jack the Rebel as fighter for the LPC, intended to demonstrate to me that the LPC was in charged of territory in Bong County and so George Boley would qualify to participate in coalition government. Many of the fighters to whom I was so introduced were children. They were obviously 12 or younger, and they were carrying guns. One boy, approximately of age -(Page-6) – 12, was wounded on the arm. I asked him how he had injured the arm and he told me he was hit by a shell from an anti-aircraft, gun that was being used by the NPFL as a combat weapon. I came to know this boy and know him now, as an adult who lives in Grand Gedeh County in Liberia.
Initial Report
It may be recalled that a foreign journalist who covered the Liberian civil war in the mid-90s, Jeffrey Goldberg, has reported in his blog that former warlord, George Boley, was arrested January 15th by U.S. Immigration and Customs and is now sitting in a jail cell in upstate Batavia.
So far, according to Goldberg, Boley is being charged administratively with lying in order to gain entry into the U.S., and with committing extra-judicial killings while in another country.
Other branches of government such as the Department of Homeland Security are looking at charging Boley with actual war crimes. When the Daily Observer contacted the Liberian Consulate in New York on January 29, more than two weeks after Boley’s arrest, officials said they had not been informed by local authorities as protocol would dictate. Liberian Ambassador to the United States, M. Nathaniel Barnes, said he had not been contacted by authorities either, but said that the Boley’s family had reached out to him.
Goldberg, in his online publication, said he first met Boley in the 90s while covering the civil war in Liberia. “I’ve been involved with Boley’s case for a little while. I was subpoenaed by a human rights group in Minnesota, the Advocates for Human Rights, to testify against Boley in a defamation lawsuit that he himself filed against the group... I eventually provided a sworn affidavit in the case, in which I detailed what I knew of Boley’s activities in the civil war...
“I knew, from firsthand observation, that his organization, the grossly misnamed ‘Liberian Peace Council’, recruited and armed child soldiers, fed them drugs and ordered them to rape and kill for starters. The lawsuit, unsurprisingly, was dismissed earlier this month,” Goldberg writes.
Boley, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Akron, received his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Brockport and kept his family in upstate New York for the duration of the civil war.
“I’ve been speaking to him on and off now for a year,” Goldberg notes, “and his excuse-making had become increasingly ridiculous. The last time we spoke, he told me that there had been two organizations in Liberia during the civil war named the Liberian Peace Council – his, which was “peaceful”, and someone else’s which was a fighting faction. This was an absurd line of argument, especially to someone like me, who had seen him actually in command of child soldiers in the war zone.”
A Liberian web publication, Bushchicken.com, observes that “With this latest arrest, warlords and other perpetrators of the Liberian civil war will seriously contemplate their travels from the comfort of Liberia. [Charles] Taylor and George Boley are two of the many that have been arrested by the long arm of the US criminal system;” Bill K. Jarkloh writes this article
Reports gathered in Monrovia have indicated that a the prosecutor of a Liberian warlord, George S. Boley, are finding it difficult to recruit Liberian witnesses as some members of the first batch of witnesses taken to Ghana destined for the United States have on already absconded with US$30,000.
According to the reports, the services of a U. S. based a Liberian journalist, who has been frequenting Monrovia to recruiting the witnesses for the successful the prosecution of the former warlord, but Boley’s son, George Boley Jr. contended via mobile phone that his father is totally innocent of charges brought against him, but was being pursued innocently.
George Junior however said modalities have been put place for legal defenses, adding that Dr. Boley is still in detention as he was not entitled to bail.
Dr. Boley was arrested by the Homeland Security for allegedly lying to enter to United States and extrajudicial killings during the Liberian civil war. He has been arraigned before the United States District Court B, in the District of Minnesota and detained pending prosecution.
Accordingly, prosecutors have embarked on proving their charges against Dr. Boley, and have been trying to rally former LPC fighters in Liberia to serve as witnesses.
As the story goes, Journalist Hassan Bility in 2009 travelled to Monrovia with two white Americans and contacted one Blama Monger, an influential LPC fighter who was also used to contact additional former LPC fighters.
It was disclosed that Monger and Mr. Bility has successfully listed some six men including Monger himself, who were taken to the Royal Hotel in Sinkor where the two Americans were reportedly lodging, and where the recruits for witness were interviewed as to their certain knowledge of any the atrocious acts by Dr. Boley during the LPC belligerence against the National patriotic front of Liberia.
Some of the fighters disclosed that they were asked at the Hotel on 15th Street Royal Sinkor questions like: Isn’t it true that Mr. Boley killed personally? The answer, accordingly by the fighters who wanted to snatch a US$30,000 each as was reportedly promised them was “Yes”.
“The two white man and Hassan Bility talked in my presence when he took me to them, but I didn’t know what the talk,” Monger explained to an insider and associate of Dr. Boley, who played the tape of the conversation on a mobile phone.
“I don’t get money at the time; but when it cause for me to go they will give me some money,” Monger said. HASSAN Bility along with Monger, it was indicated, came alone; “we went to the hotel, the interview us one by one. Ask us to testify against Boley,” Monger furthered said.
He claimed that they him their phone numbers to stay in touch. “They give me there phone number and all,” added, noting that for a second time, the other group of white five Americans came and lodge at the Mamba Point Hotel; hired a conference room in Cape Hotel where they called Monger and his colleagues to interview them further on their witness status in the case against Dr. Boley.
“This time they were five; the people from the states wanted to know the character of Dr. Boley. I told them I joined the LPC 1992. I told them Boley killed; he took his own gun and fire at people,” Monger explained. He was head saying that that they would call him when the wanted him.
However, our sources said the recruits were flown to Ghana. In furtherance of the deal, from where they were expected to have undergone their final interview before taking off for the Minnesota. But it appears that the plan is not materializing to expectation as three of the recruits intended for witness against Boley reportedly absconded with US$10.000, each.
The alarm from this has obviously alerted Ghanaian security, as suspicion abounds of some foul play that could be a threatening. s was created suspicion in the minds of those who recruited them; alerted Ghanaian security forces are now keeping surveillance on the rest including Monger who are now on the Bumdurum Refugees camps in Ghana.
Monger’s wife was contacted on the mobile phone by our reporter, and she confirmed that Monger was still in Ghana and is contemplating to return. She was suspicious and could not further answer to basic questions regarding how Blama Monger left Liberia for what.
Liberian Affidavit before US Court
An Affidavit filed before the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT B in DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA by Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner John H. T. Stewart in the case: George Boley, Plaintiff versus Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, a/k/a The Advocates for Human Rights and Jennifer Prestholdt, individually and in Her Official Capacity as Deputy Director of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Defendants and Counterclaimants quoted Mr. Stewart as saying, There is no question in my mind that George Boley has widespread public reputation in Liberia and amongst Liberians in the diaspora as a perpetrator of horrendous human rights abuses. He had this reputation well before 2006 and regardless of any radio interview given by Jennifer Prestholdt.
Page 5 count 6 of the Affidavit indicated, “In 1994, I was a reporter working for the New Democrat newspaper in Monrovia. I received a telephone from a lady (name withheld)-withhold name, whom I knew to be a girlfriend of George Boley and someone who worked under him on behalf of the Liberian Peace Council (LPC).
Stewart said, “ At the time, negotiations were under way to form a coalition government including representatives of the major warring factions controlling portions of Liberia. Charles Taylor, whose National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) controlled much of Liberia, disputed the right of George Boley to participate in a coalition government as he disputed Boley’s claim that that he controlled significant territory. The lady, withhold name, asked me, as an independent observer, to travel to Bong County and confirm that it was under the control of the LPC, headed by George Boley. She said one of Boley’s soldiers would pick me up and take me to Bong County.
“ Subsequently, I was picked up by a group by a group of soldiers led by someone known to me under the war name of jack the Rebel. This group drove me through ECOMOG lines to the town of Buchanan, and we then turned towards Bong County. On the way we evaded two land mines that I understood to have been set by the NPFL under the overall command of Charles Taylor. We were also set upon by the NPFL troops and there was a firefight. While several of four of our company were killed, the rest of us made it into Gbarnga, Bong County, Mr. Stewart told the Court .
According to him, “We joined a fighting force that were introduced to me by Jack the Rebel as fighter for the LPC, intended to demonstrate to me that the LPC was in charged of territory in Bong County and so George Boley would qualify to participate in coalition government. Many of the fighters to whom I was so introduced were children. They were obviously 12 or younger, and they were carrying guns. One boy, approximately of age -(Page-6) – 12, was wounded on the arm. I asked him how he had injured the arm and he told me he was hit by a shell from an anti-aircraft, gun that was being used by the NPFL as a combat weapon. I came to know this boy and know him now, as an adult who lives in Grand Gedeh County in Liberia.
Initial Report
It may be recalled that a foreign journalist who covered the Liberian civil war in the mid-90s, Jeffrey Goldberg, has reported in his blog that former warlord, George Boley, was arrested January 15th by U.S. Immigration and Customs and is now sitting in a jail cell in upstate Batavia.
So far, according to Goldberg, Boley is being charged administratively with lying in order to gain entry into the U.S., and with committing extra-judicial killings while in another country.
Other branches of government such as the Department of Homeland Security are looking at charging Boley with actual war crimes. When the Daily Observer contacted the Liberian Consulate in New York on January 29, more than two weeks after Boley’s arrest, officials said they had not been informed by local authorities as protocol would dictate. Liberian Ambassador to the United States, M. Nathaniel Barnes, said he had not been contacted by authorities either, but said that the Boley’s family had reached out to him.
Goldberg, in his online publication, said he first met Boley in the 90s while covering the civil war in Liberia. “I’ve been involved with Boley’s case for a little while. I was subpoenaed by a human rights group in Minnesota, the Advocates for Human Rights, to testify against Boley in a defamation lawsuit that he himself filed against the group... I eventually provided a sworn affidavit in the case, in which I detailed what I knew of Boley’s activities in the civil war...
“I knew, from firsthand observation, that his organization, the grossly misnamed ‘Liberian Peace Council’, recruited and armed child soldiers, fed them drugs and ordered them to rape and kill for starters. The lawsuit, unsurprisingly, was dismissed earlier this month,” Goldberg writes.
Boley, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Akron, received his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Brockport and kept his family in upstate New York for the duration of the civil war.
“I’ve been speaking to him on and off now for a year,” Goldberg notes, “and his excuse-making had become increasingly ridiculous. The last time we spoke, he told me that there had been two organizations in Liberia during the civil war named the Liberian Peace Council – his, which was “peaceful”, and someone else’s which was a fighting faction. This was an absurd line of argument, especially to someone like me, who had seen him actually in command of child soldiers in the war zone.”
A Liberian web publication, Bushchicken.com, observes that “With this latest arrest, warlords and other perpetrators of the Liberian civil war will seriously contemplate their travels from the comfort of Liberia. [Charles] Taylor and George Boley are two of the many that have been arrested by the long arm of the US criminal system;” Bill K. Jarkloh writes this article
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