…As Incumbent LFA Veep Speaks of Accountability Problems
Incumbent Vice President for Administration, Pennoh Bestman, at the weekend said the Liberia Football Association lacks accounting principles. The statement came against the backdrop that stakeholders are yearning audit.
Addressing representatives of women football in the country, Pennoh said he had carved an accounting manual for use by the LFA, which was adapted by the executive committee, but added that Madam Wesley through the secretariat kept it in dustbin to date.
The regime of Madam Izeta Wesley, President of the Liberia Football Association and former cheering squad member, cum women youth chair of Invincible Eleven (IE), has been unable to to unite its staff and instill proper accounting.
The national league is poorly organized as winners at the end of the season are given post-dated cheques, while it is said that clubs operate in deficit, for what they earn at the end of the season cannot commensurate expenses just two matches, least to mention of the overall season’s expenses thereby dispiriting clubs and players alike and lowly motivating.
The clubs are unable to compete in international or CAF competitions after winning slots to represent the country. The national team is a celebrated minnow on the continent; in fact, the various national teams have since gone in slumber.
A well constructive program is lacking to take the game to the next level. The relationship between the LFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) is normally acrimonious, thus affecting the growth and development of the game. Again, FA vice Pennoh Bestman who has quite close to Izetta, recently lauded the LFA needs one will break the lasting jinx between the MYS and LFA. He said Izetta has failed to breach that gap. “You stakeholders need to elect someone who will mend fences between the two entities if football is to go forward; I believe Musa Bility has got a platform good enough to not only scout sponsorship for the game unite all stakeholders”, Pennoh said.
As elections of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) draws near, the president of the Liberia Association, Cllr. Izetta Wesley, is reported to have snubbed audit which her critics say stakeholders have been yarning for.
The camp of serious rival in the ensuing LFA contest for leadership positions says the attitude on the part of the incumbent leadership of the association has the propensity to deny stakeholders of their right to financial report.
It can be recalled that stakeholders, through the congress last September, mandated the LFA to conduct a comprehensive audit of the financial records of the football house before the pending March elections. However, it is incomprehensible that Madam Wesley and her acting secretarial undermined the decision of congress by what was considered as the LFA administration’s refusal to cooperate with auditors.
Since her ascendancy to the LFA, it is said that the LFA has never presented stakeholders any finial report. There are indications that some stakeholders are planning to make the incumbent the leadership of Madam Wesley to account for every penny she handled at the LFA.
During her more than six years of leadership as president, Madam Wesley reportedly has gone bankrupt as the LFA’s coffers at the Ecobank are virtually empty in the face of an annual US$250,000.0 and US$ 100,000.00 from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) respectively.
As president, Madam Wesley is said to have been receiving such huge amounts, deciding how it is expended and approving its usage, without accountability - audit.
There is indeed hardship, which seem unending as long as the "iron lady" turned rubber lady remains at the apogee of such high profile football position. The future is therefore oblique, uninspiring and discouraging as there is no glamour of hope. Things have since gone haywire, hope have turned into despair, joys have turned into sorrow, success have turned into failure, the positives have become negatives, promotion have turned into retrogression and boom have turned into hardship.
With just few of the many problems catalogued, the critics of the Wesley administration say there is a need not to reelect the Izetta Wesley Administration on account of lack of accountability which has been impeding the country's football development.
The LFA head is said to be suffocating the growth of the game and is a serious embarrassment to the game's improvement and transformation that must be obliterated come at the post of the March 20, this year.
But attempts to get to Madam Wesley did not materialize; investigation continues
Friday, February 26, 2010
What Did Supt Bacon Tell House?
…Detained But Freed on Constitutional Ground
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Email: billkjarkloh@gmail.com / jloplehdee@gmail.com
bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: + (231)-(0)77-544-286 / + (231)-(0)6-468-244
Weblogs: www.panwhanpen.com (panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
www.theperiscope.com /billkjarkloh.wordpress.com
Although detained with immediate effect in a common jail by the House of Representatives for an alleged chopping of development funds, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon denied squandering development funds when she faced the Lower House of Legislature, putting the total covering projects she executed including the administrative bank charges at for the period of seven months US$105,099.
Madam Bacon, who was ordered incarcerated along with Bomi County Superintendent Mohammed Massaley Tuesday insisted that she applied the funds on development projects added that what she referred to as administrative bank charges to US$11,020.
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here; Out of that meeting, we also realize that we could not leave outstanding projects that were incomplete from previous period – outstanding and left undone, and so we were requested through the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure that all projects be completed.
She indicated accordingly, “and so we consulted with the Honorable Legislators from Montserrado County and elected to complete those projects from the County Development Funds,” the Montserrado County Superintendent told the House shortly after they were incarcerated.
But dissatisfied with her exposé highlighting her accounting for development funds, the House of Representatives ordered that the county officials remain in detention for forty-eight hours. The House of Representatives also ordered the Development Superintendents Momolu Bass of Montserrado and Rebecca Benson of Bomi detained along with their bosses.
Also ordered detained by the House of Representative is the Coordinator of the County Development Funds at the Internal Affairs Ministry, Mr. Michael George. The House ordered the detention of the officials after it found them guilty of grossly violating Section 8 of the Budget Law of Liberia, against the unilateral expenditure of the County Development Funds, and act the House held the five executive local government officials on.
The House voted sixteen for, seven against and two abstentions to have the officials detained at the Monrovia Central Prison after hours of interrogation. The hearing was triggered by two separate letters of complaint by Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah and Bomi Representative Tarnue Cooper.
During the hearing, Superintendent Bacon insisted she had the authority to expend the development funds without the approval of the Legislative Caucus. Appearing before the House, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon insisted that the budget laws provided that she chair meeting as co-chairman in the absence of the Chairman to decide the development agenda of the county.
“According to the Budget Law, we are to convene a county Development/County Development Steering Council Meeting comprising of the traditional districts and communities of the County,” she pleaded her case, saying that the Montserrado Legislative Caucus should “…tell us the number of persons and then we plan the meeting together and convene it.”
However, Madam Bacon indicated, “From July August when the Budget was passed, we could not have the meeting into the busy schedule of the Legislator for Montserrado County; and as Superintendent and Co-Chairman according to the budget law, I saw it fit to chair in the absence of the Chairman or council.”
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here,” she continued before the House of Representatives, she added
Accountability
Acting in the interest of the citizens of Montserrado County, she said her administration was able to construct a 10-compartment modern pit latrine in District No. 3 for US$7,000, a structure which she pronounced completed and was used by the community based on their demand before it was eventually demolished by the Special Presidential Taskforce.
Madam Bacon also said her administration has commenced and is continuing the development in the Borough of New Kru Town where the Town Hall Project costing US$20,000 is ongoing.
“We completed the Diggsville Town Hall Administration Building US$3,409 in District No.13; and in District 14- Todee District the Administration Building also was renovated and completed – we spent US$47670; in District N0. 5 in Rehab Community where we constructed four hand-pumps providing safe-drinking water for the people of that community in the tone of US$8,000 (project is 90 percent completed) except for the 5th remaining hand pump pending because of the lack of ideal space for its construction,” Superintendent further accounted.
She said a decision was reached through discussion and resolution to construct a clinic on the other side of the St. Paul River where we have no major public clinic covering from all the way Cheesemanburg to Virginia – so in the Town of Boduah there is a Public Clinic under Construction for US$37,000; In District No.4, the Catholic Hospital Community, we have a Hand Pump also constructed providing the safe-drinking water for the resident in that community for US$1,000.
“We also realized that having constructed administration buildings for townships and cities, it is important and useful to provide the requisite logistics for the offices for the building to be made functional; and as such we provided furniture and material for the City of Brewerville in District No. 13, the Township of Barnersville in District No. 8, Diggsville 13, Congo Town District Nos. 4 and 5, and New Georgia District No. 9.,” she maintained
The Montserrado County Superintendent stated further that she constructed a walkway connecting the side of the Administration Building in Bentol City US$2, 000; renovated two apartments to house and sheltered teachers that are to take assignment at renovated Frank Tolbert High School the costing US$5,500.
But members of the Montserrado Caucus who were in session contended that Superintendent Bacon delivered a document to the Plenary that is contrary to previous one she furnished the Caucus.
Beside, the Caucus also said Superintendent has tried to shift its argument which pointed to contradiction of the Budget Law Section 8 relating to the use of the County Development Funds.
Bomi Superintendent Massaley and his Assistant were held liable for expending the development funds without the involvement of the Legislative Caucus. The House has meanwhile asked the General Auditing Commission to conduct an audit of the County development funds of Montserrado and Bomi Counties.
Bomi County Senator Lahai Lansanah says the House of Representatives acted unconstitutionally to order the detention of his Superintendent and deputy.
Senator Lansanah told reporters the House has no authority to detain the officials following a hearing on the alleged violation of the budget law. According to him, the House can only detain people if the function of the Legislature is impeded.
Senator Lansanah said the decision of the House is out of bounds and a making of Speaker Alex Tyler. But Speaker Tyler told reporters the House acted within the law. Also, another Bomi lawmaker, Tarnue Cooper, whose letter led to the detention of the Bomi raised similar contention supporting Speaker Tyler, while the affected Superintendents said the House acted harshly.
However, Representatives Thomas Fallah of Montserrado and Zoe Pennoh of Grand Gedeh said the decision of the House was Constitutional.
Representatives Fallah and Pennoh argued any official who violates the law must be punished.
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Email: billkjarkloh@gmail.com / jloplehdee@gmail.com
bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: + (231)-(0)77-544-286 / + (231)-(0)6-468-244
Weblogs: www.panwhanpen.com (panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
www.theperiscope.com /billkjarkloh.wordpress.com
Although detained with immediate effect in a common jail by the House of Representatives for an alleged chopping of development funds, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon denied squandering development funds when she faced the Lower House of Legislature, putting the total covering projects she executed including the administrative bank charges at for the period of seven months US$105,099.
Madam Bacon, who was ordered incarcerated along with Bomi County Superintendent Mohammed Massaley Tuesday insisted that she applied the funds on development projects added that what she referred to as administrative bank charges to US$11,020.
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here; Out of that meeting, we also realize that we could not leave outstanding projects that were incomplete from previous period – outstanding and left undone, and so we were requested through the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure that all projects be completed.
She indicated accordingly, “and so we consulted with the Honorable Legislators from Montserrado County and elected to complete those projects from the County Development Funds,” the Montserrado County Superintendent told the House shortly after they were incarcerated.
But dissatisfied with her exposé highlighting her accounting for development funds, the House of Representatives ordered that the county officials remain in detention for forty-eight hours. The House of Representatives also ordered the Development Superintendents Momolu Bass of Montserrado and Rebecca Benson of Bomi detained along with their bosses.
Also ordered detained by the House of Representative is the Coordinator of the County Development Funds at the Internal Affairs Ministry, Mr. Michael George. The House ordered the detention of the officials after it found them guilty of grossly violating Section 8 of the Budget Law of Liberia, against the unilateral expenditure of the County Development Funds, and act the House held the five executive local government officials on.
The House voted sixteen for, seven against and two abstentions to have the officials detained at the Monrovia Central Prison after hours of interrogation. The hearing was triggered by two separate letters of complaint by Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah and Bomi Representative Tarnue Cooper.
During the hearing, Superintendent Bacon insisted she had the authority to expend the development funds without the approval of the Legislative Caucus. Appearing before the House, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon insisted that the budget laws provided that she chair meeting as co-chairman in the absence of the Chairman to decide the development agenda of the county.
“According to the Budget Law, we are to convene a county Development/County Development Steering Council Meeting comprising of the traditional districts and communities of the County,” she pleaded her case, saying that the Montserrado Legislative Caucus should “…tell us the number of persons and then we plan the meeting together and convene it.”
However, Madam Bacon indicated, “From July August when the Budget was passed, we could not have the meeting into the busy schedule of the Legislator for Montserrado County; and as Superintendent and Co-Chairman according to the budget law, I saw it fit to chair in the absence of the Chairman or council.”
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here,” she continued before the House of Representatives, she added
Accountability
Acting in the interest of the citizens of Montserrado County, she said her administration was able to construct a 10-compartment modern pit latrine in District No. 3 for US$7,000, a structure which she pronounced completed and was used by the community based on their demand before it was eventually demolished by the Special Presidential Taskforce.
Madam Bacon also said her administration has commenced and is continuing the development in the Borough of New Kru Town where the Town Hall Project costing US$20,000 is ongoing.
“We completed the Diggsville Town Hall Administration Building US$3,409 in District No.13; and in District 14- Todee District the Administration Building also was renovated and completed – we spent US$47670; in District N0. 5 in Rehab Community where we constructed four hand-pumps providing safe-drinking water for the people of that community in the tone of US$8,000 (project is 90 percent completed) except for the 5th remaining hand pump pending because of the lack of ideal space for its construction,” Superintendent further accounted.
She said a decision was reached through discussion and resolution to construct a clinic on the other side of the St. Paul River where we have no major public clinic covering from all the way Cheesemanburg to Virginia – so in the Town of Boduah there is a Public Clinic under Construction for US$37,000; In District No.4, the Catholic Hospital Community, we have a Hand Pump also constructed providing the safe-drinking water for the resident in that community for US$1,000.
“We also realized that having constructed administration buildings for townships and cities, it is important and useful to provide the requisite logistics for the offices for the building to be made functional; and as such we provided furniture and material for the City of Brewerville in District No. 13, the Township of Barnersville in District No. 8, Diggsville 13, Congo Town District Nos. 4 and 5, and New Georgia District No. 9.,” she maintained
The Montserrado County Superintendent stated further that she constructed a walkway connecting the side of the Administration Building in Bentol City US$2, 000; renovated two apartments to house and sheltered teachers that are to take assignment at renovated Frank Tolbert High School the costing US$5,500.
But members of the Montserrado Caucus who were in session contended that Superintendent Bacon delivered a document to the Plenary that is contrary to previous one she furnished the Caucus.
Beside, the Caucus also said Superintendent has tried to shift its argument which pointed to contradiction of the Budget Law Section 8 relating to the use of the County Development Funds.
Bomi Superintendent Massaley and his Assistant were held liable for expending the development funds without the involvement of the Legislative Caucus. The House has meanwhile asked the General Auditing Commission to conduct an audit of the County development funds of Montserrado and Bomi Counties.
Bomi County Senator Lahai Lansanah says the House of Representatives acted unconstitutionally to order the detention of his Superintendent and deputy.
Senator Lansanah told reporters the House has no authority to detain the officials following a hearing on the alleged violation of the budget law. According to him, the House can only detain people if the function of the Legislature is impeded.
Senator Lansanah said the decision of the House is out of bounds and a making of Speaker Alex Tyler. But Speaker Tyler told reporters the House acted within the law. Also, another Bomi lawmaker, Tarnue Cooper, whose letter led to the detention of the Bomi raised similar contention supporting Speaker Tyler, while the affected Superintendents said the House acted harshly.
However, Representatives Thomas Fallah of Montserrado and Zoe Pennoh of Grand Gedeh said the decision of the House was Constitutional.
Representatives Fallah and Pennoh argued any official who violates the law must be punished.
What Did Supt Bacon Tell House?
…Detained But Freed on Constitutional Ground
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Email: billkjarkloh@gmail.com / jloplehdee@gmail.com
bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: + (231)-(0)77-544-286 / + (231)-(0)6-468-244
Weblogs: www.panwhanpen.com (panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
www.theperiscope.com /billkjarkloh.wordpress.com
Although detained with immediate effect in a common jail by the House of Representatives for an alleged chopping of development funds, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon denied squandering development funds when she faced the Lower House of Legislature, putting the total covering projects she executed including the administrative bank charges at for the period of seven months US$105,099.
Madam Bacon, who was ordered incarcerated along with Bomi County Superintendent Mohammed Massaley Tuesday insisted that she applied the funds on development projects added that what she referred to as administrative bank charges to US$11,020.
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here; Out of that meeting, we also realize that we could not leave outstanding projects that were incomplete from previous period – outstanding and left undone, and so we were requested through the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure that all projects be completed.
She indicated accordingly, “and so we consulted with the Honorable Legislators from Montserrado County and elected to complete those projects from the County Development Funds,” the Montserrado County Superintendent told the House shortly after they were incarcerated.
But dissatisfied with her exposé highlighting her accounting for development funds, the House of Representatives ordered that the county officials remain in detention for forty-eight hours. The House of Representatives also ordered the Development Superintendents Momolu Bass of Montserrado and Rebecca Benson of Bomi detained along with their bosses.
Also ordered detained by the House of Representative is the Coordinator of the County Development Funds at the Internal Affairs Ministry, Mr. Michael George. The House ordered the detention of the officials after it found them guilty of grossly violating Section 8 of the Budget Law of Liberia, against the unilateral expenditure of the County Development Funds, and act the House held the five executive local government officials on.
The House voted sixteen for, seven against and two abstentions to have the officials detained at the Monrovia Central Prison after hours of interrogation. The hearing was triggered by two separate letters of complaint by Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah and Bomi Representative Tarnue Cooper.
During the hearing, Superintendent Bacon insisted she had the authority to expend the development funds without the approval of the Legislative Caucus. Appearing before the House, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon insisted that the budget laws provided that she chair meeting as co-chairman in the absence of the Chairman to decide the development agenda of the county.
“According to the Budget Law, we are to convene a county Development/County Development Steering Council Meeting comprising of the traditional districts and communities of the County,” she pleaded her case, saying that the Montserrado Legislative Caucus should “…tell us the number of persons and then we plan the meeting together and convene it.”
However, Madam Bacon indicated, “From July August when the Budget was passed, we could not have the meeting into the busy schedule of the Legislator for Montserrado County; and as Superintendent and Co-Chairman according to the budget law, I saw it fit to chair in the absence of the Chairman or council.”
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here,” she continued before the House of Representatives, she added
Accountability
Acting in the interest of the citizens of Montserrado County, she said her administration was able to construct a 10-compartment modern pit latrine in District No. 3 for US$7,000, a structure which she pronounced completed and was used by the community based on their demand before it was eventually demolished by the Special Presidential Taskforce.
Madam Bacon also said her administration has commenced and is continuing the development in the Borough of New Kru Town where the Town Hall Project costing US$20,000 is ongoing.
“We completed the Diggsville Town Hall Administration Building US$3,409 in District No.13; and in District 14- Todee District the Administration Building also was renovated and completed – we spent US$47670; in District N0. 5 in Rehab Community where we constructed four hand-pumps providing safe-drinking water for the people of that community in the tone of US$8,000 (project is 90 percent completed) except for the 5th remaining hand pump pending because of the lack of ideal space for its construction,” Superintendent further accounted.
She said a decision was reached through discussion and resolution to construct a clinic on the other side of the St. Paul River where we have no major public clinic covering from all the way Cheesemanburg to Virginia – so in the Town of Boduah there is a Public Clinic under Construction for US$37,000; In District No.4, the Catholic Hospital Community, we have a Hand Pump also constructed providing the safe-drinking water for the resident in that community for US$1,000.
“We also realized that having constructed administration buildings for townships and cities, it is important and useful to provide the requisite logistics for the offices for the building to be made functional; and as such we provided furniture and material for the City of Brewerville in District No. 13, the Township of Barnersville in District No. 8, Diggsville 13, Congo Town District Nos. 4 and 5, and New Georgia District No. 9.,” she maintained
The Montserrado County Superintendent stated further that she constructed a walkway connecting the side of the Administration Building in Bentol City US$2, 000; renovated two apartments to house and sheltered teachers that are to take assignment at renovated Frank Tolbert High School the costing US$5,500.
But members of the Montserrado Caucus who were in session contended that Superintendent Bacon delivered a document to the Plenary that is contrary to previous one she furnished the Caucus.
Beside, the Caucus also said Superintendent has tried to shift its argument which pointed to contradiction of the Budget Law Section 8 relating to the use of the County Development Funds.
Bomi Superintendent Massaley and his Assistant were held liable for expending the development funds without the involvement of the Legislative Caucus. The House has meanwhile asked the General Auditing Commission to conduct an audit of the County development funds of Montserrado and Bomi Counties.
Bomi County Senator Lahai Lansanah says the House of Representatives acted unconstitutionally to order the detention of his Superintendent and deputy.
Senator Lansanah told reporters the House has no authority to detain the officials following a hearing on the alleged violation of the budget law. According to him, the House can only detain people if the function of the Legislature is impeded.
Senator Lansanah said the decision of the House is out of bounds and a making of Speaker Alex Tyler. But Speaker Tyler told reporters the House acted within the law. Also, another Bomi lawmaker, Tarnue Cooper, whose letter led to the detention of the Bomi raised similar contention supporting Speaker Tyler, while the affected Superintendents said the House acted harshly.
However, Representatives Thomas Fallah of Montserrado and Zoe Pennoh of Grand Gedeh said the decision of the House was Constitutional.
Representatives Fallah and Pennoh argued any official who violates the law must be punished.
China Union 2nd Amendment Gets First Reading
In more legislative business during this week, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has recommended to the National Legislatures what is considered a second amendment of the China Union Concession Agreement, for ratification, imploring the House to act on it.
In the amendment which has had its first reading g recently, the President wrote the National Legislature through the House of Representatives that Second Amendment of the Mineral Development Agreement, the MDA is between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and China Union Hong Kong Mining Company Limited and China Union Investment Liberia Bong Mines Company Limited dated January 19, 2009.
The President further said it is the government’s concern to introduce the China-Africa Development Fund (CAD) directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries of the shareholders of 85 percent of the outstanding shares of the concessionaires under the Mineral Development Agreement, the MDA, between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and China Union Investment Liberia.
The parties agree that the Mineral Development Agreement, President Sirleaf said in the communication, remain in full force and effect provided that the performance of the of the obligations of all parties under the agreement are hereby deemed to be suspended from the execution of the MDA and the first amendment respectively until the effective date of this second amendment except for the payment of the first installment of the off front payment.
According to the communication, this Second Amendment made to concession agreement has not substantially or materially change the agreement as to the risks allocated by the body.
“All legal issues made in the original agreement are being preserved. I wish to inform the Honorable Legislature that when this second amendment is ratified, concessionaire will rehabilitate infrastructure and operational facilities at Bong Mines including the Port, the Railroad, the Kataka – Bong Mines highway and will also create jobs and other economic and social benefits for our people, especially in the mid western region of our country,” she said.
She therefore urged your assistance in having this second amendment to the agreement ratified to accelerate the operation of the concessionaire through our nation’s recovery process.
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Email: billkjarkloh@gmail.com / jloplehdee@gmail.com
bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: + (231)-(0)77-544-286 / + (231)-(0)6-468-244
Weblogs: www.panwhanpen.com (panwhanpen.blogspot.com)
www.theperiscope.com /billkjarkloh.wordpress.com
Although detained with immediate effect in a common jail by the House of Representatives for an alleged chopping of development funds, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon denied squandering development funds when she faced the Lower House of Legislature, putting the total covering projects she executed including the administrative bank charges at for the period of seven months US$105,099.
Madam Bacon, who was ordered incarcerated along with Bomi County Superintendent Mohammed Massaley Tuesday insisted that she applied the funds on development projects added that what she referred to as administrative bank charges to US$11,020.
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here; Out of that meeting, we also realize that we could not leave outstanding projects that were incomplete from previous period – outstanding and left undone, and so we were requested through the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ensure that all projects be completed.
She indicated accordingly, “and so we consulted with the Honorable Legislators from Montserrado County and elected to complete those projects from the County Development Funds,” the Montserrado County Superintendent told the House shortly after they were incarcerated.
But dissatisfied with her exposé highlighting her accounting for development funds, the House of Representatives ordered that the county officials remain in detention for forty-eight hours. The House of Representatives also ordered the Development Superintendents Momolu Bass of Montserrado and Rebecca Benson of Bomi detained along with their bosses.
Also ordered detained by the House of Representative is the Coordinator of the County Development Funds at the Internal Affairs Ministry, Mr. Michael George. The House ordered the detention of the officials after it found them guilty of grossly violating Section 8 of the Budget Law of Liberia, against the unilateral expenditure of the County Development Funds, and act the House held the five executive local government officials on.
The House voted sixteen for, seven against and two abstentions to have the officials detained at the Monrovia Central Prison after hours of interrogation. The hearing was triggered by two separate letters of complaint by Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah and Bomi Representative Tarnue Cooper.
During the hearing, Superintendent Bacon insisted she had the authority to expend the development funds without the approval of the Legislative Caucus. Appearing before the House, Montserrado County Superintendent Beauty Bacon insisted that the budget laws provided that she chair meeting as co-chairman in the absence of the Chairman to decide the development agenda of the county.
“According to the Budget Law, we are to convene a county Development/County Development Steering Council Meeting comprising of the traditional districts and communities of the County,” she pleaded her case, saying that the Montserrado Legislative Caucus should “…tell us the number of persons and then we plan the meeting together and convene it.”
However, Madam Bacon indicated, “From July August when the Budget was passed, we could not have the meeting into the busy schedule of the Legislator for Montserrado County; and as Superintendent and Co-Chairman according to the budget law, I saw it fit to chair in the absence of the Chairman or council.”
“We convene a meeting in January 2009 where we have the citizens of Montserrado County deciding what they wanted to do; I have the resolution with me for that meeting here,” she continued before the House of Representatives, she added
Accountability
Acting in the interest of the citizens of Montserrado County, she said her administration was able to construct a 10-compartment modern pit latrine in District No. 3 for US$7,000, a structure which she pronounced completed and was used by the community based on their demand before it was eventually demolished by the Special Presidential Taskforce.
Madam Bacon also said her administration has commenced and is continuing the development in the Borough of New Kru Town where the Town Hall Project costing US$20,000 is ongoing.
“We completed the Diggsville Town Hall Administration Building US$3,409 in District No.13; and in District 14- Todee District the Administration Building also was renovated and completed – we spent US$47670; in District N0. 5 in Rehab Community where we constructed four hand-pumps providing safe-drinking water for the people of that community in the tone of US$8,000 (project is 90 percent completed) except for the 5th remaining hand pump pending because of the lack of ideal space for its construction,” Superintendent further accounted.
She said a decision was reached through discussion and resolution to construct a clinic on the other side of the St. Paul River where we have no major public clinic covering from all the way Cheesemanburg to Virginia – so in the Town of Boduah there is a Public Clinic under Construction for US$37,000; In District No.4, the Catholic Hospital Community, we have a Hand Pump also constructed providing the safe-drinking water for the resident in that community for US$1,000.
“We also realized that having constructed administration buildings for townships and cities, it is important and useful to provide the requisite logistics for the offices for the building to be made functional; and as such we provided furniture and material for the City of Brewerville in District No. 13, the Township of Barnersville in District No. 8, Diggsville 13, Congo Town District Nos. 4 and 5, and New Georgia District No. 9.,” she maintained
The Montserrado County Superintendent stated further that she constructed a walkway connecting the side of the Administration Building in Bentol City US$2, 000; renovated two apartments to house and sheltered teachers that are to take assignment at renovated Frank Tolbert High School the costing US$5,500.
But members of the Montserrado Caucus who were in session contended that Superintendent Bacon delivered a document to the Plenary that is contrary to previous one she furnished the Caucus.
Beside, the Caucus also said Superintendent has tried to shift its argument which pointed to contradiction of the Budget Law Section 8 relating to the use of the County Development Funds.
Bomi Superintendent Massaley and his Assistant were held liable for expending the development funds without the involvement of the Legislative Caucus. The House has meanwhile asked the General Auditing Commission to conduct an audit of the County development funds of Montserrado and Bomi Counties.
Bomi County Senator Lahai Lansanah says the House of Representatives acted unconstitutionally to order the detention of his Superintendent and deputy.
Senator Lansanah told reporters the House has no authority to detain the officials following a hearing on the alleged violation of the budget law. According to him, the House can only detain people if the function of the Legislature is impeded.
Senator Lansanah said the decision of the House is out of bounds and a making of Speaker Alex Tyler. But Speaker Tyler told reporters the House acted within the law. Also, another Bomi lawmaker, Tarnue Cooper, whose letter led to the detention of the Bomi raised similar contention supporting Speaker Tyler, while the affected Superintendents said the House acted harshly.
However, Representatives Thomas Fallah of Montserrado and Zoe Pennoh of Grand Gedeh said the decision of the House was Constitutional.
Representatives Fallah and Pennoh argued any official who violates the law must be punished.
China Union 2nd Amendment Gets First Reading
In more legislative business during this week, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has recommended to the National Legislatures what is considered a second amendment of the China Union Concession Agreement, for ratification, imploring the House to act on it.
In the amendment which has had its first reading g recently, the President wrote the National Legislature through the House of Representatives that Second Amendment of the Mineral Development Agreement, the MDA is between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and China Union Hong Kong Mining Company Limited and China Union Investment Liberia Bong Mines Company Limited dated January 19, 2009.
The President further said it is the government’s concern to introduce the China-Africa Development Fund (CAD) directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries of the shareholders of 85 percent of the outstanding shares of the concessionaires under the Mineral Development Agreement, the MDA, between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and China Union Investment Liberia.
The parties agree that the Mineral Development Agreement, President Sirleaf said in the communication, remain in full force and effect provided that the performance of the of the obligations of all parties under the agreement are hereby deemed to be suspended from the execution of the MDA and the first amendment respectively until the effective date of this second amendment except for the payment of the first installment of the off front payment.
According to the communication, this Second Amendment made to concession agreement has not substantially or materially change the agreement as to the risks allocated by the body.
“All legal issues made in the original agreement are being preserved. I wish to inform the Honorable Legislature that when this second amendment is ratified, concessionaire will rehabilitate infrastructure and operational facilities at Bong Mines including the Port, the Railroad, the Kataka – Bong Mines highway and will also create jobs and other economic and social benefits for our people, especially in the mid western region of our country,” she said.
She therefore urged your assistance in having this second amendment to the agreement ratified to accelerate the operation of the concessionaire through our nation’s recovery process.
Monday, January 25, 2010
UN Says Haiti Is Not Alone
- Says Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Laments Disaster
Saying the Southern American Country of Haiti hit by an earthquake recently is not alone, United nations secretary General Ban Ki-moon also indicated that the disaster in Haiti shows once again something that we, as human beings, have always known: that even amid the worst devastation, there is always hope.
“I saw that for myself this week in Port au Prince. The UN suffered its single greatest loss in history. Our headquarters in the Haitian capital was a mass of crushed concrete and tangled steel. How could anyone survive, I thought? Yet moments after I departed, with a heavy heart, rescue teams pulled out a survivor – alive, after five days, buried, without food or water. I think of it as a small miracle, a sign of hope,” Mr. Ban lamented.
He said such disasters as that in Haiti remind the world of the fragility of life, but also reaffirm our strength.
“We have seen horrific images on television: collapsed buildings, bodies in the streets, people in dire need of food, water and shelter. I saw all this, and more, as I moved around the stricken city. But I also saw something else — a remarkable expression of human spirit, people suffering the heaviest blows yet demonstrating extraordinary resilience,” the UN boss accentuated.
The UN Secretary General was commenting on the Haitian disaster, an earthquake which devastated the country and its people. He said during his brief visit in that Caribbean country, he met with many ordinary people, noting that a group of young men near the ruins of the presidential palace told him of wanting to help rebuild Haiti.
“Beyond the immediate crisis, they hope for jobs, a future with dignity, work to do. Across the street, I met a young mother with her children living in a tent in a public park, with little food,” Mr. Ban noted, saying that there were thousands like her, patiently enduring, helping one another as best they could.
“She had faith that help would soon come, as did others. “I came to offer hope,” I told them. “Do not despair.” In return she, too, asked the international community to help Haiti to rebuild — for her children, for the generations of tomorrow,” Mr. Ban observed.
For those who have lost everything, he said help cannot come soon enough. “But it is coming, and in growing amounts despite very difficult logistical challenges in a capital city where all services and capacity are gone. As of Monday morning, more than 40 international search and rescue teams with more than 1700 staff were at work. Water supplies are increasing; tents and temporary shelters are arriving in larger numbers,” the UN boss assured.
Ban added that badly damaged hospitals are beginning to function again, aided by international medical teams. Meanwhile, the World Food Program is working with the U.S. army to distribute daily food rations to nearly 200,000 people; he said the agency expects to reach as many as one million people within the coming weeks, building toward two million.
“We have seen an outpouring of international aid, commensurate with the scale of this disaster. Every nation, every international aid organization in the world, has mobilized for Haiti’s relief. Our job is to channel that assistance. We need to make sure our help gets to the people who need it, as fast as possible. We cannot have essential supplies sitting in warehouses. We have no time to lose, nor money to waste. This requires strong and effective coordination— the international community working together, as one, with the United Nations in the lead,” he accentuated..
Indicating further that this critical work began from the first day, both among UN and international aid agencies as well as among key players, he disclosed that that the United Nations is working closely with the United States and the countries of Europe, Latin America and many others to identity the most pressing humanitarian needs and deliver what is required.
“These needs must be grouped into well-defined “clusters,” so that the efforts of all the various organizations complement rather than duplicate one another. A health cluster run by the World Health Organization, for example, is already organizing medical assistance among 21 international agencies,” he averred.
Ban said the urgency of the moment will naturally dominate our planning. But it is not too early to begin thinking about tomorrow, a point that President Rene Preval emphasized when he met him, the UN Secretary General during the visit.
Though desperately poor, Haiti had been making progress. It was enjoying a new stability; investors had returned. It will not be enough to rebuild the country as it was, nor is there any place for cosmetic improvements.
In this respect, Mr. Ban said, “We must help Haiti build back better, working side by side with the government, so that the money and aid invested today will have lasting benefit, creating jobs and freeing it from dependence on the world’s generosity.”
In this sense, according to him, Haiti’s plight is a reminder of our wider responsibilities. A decade ago, the international community began a new century by agreeing to act to eliminate extreme poverty by the year 2015.
He said great strides have been made toward some of these ambitious “Millennium goals,” variously targeting core sources of global poverty and obstacles to development from maternal health and education to managing infectious disease. Yet progress in other critical areas lags badly. The bottom line: we are very far from delivering on our promises of a better future for the world’s poor.
Concluding, the United Nations boss said: As we rush to Haiti’s immediate aid, let us keep in mind this larger picture. That was the message I received, loud and clear, from those people on the streets of Port au Prince. They asked for jobs, dignity and a better future. That is the hope of the all world’s poor, wherever they might live. Doing the right thing for Haiti, in its hour of need, will be a powerful message of hope for them as well.
Source: www.unmil.org
Saying the Southern American Country of Haiti hit by an earthquake recently is not alone, United nations secretary General Ban Ki-moon also indicated that the disaster in Haiti shows once again something that we, as human beings, have always known: that even amid the worst devastation, there is always hope.
“I saw that for myself this week in Port au Prince. The UN suffered its single greatest loss in history. Our headquarters in the Haitian capital was a mass of crushed concrete and tangled steel. How could anyone survive, I thought? Yet moments after I departed, with a heavy heart, rescue teams pulled out a survivor – alive, after five days, buried, without food or water. I think of it as a small miracle, a sign of hope,” Mr. Ban lamented.
He said such disasters as that in Haiti remind the world of the fragility of life, but also reaffirm our strength.
“We have seen horrific images on television: collapsed buildings, bodies in the streets, people in dire need of food, water and shelter. I saw all this, and more, as I moved around the stricken city. But I also saw something else — a remarkable expression of human spirit, people suffering the heaviest blows yet demonstrating extraordinary resilience,” the UN boss accentuated.
The UN Secretary General was commenting on the Haitian disaster, an earthquake which devastated the country and its people. He said during his brief visit in that Caribbean country, he met with many ordinary people, noting that a group of young men near the ruins of the presidential palace told him of wanting to help rebuild Haiti.
“Beyond the immediate crisis, they hope for jobs, a future with dignity, work to do. Across the street, I met a young mother with her children living in a tent in a public park, with little food,” Mr. Ban noted, saying that there were thousands like her, patiently enduring, helping one another as best they could.
“She had faith that help would soon come, as did others. “I came to offer hope,” I told them. “Do not despair.” In return she, too, asked the international community to help Haiti to rebuild — for her children, for the generations of tomorrow,” Mr. Ban observed.
For those who have lost everything, he said help cannot come soon enough. “But it is coming, and in growing amounts despite very difficult logistical challenges in a capital city where all services and capacity are gone. As of Monday morning, more than 40 international search and rescue teams with more than 1700 staff were at work. Water supplies are increasing; tents and temporary shelters are arriving in larger numbers,” the UN boss assured.
Ban added that badly damaged hospitals are beginning to function again, aided by international medical teams. Meanwhile, the World Food Program is working with the U.S. army to distribute daily food rations to nearly 200,000 people; he said the agency expects to reach as many as one million people within the coming weeks, building toward two million.
“We have seen an outpouring of international aid, commensurate with the scale of this disaster. Every nation, every international aid organization in the world, has mobilized for Haiti’s relief. Our job is to channel that assistance. We need to make sure our help gets to the people who need it, as fast as possible. We cannot have essential supplies sitting in warehouses. We have no time to lose, nor money to waste. This requires strong and effective coordination— the international community working together, as one, with the United Nations in the lead,” he accentuated..
Indicating further that this critical work began from the first day, both among UN and international aid agencies as well as among key players, he disclosed that that the United Nations is working closely with the United States and the countries of Europe, Latin America and many others to identity the most pressing humanitarian needs and deliver what is required.
“These needs must be grouped into well-defined “clusters,” so that the efforts of all the various organizations complement rather than duplicate one another. A health cluster run by the World Health Organization, for example, is already organizing medical assistance among 21 international agencies,” he averred.
Ban said the urgency of the moment will naturally dominate our planning. But it is not too early to begin thinking about tomorrow, a point that President Rene Preval emphasized when he met him, the UN Secretary General during the visit.
Though desperately poor, Haiti had been making progress. It was enjoying a new stability; investors had returned. It will not be enough to rebuild the country as it was, nor is there any place for cosmetic improvements.
In this respect, Mr. Ban said, “We must help Haiti build back better, working side by side with the government, so that the money and aid invested today will have lasting benefit, creating jobs and freeing it from dependence on the world’s generosity.”
In this sense, according to him, Haiti’s plight is a reminder of our wider responsibilities. A decade ago, the international community began a new century by agreeing to act to eliminate extreme poverty by the year 2015.
He said great strides have been made toward some of these ambitious “Millennium goals,” variously targeting core sources of global poverty and obstacles to development from maternal health and education to managing infectious disease. Yet progress in other critical areas lags badly. The bottom line: we are very far from delivering on our promises of a better future for the world’s poor.
Concluding, the United Nations boss said: As we rush to Haiti’s immediate aid, let us keep in mind this larger picture. That was the message I received, loud and clear, from those people on the streets of Port au Prince. They asked for jobs, dignity and a better future. That is the hope of the all world’s poor, wherever they might live. Doing the right thing for Haiti, in its hour of need, will be a powerful message of hope for them as well.
Source: www.unmil.org
New Threshold Gives Montserrado 27 Seats In Parliament
…Some Senators Threaten Court Action
By: Papie Sheriff Kollie Jr.
(Senate Protemp Wortorson Photo inserted)
At the passage of the controversial Threshold Bill of Liberia at 40,000 per constituency by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate Wednesday during a Special Session, few senators have threatened to challenge the passage of the Bill at the Supreme Court of Liberia.
It was reported from the Joint Assembly Chamber where Senate business was done yesterday that each of the senators present was given at most three minutes each to give their positions on the Threshold before votes were taken, which was done. Not withstanding the majority support the Threshold Bill enjoyed at 40,000 per constituency, some seven senators firmly opposed the passage even after the vote-taking.
Amongst the senators were Theodore Momo and Daniel Naathan of Gbarpolu, Gloria Musu Scott of and John Ballout of Maryland, Saye Tayor Dolo (Aldolphus Dolo) of Nimba County and Lahai Lansana of Bomi .
The opposing Senator contended that the Threshold Bill should be passed at 50,000 per constituency said the Government has already said it has no money to sponsor additional lawmakers that would be elected as a result of the new threshold.
Also opposed to the new Threshold was River-Gee County Senior Senator Fredrick Cherue who considered the threshold passage at 40,000 unconstitutional and will also serve as a ploy to put more economic burden of the government when it comes to supporting the additional representations created by the threshold.
As a consequence the opposing senators threatened to take their colleagues to the Supreme Court to seek judicial redress on the matter, as they walked out of the session in protest of the passage of the Threshold at 40,000.
Our legislative reporter said the senators walkout minutes after Pro-Tempore Cletus Wotorson announced that that with 17 senators for, seven against, two abstained and two absent, the controversial Threshold Bill was now passed at without any provision attached unlike before, the opposing senators walked out of the Plenary Session and an attempt to called them back to session did not materialize.
The Sergeant-At-Arms who the Pro-Tempore sent to call the protesting Senators back to session reported that the senators said they were no longer coming to session.
On the basis of the decision, the Senate announced that it would sanction the senators that walked out of the session apparently for disrespect to the plenary, but the Senate Pro-Tempore did not specify the sanction.
Meanwhile, with the voting of the document into law Wednesday, the Threshold Bill will now be sent to the President for Signature.
The Passage of the Threshold Bill at 40,000 per Constituency, kit means that representation at the lower House of Parliament is to by 16 Representatives, with Montserrado alone taking 13 Representatives, since it has the density of population at 1.1 million people. By this increase, Montserrado will now be represented with 27 lawmakers at the House of Representatives, followed by Nimba, Bong and Lofa Counties, which will be represented by 11, 8 and 6 Representatives respectively.
Recently, a team of seventeen Senators has written the Senate seeking a concurrence vote on the controversial population threshold bill. The Senators said the passage of the threshold bill is a constitutional imperative and a conditional precedent for the 2011 elections.
In a two page letter they pledged support for the forty-thousand threshold passed by the House of Representatives. The seventeen Senators from eleven Counties asked the Senate to take a decision on the threshold bill by Tuesday, January 19.
One of the seventeen Senators Mobutu Nyepan of Sinoe warned, any attempt to delay the passage of the threshold bill would harm Liberia’s young democracy. Also, Nimba County Representative Madam Nohn Rebecca Kidau, has observed that the proposed Threshold Bill submitted to the National Legislature by the National Elections Commission (NEC) is indeed critical to the holding of free and fair democratic elections in Liberia come 2011.
Representative Kidau who is member of the House Committee on Executive, Gender Equity, Lands, Mines and Natural Resources, intimated that, it is a common logic and reasoning that there can be no free and fair elections in the country in the absence of proper constituency demarcation and districts harmonization which are relevant issues that must be addressed through the speedy passage of the Threshold Bill.
The lawmaker told reporters Tuesday that it is expedient that her colleagues within the Legislature proceed with the passage of the Threshold Bill on the basis of population statistics produced by the Liberia Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) during the national census which was carried out.
Representative Kidau has meanwhile disclosed that series of discussions and consultations aimed at resolving lands conflicts in her county (Nimba) are ongoing and further revealed that a special committee comprising of some key individuals from diverse ethnic and tribal backgrounds in the country have since been constituted for the sole purpose of finding meaningful solutions to land crises in the area. She has promised to continue her development projects in her county.
This is the second time the Liberia Senate has concurred with the House of Representatives by passing the controversial threshold bill that experienced hitches at the Legislature for some differences amongst lawmakers.
The Senators yesterday went into an extraordinary session to obtain votes that would ensure passage of the bill after intense public pressure bore on them for their delay to concur with the lower House, which passed the bill at 40,000 per constituency.
The National Population Threshold Bill originated from the National Elections Commission, which set the population threshold at 38 per constituency, but the projection triggered contentions amongst lawmakers some of whom stated that the threshold proposed would deprive their counties or districts appropriate representation at the National Legislature.
Amid the bickering, public outcries and international pressure pushed the House to pass the Population Threshold Bill at 40,000 but when it went into the Senate, the contention lingered, causing prolonged bickering.
On Wednesday, bickering intensified when Senator Jewell Howard Taylor Wednesday made a motion for the passage of the controversial threshold bill at 40,000, she received a backlash from other senators who stepped on the motion on grounds that the threshold should be at 48,000 persons per constituency.
The motion generated an irking debate which brought the two opposing sides at each others’ throats with journalists gazing as though there was a motion picture being shown in the Senate Chamber. Apparently, the show was observed to be the incumbent Unity Party versus the out-of power National Patriotic Party acting for passage the threshold bill.
The bill was passed at 40,000 per constituency by the House of Representatives at the end of heavy bickering and prolonged hearing that aggravated public pressure which led to its passage. The contention has been that counties with a smaller population would be either under-represented in parliament or without any representation while those with larger populations have argued that the threshold bill is constitutional.
When the bill was sent to the Senate for concurrence, it got stalled. But a committee which handled it reported that it increased the threshold to 48,000 per constituency with at least two representatives across the board before the application of the threshold, a suggestion which has never sufficed up to present.
Accordingly, there has been immense consultation amongst senators to mitigate the impasse until yesterday when the Jewel Howard-Taylor motion was raised with a resistance that seemed to further stall its passage.
During yesterday’s session, Senator Abel Massaley of Grand Cape Mount County and a stalwart of the National Patriotic Party made an opening statement in which he said the Unity Party doesn’t want the Threshold Bill to be passed. In his statement, Senator Massaley indicated that he will join the civil society group and other groupings to see to it that the Unity Party doesn’t succeed in passing this controversial Threshold Bill.
Bomi County Senator Richard Devine reacting to Massaley from a Unity Party point of view said the NPP is no longer in existence, and that NPP will not be allowed to stall progress of the Unity Party, especially in stalling the passage of the Threshold Bill. Senator Devine indicated that he will make sure that he does not form part of what ever thing that is going to affect the people of Bomi.
At the senate session Wednesday, 25 Senators were present to vote the bill; when the presiding officer requested for votes, 11 senators voted for the passage of the Bill at 40,000 and while 14 were against.
Those who were for the bill at 40,000 include Senators Jewel Taylor, Joyce Freeman, Masseley, Prince Johnson amongst others, while those who were against the bill passed at 40,000 but instead at 48,000 were Maryland County Senator Gloria Scott, Bomi’s Richard Devine, Maryland’s John Ballout, Grand Bassa’s Gbazongar Finely, and Bomi’s Laiha Lansana amongst others.
Apparently the development at the Senate suggests refusal by the Liberian Senate to concur with the House of Representatives in the passing the National Threshold Bill at 40,000 per constituency, without addressing pertinent concerns.
The delay in passing the controversial National Threshold Bill currently before the Senate has ignited local and International criticisms on the national Legislative, which have apparently compelled its passage by the House of Representative pending senate concurrence.
Notwithstanding Thursday, however, there were threats of demonstrations by some civil society members who have decided to pressure the Senate to pass the bill so that it would not hinder progress in preparation for the 2011 presidential and general elections.
Our reporter from the Capitol said senators were seen Thursday engaged by so many civil society organization members on ground that the senators should see reason to pass the bill in the national interest.
Amongst the civil society organization members seen at the Capitol were the Justice of the Peace (JPC) director in person of Augustine Toe and others.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Executive, Nathaniel Nathan of Gbarpulo County who was the presiding, recognized Senator Franklin Siakor of Bong County to make the motion. Senator Siakor, in his motion suggested that the bill which was brought to us from the lower house for concurrence remains at 40,000 as the national threshold with no counties having less than two seats across the board.
The motion was overwhelmingly accepted with 16 votes in favor of the 40,000 for the reason that the bill should not be held hostage, while 9 was against the bill at 40,000. The senators told journalist that a Conference Committee will be set up next Tuesday to see how best they can negotiate with the lower house for the provision to be accepted.
Source: The NEW VISION Newspaper in Monrovia
Monday, January 18, 2010
CBL, CELLCOM Collaborate
Issue Guidelines To Protect Customers Interest in Debentures Scheme
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Photo: CBL Governor Dr. Mill Jones
By: Bill K. Jarkloh
Photo: CBL Governor Dr. Mill Jones
Weblog: www.theperiscope.com/www.panwhanpen.com
Email: bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: (231)-77-544-286/(231)-6-468-244
As the Management of the Central Bank of Liberia in collaboration with CELLCOM GSM service provider moves to protect the interest of Convertible Debentures, the GSM company says regulatory agencies of government such as the Central Bank should also address Concerns about the need for developing and regulating underdeveloped sectors and complementing factors of growing economy.
Commenting at a joint Central Bank of Liberia and CELLCOM press briefing Monday, CELLCOM’s Board Chairman, Mr. Zaidenberg noted the company’s gratitude to Governor Jones and officials of the Central Bank of Liberia for the opportunity during the course of what he called “meaningful engagements to explore what is really unchartered financial territory in Liberia.”
Although the Offering of Convertible Debentures is new to Liberia, Mr. Zaidenberg said the CBL-CELLCOM engagements have afforded the company the chance to act positively and progressively together to consider the evolving possibilities of its growing economy, enhance the public trust and confidence and to develop appropriate mechanisms to embrace what is a certain future in the conduct of business in Liberia.
The CELLCOM Board Chairman, saying that regulatory institutions such as the CBL exercising authority without fear or favor will not only provide assurance for collective quests for increased integrity, orderliness and safeguard of public trust but also address Concerns about the need for developing and regulating underdeveloped sectors and complementing factors of growing economy.
“At CELLCOM, we believe in our individual and collective capacities to be better. This is why we are Liberia’s fastest growing business. All the CELLCOM has tried to do in Liberia affirm our belief that this country and its economy will improve, if we – the business community and regulating agencies do our parts well,” Mr. Zaidenberg recounted,
He added that this requires that members of the business community’s’ respects local laws, conform to international best practices and conduct business and responsibilities with the highest standard of transparency and integrity.
Accordingly, the Central Bank of Liberia yesterday Monday new measures which the management of the GSM Company says it is committed to upholding in its debenture scheme.
On November 8, CELLCOM Telecommunications Incorporated, a leading GSM telephony and internet services provider announced an Offering of Convertible Debentures to the Liberian public.
In its Offering, the GSM service providers advertised interest payment of a minimum of 10% per annum, a tenor of five years for its convertible Debentures and, at the election of each Debenture holder, either the conversion of the face value of the Debenture certificate into shares of common stock or the repayment of the principal invested plus any accrued interests.
CELLCOM offer comes at a time when the capital market in Liberia has yet to be developed, including having in place the appropriate regulatory and supervisory regime, according to the CBL authorities.
The Central Bank’s Executive Governor, Dr. Mills Jones told a news briefing that the development of a capital market in Liberia has been an interest of the Central Bank of Liberia.
According to the bank governor, the CBL has recently announced the need for avoiding any actions on the part of businesses that have the potential of creating problems that could lead to a loss of confidence of the public in the issuance of shares and/or debt obligations ahead of the establishment of a well functioning capital market.
CELLCOM’s Commitments
“In line with its mandate to ensure the orderly development of financial and capital markets that are responsive to the needs of the national economy, and to safeguard the public trust and interest in relation to financial transactions, the Central Bank of Liberia invited CELLCOM to review and discuss its Offering of the said Convertible Debentures,” Governor Jones indicated.
He told journalists, “Based on these discussions, CELLCOM has committed to make changes intended to enhance the disclosure of information about the company and the nature of the debenture being offered with a view to safeguarding the interest and trust of the public and ensuring orderliness in the process of issuing such financial instruments.
Accordingly, he said CELLCOM has committed to make several changes in the execution of its scheme, with immediate effect, which include the title of the Investment Guide of CELLCOM Offering of Convertible Debenture will be changed from “Private Placement of up to 500,000 Convertible Debentures at US$10 Per Unit Payable in Full Upon Application” to read “Placement of up to 500,000 Convertible Debentures at US$10 Per Unit Payable in Full Upon Application”. The removal of the word “Private” obligates CELLCOM to augment the level of disclosure to the public.
“In this connection,” Dr. Jones continued, the disclaimer of CELLCOM in reserving the “…right to amend or replace the information at any time and undertakes no obligation to provide the recipient with access to any additional information…” has been changed.
The Governor further announcing that CELLCOM has committed to now communicate any changes or replacement of information – with appropriate rationale for changes - by communicating, in a reasonable time, through publications in newspapers of general circulation, radio and/or other media, noted that in the summary of the terms of the Offering, CELLCOM will amend its statement to reflect that “this offer is intended, in part, to enable Liberians to eventually participate in the ownership, control and management of the company”.
According to the CBL Governor, this should make it clearer to the public that the purchase of these Debentures does not automatically translate into one becoming a ‘part-owner’ of CELLCOM.
“It is only at the maturity of the Debenture (5 yrs from now) that an investor may exercise the option of having his or her Debentures converted into shares. This clarification will also be further emphasized in succeeding advertisements and related media campaigns undertaken by CELLCOM,” he added.
Flanked by CELLCOM Board Chairman Mr. Avi Zaidenberg, Dr. Jones maintained that the GSA Company has committed to further clarify that for those investors who want to be paid in full at the maturity date, CELLCOM will pay back the Debentures in full on the maturity date, the issue price plus any unpaid accrued interest. For those investors who wish to become shareholders, Cellcom will convert the principal of its Debentures into shares of common stock.
“Not later than 30 days prior to the maturity date of the Debentures, CELLCOM will inform Debenture holders of the impending maturity date and that investors would be reminded of their right to either redeem the Debentures or convert same to shares in Cellcom,” he said.
Debentures holders must be informed
He noted, ”This information will be communicated to Debenture holders by written notices to the addresses provided on the subscription forms; notices placed in at least two local newspapers; notices published on two internet websites including CELLCOM’s; notices broadcast on at least three radio stations and sent via SMS text messages for a period of two weeks.
Dr. Jones asserted that the prior offering of CELLCOM allowed for the automatic conversion of Debentures into shares, in the event that an investor was unavailable to express his or her desire to either redeem the Debenture or to convert it into shares within 1 month following its maturity.
But he noted that as a further protection to the public, in the event that Cellcom does not receive a response from the Debenture holder within one month as of the maturity date of the Debenture, Cellcom will hold the principal of the Debenture plus any unpaid accrued interest for a further period of one year within which the Debenture holder can still exercise his or her right to either liquidate said Debenture or have it converted into shares, provided however that no further interest shall accrue on the principal amount, as of the maturity date.
“At the expiry of the one year period, Cellcom will remit to the Central Bank of Liberia any unclaimed or unconverted principal amounts, plus unpaid interest earned prior to the maturity date. The CBL will hold the funds in escrow, for up to 15 years, on behalf of debenture holders, their heirs, and assignee,” the CBL boss explained.
Given that Liberia has yet to develop a fully functional capital market that would allow for regular buying and selling of securities, such as debentures, he said CELLCOM has agreed to facilitate the transfer process (including registration) for debenture holders wishing to sell or transfer ownership of their debenture prior to maturity.
CELLCOM, he furthered, will not be involved in the transaction that takes place between the debenture holder and the third party, including any discounts that may be agreed upon between the two parties. “For the service of facilitating the transfer process, CELLCOM will charge an administrative fee in respect to each trade of said Debentures, provided said administrative charge will not exceed 2% of the face value of the Debenture,” he added.
The Central Bank Executive Governor accentuated that Cellcom commits to the provision of this service after August 30, 2010. “In effect, this provision makes it easier for holders of the debentures to be able to convert the debenture to cash through agreed upon transactions with third parties ahead of the five year maturity period,” he told the journalists.
Recent issuances of securities have pointed to an emerging need for an expanded range of options to mobilize domestic and international savings for efficient allocation to productive economic activities. This is why an orderly process for developing Liberia’s capital market is essential.
Meanwhile, the CELLCOM Board Chairman said he is the GSM company is pleased with and grateful to the public for its response to its offering of Convertible Debentures, saying that the CELLCOM has extended its purchase of convertible debentures to April 15, 2010.
Email: bill_ksolborjarkloh@yahoo.com
Call: (231)-77-544-286/(231)-6-468-244
As the Management of the Central Bank of Liberia in collaboration with CELLCOM GSM service provider moves to protect the interest of Convertible Debentures, the GSM company says regulatory agencies of government such as the Central Bank should also address Concerns about the need for developing and regulating underdeveloped sectors and complementing factors of growing economy.
Commenting at a joint Central Bank of Liberia and CELLCOM press briefing Monday, CELLCOM’s Board Chairman, Mr. Zaidenberg noted the company’s gratitude to Governor Jones and officials of the Central Bank of Liberia for the opportunity during the course of what he called “meaningful engagements to explore what is really unchartered financial territory in Liberia.”
Although the Offering of Convertible Debentures is new to Liberia, Mr. Zaidenberg said the CBL-CELLCOM engagements have afforded the company the chance to act positively and progressively together to consider the evolving possibilities of its growing economy, enhance the public trust and confidence and to develop appropriate mechanisms to embrace what is a certain future in the conduct of business in Liberia.
The CELLCOM Board Chairman, saying that regulatory institutions such as the CBL exercising authority without fear or favor will not only provide assurance for collective quests for increased integrity, orderliness and safeguard of public trust but also address Concerns about the need for developing and regulating underdeveloped sectors and complementing factors of growing economy.
“At CELLCOM, we believe in our individual and collective capacities to be better. This is why we are Liberia’s fastest growing business. All the CELLCOM has tried to do in Liberia affirm our belief that this country and its economy will improve, if we – the business community and regulating agencies do our parts well,” Mr. Zaidenberg recounted,
He added that this requires that members of the business community’s’ respects local laws, conform to international best practices and conduct business and responsibilities with the highest standard of transparency and integrity.
Accordingly, the Central Bank of Liberia yesterday Monday new measures which the management of the GSM Company says it is committed to upholding in its debenture scheme.
On November 8, CELLCOM Telecommunications Incorporated, a leading GSM telephony and internet services provider announced an Offering of Convertible Debentures to the Liberian public.
In its Offering, the GSM service providers advertised interest payment of a minimum of 10% per annum, a tenor of five years for its convertible Debentures and, at the election of each Debenture holder, either the conversion of the face value of the Debenture certificate into shares of common stock or the repayment of the principal invested plus any accrued interests.
CELLCOM offer comes at a time when the capital market in Liberia has yet to be developed, including having in place the appropriate regulatory and supervisory regime, according to the CBL authorities.
The Central Bank’s Executive Governor, Dr. Mills Jones told a news briefing that the development of a capital market in Liberia has been an interest of the Central Bank of Liberia.
According to the bank governor, the CBL has recently announced the need for avoiding any actions on the part of businesses that have the potential of creating problems that could lead to a loss of confidence of the public in the issuance of shares and/or debt obligations ahead of the establishment of a well functioning capital market.
CELLCOM’s Commitments
“In line with its mandate to ensure the orderly development of financial and capital markets that are responsive to the needs of the national economy, and to safeguard the public trust and interest in relation to financial transactions, the Central Bank of Liberia invited CELLCOM to review and discuss its Offering of the said Convertible Debentures,” Governor Jones indicated.
He told journalists, “Based on these discussions, CELLCOM has committed to make changes intended to enhance the disclosure of information about the company and the nature of the debenture being offered with a view to safeguarding the interest and trust of the public and ensuring orderliness in the process of issuing such financial instruments.
Accordingly, he said CELLCOM has committed to make several changes in the execution of its scheme, with immediate effect, which include the title of the Investment Guide of CELLCOM Offering of Convertible Debenture will be changed from “Private Placement of up to 500,000 Convertible Debentures at US$10 Per Unit Payable in Full Upon Application” to read “Placement of up to 500,000 Convertible Debentures at US$10 Per Unit Payable in Full Upon Application”. The removal of the word “Private” obligates CELLCOM to augment the level of disclosure to the public.
“In this connection,” Dr. Jones continued, the disclaimer of CELLCOM in reserving the “…right to amend or replace the information at any time and undertakes no obligation to provide the recipient with access to any additional information…” has been changed.
The Governor further announcing that CELLCOM has committed to now communicate any changes or replacement of information – with appropriate rationale for changes - by communicating, in a reasonable time, through publications in newspapers of general circulation, radio and/or other media, noted that in the summary of the terms of the Offering, CELLCOM will amend its statement to reflect that “this offer is intended, in part, to enable Liberians to eventually participate in the ownership, control and management of the company”.
According to the CBL Governor, this should make it clearer to the public that the purchase of these Debentures does not automatically translate into one becoming a ‘part-owner’ of CELLCOM.
“It is only at the maturity of the Debenture (5 yrs from now) that an investor may exercise the option of having his or her Debentures converted into shares. This clarification will also be further emphasized in succeeding advertisements and related media campaigns undertaken by CELLCOM,” he added.
Flanked by CELLCOM Board Chairman Mr. Avi Zaidenberg, Dr. Jones maintained that the GSA Company has committed to further clarify that for those investors who want to be paid in full at the maturity date, CELLCOM will pay back the Debentures in full on the maturity date, the issue price plus any unpaid accrued interest. For those investors who wish to become shareholders, Cellcom will convert the principal of its Debentures into shares of common stock.
“Not later than 30 days prior to the maturity date of the Debentures, CELLCOM will inform Debenture holders of the impending maturity date and that investors would be reminded of their right to either redeem the Debentures or convert same to shares in Cellcom,” he said.
Debentures holders must be informed
He noted, ”This information will be communicated to Debenture holders by written notices to the addresses provided on the subscription forms; notices placed in at least two local newspapers; notices published on two internet websites including CELLCOM’s; notices broadcast on at least three radio stations and sent via SMS text messages for a period of two weeks.
Dr. Jones asserted that the prior offering of CELLCOM allowed for the automatic conversion of Debentures into shares, in the event that an investor was unavailable to express his or her desire to either redeem the Debenture or to convert it into shares within 1 month following its maturity.
But he noted that as a further protection to the public, in the event that Cellcom does not receive a response from the Debenture holder within one month as of the maturity date of the Debenture, Cellcom will hold the principal of the Debenture plus any unpaid accrued interest for a further period of one year within which the Debenture holder can still exercise his or her right to either liquidate said Debenture or have it converted into shares, provided however that no further interest shall accrue on the principal amount, as of the maturity date.
“At the expiry of the one year period, Cellcom will remit to the Central Bank of Liberia any unclaimed or unconverted principal amounts, plus unpaid interest earned prior to the maturity date. The CBL will hold the funds in escrow, for up to 15 years, on behalf of debenture holders, their heirs, and assignee,” the CBL boss explained.
Given that Liberia has yet to develop a fully functional capital market that would allow for regular buying and selling of securities, such as debentures, he said CELLCOM has agreed to facilitate the transfer process (including registration) for debenture holders wishing to sell or transfer ownership of their debenture prior to maturity.
CELLCOM, he furthered, will not be involved in the transaction that takes place between the debenture holder and the third party, including any discounts that may be agreed upon between the two parties. “For the service of facilitating the transfer process, CELLCOM will charge an administrative fee in respect to each trade of said Debentures, provided said administrative charge will not exceed 2% of the face value of the Debenture,” he added.
The Central Bank Executive Governor accentuated that Cellcom commits to the provision of this service after August 30, 2010. “In effect, this provision makes it easier for holders of the debentures to be able to convert the debenture to cash through agreed upon transactions with third parties ahead of the five year maturity period,” he told the journalists.
Recent issuances of securities have pointed to an emerging need for an expanded range of options to mobilize domestic and international savings for efficient allocation to productive economic activities. This is why an orderly process for developing Liberia’s capital market is essential.
Meanwhile, the CELLCOM Board Chairman said he is the GSM company is pleased with and grateful to the public for its response to its offering of Convertible Debentures, saying that the CELLCOM has extended its purchase of convertible debentures to April 15, 2010.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Liberia - Guinea Border Tensed
Lawmaker Expresses Dislike, Concerned Liberian Comments
Reports from the Liberian Guinean border have indicated tension characterized by seizures of belongings of Liberian traders by Guinean security forces; reports Bill K. Jarkloh.
The reports indicated that Guinean security at the borders have been mistreating Liberian traders, confiscating personal belongings including money and good, but a Nimba County Representative in Parliament who just returned from Ganta indicated that the treatment by the Guineans security is unacceptable, vowing to officialize her position against it to the Liberian Government.
The Nimba County Representative, Rebecca Norkidor, said the mistreatment of Liberians have defied official position of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Administration following a local newspaper report that madam Sirleaf was supplying weapons to Guinean dissidents against the military junta of that country.
The Plain Truth Newspaper published a news story to the effect of alleging that the administration of Madam Sirleaf was arming some Guineans against the military government, but the publisher of the paper, Attorney Saymah Cyrenus Cephus, was investigated by state security forces and is being prosecuted in connection with the story.
A concerned Liberian, in a letter published on the FrontPageAfrica online newspaper wondered whether there is a disconnection between the Plain Truth Story and Liberians traveling to Guinea.
Mr. Maxim Freeman, having listed to reports on the Africa network of the British Broadcasting Corporation concerning the situation at the Guinean border with Liberia noted that since the coup in December 2008 such mistreatment of Liberians was not happening until recently when people started spreading rumors about Liberian support to dissidents for regime change in Conakry.
“These are the sort of things that responsible factor into their calculation before making alarmist claims against their own government,” Mr. Freeman said, noting that the Liberian trader who spoke to the BBC is not the President, Vice President, Speaker or Chief Justice.
According to Mr. Freemen, the speaker on the BBC was rather not the Minister of Defense, Justice or Finance, but one who spoke because of his livelihood, and the purchasing power of ordinary consumers that will be affected by the unconventional actions of the Guinean security people.
“Can we say there is a complete disconnect between what is happening to our people traveling to Guinea and the publication that appeared some weeks ago? I think probably not,” Maxime Freeman concluded.
Efforts to get statements from the appropriate government authorities have not materialized.
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