"ULAA IS READY FOR CHANGE" says Abraham Massaley By: TLJ ULAA Correspondent ULAA Presidential Aspirant, Abraham G. Massaley, has said that the Detroit Decision that abolished the handpicking of delegates in ULAA general elections is a positive indication that the Union is ready for change. Mr. Massaley has vowed that he will continue to lead the voice of change in the Union.
The Board of Directors of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) recently approved a 2004 elections law that now requires that delegates representing chapter states be elected, as opposed to a previous law that allowed for the handpicking of delegates.
The current Board, under the leadership of Chairman James Nan Larsah, Jr., has until just weeks ago been embroiled in internal strive regarding the question of whether to apply the currently approved revised ULAA Elections Law or the defunct 2002 Revised Election Law, as was advanced by the ULAA National Administration for enforcement in this year’s election. Full Story
Kofi Woods moves to end workers' strike at LAC Monrovia, May 9, 2008:The Minister of Labour, Atty. Samuel Kofi Woods, II says “The Government of Liberia is committed to securing a conducive labour environment for investment while at the same time ensuring that the dignity and right workers are protected in the country”.
According to a Labour Ministry release signed by Kortu Nyandibo, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Minister Woods made the statement Thursday, May 1, 2008 when he met with the management and workers of the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC) in Grand Bassa County. The meeting was intended to consolidate the tripartite partnership through the process of social dialogue and respect for the rule of law. Full Story
"Women key to sustaining peace in Liberia" VP Boakai underscores By: Jimmey C. Fahngon (TLJ Correspondent) Liberian Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has said women must be allowed to play their role in Liberia because they are key to sustaining peace and development in the country.
To sustain peace and development, he declared, requires "that we support the institutionalization of a new social contract in which women and men are partners."
Hon. Boakai was speaking Monday at the opening of a five-day National Women Conference in Monrovia, held under the theme: "Advancing Women's Human Rights in Peace Building, Recovery and Development in Liberia."
The Vice President said now was the time to engage in building institutions in Liberia that stress gender equality and the training of women to assume more effective leadership roles. Full Story
WHY CONDEMN ME AS A CONGO? By: Julia Gibson-Thompson For the past several months, I have contributed articles/letters to numerous online news media. My articles have been tailored to cover issues of interest to Liberians. In each article, I have advanced ideas that I consider relevant to the development and safety of our destroyed country. It has also been my intention to evoke additional ideas on whatever the topic, hoping to enrich the debate. I have deliberately tried not to be divisive nor insulting to anyone.
The reactions to my articles have been mixed. I have appreciated both the commendations and the criticisms. This has led my having exchanges with many of those who have commented on my articles. In fact, some of them and I have become friends and supporters of one another. Full Story
"We Won't Give Cause for Asylum abroad" Prez Sirleaf Declares By: Jimmey C. Fahngon (TLJ Correspondent) In the wake of recent media reports that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was suffering from cancer and subsequent rumors of her death, the Liberian leader said her government would not give anyone the cause to seek political asylum abroad.
Speaking to reporters Monday upon her arrival from the United States, the President said her government would not go after people who are engaged in falsehood, to help them gain political relevance abroad.
She said even though some people were misusing democracy, this would not provoke her government to go after them.
"If anyone wants for this government to move against him or her to cry for human right violation so as to seek political asylum, he or she will not get it," she said.
She, however, said that people who are abusing the freedom they are enjoying must know that responsibility is an important element in the exercise of freedom. Full Story
Death Where Art Thou Sting? “Ellen Is Still Here” By: Omari Jackson Moments when rumors circulated in Monrovia that the chief executive of Liberia, Mad. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had been diagnosed with cancer, further news followed that she had in fact died in far away America.
And Press secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio had one of the difficult days of his job, when he had to call a news conference to refute the first allegation that the proverbial “Iron Lady” was still alive and kicking.
The Liberian Journal Chief Correspondent in Monrovia, Jimmy Fahgnon attending the news conference quoted Mr. Badio as saying that the Iron Lady was still strong and agile, and at the same time seeking further economic assistance with some business partners in the United States.
It was strange and at the same shocking that Liberians at home could manufacture such unconfirmed information to confuse the populace, and perhaps it could have come from the president’s detractors, who it may now seem have been praying to “somebody” to hasten the demise of one of the strongest and physically fit presidents of Liberia. Full Story
Liberian Government Accepts Ruling on Julu By: Jimmey C. Fahngon (TLJ Correspondent) President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says her government accepts the ruling of the Presiding Judge of Criminal Court "A" Peter Gbeneweleh in which retired General Charles Julu and Col. Andrew Dorbor who were accused of treason were acquitted.
Speaking Monday to journalists upon her arrival at the Robert International Airport from the United States, the president said the ruling shows that democracy was working in Liberia.
She said the government provided what she called 'solid evidence' to the court linking the two individuals to subversive activities but the court chose to rule otherwise. Full Story
COMPANIES UNVEIL NEW INITIATIVES TO FIGHT GLOABAL POVERTY...UK, UN challenge Private Sector By: UNDP PRESS RELEASE London, 6 May 2008—Joining the Business Call to Action, a dozen companies today announced concrete initiatives that apply core business expertise, utilizing their technology and innovative spirit to tackle the multiple challenges of poverty.
The announcements were made at the Business Call to Action event, hosted by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Kemal Derviş, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and with the participation of more than 80 global business leaders who came to London to showcase innovative and creative initiatives to reduce poverty in the developing world.
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President John Kufuor of Ghana were also present at the event. Full Story
Charles Julu, Andrew Dorbor Free at last By: Omari Jackson What could have been the final road to the end of one of Liberia’s misunderstood military generals ended Friday, when Judge Peter Gbeneweleh of the Criminal Court “A” in Monrovia told the (rtd) general to go home because he was a free man.
Also vindicated for his alleged involvement in the treasonable trial was (rtd) Col. Andrew Dorbor. The presiding judge told the men to go home, because state prosecutors, “failed miserably” to produce evidence for their conviction, beyond reasonable doubt.
And no doubt, the two men’s acquittal brought jubilation among their relatives and supporters, for the trial was to have determined their final destiny. Full Story
The Privatization Debate: The Case with our Public Corporation, III By: Andre Pope Every Liberian should be proud of the final version of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) as presented by the government. We should be thankful to the participants for a great service to our common patrimony.
However, the final version the PRS is not a perfect document but it represents a great start and a way for government to demonstrate its commitment to the reduction of poverty that has plagued our country for many years. Poverty in Liberia has always been counterintuitive to me. Because on the one hand, we are endowed with the natural resources and human talents to make us a prosperous country, yet on the other hand we are among the poorest countries in the world. We must thank this government’s effort because successive governments have failed to develop a comprehensive, result-oriented framework for reducing poverty in our country. Full Story
