The University Confers Honorary Doctorate on Prez Sirleaf
Fighting corruption, she added, requires well-paid and well-placed qualified civil servants, widely installed financial management framework, a political audit standard and a judicial system with the integrity and will to pursue offenders as required by law.
The president believes good governance and the rule of law require a central objective, an informed civil society participating in national issues.
President Sirleaf:”We have upheld democratic values such as free speech, freedom of association and an unprecedented freedom of the Press. We continue to respect the separation of powers doctrine of our constitution and are promoting the building of democratic institutions including political parties.”
Her government is rebuilding and restoring infrastructure and basic services, pointing out that electricity and pipe borne water have been restored to certain areas of the capital city for the first time in fourteen years.
The president said roads, clinics, hospitals, schools and other public buildings are being renovated or built in all fifteen counties.
Event in pictures (selected pics Part III)
She explained that next year, the University of Liberia will move into a $22 million facility at the destroyed Fendall campus.
Three regional community colleges would be built and made operational within the next two years to enable youths to obtain quality higher education without the hardships of relocation to the Capital City.
Children in certain remote rural areas will for the first time go to school in a government facility and young girls whose parents cannot afford tuition, benefit from scholarships to attend public and private schools, she announced.
She said this is made possible through the Liberian Education Trust (LET), a fund which she established in 2006 with contributions from individuals and institutions here in the United States-- who helped to achieve, “our 50/500/5000 goals –- the renovation or construction of 50 schools, training of 500 teachers and scholarships to 5000 girls over a three year period.”
To date, “we have raised $2.5 million and well on the way to achieving the goals with 26 schools built or renovated, 200 teachers trained and 5000 scholarships granted to girls in the majority of the 15 counties,” she said.
Event in Pictures (Selected Pics Part II)
She revealed that a similar private initiative, the Sirleaf Market Women Fund, has raised over $3 million to support the building, renovation and modernization of markets throughout the country. A literacy program for market women supported by LET is rapidly gaining momentum throughout the country.
She reminded the gathering of Liberians and Americans about the celebration of International Women’s Day she co-convened with President Halonen of Finland, a women’s colloquium in Monrovia.
“About 500 women from all over the world joined a similar number at home to celebrate Liberia’s progress,” she said.
