News Extra pg 16 TOP STORIES

News Extra

LIBERIANS ARE INVOLVED GoL Confirms Liberian Mercenary

Elements In Ivory Coast; Sirleaf Pushes Investigation

UNRELIABLE HEALTH SERVICE

America TelIs Citizens traveling to Liberia, hospitals are incapable and unsafe to provide services.

pg 15

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
VOL 8 NO.545 MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

BUYING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014 L$81.00/US$1 L$83.00/US$1 L$83.00/US$1

SELLING L$82.00/US$1 L$84.00/US$1 L$84.00/US$1

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

PRICE L$40

COMPANY SUBJECT OF VOTER ROLL UPDATE VEHICLES RENTAL SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT

They say Liberians are not good at doing business that is not true it is because there is too much bureaucracy, politics and envy amongst Liberians so sometimes that is why we stay with the NGOs. You get a contract and bring other Liberians to benefit so that we can build the economy, you perform to expectation or even beyond yet our own Liberians say no, they prefer a foreign company either a Ghanaian, Nigerian or Lebanese because we are suppose to build Beirut.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE

Politics pg. 5

See PG 2

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Monday, March 3, 2014

Monrovia n a meeting with ExxonMobil, Dr. Randolph McClain, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Company of Liberia reportedly announced that NOCAL is preparing for an upcoming bid round of 9 11 blocks offshore Liberia, a statement which reportedly sent alarm bells ringing, FrontPageAfrica has learned. Industry observers are concerned that Dr. McClains announcement to Exxon may be a contributing factor to the ongoing delays in the oil sector reform. Frontpage Africa began its investigations after sources in that meeting began whispering and speculating on FIRE SALE activities taking place within NOCAL and using a very questionable relationship with TGS NOPEC to legitimize it. In September 2013, Chloe Fussel of Global Witness stated that NOCAL was attempting to push the law through so that it could conduct a bid round. Many within the process said no, it would be impossible with the provisions of the new law and if that were true, Dr. McClain would not have disappeared the day before the law went into the Senate. A senior administration official who spoke to FrontPageAfrica on condition of anonymity said, Dr. McClains disappearance signaled his unwillingness for the law to pass, contrary to the will of the President and if she were not in India at the time, he may have had to answer hard questions regarding his behavior. Under the oil sector reform, the Senate passed Petroleum Law (2013) states that all tenders for blocks will be housed under the new regulatory arm called the Petroleum Directorate (PD) and that new institution would have prior approval by the President of the Republic and public hearing and newspaper notices before any blocks were put up for bid. GAC EXPOSES TGS NOPEC Explosive documents obtained by FPA confirm that the NOCAL CEO has a grander scheme up his sleeves and TGS NOPEC (seismic company) seems to be his unknowing partner in crime. The recent General Auditing Commission (GAC) on

The Bigger questions remain unanswered: Why would Dr. McClain be in partnership with TGS and present Liberias offshore blocks for sale in South Africa at a conference, with an expected timeline of 3rd Quarter 2014, while the petroleum law reform was and is ongoing, not knowing when the process will be completed?
NOCAL for fiscal years 2006/07 and 2007/2008 exposes the repeated cheating of GOL monies perpetrated by TGS on a number of occasions: Misappropriating the distribution amount owed to GOL between 2002 2008 totaling $305,680.03, with applied interest the amount is $348,475.23. $1,034,858.41 meant for NOCAL in 2002 was not remitted until 2008 after NOCAL discovered the shortfall. The interest owed is $144,880.17. The report goes on to state that because of the recent audit, and the Auditor General, TGS was forced to remit$1,266,102.59 of the $1,655,965.36 owed since 2002 and stated that TGS on a number of occasions disregarded the provisions in the MOU and the non-compliance of TGS would impact the development of the Oil and Gas Industry in the Republic of Liberia. From all indications, the source noted TGS may not be a reputable partner for Liberia but it took a GAC report to uncover the ills and not the National Oil Company of Liberia of is responsible for the sector. The Bigger questions remain unanswered: Why would Dr. McClain be in partnership with TGS and present Liberias offshore blocks for sale in South Africa at a conference, with an expected timeline of 3rd Quarter 2014, while the petroleum law reform was and is ongoing, not knowing when the process will be completed? Secondly, why would Dr. McClain be preparing a NOCAL BID ROUND knowing that once the reform is completed, NOCAL will not, by law, host the bid rounds?

NOCAL IMPEDS LEGISLATIVE FORUMS The recent 15-County oil law presentation done by the Legislature was marred with NOCAL problems and push back and it became apparent that the operations side of NOCAL was passively attempting to sabotage the process while the Board behaved like a inactive observer. FPA learned from Legislative sources that NOCAL refused to pay per diem to its staffers on time, leading many to want to quit the process due to unnecessary lodging and logistical hardships. One source confirmed that NOCAL assigned a car, slated for repairs to the NOCAL team of law presenters and when the car broke down, NOCAL left its employees stranded for over five hours. The Speaker of the House, Alex Tyler, allegedly had to call in NOCAL Board members and executive staff to admonish them for such poor treatment of their own staff. The oil reforms are seen as a key deterrent to misuse of resources for the post-war nation on the mends. Last year, the watchdog group, Global Witness warned that far-reaching reforms of Liberias oil sector were urgently needed if its population is to benefit from future oil discoveries. GW cautioned that the laws could mean the difference between an oil sector that contributes to the country's development or one that cements Liberia's reputation for corruption. Last year, the national legislature lawmakers began considering two new oil bills -- one that would apply to the National Oil Company of Liberia, or NOCAL, and another that would regulate future oil exploration and production. The draft law on NOCAL operations is partly aimed at reducing the company's powers, by removing its policymaking duties so that it becomes simply a commercial oil company operating on behalf of the state. A separate body would be created to be responsible for policy issues, such as how to manage bidding. The Senate quickly passed the bills. But the bill has since been put on the burner by the lower house amid protests by civil society groups strongly calling for a more transparent process.

COMING WEDNESDAY: Watch out for the second of a three-part series on NOCAL, TGS and the Oil Reform Process.

FrontPage COMMENTARY EDITORIAL U.S.-LIBERIA PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE:

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Monday, March 3, 2014

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Commentary

THIS STITCH IN TIME WILL SAVE LIBERIA

THE LIBERIA ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSIONS (LACC) DECLARATION this week that it intends to investigate claims that the countrys oil company bribed lawmakers to ensure the passage of oil legislation is a welcome relief and one which we hope will serve as an example for others and probably go a long way in eradicating acts of corruption in post-war Liberia. THE COMMISSIONS chairman James Verdier said Wednesday the investigation was spurred by testimony from a former board chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia, who said in a hearing last week the company paid $118,000 in lobby fees to lawmakers. The board chairman, Clemenceau Urey, said the payments were made before elections in 2011. Verdier said the payments, if confirmed, constitutes bribery. THE SENATE passed two new oil laws last year, but they stalled in the House of Representatives amid complaints about lack of public consultation. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whose son formerly headed the oil company, has been criticized for slow progress in the fight against corruption. THE LACCS pursuit of an investigation came on the same day that the head of the Governance Commission, Dr. Amos Sawyer brought up the issue of Urey. This was a startling revelation and should claim the attention of this body as well as the LACC. We of the Governance Commission are in the process of sending a letter to the LACC urging prompt investigation of this allegation. It is difficult to ignore such allegation when it comes from such an authoritative source, noted Dr. Sawyer. UREY HAD APPEARED before the legislature to declare that under his watch, several thousands of United States Dollars were demanded from NOCAL by certain members of the Legislature as incentives for the passage of certain bills having to do with the business of NOCAL. IT IS A GOOD thing that the LACC is launching what we believe is a clear cut case. Urey, in his own words admitted how the lawmakers sought money to pass a piece of legislation. ON A SECRETLY RECORDED tape, a senior Senator Clarice Jah explains to the former head of the Liberia Airport Authority(LAA) how the Senate goes about soliciting bribes in a bid to pass legislation. ALL THIS IN A POST-WAR nation emerging from the ashes of a war brought on by corruption, a basic fact many of the very same sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters of some of the thirteen former officials of the Tolbert government appear to have forgotten and infatuated with repeating. THIS IS WHY all Liberians must rally behind entities like the LACC and the Public Procurement Concessions Commission(PPCC) to erase the ugly face of corruption from our midst. THIS IS WHY each and every well meaning Liberian must stand up and resist any attempt by a corrupt bunch of elected or appointed officials determined to destroy the country we all love and cherish and no longer want to see return to war, chaos a.nd confusion. THIS IS WHY Liberians must unite against corrupt forces in our midst. But the probe of Clemenceau Urey must not end there. The LACC and the people of Liberia must stand up and rise up peacefully against any group wanting to corrupt our country. This includes lawmakers, elected to serve but unwilling to stand up for anything; this includes government-appointed officials looking to grab the last buck from a government on the way out A hint to the wise

WELCOMING LACCS BRIBERY PROBE

CEMENTING STRATEGIC COOPERATION BETWEEN BOTH COUNTRIES

Gabriel I.H. Williams, gihwilliams@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer

year ago, at a ceremony held at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and then Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made history as they signed a Statement of Intent launching a Partnership Dialogue that institutionalizes the long-standing bilateral relationship between Liberia and the United States of America. Following that historic ceremony on January 15, 2013, the inaugural session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue was also held in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2013, with the signing of a Joint Statement, following a day-long deliberation involving senior government officials of both countries. With the second session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue scheduled to be held in Liberias capital Monrovia March 4, 2014, this article is intended to highlight the historical significance of this institutional framework, through which the United States and Liberia affirm to expand the cooperation between both countries. The U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue is intended to promote diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two countries by providing a flexible, non-binding mechanism to ensure sustained, high-level, bilateral engagement on issues of mutual interest. It will allow the two countries to look at their relationship strategically, with a view towards the long term, and to focus on those areas that encourage broad-based economic growth, including agriculture and food security, energy and power infrastructure, and human development. As a manifestation of her visionary leadership, President Sirleaf conceived the idea of a Partnership Dialogue that would institutionalize the special relationship between Liberia and the United States. Accordingly, during an official visit to Washington in June 2012, Madam President approached Secretary Clinton, whose support for the establishment of a Partnership Dialogue was instantaneous. Seven months later, at the State Department ceremony for the signing of the Statement of Intent launching the Partnership Dialogue, President Sirleaf underscored the significance of this institutional framework to concretize the relationship between both countries. She said: The launching today of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue is an historic achievement; one that will cement the strategic cooperation between our two countries for generations to come, regardless of the occupants of the White House or the Executive Mansion. President Sirleaf said that the establishment of the U.S.Liberia Partnership Dialogue was the fulfillment of a wish for the institutionalization of the long-standing bilateral relationship between Liberia and the United States. I have always seen Liberias progress as underpinned by its special relationship with the United States, President Sirleaf noted. In remarks at the launching ceremony, Secretary Clinton noted with satisfaction that the partnership between the U.S. and Liberia was strengthened under the leadership of President Sirleaf. Continued, Secretary Clinton: Today, we are taking another important step to deepen the partnership between our nations and to support Liberia as it continues down the path of democratic and economic reform. The Partnership Dialogue we are about to sign will expand the cooperation between our countries and ensure high-level engagements for years to come. Secretary Clinton further noted: This agreement establishes working groups in three key areas; first, agriculture and food security. Helping Liberias farmers use their land more effectively and get their crops to market more efficiently will be critical to improving the health and prosperity of Liberians under the Feed the Future Initiative; look for new opportunities to attract private investment in the agriculture sector; and recommend policies to promote food security and better nutrition. In the second area, energy and power infrastructure, Secretary Clinton said, we know that access to affordable, reliable energy is essential to creating jobs and sparking growth that helps to build a strong economy. So we will take stock of all outstanding needs for the generation, transmission and distribution of energy; promoting a

regulatory environment thats friendly to new investments in energy; and look for ways to accelerate development of well-governed and inclusive energy sector. Regarding the third area, the U.S. Secretary of State said that the Partnership will look at human development with a real emphasis on creating more economic opportunities for the people of Liberia, to expand access to education and employment so that many more Liberians have a chance to not only better themselves and their families, but make a contribution to their nation. Secretary Clinton said she believed that it was fair to say that this last decade has been a success story for Liberia. The people of Liberia have emerged from a time of violence and lawlessness, and have made tremendous commitments toward economic and political reform. At the May 2013 inaugural session of the Partnership Dialogue, which was held at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, Liberia and the U.S. reached another historical milestone in the relationship between both countries with the signing of a Joint Statement at the end of the session. The Foreign Minister of Liberia, His Excellency Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, signed on behalf of Liberia, while Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman, U.S. Department of State Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, signed on behalf of the Government of the United States. The inaugural session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue focused on two of the three Working Groups established under the Dialogue, which are Agriculture and Food Security, and Energy and Power Infrastructure. In the area of Agriculture and Food Security, participants at the Partnership Dialogue discussed policy and institutional constraints to private sector-led development of Liberias agriculture sector, and ways to address those constraints. The two sides committed to explore opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation to increase food security and nutrition, especially under the Feed the Future Initiative, a U.S. Government program. Regarding the Energy and Power Infrastructure, the Partnership Dialogue also reviewed Liberias efforts to meet its growing power generation, transmission and distribution requirements. Both countries underscored the need to continue to collaborate on how to encourage private sector investment in Liberias energy sector by improving regulatory policies and to accelerate the development of a well-governed and inclusive Liberian energy sector. The Partnership Dialogue was climaxed with a public outreach event, which was attended by community and opinion leaders of the Liberian Diaspora, representatives of the private sector, NGOs, among others. The second session of the Partnership Dialogue, scheduled for March 4-5 in Monrovia, will also focus on Human Development, which is the third Working Group of the three key areas currently covered under the Dialogue. That the Monrovia session will also focus on Human Development is very timely and noteworthy, considering Liberias human resource challenges. It goes without saying that the U.S. has assisted immensely in Liberias transition from war to peace and economic recovery. As Foreign Minister Ngafuan noted during the inaugural session of the Partnership Dialogue, Liberians note with appreciation an endless list of positive U.S. assistance to Liberia including but not limited to the rebuilding of the Liberian army and coast guard; U.S. support to the cancellation of Liberias huge debt overhang; the consolidation of the culture of democracy; the restoration of social services; the building of infrastructure; the rebuilding of public sector capacity; the improvement of public financial management; and a host of significant interventions through the Millennium Challenge Corporation . Indeed, the bilateral relationship between Liberia and the United States has become stronger during the Administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. About the Author: Gabriel I.H. Williams is Minister Counselor for Press and Public Affairs at the Embassy of Liberia in Washington, D.C. He last served as Deputy Minister of Information for Public Affairs in the Sirleaf Government.

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB

YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ! OPEN LETTER TO DR. AMOS SAWYER publicly on critical, public policy issues, the Liberian

Send your letters and comments to: editor@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Reader's Page

Monday, March 3, 2014

COMMENTS FROM FPA ONLINE

CORRUPTION WITH IMPUNITY: US 2013 RIGHTS REPORT SLAMS LIBERIA

DASH S. WILSON WILMINGTON UNIVERSITY Well, for some of us we knew this was coming. We think officials of government in the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's government should be banned from coming to the united states because of corruption. Shame on Ellen Jhnson-Sirleaf. JAY WION, WORKS AT NPRC Let all the ELLENITES or Ellenazis stand up and be counted; all of you my critics who have been calling me all sorts of names. America, the world's number one superpower is tired babysitting a stubborn child (Liberia) and it is time for regime change. Secretary of State John Kerry's Report validates all I have been saying that Ellen is past being redeemed; she must go and so we have been given the green light by Uncle Sam to organize massive peaceful protests to send Ellen and the entire corrupt government packing. Watch how some will soon be hiding, packing and leaving the country with their stolen loot. But be warned: don't come to the United States because you will encounter a rude awakening. So call the authoritative and informative Liberian African News Service, LANS-518-5561343 that yesterday put out the incriminating US government documents from the US Justice Department detailing how millions of dollars of our money has been siphoning out of the country by Ellen and her cronies for "public relations" purposes to powerful US law firms to which Ellen may have ties. And so this move by the US Secretary of STate should embolden all Liberians to mobilize and launch our UKRAINIAN STYLE REVOLT. Send me your email address by text to: 301-789-7786 for your copy of the FARA/Justice Dept Reports on Liberia to the US Congress; and President Barack Obama"s warning to the US Congress that Liberia's roguish actions are posing a "threat to US national security interest." Hello!!! Is anyone listening?? Talk is cheap Ellen. When the US is done with you, you are a dead meat. Jerry Wehtee Wion, Washington, DC, USA SELTUE R KARWEAYE SR. METRO STATE This is nothing new, folks. We been saying this over and over that Madam Sirleaf leadership is patronage system driven that continue to breed corruption and financial gains for the selected few at the expense of the masses.
JOHN WILLIAMS EASTERN UNIVERSITY, ST. DAVIDS, PA

Dr. Amos C. Sawyer Chairman, Governance Commission Monrovia Dear Dr. Sawyer:

SEEKING CLARIFICATION OVER OPPOSITION TO CBL AMENDMENT

people listen, wishing and hoping to learn, because Dr. Sawyer is the proverbial Alligator from whose mouth comes the cold, pure water.

It is my distinguished honor to present greetings and compliments, and to seek your wisdom regarding the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) amendment passed, recently, by the National Legislature. During your reported (FrontPageAfricaonline & Analyst Liberia, February 26, 2014) appearance before the House Committee on Governance & Judiciary, you are reported to have said that . . . in the news last week (there) was a report that the Legislature has passed into law, at lightning speed, a Bill amending the Act Establishing the Central Bank of Liberia. This development has sparked concerns in many quarters financial, legal (and) political as well as among many ordinary citizens. To many, aspects of the Bill seem reminiscent of the Mandela Laws of the Apartheid era in South Africa, where laws of exclusion and discrimination were individually targeted to control the actions of a single individual, in that case Nelson Mandela. Such laws are typically designed to be retroactive in their effects. They also carry grave implications for the functioning of governance institutions and for creating uncertainties for office holders even after the expiration of their tenures. Therefore, in conclusion, you opined that In my view, the passage of the Code of Conduct (now before the House and for which you appeared and testified) with provisions of general applicability is a far better, ethical, legal and democratic way of addressing concerns regarding unfair, electoral advantages (than the CBL amendment). Obviously, you are opposed to passage of the amendment, a right available to all citizens, including citizen Amos Sawyer . . ., but Dr. Sawyer is obligated to provide the foundation of this position, for:

You proclaimed that (1), This development (of the CBL amendment), passed in law at lightning speed, sparked financial, legal, and political concerns; that (2), Aspects of the (amended) Bill seem reminiscent of the Mandela Laws of the Apartheid era in South Africa, . . . laws of exclusion and discrimination, individually targeted to control the actions of a single individual; that (3), Such laws are typically designed to be retroactive . . . carry grave implications for the functioning of governance institutions and that (4), Addressing, in a democratic way, concerns such as ethical, legal, unfair, electoral advantages and provisions of general applicability, the proposed Code of Conduct is far better than the CBL amendment. As your students and concerned citizens, who inherited the quest for knowledge from you as the role model, especially, knowledge concerned with the enduring human condition in our, Liberian context, desire explanations/answers to the following questions from the Alligators mouth: 1. What are the financial, legal and political concerns and their specific impact resulting from passage of the CBL amendment, including sociocultural and moral considerations? 2. What are the aspects of the amendment reminiscent of the South African era similar and relevant to the Liberian experience, the amendment with specific relevance to discrimination and exclusion, and the control of the actions of single individuals? 3. What or where is the retroactive element of the CBL amendment with grave implications for the functioning of governance institutions? 4. Kindly explain to us, your students, eager to learn, the comparative advantages/disadvantages of both, the proposed Code of Conduct and the CBL Amendment, in terms of provisions of general applicability, ethical, legal and in a democratic way of addressing concerns such as unfair, electoral advantage.

The report is encouraging and signals a difference of perception between the Hillary Clinton administration and the Kerry administration on Liberia. It is in the long term interest of America to side with justice and the people than to continuously turn a blind eye to the ills of "friends" and be branded an accomplice. History will one day reward this noble step as Liberia struggles to build strong institutions to propel the nation forward. May this report encourage those patriotic Liberians and friends of Liberia who are searching for a partner who can reliably be trusted to lay the foundation for a prosperous nation built on strong institutions and liberty and justice for all. Liberians have been patient since 1847 to see their country developed. How long can they be expected to remain patient to enjoy the resources that God has given them? LIBSTAFF TALENT ACQUISITION-LIBERIA This report is what's expected from a developing nation emerging from war...there is nothing stated that requires a fire drill or regime change..you want to minimize corruption you have to address the root causes..you don't remove one leader and put another without building the required institutions...... this is the ignorance that has been plaguing Africa, including Liberia....we don't like Tolbert...because he's corrupt..we replace him with Doe..who was even worse..we replace Doe with Taylor....another corrupt one worse than Doe...this is how some emerging nations plunge into an advance state of chaos and dysfunction.....we must work on identifying the root cause and work on fixing it and stop this nonsense of playing musical chairs with leaders...even Jesus can be the president of LIB and the results will be the same as the current leader...the institutions are weak and porous. The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

We write, therefore, to request that you kindly explain your opposition to the amendment, in terms Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer is not only Chairman of of the areas that you indicated and, upon which, our the Governance Commission, but also the Eminent, questions are based. This is important, for obvious Liberian Social Scientist and scholar, former reasons. professor of political science, author, Father of the nations current Constitution (as Chairman of the Sincerely, Commission that wrote that Constitution) and former head of state and Interim President of the Nation. Bai M. Gbala, Sr Therefore, whenever or wherever Dr. Sawyer speaks Bai M. Gbala, Sr.

DISCLAIMER

Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666; 077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com; rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade. williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793 Francis F.B. Mulbah, Layout Editor; 0886639382 REPORTERS Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528 Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline. com Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline. com, 0886-304498

EDITORIAL TEAM

Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.sombai@ FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428 COUNTY NEWS TEAM Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042 Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666 Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@ frontpageafricaonline.com 0886257528 BUSINESS/ADVERTISING Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@ frontpageafricaonline.com

he Liberian business sector is largely dominated by foreign merchants including predominantly Lebanese, Nigerians and other foreigners as local Liberians suffer from a popular myth that they are unable to manage business and perform to expectation of clients. Some believe that Liberians lack the requisite managerial skills to effectively control human resources and implement complex contracts that entail dealing with equipment and managing large number of people. As a reference point many Liberians owed businesses including commercial banks, construction companies, amongst others have poorly performed in the past further justifying the ugly perception against Liberians doing business. In time past, this has largely led to the Government and other nongovernmental organizations preferring giving contract for the provision of goods and services to non Liberians businesses but there are a few Liberian owned establishments that are endeavoring to prove that to contrary of belief that Liberians cannot perform, time has changed the trend of events and current realities are different from the age old. Currently, a Liberian owned establishment involved in procurement and fleet management was contracted by the National Elections Commission of Liberia to manage logistics mainly vehicles in the ongoing voter roll update exercise in preparation for the holding of October 4 midterm senatorial elections across the length and breadth of Liberia. Amid the difficult terrain characterized by deplorable roads, lack of services such as maintenance centers in other parts of the country, Efficient Logistic Services 100 percent Liberian owned has so far lived to the expectation of the National Elections Commission as indicated by NEC Commissioner with Oversight Responsibilities of Communications, Davidetta Browne Lansanah that the ongoing exercise is on course with no bottlenecks along the way since the process commenced over a month ago. A statement from NEC disclosed that there has been no problem related to logistics. She noted that since the start of the exercise, there has been no report of problems related to logistics and Voter Roll Update staff movement, except for the case involving 16 Ivorian Refugees who were detected by Voter Roll Update staff in the Cavalla Administrative District of Grand Gedeh County while attempting to register for inclusion on the Voter Roll, a NEC statement noted. Electoral supervisor and other elections contractors working on the voter roll update exercise have also expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Efficient Logistic Services in the provision of transport services. Dave Harris, Election Supervisor for Team K in Montserrado County told Frontpageafrica at one of the Centers in the Police Academy suburb of Monrovia logistics so far in terms of transportation has been excellent. Not much of a difficulty, the team has a car assigned and it is always with us, no breakdown and the driver is always ready to move from here there to get materials when we go out of materials. So far so good, transportation is excellent, we do not have problem, Harris told frontpageafrica. Dave says the ongoing voter roll update has not experienced any delay based on transportation constraints and he is confident that his team will cover all 11 centers in line with the stated timeframe for the exercise. The Caver Mission Academy, Dave said is one of the centers his team recorded the highest turn out so far where 196 persons turning out for the exercise indicating at the Police Academy center has so far for two days recorded low turnout. Zaza F. Massaquoi, of Team F stationed at the Seat of Wisdom International School System in the 72nd Community in Paynesville on Saturday also praised the performance of the transport service provider. Massaquoi said For the car we using, actually it has never broken down, we moving smoothly. You see our car parking there, anytime we want something we just call the driver and he is ready to go, the car is ok and we have no problem with transportation, no breakdown yet, Massaquoi noted. At the St. Francis High School in Jacob Town, Massaquoi disclosed that his team recorded the highest turned out with 163 persons. At the SD Cooper Road Center in Paynesville, NEC workers also praised the performance of the transportation team indicating that there has been no problem so far in the movement of the team from one center to another. Team M stationed opposite the Gold Key Hotel also in Paynesville on Saturday also said all is on course as the transportation is excellent. At various other centers including the Paynesville Community School, Paynesville Town Hall and several others visited, the expressions were the same regarding the transportation arrangement in place. Its about empowering locals The provision of transport services to the National Elections Commission for the Exercise is been undertaken by Efficient Logistic Services and Reuben M. Carto, General manager and partner of the company has attributed the success of the services so far to planning and the company desire to empower Liberians. Carto says the company is using the ongoing vehicle rental services to NEC to empower Liberians by renting vehicles owned by these Liberians in the various districts across the country. We have 150 family heads benefiting from this contract, so if you look at the fleet of cars carrying on this exercise, you go to Masabolahun,

IN THE LINE OF FIRE

PAGE RONT

Monday, March 3, 2014

POLITICS

Frontpage

Page 5

Company Subject of Voter Roll Update Vehicles Rental Sets the Record Straight

Harper, Barclayville, Sinoe, we rented cars from people in these areas. In fact in the interior we rented cars from the districts for example we will go to Foyah and rent car from Foyah to be used in Foya District, we go to Gbarpolu, we go to Bopolu and rent cars from there so that we can be able to impact the economy, the local economy, our indigenous are benefiting, Carto said. Currently, Efficient Logistic he said is renting 200 vehicles and 25 trucks to NEC for the process, paying perdiems to the drivers, insurance of the vehicles, providing petroleum, maintenance of the vehicles, amongst other cost. This company like any other company in Liberia does not have 200 cars parking in the parking lot, no company in Liberia has that capability and capacity, what we did was to rent 50 vehicles from ourself and we awarded renting contract for 150 vehicles to 150 family heads around Liberia. Now you check that out and see how many people are benefiting from this process. Carto continued We could have gone to our sisters companies to rent car from them and that money could have only been amongst business people but we choose to go and rent from the locals to help them. We decided to go to 150 family heads around Liberia so that when that money comes it can spread in the economy. Envy and politics hamper Liberian businesses Carto says the business climate is not very conducive for Liberians because there is too much bureaucracy, politics and envy against Liberian owned businesses. They say Liberians are not good at doing business that is not true it is because there is too much bureaucracy, politics and envy amongst Liberians so sometimes that is why we stay with the NGOs. You get a contract and bring other Liberians to benefit so that we can build the economy, you perform to expectation or even beyond yet our own Liberians say no, they prefer a foreign company either a Ghanaian, Nigerian or Lebanese because we are suppose to build Beirut. The company, he disclosed is facing numerous challenges including bad roads, the workload where there are 4640 centers to be visited four times a day. So 200 cars have to visit these centers, 4 days to a centers, the 200 cars are not enough if you divide 4640 by 200 by 45 days, we will need 250 vehicles but because of our professional performance we were

have procured over 100 brand new vehicles for the Government of Liberia, we also do business with the general public. The company he noted has history of providing services to the NEC as has been done over the past years including the processes leading to the 2011 elections. I put you few years back Efficient Logistic Services won a bid from UNDP during 2011 national election and this company provided logistic support for NEC for voter registration, exhibition, referendum, national election first round and runoff, so we are not new to the NEC. Currently, he said the company has 58 Liberians in its employ. Amongst some of the losses, Carto said the company two years ago purchased a bus for the General Services Agency which is yet to be paid for. For two years GSA has not paid for a bus we bought for them, Pearsin ordered the bus without budgetary allocation and Director General Mary Broh has to put stay order on the use of the bus. The bus toady cannot be paid for because there is no money to pay for it, we do not have somebody big in Government to run after that for us. Why NEC opted to rent Cars? While the voter update exercise is ongoing, a member of the House of Representatives, James Binney (Maryland County, NPP) has written the plenary of the House of Representatives questioning what he termed wasteful spending by NEC for renting vehicles to carry out the exercise. Frontpageafrica has gathered from credible sources within NEC that the commission considered four options before taking the decision to rent the 200 vehicles from Efficient Logistic amongst them-taking 200 vehicles from other government agencies, buying 200 vehicles, mixed model (buy some, rent some) and renting 200 vehicles. Under the first option, taking 200 vehicles from other government agencies to be used, the NEC is said to have analyzed that such framework does not exist at the commission and could have moreover taken considerably period of time for government to implement such program, thereby affecting the timeframe for the voter roll update which could affect the timing of the pending senatorial election. The option of buying 200 vehicles for the exercise, an insider at NEC indicated that NEC considered such option as not feasible because it would have cost the commission US$6 m to buy 200 vehicles at the conservative price of US$30,000 per unit as such amount was not budgeted by the commission. NEC is believed to have rejected the option to buy 200 vehicles because such number of vehicles are not needed for the normal operations of the commission and could not be bought for 45 days exercise. Also accordingly, NEC could not make up with the cost of hiring 200 drivers, paying them perdiems, buying petroleum and other overhead cost out of the budgeted amount for the voter update exercise. Another option of mixed model buy some and rent some, a source stated NEC could not accept such because the Commission could assumingly used US$ 1m to buy 33 vehicles and US$900,000 to rent 100 vehicles for 45 days which could have resulted to a shortfall of 67 vehicles to complete the required fleet for the process or the commission could require US$603,000 to rent or US$2m to purchase additional 67 vehicles. A source at NEC hinted that the Commission considered renting the 200 required vehicles for the exercise because of cost effectiveness as the rental service allowed the commission to outsource all costs including the maintenance of vehicles, fueling, hiring of drivers and security for personnel and materials onboard rented vehicles and as a result the commission entered a contract for US$1.9 million, thereby saving the government from spending US$4.9 million more. A NEC source hinted that the commission has in its budget US$1.9 million for the voter update logistics and the commission requires 200 vehicles to complete the task in time for the conduct of the October 14 special election and such amount could not be used to procure 200 vehicles as needed by the commission for the update project which could cost about US$6million to purchase durable vehicles or US$ 4 million for low quality vehicles.

They say Liberians are not good at doing business that is not true it is because there is too much bureaucracy, politics and envy amongst Liberians so sometimes that is why we stay with the NGOs. You get a contract and bring other Liberians to benefit so that we can build the economy, you perform to expectation or even beyond yet our own Liberians say no, they prefer a foreign company either a Ghanaian, Nigerian or Lebanese because we are suppose to build Beirut.
asked to see how we can work up to 9 pm to cover all centers. Who are they? Efficient Logistic, the General manager said started as small company renting vehicles and trucks back in the days to nongovernmental organizations including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Christian Children Fund, amongst others. For over eight years the General manger disclosed that the company has been providing quality services to the NGOs community, the private sector as well as government. We started during the emergency relief period, from renting one truck to where we are today. Our major strength is providing logistics support to nongovernmental organizations, for the past five years we had contracts with UNICEF, WHO, WFP, LTTP, USAID and others international NGOs, said Carto. He furthered We have rendered support to GOL in procurement, we

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LIBERIA EMBRACES FILMFEST

~ LIFESTYLE ~

PROJECTOR screen hangs in the middle of a room in William V.S. Tubman High School as a handful of expatriates and Liberians mill about, waiting for the film that was scheduled to start over an hour ago. Young women wait behind a table filled with snacks, but most of the yellow plastic chairs are empty. After volunteers plug and unplug a jumble of cords and tap a few computer keys, the projector at last begins to play the film, No More Selections, We Want Elections, which traces the 2005 polls that brought President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to power. The sound is gritty and light streaming through the sheer curtains washes out the image on the screen. But a film festival is a new concept for the country. The brainchild of Pandora Hodge, a young student, and colleagues from the University of Liberia, the film festival was held over three days in Monrovia in February, airing Liberian and African films in classrooms and communities throughout the capital. Ms Hodge says she hopes to challenge the war-torn image of Liberia and build up interest in an art-house cinema called Kriterion that she and her colleagues are trying to establish. We are creating a platform where young people can go to express themselves, she says. Cinema is a really good way to get people involved and aware of what is happening in the country and abroad. Inspired by a cinema of the same name that was created in Amsterdam by students involved the resistance movement to the Nazis after the second world war, Ms Hodge hopes that Kriterion can provide part-time employment to students and become a hub for Liberian cinema and intellectual debate. The Kriterion model has been adopted by students in post-conflict cities such as Sarajevo. Liberia has never had a vibrant film culture and the scene is small and amateurish, with only a handful of directors. Most people watch films in ramshackle video clubs, sitting on wooden benches as Nigerian, American and Indian films flicker on television screens. Two of Monrovias three cinemas, remembered fondly by Liberias pre-war generation, have been demolished or taken over by traders; the one still standing screens Bollywood movies. Kona Khasu, who made "No More Selections, We Want Elections", reckons a Liberian film industry could help to replace the collective historical memory that was largely erased by the 1989-2003 civil war, during which many records and archives were destroyed, and let Liberians shape the story of a country whose recent history has been narrated by outsiders. Ms Hodge says she is confident that she can help. And with that, the electricity cuts and she rushes off to fill up a generator for the next screening.

he Minister of Gender and Development has described The Rainbow Intercultural Dialogue Center as a way forward as both Liberians and Turkish nationals continue to engage one another through dialogue. Minister Julia Duncan Cassell said it is through peace the people of Turkey decided to open up relationship with the people of Liberia and through that relationship they have opened school in the country and are carrying on construction of more schools. As we all know without peace we were not to be where we are today and so this Intercultural Dialogue center in relation with the Gender and Development Ministry is a big step forward as our two countries continue to work together. Minister Cassell added that tolerance is the hallmark of life and praised officials of the Liberia Turkish Light International School for their support to the youth, who are the future leaders of Liberia. The Deputy Minister of Research and Technical Services at the Gender Ministry Mrs. Annette Kiaw told the people of Turkey that she was glad to be present at the Rainbow Intercultural Dialogue Center as part of the friendship dinner. We are pleased to have insight about what this peace dialogue is all about and that we have seen the presentation and a little bit of insight so we are very pleased, said Mr. Kiaw. The Deputy Minister emphasized that peace is important and paid tribute to the Liberia Turkish Light International School for what she called the school professional way of teaching the future generation of Liberia about the danger of violence as they have seen in Liberia and other countries. I am pleased to say thank you on behalf of my husband and myself for the good work you have done and continue to do for our children and we wish to see more coming from Light International School, the Deputy Minister added. Dr. Michael Slawon, Director General National Commission on Higher Education expressed satisfaction about the manner in which the people of Turkey continue to contribute to the development of Liberia. Said Dr. Slawon: We in Liberia are very pleased to have the Turkish Government representative here and I am glad that the Turkish team in Liberia is really interested in education. Not only in primary or secondary education but up to university education, we hope they will provide more opportunities for students to study in Turkey. The Deputy Minister of Planning at the Education Ministry Dr. Khalipha Bility said the dialogue has shown all that humans deserve and that peace, love, happiness and kindness are all values that we all need if we are to live peacefully.

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NEWS EXTRA

Monday, March 3, 2014

Liberia Turkish Relations Boosted with Dialogue Center

A. Macaulay Sombai, sombai 121@gmail.com

Dr. Bility acknowledged that the Rainbow Intellectual Dialogue is a true sign of tolerance among the people of Turkey and Liberia and said he hopes that the center will continue to invite people from all over the country to see for themselves the importance t of peace. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and station Manager of Sky/TV FM Mr. Martin Brown told the organizers of the dialogue that he was happy to be among the distinguished personalities during such program where he was able to hear about the Father of the Rainbow Intercultural Dialogue Center Fethullah Gulen and the type of vision he emphasized about. Let me use this opportunity once again to pledge on behalf our media partners, our support for creating the kind of awareness platform that will further explain the vision of Mar. Gulen so that it can reach to a large group of people in the country, Mr. Brown said. The head of the National Office of the West African Examination Council Mr. J. Y Gayvolor Sr. expressed praises to the Turkish school for the professional manner in which they are helping to educate the future leaders of Liberia. Mr. Gayvolor confirmed that the Turkish Light International School branch has been recognized as award winners and that the award will be given in Freetown, Sierra Leone during WAEC Annual Council meeting in March. The WEC boss called on the Turkish people to help bring their people in Liberia to see as they have taken Liberians to Turkey and have seen the Turkish way of culture. The General Manager of Liberia Turkish Light International School Ramazan Burak told invitees of the

Education Ministry that they are in the country with the objective of helping to move the country forward. Burak told the guest of the occasion that he was asked by the government of Turkey to come to Liberia and open school and at the time he never knew anything about Liberia except George Weah and ships that were using Liberian flags but he was very happy to come to Liberia to share with the people and help prepare the future generation of the country. Said Burak: We are here to help the people of Liberia to move the country forward and not so much of what we are going to get from the people but we want to prepare the children for a better future. The school General Manager narrated that currently there are 25 Liberian students in various universities in Turkey and 15 high schools and that they are all responding very well to their lessons. Burak promised to make way for other Turkish people to visit Liberia to see for themselves some of the activities in Liberia. The vice President of the school Madam Linda Dean extended thanks to the management of the Dialogue center for bringing people of different backgrounds together to talk about peace. Is an honor for all of us to be here tonight to talk about peace because peace is the essence of life and without peace we will not be where we are today said Madam Dean. The Principal of the school Hussein Baba emphasized that the aim of the founding father of the Rainbow Intellectual Dialogue Center is for the people of Turkey to come closer to their fellow men and interact with them. We opened school in Liberia

in order to get closer to each other just as we have done and continue to do in 150 countries around the world that have Turkish schools. Principal Baba said the schools are made up of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddies but they are all together as one people. Baba described the relationship between they as staff members of the school and students as very outstanding and said no parent has complain about performance of his or her child. The Director of the Center Dialogue Center Ali Kaya disclosed that the Center was founded in 2013 with the mission to foster interfaith and intercultural dialogue, stimulate thinking and exchange of options on supporting and fostering democracy and peace all over the world and to provide a common platform for education and information exchange. The principal goal of Rainbow Intercultural Dialogue Center is to promote peace in the world and contribute to a peaceful coexistence of the adherents of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities and races, the Director said. Mr. Kaya mentioned that for that to be achieved, they believe that everyone must be respectful to the sanctity of human rights and democracy and use all means at hand to make this coexistence possible. To this end we promote education exchange of information, opinions and expertise with a special focus on including as diverse a range of viewpoints as possible in our activities, Mr. Kaya added. The center modest contribution to this universal aim consists of conferences, seminars, and panel discussion, common project, scholarships, publications, meetings, trips and several other activities.

espite the Government of Liberias consistent promise of increasing access to the Liberia Electricity Corporations powerhouse for many poor communities in Monrovia and its environs, the city continues to be in darkness. Throughout the weekend the city was dark and it only led drivers to brighten their headlights which many times lead to trouble for the other drivers on the opposite lane. On Thursday, the Minister of Lands Mines and Energy told journalists that the LEC is faced with a menace that it is trying to control but adds that it remains the major problem for governments electrification drive. One of the key challenges we face in trying to connect people is that of all the power that LEC generates, not less than 20% is lost due to theft, thats like about 20,000 connections that we cannot make because the power is being stolen, said Minister Sendolo. It is robbing everybody not of connections but also affects the cost of electricity because that power is going for free; that power LEC will not get money for and therefore you will not see the reduction in your tariffs that we are all trying to achieve. LEC itself recently issued an appeal to Liberians to help the entity in the fight against power theft. The entity said despite repeated pleas to residents of Monrovia and its environs for them to report power theft or not to engage in the act, some unscrupulous individuals in the society have ignored the calls and are still stealing electricity by bypassing the meters or climbing the poles. This has contributed to damages to its transformers and other facilities as well as the number of power outages being experienced mainly in Monrovia and its environs, stated the LEC in a press statement. In January, a man believed to be in his 20s was electrocuted on an LEC pole in New Kru Town after he attempted to steal power in the early hours of Sunday morning. The LEC said that the incident took place barely 24 hours after the companys power theft crew had removed 42 meters from New Kru Town, which had been tampered with by the power criminals. The company also noted that power theft accounts for 27 percent of revenue losses the company incurs monthly. Fulfilling Presidents mandate Minister Sendolo said in an effort to meet the Presidential mandate given the LEC to connect at least a thousand homes a month, the company has made huge strides in that direction. In December, the government connected 10018 customers, in January we connected 1,594 customers and as of the 25th of February, we connected 930 customers and we expect that number to increase to about a thousand by the time this month ends, he said on Thursday, when he addressed the Ministry of Information daily press briefing. He named areas that have been connected since the mandate was issued as part of the 21 communities connections plan by the entity as Soniwein, JFK beach community, Rototown, Gbangaytown, St. Pauls

MORE CONNECTIONS, MORE BLACKOUTS

Monrovia and environs remain dark Despite increase in LEC connections

Monday, March 3, 2014

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NEWS EXTRA

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Bridge, Logan Town, Doe Community, Vai Town, Fiama, 12th Street, Saye Town, Jallah Town, Bassa Community, Duport Road, Point Four, Clara Town, Slipway, Buzzy Quarter, New Kru Town and West Point. Those are some of the areas that connections have been made and of course, weve made some connections in some of the new areas that we started constructing power lines such as the rehab community, Zubah town, ELWA road etc. Basically we are generally on top but this is not reason to celebrate because for us this is not really what we want, he said. Weve achieved for being on top but we want to do 2,000 to 3,000, so we all need to put together our collective efforts to ensure that this thing surpasses the 1,000 connections. Mr. Sendolo said that there are complaints by residents of these areas that they are faced with difficulties in getting the LEC to reach them despite following all the procedures, to this he said the government has introduced a plan to remedy the situation. In this respect, even as the connections have been

going on, the complaints persist. One of the most important complaints from my standpoint- people have come and said that look, weve gone to LEC, weve registered, paid and its been three months, five months and we havent gotten it, he said. He said the complaint were of particular concern to the government, adding: weve committed to a certain process and said, once you go through this process, within a minimum of two weeks, you should be connected. Continued Mr. Sendolo: Weve launched what we are calling the electricity Access Support Network (EASE), what this basically is, it is a unit that would hope to have lines that are open to the public, where anybody, who goes to LEC and registers and pays, to get connected and is not getting connected, can call that office and that office will serve as almost their lawyers and take their case to LEC. The minister said customers feeling aggrieved are free to call the following hotline numbers to seek redress: 0886048636, 0886048637, 0777533594, and 0777533595.

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SOCIAL ISSUES

Monday, March 3, 2014

UGANDA'S NEW ANTI-GAY LAW: PART OF A BROADER TREND IN AFRICA

Homophobia is on the rise across much of the continent

POSTED BY ALEXIS OKEOWO

A RISING TIDE OF ANTI-GAY SENTIMENT IN AFRICA

Tristan McConnell for National Geographic PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 28, 2014 "EXPOSED! Uganda's 200 Top Homos Named," the headline of a popular Ugandan tabloid, the Red Pepper, screamed on February 25, the day after President Yoweri Museveni signed the country's Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The Red Pepper's witch hunt and fearmongering was predicated on a conflation of homosexuality and pedophiliathe idea that nefarious homosexuals are out to groom and recruit Ugandan children. The new law and the largely positive welcome it's received left members of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community fearful. "It's inciting violence against anyone who's assumed to be gay," said Pepe Julian Onziema, a transgender rights activist and program director at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), who was among those named by the paper. "It's getting out of control."

ast week, after Arizonas legislature passed a bill that would allow business owners to deny service to gay customers, several Ugandans triumphantly tweeted the news to highlight what they saw as an American hypocrisy: the United States had pressured Ugandas President, Yoweri Museveni, not to sign an anti-gay bill into law. The Arizona bill was vetoed, on Wednesday night, by Governor Jan Brewer, but Museveni signed Ugandas harsh new law, which specifies a penalty of life imprisonment for gay sex and criminalizes the promotion of homosexuality, on Monday. Homosexuality was already criminalized in Uganda, but the new law, which comes a month after similar anti-gay legislation was passed in Nigeria, is part of a rising tide of anti-gay sentiment in Africa. The intense popular vitriol being whipped up against gays, combined with the political calculations of the leaders of the countries enacting these laws, has turned homosexuality into one of the greatest supposed threats facing the continent: the root of all social, economic, and political ills. At a time when gay-rights movements in Africa, some of which have been in existence for nearly a decade, should be making headway in the public discourse, their leaders are being forced to go underground again for fear of their lives. (In 2012, I wrote for the magazine about theUgandan gay-rights movement , which had been winning court battles and participating in mainstream discussions on sexuality up until the new law was signed this week.) Other countries like Senegal and Kenya have started to enforce, or are pushing to enforce, long-ignored existing anti-gay laws. I am so sad and worried about ordinary gay people, the leading Ugandan gay activist, Frank Mugisha, told me this week. And especially for my friends. On Tuesday, the Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper ran a cover story identifying the countrys Top 200 Homos under the headline EXPOSED! just as the now-defunct Ugandan weekly newspaper Rolling Stone had done in 2010, before Mugisha and other activists had it shut down. On first glance, Museveni and Nigerias President, Goodluck Jonathan, have quite a lot in common. They both face waning support from citizens disillusioned with their leadership. Museveni is an aging, autocratic ruler fighting to stay in power, who crushes political dissent and keeps secret negotiations over the production of relatively recent oil discoveries. Meanwhile, his signing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act was done at a public ceremony for all to see. He called gays disgusting and said that being gay was a learned behavior, revising his previous opinion that homosexuality was a genetic distortion. In Nigeria, President

Jonathan is embattled on many fronts. He has been embarrassed by revelations of his lack of action against graft and his seeming powerlessness amid a horrific Islamist insurgency; signing an antigay bill has been his sole popular move of late. American evangelicals, who see Africa as something of a last frontier for right-wing policy, fanned the flames of existing religious fundamentalism in Uganda and played a role in helping to draft the new anti-homosexuality billwhich, in an earlier version, would have punished certain violations with death. The law in Nigeria, which was passed under the guise of prohibiting same-sex marriagewhich activists never even demanded and, except for the marriage provision, is redundant to a colonial-era law banning homosexual actsis blatant political maneuvering. The moral politics of these two laws, and others brewing in Africa, appeal to the insecurities and worries of people who dont have enough opportunities for education and work, and who arent being served by their governments in either regard. And they are not confined to targeting L.G.B.T. Africans. Some countries on the continent have wars on women, too. In Uganda, a recently passed anti-pornography law, which is currently being reviewed by the cabinet, has been interpreted by some to prohibit clothing deemed sexually explicit. (If your miniskirt falls within the ambit of this definition, then I am afraid you will be caught up by the law, the minister backing the bill explained.) In Lagos State, in Nigeria, women working for the state government have been ordered not to wear miniskirts and form-fitting dresses. Sylvia Tamale, a scholar and the author of several books on sexuality and gender in Uganda, suggests that it is no coincidence that a government that is avoiding dealing with repression, inflation, and high unemployment is pushing the fervor over homosexuality. As for Ugandans, she writes, The mainstream aversion to same-sex relations consequently reflects a greater fear Homosexuality presents a challenge to the deep-seated masculine power within African sexual relations. So does feminism. After signing the anti-gay law, Museveni defended his actions by claiming that he was defending African values from Western influence. Its a familiar and empty argument; homosexuality has long existed in Africa, and it wasnt until colonialism, in fact, that gay sexual acts were criminalized. The argument is a persuasive one on the continent, though, and one of the biggest obstacles to progress for L.G.B.T. rights. Mugisha told me that he wasnt going underground yet, though. Hes currently in the United States, meeting with officials, such as the U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power, to ask for assistance in protecting Ugandan gays and repealing the law. We shall overturn it, he said, simply.

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN WANDERA, AP The Red Pepper tabloid published a list of names of gay Ugandans, inciting fear and violence. Not Just in Uganda The crackdown isn't restricted to Uganda. Homosexuals in Africa are under unprecedented attack. Gay rights, never strong, are being dealt severe blows. This year a wave of anti-gay sentiment propelled by social conservatism, religious fervor, domestic politicking, and anti-West posturing has led to tough new legislation in Nigeria as well. Others will likely follow. Under colonial-era laws homosexuality is illegal in the majority of African countries (36 out of 54, according to Amnesty International), but Uganda's legislation ratchets up the punishments. Although the death penalty clause contained in an earlier draft was dropped, the new law prescribes life sentences for homosexuality, whether actual or intended, and jail terms for people or groups promoting homosexuality. What this means, for instance, is that a gay couple caught kissing can be locked up for life. So can someone found to have touched another person "with the intention of committing the act of homosexuality." Rights groups found guilty of supporting homosexuality can be shut down and their directors jailed for up to seven years. Power Politics When the law was proposed five years ago, Museveni showed no liking for it. Even after it won overwhelming support in parliament, he indicated he wouldn't sign. But elections are on the horizon in 2016, and Museveni, 69, is eager to extend his rule. Assenting to the law is a party-pleaser and a vote-winner. Autocratic by nature and a soldier by profession, Museveni is used to giving orders, so he made an uncomfortable Pontius Pilate over the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. He said he'd sign the bill only if homosexuality was proved to be a choice. Then he washed his hands of responsibility by appointing a panel of Ugandan scientists to rule on whether homosexuals were born or made. Museveni initially spun the decision to sign the bill as a pragmatic response to the science. Then he justified his wholehearted support

Monday, March 3, 2014

as an act of defiance in the face of "arrogant and careless Western groups that are fond of coming into our schools and recruiting young children into homosexuality and lesbianism." At root, Africa's homophobia is political: domestic politics trumping both human rights and threats of aid cuts from Western donors. Draconian as the new laws are, the awkward truth is that they're popular. And leaders will readily sacrifice gay rights in the quest for political power. In Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan's passing of similar legislation last month was widely interpreted as a way of shoring up support ahead of elections next year and distracting attention from an Islamic insurgency spinning out of control in the north. Living in Fear Since Uganda's law came into force, Onziema, the activist, has "registered an increase in fear in the [LGBT] community. People are withdrawing from their daily lives. Some are trying to leave the country." Onziema said gays and other sexual minorities have been evicted from their homes and increasingly fear for their lives. SMUG has received reports of physical abuse and beatings. In one instance, a young man was publicly stripped for wearing skinny jeans, deemed "effeminate" by his tormentors. Onziema has seen this sort of thing before and knows to fear it. In 2010 a short-lived tabloid called the Rolling Stone published a list of homosexuals under the headline "Hang Them: They Are After Our Kids!!" Among those named was well-known activist David Kato. Soon afterward Kato was beaten to death in what police called a botched robbery. In other parts of Africa where anti-gay rhetoric is becoming more strident, the most powerful people are often the most vocal. Hateful Rhetoric In a speech this month to mark his country's 49th independence anniversary, Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh called homosexuals "ungodly, Satanic ... vermins" (sic) and threatened to impose the death penalty. While celebrating his 90th birthday last week, President Robert Mugabe took the opportunity to remind Zimbabweans that "we don't accept homosexuality here." In Liberia, a legislator wants homosexuality listed as a "deviant behavior"for which public officials could be censured. Even in relatively liberal Kenya, a cross-party parliamentary group was set up this month to strengthen laws against homosexuality. MP Irungu Kangata, one of the caucus founders, argues that the current 14-year jail sentence is insufficient to counter "rampant and active pro-gay activities in Kenya." In an email exchange, Kangata parsed the anti-gay position in Africa. He criticized President Obama's pro-gay "outbursts," Western meddling, and moral corruption. He referenced the Bible, African tradition, and African dignity. He espoused family values, warned of disease, and discerned "a subtle racism" and elitism in the gay rights movement. "As heterosexuals we have the right to protect our turf," Kangata asserted. "[We must] maintain Kenya as an anti-gay country." Tristan McConnell is a correspondent for GlobalPost.

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But in a blunt speech after signing the law, Museveni warned Western nations not to meddle in the east African country's affairs and said he was not afraid of aid being cut. Homophobia runs deep in Uganda and many Ugandans and religious leaders had called on Museveni to sign the bill into law, saying it would help curb what they called a Western "vice".

SOCIAL ISSUES

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Africa: A Look At Africa's Anti-Gay Laws

African countries 'dealing' with gays the best way they know how further criminalization A trend is forming from African nations - which already criminalize same sex acts, albeit, through laws inherited from colonial masters to further put in place legislation that amplify, further criminalize and increase punishment for same sex acts When India's Supreme Court - in a surprising ruling - upheld a 150 year old ban on same sex acts among consensual adults, the world reacted with shock at how, in just under four years - it was in 2009 that the High Court decriminalized consensual same sex acts - the law can change easily against homosexual persons. Unfortunately, as the world - and by large, the global LGBTI, and to some extent, the sex work community - focused on the ruling, there is a worrying trend in the African continent as countries formulate new laws or amplify existing ones to further criminalize same sex persons. In five countries around the world, same sex sexual conduct carries the death penalty while across the Commonwealth - with most African countries being members - penalties for homosexuality include jail sentences, flogging or death. According to the Human Dignity Trust (HDT), half a dozen Commonwealth countries specify life imprisonment. 38 African countries criminalize homosexuality . This criminalization stems from imported British laws in place in the late nineteenth century that, at that time, outlawed homosexual acts. Despite a 1967 Sexual Offences Act in England and Wales that repealed its own legislation and until the 1980s before Scotland and Northern Ireland did the same, these laws originally imposed during colonial times remain largely in place in these African, even in a post-independence era. Of these 38, 10 have taken the extraordinary step of targeting LGBTI persons by strengthening existing sexual offences laws, or formulating 'moral' Bills that outlaw all forms non-heterosexual conduct or create anti-homosexuality specific laws. Here are some of them.

World Bank freezes aid to Uganda over gay law

lobal lender says $90m put on hold to ensure its development objectives are not adversely affected by new law. The World Bank has suspended a planned $90m loan to Uganda meant to strengthen its health care system after its president signed into law a bill prescribing harsh jail terms for homosexual offences. The decision by the global lender comes days after Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway said they would also freeze or change aid programmes for Uganda because of the law. The law will see those convicted of "aggravated homosexuality" defined as sex between gay men and minors or the disabled - jailed for life. "We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law," a World Bank spokesman said, according to the AFP news agency. With a per capita income of $506, Uganda relies heavily on donor aid and suspension of aid could affect many development programmes. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo shrugged off foreign aid cuts and international criticism, saying Uganda can do without Western aid. "The West can keep their 'aid' to Uganda over homos, we shall still develop without it," he said in a message on Twitter. Yoweri Museveni, the Ugandan president, signed off the bill, described as one of the world's toughest anti-gay laws, despite condemnation from Western leaders and human rights groups. Barack Obama, the US president, had warned the president that he risked complicating diplomatic ties between the two nations if he signed the bill into law. US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday compared the "flatout morally wrong" and "atrocious" law to anti-Semitic legislation in Nazi Germany or apartheid in South Africa. Crisis meeting Leading Ugandan gay rights activist Frank Mugisha met in Washington on Thursday with top State Department officials to call for help in protecting gays. A State Department official said Mugisha met the top US diplomat for Africa, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and acting assistant secretary for human rights Uzra Zeya, to discuss "mutual concerns" about safety and "how the US might respond to the law's enactment". Diplomats and rights groups had pushed Museveni - already under fire from key Western donors over alleged rampant graft and for stifling opposition groups and media - to block the legislation.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) The DRC has joined the league of African nations proposing for 'preserve African cultural values' by outlawing non-heterosexual practices from pornography to zoophilia to homosexuality. Recently, the National Assembly Member Steve Mbikayi, sponsored a Bill in Parliament which, he insists is meant to avoid "moral depravity" and protect the Congolese youth from "western morals." The bill is necessary in order to "preserve African values," which, he insists, "have never tolerated romantic relationships between persons of the same sex." The bill 'complements' a 2010 proposed legislation, Sexual Practices Against Nature Bill, that was presented before Parliament aiming to criminalise homosexuality and zoophilia as sexual practices 'against nature.' Section 2 of the proposed Bill singles out zoophilia (sex with animals) and homosexuality as sexual practices against nature. It also criminalises any activities that directly or indirectly aim to promoting the rights LGBTI persons, therefore, in accordance with section 174h3 of the Bill, "all publications, posters, pamphlets, (or) films highlighting or likely to arouse or encourage sexual practices against nature are forbidden within the territory of the DRC (Section 174h3)" and "all associations that promote or defend sexual relations against nature are forbidden within the territory of the DRC." NIGERIA In May 2013, Nigeria's House of Representatives passed a Law that further criminalised homosexuality by punishing those who try to enter same-sex marriages with a possible 14 years prison term. The bill, Prohibition of Same Sex Act, which passed through the Senate - Nigeria's highest chamber - in December 2011 also punishes those "witnessing" or "abetting" same sex relationships with custodial sentences of at least eight years, and groups that advocate for LGBT rights were also penalised by the new bill. The bill - which was awaiting President Jonathan's Goodluck signature to make it into law - re-emerged this December when reports said the Nigerian Senate 'unanimously' passed a harmonised Conference Committee report banning same sex marriage in Nigeria. It is also reported pressure is mounting on Goodluck to sign the Bill with Senate President, David Mark calling on him to sign the Bill into law. "We have been under

series of attack from different quarters. I think we believe in this Bill. The earlier we sign it into law, the better. We (Nigeria) have many shortcomings, we don't one to add this one (same sex marriage) to it," Mark is reported to have said. ZIMBABWE Since 1995, the Zimbabwe government has carried out campaigns against both homosexual men and women. However, in 2006, the Government - under President Robert Mugabe whose own anti-gay public speeches are described as fiery and explicit (at one point, he called for the beheading of gays) - passed laws that criminalize any actions perceived as homosexual. It is now a criminal offense for two people of the same sex to hold hands, hug, or kiss. The "sexual deviancy" law is one of 15 additions to Zimbabwe's Criminal Code. The sections involving gays and lesbians are part of an overhaul of the country's sodomy laws. Before then, laws against sodomy were limited to sexual activity, and the revised law now states that sodomy is any "act involving contact between two males that would be regarded by a reasonable person as an indecent act." In the run-up to the last elections, there was concern from LGBTI activists that following the re-election of Mugabe, who pledged during campaign rallies to impose tighter anti-gay legislation and called for gays to be jailed or beheaded, things might turn worse. Mugabe in his campaigns had been promising tougher measures against LGBTI people, including long prison sentences, and at one point called for beheading gays. BOTSWANA In November 2013, the Botswana Government was harshly criticized by human rights, sex workers rights and LGBTI groups after a new national policy draft HIV "Strategies to Address Key Populations" was said to provide for the police and immigration authorities to "arrest" local MSM and sex workers and "deport and evoke permits" of foreigners - with the authorities "even availing themselves over weekends" to enforce the crackdown. The policy was an HIV survey of MSM, female sex workers (FSW), and people who inject drugs (PWID) in the country and these provisions were part of the recommendations of the policy. Despite the Botswana Government refuting this, Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), said the government did the 'totally unexpected and deviated from the study findings by taking punitive, discriminatory, homophobic and xenophobic measures.' However, the most surprising thing is that the Employment Act of Botswana has prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation since 2010 even though same-sex sexual acts remain illegal. MALAWI In November 2012, it was reported that President Joyce Banda had suspended all laws that criminalized homosexuality. This was after Malawi's justice minister said the government would review anti-gay legislation "in view of the sentiments from the general public and in response to public opinion regarding certain laws." Surprising, the government later denied issuing the statement thus the laws that criminalise same sex acts remain in place. LIBERIA Lawmakers in Liberia introduced two bills in 2012 that would strengthen existing anti-gay provisions in the criminal code. One of the bill, prohibiting and criminalizing same-sex marriages, was unanimously passed in the Senate but has yet to be taken up by the House of Representatives. Another bill in the House of Representatives is much broader, and includes a provision banning the "promotion" of gay sex. The bill has yet to be voted on. CAMEROON Often said to be the only country in the world that 'actively' persecutes homosexual people, Cameroon occupies a unique place as the only country that has arrested more real or perceived gay persons than any other African nation. In addition to sustained media outings - of as many people as 50 - the justice system has jailed persons suspected of same sex acts. Further, a national association has now decided to mark the 21 of August as a national anti-gay, promising a homophobic parade through the streets of the capital in a bid to push for enactment of stricter anti-gay laws. Several human rights and LGBT groups criticized plans by Cameroon to increase the penalties for consensual same-sex sexual acts under the law to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of 2 million francs CFA (2660 GBP or $ 4104 USD). GAMBIA Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh said in 2008 that laws "stricter than those in Iran" against homosexuals would soon be introduced and vowed to "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in the country. He further gave homosexuals 24 hours to leave the country. "Those who promote homosexuality want to put an end to human existence," he told a gathering of world leaders. "It is becoming an epidemic and we Muslims and Africans will fight to end this behavior." Jammeh even went further and ordered the director of the Gambia Immigration Department to "weed bad elements in society." He further advised army chiefs to monitor the activities of their men and deal with soldiers practicing lesbianism in the military. UGANDA Uganda's Anti Homosexuality Bill was a private member's bill by MP David Bahati in 2009 causing worldwide condemnation. Provision of the bill include the death penalty for same sex acts in certain circumstances. People who are caught or suspected of homosexual activity would be forced to undergo HIV tests; Ugandans who engage in same-sex sexual relations outside Uganda will likewise fall under the jurisdiction of this law, and may be extradited and charged with a felony. It also provided anyone who is aware of a person who is gay to report them within 24 hours lest they face imprisonment. After much international pressure, the Bill was shelved and is awaiting a committee report that some optimists say may have 'watered it down.' It has been reported that the members of the Ugandan Parliament are looking to hold debate behind closed doors due to what one legislator said was the 'sensitive nature of the bill.' Denis Nzioka is a LGBTI rights activist based in Nairobi, Kenya

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PERFORMING THE TASK, EFFICIENT LOGISTIC SERVICES LIVING UP TO EXPECTATION IN PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR THE VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE FOR THE ENSUING OCTOBER 4 MIDTERM SENATORIAL ELECTIONS A PICTORIAL OF ONGOING VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE

Monday, March 3, 2014

Efficient Team-L-R Chief Executive Officer Bedell Sandi and Reuben M. Carto, General manager and Partner

A partial view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the voter update exercise

A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

Election Workers performing their duty

Many queue up for the voter update exercise

PERFORMING THE TASK, EFFICIENT LOGISTIC SERVICES LIVING UP TO EXPECTATION IN PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR THE VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE FOR THE ENSUING OCTOBER 4 MIDTERM SENATORIAL ELECTIONS A PICTORIAL OF ONGOING VOTER ROLL UPDATE EXERCISE

Monday, March 3, 2014

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A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

Dave Harris, Election Supervisor for Team K in Montserrado County

Election Workers performing their duty

A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

A view of one of the vehicles provided by Efficient Logistic Services for the exercise

Zaza F. Massaquoi, of Team F performing electoral duty at the Seat of Wisdom International School System in the 72nd Community in Paynesville on Saturday

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Monday, March 3, 2014

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Background:

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR SUPPLY OF COMMON USE ITEMS

IBI International (IBI) is a contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) implementing the USAID Governance and Economic Management Support (GEMS) Program. The Program is a five-year technical assistance program to improve performance through strengthening public sector capacity in Liberia. USAID-GEMS Project intends to establish a database of qualified vendors/service providers to be invited to compete for the provision of required goods and services. The result will be a preferred vendors list which will be established for a period of eighteen months to two years. The Project Office in Liberia now invites interested and legitimate business entities to submit Expression of Interest (EoI) for the provision of below listed categories of goods and services: 1. Supply of clean water to Official Residences and Offices around Mamba Point 2. Stationery & Office Supplies 3. Cleaning & Sanitary Materials 4. Provisions 5. Health and Safety (Security & Guard Services) at Official Residences and Offices around Mamba Point 6. Maintenance and Repairs of Computers & Office Equipment 7. Routine maintenance and repair services (including spare parts) for FORD vehicles 8. Maintenance of generators at Official Residences and Offices around Mamba Point 9. Fumigation services at Official Residences and Office 10. Newspaper Advertisement 11. Venues for Conferences, Training and Workshop 12. Supply of bulk fuel for Generator Sets at Official Residences and Offices around Mamba Point 13. Catering Services for Events, Workshops, etc. 14. Provision of Internet Services & Maintenance of Radio Links at various offices and residences 15. Bulk Printing and Photo copying/reproduction Services 16. Supply of GSM phone cards (scratch cards) for voice and Internet communications Qualification Requirements: Business Registration Certificate Articles of Incorporation Tax Clearance for FY2013 References (major business customers, bankers, etc.) Experience, track record, etc. Willingness to sign IBI Vendor/Supplier Code of Conduct Policy Submission: Expression of Interest (document) must be submitted in sealed envelopes clearly marked Expression of Interest for Provision of Common Use Items with the item numbers for which the EOI relates or electronically to bids@gemsliberia.com. The EOI should be deposited in the Tender/Bid Box located in the front office of the ground floor of Project Office located adjacent Atlantis Guest House, Opposite Save the Children Office, Coconut Plantation, and Mamba Point on or before 5:00 pm on Monday, March 10, 2014. Please note that IBI employees can not solicit or receive gratuities, gifts or benefits in association with this or any other procurement activity. Only shortlisted vendors / suppliers will be contacted for submission of supply proposals.

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Monday, March 3, 2014

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

Republic of Liberia Integrated Public Financial Management Reform Project (IPFMRP); Ministry of Finance Credit No.: IDA50260 Assignment Title: Security Consultant The Republic of Liberia has received a Financing from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Development Association (IDA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) toward the cost of an Integrated Public Financial Management Reform Project (IPFMRP), and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this financing for consulting services. The consulting services (the Services) include the following: Develop comprehensive security plan for Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) HQ. Develop structure, job profiles and standard operating procedures for the Security Unit to be established in the LRA including operating forms etc., and also for the external security firm. Oversee installations of electronic security systems, such as closed circuit surveillance, entry controls, burglar alarms, ultrasonic motion detectors, outdoor perimeter microwave alarms etc. Work closely with Donor TA on the development of the technical documents and on all LRA security matters Any other security related assignment leading to the establishment of the LRA. The assignment is for five (5) months. The Ministry of Finance now invites eligible individuals (Consultants) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice or related field. A Master degree is a plus 5 years working experience in Management position performing similar functions of security systems development & planning. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Banks Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank Borrowers , January 2011 (Consultant Guidelines). The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in the Consultant Guidelines. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours - 0900 to 1600 GMT. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 19th March, 2014. Integrated Public Financial Management Reform Project (IPFMRP) Attn: Mr. Bernard Jappah, PFM Reforms Coordinator Ministry of Finance, 4th Floor Broad and Mechlin Streets Monrovia, Liberia Tell: +231886512462 E-Mail: bjappah@liftliberia.gov.lr Cc: ivanofei@hotmail.com

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REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR TWO YEAR EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDIT OF THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION BASIC EDUCATION PROJECT (GPEBEP) FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 2013 JUNE 30, 2014 AND JULY 1, 2014 JUNE 30, 2015 PROJECT ID: P117662 IDA GRANT ID: TF097456 REFERENCE: MOE/GPEP/SA/17/12 1. The Republic of Liberia has received a Grant from the International Development Association forthe Global Partnership for Education Basic Education Project (GPEBEP), and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Grant to payments under the Contract for External Financial Audit of the GPEBEP. 2. Objectives of the Consultancy The primary objective of the audit of the project financial statements is to enable the auditor to express a professional opinion on the financial position of the GPE Grant for Basic Education Project (GPE-BEP) at the end of each accounting period and of the funds received and expenditures incurred for the accounting period as reported by the Project Financial Statements (PFS). In addition, the audit will provide a professional opinion on the Statement of Expenditures and Designated Account activity, with each audit covering the period of one fiscal year during which withdrawals were made. The various professional opinions may be captured in a single Audit Opinion by the Auditor. The assignment is expected to commence August 15, 2014 for the 2013-14 Audit and August 15, 2015 for the 2014-15 Audit. 3. The Ministry of Education now invites eligible consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing the required services. Interested firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). The shortlisting criteria are: i. Core Business in provision of Audit Services and number of years in business; ii. Experience in Audit of World Bank and/or Donor-funded Projects; iii. Technical and Managerial Organization of the Firm; iv. Availability of Competent Staff with relevant qualification and experience to undertake the assignment; v. Experience in the Region. 4. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Banks Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers, May 2004, revised October 1, 2006 and May 1, 2010 (Consultant Guidelines), setting forth the World Banks policy on conflict of interest. 5. Interested firms should acquaint themselves with the act that created the Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) before submission of expression of interest. 6. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. 7. A consultant firm will be selected in accordance with Least Cost Selection (LCS) methodset out in the Consultant Guidelines. 8. Interested consultant firms may obtain further information from the address below during office hours 0900 to 1700 hours GMT. 9. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form,clearly marked: Ref: Statutory Audit of the GPEBEP, intotheTender Box situated on the Ground Floor, Room 020at below address by2.00pm local time onMonday, March 17, 2014. EOIs may also be submitted by email. Ministry of Education 3rdStreet, Sinkor Monrovia, Liberia. Attention: David W. Baysah,Project Coordinator/GPEBEP EmailLbaysah.fti.cf.moe@gmail.com cc:fabu.fti.moe@gmail.com, cftumbay@gmail.com

America TelIs Citizens traveling to Liberia, hospitals are incapable and unsafe to provide services.

UNRELIABLE HEALTH SERVICE

Monrovian what appears to be a troubling development for the Liberian Government, which has constantly boasted of enjoying the confidence of the international community mainly the United States of America, the United States of America has within four days issued two damaging public statements regarding the state of affairs in Liberia. Days after the release of the report of the Secretary of State John Kerry in which the report indicated that corruption, and other forms of human rights still exist in Liberia, the United States on March 2 issued another travel alert highlighting the poor health, sanitation and other conditions prevailing in Liberia. On the health sector, the alert stated Hospitals and medical facilities in Liberia are very poorly equipped and are incapable of providing many services. Emergency services comparable to those in the U.S. or Europe are non-existent, and the blood supply is unreliable and unsafe for transfusion. For serious medical problems, U.S. citizens in Liberia should consider traveling to the United States, Europe, or South Africa for treatment. Medicines are scarce, often beyond expiration dates, and generally unavailable in most areas, the alert slams the Liberian health sector. The sanitation condition in Liberia, the alert described as very poor, warning US citizens about the danger of serious diseases such as typhoid and malaria. Stated the alert As there is neither an effective garbage removal service nor a functioning sewer system, sanitation throughout urban areas is very poor, which increases the potential for disease. Upper respiratory infections and diarrhea are common, as well as more serious diseases such as typhoid and malaria.

The United States warned not only its citizens but all travelers to Liberia to ensure they are vaccinated against yellow fever and anti malaria medication before stepping on the soil of Liberia. All travelers to Liberia must be vaccinated against yellow fever and should carry a supply of all prescription medication, including antimalaria medication, adequate for their entire stay. A typhoid vaccination is also recommended, stated the US alert. In its 2013 US State Department Human Rights report, the United States Secretary of State described human rights abuses as pervasive in Liberia. According to the report, the most serious human rights abuses were those tied to a lack of justice: judicial inefficiency and corruption; lengthy pretrial detention; denial of due process; and harsh prison conditions. Violence against women and children, including rape and domestic violence, and child labor were also serious problems, the report stated. The State department report noted that other important human rights abuses included police abuse, harassment, and intimidation of detainees and others; arbitrary arrest and detention; official corruption; human trafficking; racial and ethnic discrimination; discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons; unlawful deprivation of life under customary law; mob killings; and ritualistic killings. Impunity remained a serious problem despite intermittent government attempts to prosecute and punish officials. Amidst these alerts, the US Department of States Counselor, Thomas Shannon is expected to visit Liberia to open the second meeting of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue, and consult with stakeholders on areas of Liberias progress and development.

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SHUT DOWN TO TRAFFIC Liberian Government closes Lofa River Bridge

overnment has ordered temporary closure of the Lofa River Bridge between Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties from vehicular traffic. The Lofa River Bridge connects Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties in Western Liberia. The decision was announced on Thursday, February 27, 2014 when Internal Affairs Minister paid an emergency visit to the area along with Public Works, minister Dr. Antoinette Weeks. Minister Dukuly said the halt of vehicle movement on the bridge will remain enforced until a decision is made by the government of Liberia. The visit was triggered by reports that a group of women of both counties residing in the Lofa River Bridge Community had set up road-blocks preventing vehicles from crossing the bridge, expressing anger for its deteriorating condition. The aggrieved women told the visiting team that their protest action was intended to draw the prompt attention of central government, because according to them, the bridge was becoming risky for them and their school-going children who cross the bridge on a daily basis. The Chairlady of the community and leader of the protesting women, Madam Massa Gorla said pillars holding the bridge were cracking, while planks on the surface are broken up and destroyed. Minister Dukuly described the bridge as a death trap, while Minister Weeks terms it as poor. The Public Works Minister and a team of engineers were seen carrying out assessment on the bridge, which according to her was the beginning of prompt action to be taken.

AMBASSADOR KABA GETS INTERNATIONAL POST

Monrovia release emanating from the Embassy of Liberia Dakar says the Islamic Development Bank of Jaddah has announced that His Excellency Dr. Brahima D. Kaba, the Liberian Ambassador to Senegal, Mauritania, Cabo Verde and the Gambia has been selected and nominated as an External Member of the Banks General Committee on Scholarship Programme for Muslim Communities for the Africa Region for a period of two years, 2014-2015. In his letter nominating Ambassador Kaba, the President of the IDB Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali wrote: we sincerely hope that your Excellencys academic background and professional experience in the field of education and involvement in Ummahs affairs will certainly contribute to the effectiveness of this Committee and the IDB looks forward to see your kind attendance. It must be stated that the nomination is honorific. Ambassador Kaba is scheduled to join fellow General Committee Members at the Committees forthcoming annual (35th) meeting to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 21-23, 2014. The major task of the General Committee includes the review of Annual Report of the Program for the previous year, recommends the Operations Budget for the following year and discuss/approve policy directions affecting the Program. The Committee is also tasked with the review of the rules and regulations of the Program sand make any changes, amendments and additions, wherever it is deemed necessary. The IDB is a multilateral development financing institution located in Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1975 by the Finance Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference OIC and has 10 members. It has an authorized Capital of 150 billion US dollars. The IDB group comprises five financial entities; the IDB, the Islamic Represent and Training Institute (IRTI), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). IBD is an observer member of the UN. The IBD scholarships program objectives: IDB funds and implements its scholarships program as part of its several efforts in the development of human resources of its member countries and Muslim Communities in non-member countries. It is within the scope of human resources development that the General Committee will meet in Jeddah to discuss measures in the interest of the education of future generations.

Lewis Brown has confirmed the involvement of Liberian mercenaries in recent reported attacks in neighboring Cote Divoire. Minister Brown speaking at the ministrys regular press briefing told journalists that the government was relying on Ivorian intelligence in making the allegations. He said Liberia has a policy of noninterference, which states that not a single inch of the countrys territory would be used for the purpose of destabilizing other countries in the region. He said the Liberia would resist any attempt by either its nationals or foreigners to use its territory for such purposes as planning, staging, attacking, counterattacking any neighboring country adding that it is unacceptable. We want to be clear that those who are involved in the fighting (Liberians or Ivoirians), we consider them non-state actors. They are not there with the implied or explicit support of the government of Liberia, said Minister Brown on Thursday. We will continue to take steps to punish any act of mercenarism. Let us be clear; please do not take this for a joke; Liberians are involved in the fighting in Cote Divoire (We respect Ivorian intelligence). We urge you to stop; if we find you, we will arrest you. Liberia will not be a safe haven for anyone, Liberian or any nationality, to destabilize another country. The Information Minister said considering Liberias past experience with insurgency, which plunged the country into bloody chaos for decade by badass individuals for selfish gains, any attempt by Liberians to allow its territory to be used for such purposes would spell doom for the nation. A conflict in Cote Divoire does not in any way help us consolidate our peace and reconcile our people in Liberia, he said. A peaceful Cote Divoire would lead to a peaceful region and by extension a peaceful Liberia. This is why we have gone even as a cost to our treasury to increase the security presence along the border with Cote Divoire; we continue to invest in peace in Cote Divoire. GoL investigating Forced repatriation claims Minister Brown disclosed that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has also launched an investigation into claims made by the United Nations refugee body (United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR) that Ivorian refugees were forcefully repatriated against their wish by the Liberian authorities. What we are still investigating

GoL Confirms Liberian Mercenary Elements In Ivory Coast; Sirleaf Pushes Investigation nformation Minister

is referred to as the forceful repatriation of Ivorian nationals said to have been arrested, along the LiberianIvorian border area and returned outside the demands of international law governing the repatriation of refugees, he said. You will recall that the government issued a statement on this and we were quite clear that this is a matter that we are treating with seriousness. The President returned from Lofa and ordered a full thorough and comprehensive investigation into the facts and circumstances. Minister Brown described the action as truly out of character adding that the government prides itself in its commitment to respecting the rule of law and international best practices. This is not about as bad as it is-forceful repatriation, this is about ourselves. We cannot

be the country we aspire to be unless and until we continue to commit ourselves to the rule of law, he said. This government objects to actions on the part of anyone in this government or agency of the government to act in a way that will not show respect for international law. He reiterated governments commitment to ensuring the safety of all Ivorian refugees on Liberian territory calling on them not to panic but renew confidence in their hosts ability to keep them safe. We want to reassure all refugees living within our borders that you are safe, we will as a government do everything we can to ensure your continued safety and that you will continue to enjoy the security of our country within the ambit of the rule of law, said Minister Brown. The Information Minister then called on the international

community to assist the Liberian government relocate refugees from border areas. He said this close proximity of refugee camps to the border areas is of serious concern to the government. We think some of these refugee camps are a little too close to the border and it may be providing a level of ease and comfort which neither Cote DIVoire neither Liberia would desire at this moment, said Minister Brown. United States Concerned United States Ambassador Deborah Malac also commenting on the UNHCR claims said the US government was concerned over these reports and looks forward to seeing the outcome of the said investigation into the natter. We would like to applaud Minister Brown for his reiteration of the government of Liberias interest in investigating this issue of forced repatriation that occurred, she said. She told reporters that the United States government is a large supporter of refugees around the world and they hold nations accountable to make sure that refugees are protected and treated appropriately. We have no doubt of the commitment of the government of Liberia, to make to ensuring protection for refugees; they have been welcoming of Ivorian and other refugees on their territory over the years, she said. These types of incidents are troubling to us; we want to ensure that governments are living up to their international obligations; so we look forward to hearing the results of the investigation.

Monday, March 3, 2014

HOLDER HOSPITALIZED AS PRECAUTION FOR FAINTNESS

IN BRIEF

WASHINGTON (AP) he Justice Department says Attorney General Eric Holder has been taken to the hospital as a precaution after experiencing faintness and shortness of breath at work. A statement from the department says Holder is "resting comfortably and in good condition" at a Washington hospital after feeling the symptoms during a Thursday morning meeting with senior staff. The department says the 63-year-old attorney general is alert, talking with his doctors and undergoing further evaluation. No additional information was immediately provided.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) oes forgiveness lead to a better society? Or are some crimes so atrocious that the perpetrators should not be forgiven? South Africa faced these difficult questions after apartheid ended two decades ago, and confronts them again as the government considers parole this year for a notorious death squad leader who worked for the white racist government. Eugene de Kock, head of a covert police unit that tortured and killed dozens of anti-apartheid militants, was arrested in 1994, confessed to crimes and was sentenced in 1996 to two life terms plus another 212 years. After 20 years in jail, he says he is the only member of the former police force serving time for crimes committed on behalf of South Africa's old order and maintains he acted on instructions from leaders who were never punished. "Not one of the previous Generals, or Ministers who were in Cabinet up to 1990, have been prosecuted at all," he said in an affidavit signed in January as part of his parole application. Julian Knight, de Kock's lawyer, said he is pushing for a parole decision this month. He speculated that the government might delay the decision, timing it to celebrations later this year of South Africa's 20th anniversary of democracy, or until after May elections to minimize "any negative fallout."

S AFRICAN APARTHEID DEATH SQUAD CHIEF SEEKS PAROLE

KIEV/BALACLAVA, Ukraine (Reuters) kraine mobilized for war on Sunday and Washington threatened to isolate Russia economically, after President Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade his neighbor, creating Moscow's biggest confrontation with the West since the Cold War. "This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country," Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, head of a pro-Western government that took power when Russian ally Viktor Yanukovich fled last week, said in English. Putin obtained permission from his parliament on Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine, spurning Western pleas not to intervene. Russian forces have already bloodlessly seized Crimea - an isolated Black Sea peninsula where Moscow has a naval base. On Sunday they surrounded several small Ukrainian military outposts there and demanded the Ukrainian troops disarm. Some refused, leading to standoffs, although no shots were fired. Russia has staged war games with 150,000 troops along the land border, but so far they have not crossed. However, pro-Russian demonstrators have marched in the east of the country and have raised Russian flags over government buildings in several cities, in what Kiev says is a move orchestrated by Moscow to justify a wider invasion. Ukraine's security council ordered the general staff to immediately put all armed forces on highest alert. The Defense Ministry was ordered to stage a call-up of reserves - theoretically all men up to 40 in a country with universal male conscription, though Ukraine would struggle to find extra guns or uniforms for

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significant numbers of them.

UKRAINE MOBILIZES AFTER PUTIN'S 'DECLARATION OF WAR'

mentioned visa bans, asset freezes and trade isolation as possible steps. A Kremlin spokesman declined to comment after Kerry's remarks. THREAT TO EASTERN UKRAINE At Kiev's Independence Square, where anti-Yanukovich protesters had camped out for months, thousands demonstrated against Russian military action. Speakers delivered rousing orations and placards read: "Putin, hands off Ukraine!" "If there is a need to protect the nation, we will go and defend the nation," said Oleh, an advertising executive cooking over an open fire at the square where he has been camped for three months. "If Putin wants to take Ukraine for himself, he will fail. We want to live freely
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemned Russia for what he called an "incredible act of aggression" and threatened "very serious repercussions". "You don't just, in the 21st century, behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext," Kerry told CBS program Face the Nation. Kerry said Moscow still had a "right set of choices" to defuse the crisis. Otherwise, G8 countries and other nations were prepared to "to go to the hilt to isolate Russia". "They are prepared to isolate Russia economically. The rouble is already going down. Russia has major economic challenges," he said. He

and we will live freely." Of potentially even greater concern than Russia's seizure of majority ethnic Russian Crimea are eastern swathes of Ukraine, where most ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian as a native language. Those areas saw more demonstrations on Sunday after violent protests on Saturday, and for a second day pro-Moscow demonstrators hoisted flags at government buildings and called for Russia to defend them. Kiev said Russia had sent hundreds of its citizens across the border to stage the protests. U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to Putin for 90 minutes by telephone on Saturday after the Russian leader declared he had the right to intervene and quickly secured a unanimous

yes vote from his parliament. According to the Kremlin's account, Putin told Obama Russian speakers were under threat from Ukraine's new leaders, who took over after Yanukovich's security forces fired on huge protests against his rejection of a European trade deal in favor of closer ties with Moscow. Ukraine, which says it has no intention of threatening Russian speakers, has appealed for help to NATO, and directly to Britain and the United States, as co-signatories with Moscow to a 1994 accord guaranteeing Ukraine's security. NATO ambassadors met in Brussels to discuss next steps. Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen accused Russia of threatening peace and security in Europe.

PEREVALNE, Ukraine (AP) s hundreds of armed men surrounded a Ukrainian military base in Crimea on Sunday, world leaders and Ukraine's new prime minister urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to pull back his military. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Russia's military incursion into Ukraine "an incredible act of aggression" comments that came a day after Russian forces took over the strategic Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine without firing a shot. In Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said there was no reason for Russia to invade Ukraine and warned that "we are on the brink of disaster." But so far, his new government and other countries have been powerless to react to Russian

HUNDREDS OF GUNMEN SURROUND UKRAINE MILITARY BASE

military tactics. Armed men in uniforms without insignia have moved freely about the peninsula, occupying airports, smashing equipment at an air base and besieging a

Ukrainian infantry base. Putin has defied calls from the West to pull back his troops, insisting that Russia has a right to protect its interests and those of Russian-speakers

in Crimea and elsewhere in Ukraine. Russia has long wanted to reclaim the lush Crimean Peninsula, which was part of Russia until 1954. It's Black

Sea Fleet is stationed there and nearly 60 percent of Crimea's residents identify themselves as Russian. Ukraine's population of 46 million has divided loyalties between Russia and Europe, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the EU, while eastern and southern regions like Crimea look to Russia for support. Unidentified troops pulled up to the Ukrainian military base at Perevalne on the Crimean Peninsula in a convoy that included at least 13 trucks and four armored vehicles with mounted machine guns. The trucks carried 30 soldiers each and had Russian license plates. A dozen Ukrainian soldiers, some with clips in their rifles, placed a tank at the base's gate, leaving the two sides in a tense standoff.

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Sports

Monday, March 3, 2014

B
Monrovia-

Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

A. Macaulay Sombai, Sombai121@gmail.com

arrack Young Controllers (BYC) staged a magnificent performance to hold Sewe Sport to an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on Sunday.

Sewe looked to be cruising in the first leg tie after going two goals up inside 24 minutes. Captain Dembeh Souleymane put the Ivorians in the lead in the seventh minute when he was put clinically through on goal by Kougo Hermanul, who beat the off-side trap and sped-up from his marker Teah Dennis. Goalie Winston Sanyouh, perhaps not at fault, was unable to prevent a thunderous shot inside the 18-yard box. The Ivorians intensified their attack with at least five corner kicks and were soon rewarded in the 24th minute with goal number two. The build-up was too cheap. BYC conceded a needless throw-in following an exchange of passes between defenders Prince Jetoh and Dennis. And when they thought Sanyouh was the perfect fallback to continue the play, two Ivorians closed him up and the relatively inexperienced goalie spilled the ball over for a corner kick. BYC spiritedly fought back and soon reduced the tally in the 40th minute when Benjamin Gbamy profited from a Sporo Somah pass and Isaac Pupo was teed-up in the 18-yard box. Pupos placement bounced-off the left post of goalie Ahouchi Alex before the ball deflected off his wrist and into his own net to end the first half. It will remain a debate as to whether the goal should be awarded to the lanky midfielder or be regarded as an own goal. Back from the recess, the Ivorians increased the score in the 50th minute after Alpha James, Dennis and Jetoh all failed to clear a loosed ball and the unmarked Kouaje Koffi slotted the ball in an almost empty net. But if the Ivorians thought they would leave Monrovia with the valuable three points, BYC coach Robert Lartey had an answer for them with two tactical substitutions. Prince Saydee threatened in the 62nd minute, firing home a thunderous shot which was spilled over by goalie Alex for a corner. Second half substitute Blamo Nimley reduced the tally with one of his trademark efforts after receiving a pass from Gbamy.

And Saydee spared their blushes by drilling home the equalizer inside the penalty box with Gbamy, the tormentor-in-chief, providing the assist. Sewe have three crucial away goals but their coach admits that BYC will produce more fireworks when the sides square-off in the return leg in San Pedro on March 9.

So it is BYC who have it all to loose and must beat the Ivorians or secure a drawn match more than the ATS spectacle. Elsewhere, Red Lions were beaten 0-1 by Algerias CS Constantine at the ATS in the Caf Confederation Cup on Friday with the return leg in Algeria on March 9. There will be match analysis and players rating in our subsequent edition.

Monday, March 3, 2014

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SUAREZ BRINGS UP HIS PREMIER LEAGUE CENTURY IN STYLE

SPORT BRIEF

A C
lub Sportif Constantine (CSC) looked to be on their way to the second round of the Caf Confederation Cup after beating Liberias Red Lions 1-0 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on Friday. 32-year-old Zahir Zerdab scored the only goal in the 60th minute by heading home a thru corner pass off the leg of Abdelhakim Sameur in their first-round first leg tie. Lions Emmanuel Flomo gifted a foolish pass on the ark of his opponents 18-yard box and the counter-attack that led to the goal may have been too quick to prevent. The home side could have taken the lead when Tello Gibson beat two defenders but Amara Sackor failed to bury the resultant pass in the 19th minute. The most horrible of missed opportunities came when Michael Smith, son of ex-Liberia coach Kaetu Smith, was put thru clear on goal. And with only goalie Sederic Si Mohammed at his mercy, Smith opted to dribble but his precision and timing was too poor as Mohammed easily collected the ball. The visitors threatened in the fourth minute when striker Mohammed Derrag wrongly side footed home a pass from left back Amine Boulahia.

Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Sameur had two clear chances in the 12th and 15th minutes but was denied by some brilliant goalkeeping from Mulbah Urey. First, the 23-year-old headed home a Zerdab pass, which was tipped over the cross bar and when he thought he had registered goal number one, Urey cleverly palmed it away for a corner kick. CSC could have increased the tally when Adel Maiza blasted home a 75th minute corner kick but Urey, Red Lions savior on at least on three occasions, came to the rescue. But the bad omen may have been registered sooner than later when holding midfielder Alvin Maccornel was substituted at half time after complaining of pain in his heart. Maccornel was quickly taken to the John F. Kennedy memorial medical center onboard an ambulance and is said to be responding to treatment. Those were the highlights of a fairly less entertaining match, watched by fewer spectators on a sunny afternoon. Youth & Sports Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe was the guest of honor and was flanked in the VIP box by Liberia Football Association (LFA) president Musa Bility and vice presidents Musa Shannon and Adolph Lawrence respectively. Red Lions know they have a task that is too great to overcome when they travel to Algeria for the return leg on March 9. And their coach, Kobina Amissah, admitted that his team lost to a quality opposition. We dont have to blame anybody in terms of performance. Most of them, you know, this is their first continental game and inexperience was on our side. And sometimes, you need courageous players to fight when it gets to this situation like this. Most of my boys are up and coming young players. We have been just two months together since I took over the team. This club [CSC] was founded in 1898. So you can imagine that they are an old club. They have experience. So we lost to a very tactical good side; [they are] people who really understand football. So I dont blame my boys too much because this has been their highest competition. The load on them was too much; the expectation was too high. So, we have to take it that way and see whether we can go there and have a good result, said Amissah.
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The Ghanaian coach and his squads preparation were not all that rosy after the LFA placed the club into administration on February 24 due to some bad blood between board chairman Ansu Dulleh and chief executive officer Rockson Coffie over financial and administrative issues. And coach Amissah told reporters that the off- the-field wrangling affected matters on the pitch. We have so many things that affect performance. So when you are talking on radio that we are playing and we are not playing. Indirectly, it will affect performance. The players might hear [the news] and go down and before you try to bring them up, it will be too late. So, indirectly that affected their performance, Amissah stressed. So despite a combination of experience and finance, CSC werent special, with fewer efforts on goal in each half but Coach Bernard Simondi said a congested fixture at home and abroad meant they were pleased with the maximum three points away from home. I played just for the result because I have two games next week, on Friday and Sunday. It is not easy to play five hours of games [in a short space of time]. So, I am happy with todays result because 1-0 means this

side is good but is it not finished. We still have the return leg at home, the 60-year-old French coach, who was also critical of the artificial pitch and hot weather condition, said. Kick-off is at 16:00GMT (4:00PM local time). Line-ups Red Lions: 4-Michael Jaesu, 5-Alvin Maccornel (20-Sherk B. Kamara 46), 6-Emmanuel Flomo, 7-Amara Sackor (26-Tamba Bockarie 50), 12-Harry Kelleh, 13-Mark Quaqua, 14-Barbu Kollie, Michael Smith, 19-Tello Gibson (21-Bobby Williams 29), 27-Dominic Jlateh and 30-capt. Mulbah Urey. Unused substitutes: 2-Jenkins Wisseh, 16-James Kortu, 23-Harris Ronal and 29-Marcus B. James, CS Constantine: 2-Amer Belakhdar, 3-Yacine Bezzaz (7-Bilal Bahloul 79), 5-Amine Boulahia, 6-Hamza Boulemdais (17-Eyemen Henaini 65), 11-Fouad Allag, 12-Gilles Ngomo, 15-Mohammed Derrag, 18-Adel Maiza, 19-Abdelhakim Sameur, 21-Cedric Si Mohammed and 22-Zahir Zerdab (8-Abdenour Hadiouche 70). Unused substitutes: 9-Lounes Gaouaoui
development at the association. The Executive Committee member emphasized that all stakeholders in Liberian football know how friendly he is and that he has been in contact with all of the stakeholders before he was elected on the LFA Executive committee and he has continue his association with them for the past four years. I always recognized my fellow humans based on their look and not based on personality and I always hold stakeholders in high esteem so those of my friends in the game of football know that my contact with them has been in the interest of all of us and the game, he added. Mr. Karn noted that he has been in contact with the stakeholders and he has continued to receive convincing assurances from them in relations to his reelection and as such he hopes that convincing support will come to reality on March 27, 2014 in Buchanan City.

goal, an assist and a penalty won summed up the Uruguayan's allround strengths in his 100th top-flight appearance, against Southampton on Saturday evening Five goalless games was never really a reason to worry. That it was drawn attention to at all is testament to Luis Suarez's standards this season but there were no sighs of relief for Liverpool when the Uruguayan took first blood at St Mary's Stadium. One way or another, the next Suarez goal is always coming. In this case, it came 16 minutes into his 100th Premier League appearance, the first of a fitting trifecta to celebrate the milestone. One goal, one assist, one penalty won; it summarised his talents well. The assist is the most telling part - for all the talk of a slump, Suarez registered another three assists during those five goalless games. There was no dip in form, just an ever-more-cohesive attacking unit in which there is no longer a burden on one man to hit the net.

JUVENTUS WOULD BE A STEP BACK, SAYS VERRATTI

ONE MORE CHANCE

A. Macaulay Sombai, Sombai121@gmail.com

LFA Executive Committee Member Appeals to Electorates

Mr. Samuel Y. Karn

n Executive Committee member of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) is calling on football stakeholders in the country to reelect him and his colleagues for the second time in the coming March 27 elections scheduled to be held in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County. Mr. Samuel Y. Karn who served as founder and President of former second division club Karn United FC told FrontPageAfrica that he personally decided to seek reelection for the executive committee position due to the record he has set in the development of football in the country.

Mr. Karn said he along with his colleagues have played major role in the promotion of the game and he thinks they deserve to be elected to serve the LFA and the country for another four years. We have invested a lot in football and we have shown to football enthusiasts that the game is our area and they all know that indeed we have the experience to move the game forward in the interest of our country and future generation to come, Mr. Karn Said. He described football as fraternity and continuity and said they as current executive committee members want to continue for the next four years to carry on more

he playmaker has rejected suggestions that he would want to join the Bianconeri, arguing that it would not be a wise career move for him Marco Verratti has dismissed the idea of leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Juventus, describing the prospect of a move to Turin as a "step back". The 21-year-old playmaker had the opportunity to join the Italian champions in 2012 while playing for Serie B side Pescara but instead opted to move to the Parc des Princes, where he has become an important part of the Ligue 1 outfit's midfield alongside Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta. Verratti has previously stated that he rejected the Old Lady due to concerns over the amount of playing time he would be afforded in Turin, but he has now suggested that he has outgrown the Bianconeri. "If I were to go to Juve now, it would be a step back," the midfielder told L'Equipe. "I'm good here and I want to stay for a long time. When I was a kid, I liked the club [Juventus], but now I'm happy at PSG.

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UNFAILING LOVE FOR CHARLES TAYLOR

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lfred Momodu Kandakai Kromah is a diehard Charles Taylor fan, who on many occasions refer to the former Liberian

President as the messiah. Kandakai Kromah is also a member of the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinion (CEIO) housed on Carey Street downtown Monrovia. One day President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was visiting the Carey Street area to drink some Hatai with all the intellectuals that gather there, and Kandakai Kromah came dressed to impress. He approached the President, dressed in an African gown and had huge photographs of Taylor dangling from a string around his neck, when she saw him she asked Da your man ehn? He nodded in the affirmative and then she said, ma pa of man da Obama and everyone laughed.