Monrovia – National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has called on the Liberian Government to address series of human rights violations cataloged by the U. S. State Department’s 2020 Human Rights report on Liberia. The others include the government’s attitude towards NGOs’ investigation of alleged abuse, discrimination, societal abuses; and human trafficking and Workers’ rights. Of the143 human rights practices identified, the NCSCL rated 50 or 34.9 percent as ‘good’ practices, 34 or 23.8 percent as fair and the highest 59 or 41.3 percent as poor. Majority of the ‘good’ human rights practices are related to respect for civil liberties (19 of the 50 good practices) while the remaining 12 are scantily spread across the other eight sections, according to the Council. Some ‘good’ human rights practices include: release of pretrial detainees when COVID-19 struck and removal from prisons of juveniles to avoid detention.

MONROVIA – Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County has responded to media reports that he ran away from Senate’s discussion on the religious holiday bill he proposed. “It is based on my belief and considered learning that God is a God of justice and fair play. However, as it stands, I will not, in good faith, withdraw these legislations.”He promised to be on the floor of the Liberian Senate come Thursday, June 3rd, to ensure that these Bills are placed on the agenda and read on the floor of the Liberian Senate. Interestingly, submission of the legislation formed part of the Senate agenda for its last Tuesday session but could not be read because Senator Snowe was absent. When contacted via text message, Senator Snowe responded: “I traveled.

Liberia Government Needs to Do More to Implement Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women -Civil Society Shadow Report FindsMonrovia – A conglomerate of human rights civil society organizations in Liberia under the banner Civil Society Organizations Human Rights Advocacy Platform (CSO-Platform) of Liberia in a report has indicated that the Government of Liberia needs to do more to implement the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). During the validation of the CEDAW shadow Report on the 9th Periodic Report of Liberia, the shadow report pointed out that Government of Liberia has made little progress on the implementation of the 2015 CEDAW Concluding recommendations. He extended thanks to the OHCHR for all the support that led to the successful preparation of the shadow report. The OHCHR Human Rights Officer said Civil Society organizations and the Government are not enemies as they all work together for the protection of human rights. The validation exercise was attended by representatives from score of civil society organizations, government agencies, United Nations agencies and other institutions.

MONROVIA – The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding and its partners on Monday May 31, 2021hosted a Freedom of Information (FOI) roundtable with journalists and government information officers in Monrovia. It is the first of three regional Freedom of Information (FOI) relationship-building roundtables with twenty-five (25) Freedom of Information Story Grant Fellows, and about 25 Public and County Information Officers. The roundtable held under the theme ‘Building Network to Increase Demand for FOI Use’ was primarily organized to encourage relationship building between public information officers and journalists to bridge bottlenecks in accessing public information. This event (FOI roundtable) forms part of an ongoing Liberia Media Initiative (LMI) project jointly implemented by CEMESP, Internews, the Local Voices Liberia and co-funded by the European Union. As part of the ongoing Liberia Media Initiative project, CEMESP will hold two other roundtables with its 25 FOI fellows and government information officers outside of Monrovia.

The basis of this article stems from the first one in the series: “Common Sense Economics for Liberia”. Liberia will NOT develop if we continue to naively believe that transformation will happen through the efforts of those least prepared to do so! There is nothing that harms Liberia more than the lack of law enforcement and institutional protection of certain powerful individuals. Understand that Liberia does not have a corruption problem; it has a lack of systems and law enforcement problem! Prevention is far way more effective than chasing ghosts who are protected by our current “ghost judiciary”, something that must be changed if Liberia is to have a fighting chance.

Justice shall reign once more. The broad-based civil society organizations are also launching a massive media publication and educational program in preparation for the grand march. The group in a release disclosed that a proposed Act for the establishment of the War Crimes Courts has been drafted by the Liberia National Bar. Since the end of the civil war, no one has been held accountable for the massive killings and massacre of Liberians with the alleged perpetrators walking around the streets with impunity. The Consortium is headed by Liberia National Bar Association and the Secretariat headed by the National Civil Society Council of Liberia.

GRAND CAPE MOUNT – Scores of aggrieved citizens of Grand Cape Mount County have staged a violent protest over the prolong delay by the Government of Liberia (GOL), through the National Elections Commission (NEC), to certificate their Senator-elect Simeon Taylor as the winner of the just ended December 8 senatorial election. Frustratingly, the Supreme Court mandated the NEC to re-conduct deeper investigation into the case which was filed by Mr. Watson. In reaction to the electoral saga, hundreds of residents of the county under the banner: Citizens of Grand Cape Mount County in Demand of their Senator, staged the violent protest in Gbah Foboi during the early morning hours of Monday, May 31. Each county shall elect two Senators and each Senator shall have one vote in the Senate. He commended officers of the Joint Security Task Force assigned in Grand Cape Mount for their “understanding and cooperation” during the protest, adding that, “you made us to feel that we are all Liberians”.

Increase in the Prices of Liberia’s Staple Food Imminent Due to Rising Cost in International Freight, Fees at Freeport of MonroviaRice is distributed and sold at the weekly market in the Zleh Town area of Grand Gedeh county, Liberia. MONROVIA – FrontPageAfrica has reliably gathered that there is an imminent increase in the price of rice due to a sharp increase in cost of international freight and other increments in various fees at the Freeport of Monrovia. They said their attention has also been drawn to the recent increment of fees of vessel and warehouse operation by the Association of Liberia Stacking Companies. In January, APM Terminals which manages the Freeport of Monrovia, announced a 9.67 percent increment on all current charges of its services at the Free Port of Monrovia. The terminal storage and handling cost usually accrue to APM Terminals Liberia, amounts to 0.5% of the total transport and logistics cost incurred by the shipper and with the tariff increase, now amounts to 0.55%.

Monrovia – The Acting Minister of the Ministry of Public Works Madam Ruth Coker Collins says the Lofa Road is in readiness for the visit of President George Weah. Weah gears to begin the last leg of his county tour to Lofa County, many are of the notion that the rainy season could cut off that part of the country due to its deplorable condition –something the Acting Public Works Minister debunked. According to the Acting Public Works Minister, the road was seen as a threat, but following the renovation works by various construction companies, the road is now accessible for anyone who desires of travelling to Lofa County. Madam Collins added that during her recent visit to Lofa County, she observes that the New Millennium construction company, a Liberian own construction company has done significant work between Zorzor and Konea in Lofa County. The Acting Minister of Public Work said most of the feeder roads in the country are well on course, adding that contractors are doing fully well.

Fiamah-Sinkor, Monrovia- Calvary Baptist Church School System over the weekend dedicated its first science laboratory and a high-tech computer lab with 40 desktop computers on the campus. Speaking at the dedication, the school’s Principal, Dorothy B Saikay, said the students should make adequate use of the science and computer labs to perform excellently in the WASSCE. Madam Saikay, addressing the lawmaker, lamented that the science lab is lacking microscope, air-condition and slide glass windows to improve the temperature. Making a brief remark, Representative Foko commended the school for setting up the computer and science labs to help students in the district. The computer teacher, Abel G. Kpeh said the computer lab will enable students to have first-hand knowledge and become marketable upon going to college.

MONROVIA – As the debate for the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia intensifies, the Liberty Party Chairman, Musa Bility, has called on all political parties, including the ruling party to push for the establishment of a War Crimes Court in Liberia, and stop shielding war criminals. “I am asking all political parties including the ruling party to shun those who are being accused of war crimes. If we do not set war crimes, we will never see an end to war, because war crimes are a deterrent to war,” Bility concluded. According to PUL, they invited various political parties including the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, (CDC) but the party did not honor their invitation, by sending the chairman to represent the party at the forum. Especially on the unavoidable question of whether to embrace a War and an economic crimes court as recommended in the TRC Report of 2009.

EU Ambassador Accuses Liberian Media Of “falsehood” Personal Attacks and Paid for Journalism against Foreign Minister KemayahMONROVIA – The European Union Delegation to Liberia has directly accused the Liberian media of “falsehood” and bribery to defame Minister of Foreign Affair, Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah. Mr Delahousse described media reports on Foreign Minister Kemayah as “make money to publish and they don’t represent any form of truth”. The EU Head of delegation, however, failed to provide any evidence or state specific instances and or occasions on which Liberian journalists published “paid for stories” or spread “falsehoods” against Minister Kemayah, as he alleged. Before blowing his storm of ethical criticisms against the Liberian media, the ambassador earlier joked that a few weeks ago, he described young people aspiring to be journalists as “crazy”. Since his appointment as Liberia’s Foreign Minister, there have been series of negative media reports on Amb.

GBARNGA, Bong County – A Liberian Human Rights Advocate, Vandalark Patricks, on May 27 achieved a big feat in his post-graduation education following his graduation from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. On May 25, 2021, I was awarded the Edward S. Mason Fellowship Certificate in Public Policy and Management from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government”. This time, I was instructed to go to the most respected and highly rated institution – Harvard Kennedy School of Government. In April 2020, I was accepted into the Harvard Kennedy School of Government”. “Finally, I am now walking from the Harvard Kennedy School.

“The Liberia Labour Congress is working with AIFO because AIFO is into issues of work with persons living with disabilities,” Madam Carpenter announced. “The importance of a work place also means the place is welcoming, safe, and provides opportunities for the disabled person,” Mr. Harris said. “These psychological barriers should be removed for the disabled employee to feel the completeness of inclusion in the public work place,” added Madam Dennis. Mr. Willocor said LIBA organizes a regular Trade Fair through which disabled business persons can showcase the products or services. Madam Madam Meima H. Bettie (visually impaired), a caterer, said she’s addressed as a “beggar” most times when she’s at a store to buy her baking materials.

Currently in Liberia fuel levy is the known source of funding to the road fund program. The tour funded under the auspices of the National Road Fund gave firsthand information on strategies employed by that country to fund more works related to rehabilitation, maintenance and construction of roads and bridges at national and local levels. National Road Fund Manager Mr. Borniface D. Sartu and his Program Officer Mr. Also in Freetown was Internal Affairs Minister, Honorable Varney A. Sirleaf who a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee. Other members of the delegation are Representatives P. Mike Jury and Honorable Francis S. Dopoh all of the Legislature and National Road Fund Program Officer Mr.