http://www.liberianobserver.com/ Liberia's First Independent Daily en Sun, 12 May 2024 09:04:14 +0000 Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:23:06 +0000 http://www.liberianobserver.com/licensing-first-discount-house-liberia Financial markets all over the world continue to evolve and the market in Liberia has not been left out of this global phenomenon.  This evolution is critical to enable us to navigate and realize the opportunities in our rather unique marketplace.  Discount houses have thrived at… 9b7b466f-1cd8-4512-8e8d-3ee3255b841e Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:23:06 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-beyond-resolution Standing up Liberia`s War Crimes Court By P. Alphonsus Zeon Introduction February 8, 2006, David Crane, chief prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone appeared before the Subcommittee on Africa Global Human Rights and International Operations, a committee of the International… a3d181ee-564f-4b95-a012-8f954b921cde Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:31:02 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/unlocking-creativity-world-book-day-copyright-day-message-liberias-intellectual-property-office Fellow Liberians, As we approach the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day on April 23, I am filled with a profound sense of pride in Liberia's rich literary heritage – as I renew the Liberia Intellectual Property Office's commitment to addressing the numerous challenges facing our… 7f06de7e-62a0-412c-900f-b43279fa791c Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:29:06 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/help-people-you-do-not-know On Friday, April 12, 2024, National Fast and Prayer Day in Liberia and the day of the unconstitutional change of government in Liberia, the Memorial Service for Cllr. Emmanuel Berry was held in the Fendall Community where he lived and built a school and a church. Cllr. Berry was eighty… togbanahtipoteh@yahoo.com (Togba-Nah Tipoteh) be688fa7-ac24-4973-86ae-a0aa935ce18a Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:03:31 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/giving-his-flowers-while-he-alive-piece-honor-one-my-destiny-helpers-former-cbl-executive-governor By Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan  In April 1998, I was elected Standard Bearer of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia and later President of the University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU), defeating a coalition of two student political parties. At the… d385c1c4-250e-42f1-93d1-904cdb04d529 Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:39:06 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-defense-exporting-unprocessed-rubber Resolving pricing and processing constraints affecting small holder farmers is critical to sectoral and national economic growth By Charles B. Allen, Jr. The Liberian rubber sub-sector is challenged to a significant extent by sub-optimal performance, brought about principally by its… 56ddf298-739d-4284-880c-485e8790efd2 Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:17:10 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/former-president-weah-only-reinforced-moratorium-placed-unprocessed-rubber-former-president-sirleaf By Bedell Willie Bokasa The politics surrounding the moratorium placed on unprocessed natural rubber by some individuals that former President Weah issued an Executive Order No. 124 to protect Indian Businessman Jeety is far from the truth. It is important for people to understand that… 9cfcd344-b7af-4d8d-91d2-040742f5ebf6 Tue, 02 Apr 2024 09:26:55 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-there-reason-behind-yekehs-and-blahyis-calls-wcc By D. Edwin Clarke A Liberian Journalist  Yekeh Y. Kolubah and Milton Blahyi, alias General Butt Naked, are two Liberians that fought Liberia’s deadliest Civil War and carried out countless number of atrocities against innocent people, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Despite… 4b43c2ed-1bc1-4a8c-8bee-e215a0f1a6d7 Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:42:46 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/chinas-economic-stability-leads-poverty-alleviation — A lesson Africa could learn from China, a country with a land size of 9.6 million square kilometers (3.7 million square miles) is one-quarter of Asia's entire land size. It is located in the eastern part of Asia and its land size is almost the size of the whole of Europe. Europe covers… 25412f3b-98ba-42ab-a6bd-c2732e24a9ca Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:32:26 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/if-you-want-see-justice-let-your-leadership-know-how-impunity-affects-you Open Letter to the People of Liberia from U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack In early March, I concluded my second visit to Liberia — it was a visit filled with hope and inspiration. Like so many Liberians, I — along with the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, my… 8f39d042-53f3-49b1-aee8-dc0cf0273648 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 19:33:22 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/unmasking-devil-inflation-adjustment “If we could but learn to number our days...we should adjust much better to our other Accounts.” —Abraham Cowley (1667) By: Atty. Al-Varney RogersA Public Interest Lawyer and Journalist Email: alrogers2008@gmail.com    Taxation is a fundamental aspect of any modern… 1b304d17-e215-4ef9-8689-6185495eae09 Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:30:11 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/appoint-not-disappoint There is still plenty talk about GOL appointments to the point where it is clouded with disappointments. The appointments turn into disappointments when the Rule of Law is not followed. For example, the is he tenure problem. Many persons are getting appointed and are sent an office to be… togbanahtipoteh@yahoo.com (Togba-Nah Tipoteh) 9258d94a-32ce-431a-b912-aadb2cf3b24b Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:39:15 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/women-o-women This Commentary is in Celebration of International Women's Day which falls on March 8 every year. This day is being celebrated because the rights of women are not being implemented. This celebration motivates people who work for human eights to work harder and better in the struggle for… togbanahtipoteh@yahoo.com (Togba-Nah Tipoteh) a8dd1af0-6846-49b0-afd0-7671bf70b24e Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:31:49 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-resolving-tenure-issue By Kwame Clement The dispute over the President's power to remove tenured officials of government is one that has gripped the nation. A fair resolution of that dispute, as with many important national questions, requires that we resort to the constitution and engage in a reasoned and… 3daec12b-be0b-4b2a-9458-004b82b13070 Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:14:36 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/analysis-did-cbl-violate-law-loaning-govt By Emmanuel Collins Monrovia–In Liberia, public sentiments or politics often blur the reasoning and logic of the law, skewing both the textual meaning and intent-of-the-framers' doctrines of statutory interpretation.  However, the age-old cliche that the ‘Law is the Law’ will… 70408bab-bed4-4d0d-a17a-1821371edc8b Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:14:32 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-rescue-train-track — An Analysis of President Boakai’s 36 Days In Office By Arthur Ballah   President Joseph Nyuma Boakai won the Liberian Presidency on the mantra of driving a rescue train, but it seems that the train is losing track and is at risk of derailing prematurely. And so, as a… 7e68a0e1-b358-4286-9d31-6eb8289b2716 Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:07:55 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/dis-armed-forces-day-versus-soldiers-gentility-king-solomon-complex-archetype By Mwalimu-Koh Blonkanjay Jackson (MsEd, EdM) Education Emancipator, Social Advocate, Scholar Thinking Thoughts In my Thinking Thoughts, I reflected the recent standoff between aggrieved army wives, and Rtd. General Prince Charles Johnson and the Republic of Liberia, which led to the… kokoianthony@gmail.com (Anthony Kokoi) 86ab13ec-f92d-48b0-a700-2291d039177e Wed, 21 Feb 2024 12:34:24 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/johnson-n-gwaikolo-leadership-and-service By Conmany B. Wesseh  The sad passing this day of Hon. Dr. Johnson N. Gwaikolo is yet another irreparable and irreplaceable loss to the United Methodist Church and to the nation; and even more so to his dear wife, his lovely children and the entire family; as well as the uncountable… 98a53bd6-fdec-4e53-a89d-b1b5d0eda204 Wed, 21 Feb 2024 10:29:21 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/clash-competing-liberties-look-afl-wives-protest By Cedrick Quoi Jones While it may seem like the dust has settled and we now have respite after days of protests at military barracks around Liberia, the actions of the wives of the AFL leave much to be considered. Let us be reminded that their actions subsequently led to the… 8b114eb1-b58d-4d01-b61d-9554c3233bb3 Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:07:23 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/who-daniel-t-johnson-newly-appointed-deputy-secretary-robert-flight-information-region Daniel T. Johnson is a Liberian who hails from the Southeastern County of Sinoe. He’s one of Liberia’s most consummate and quiet professionals in his area of study. Daniel, by profession, is an Accountant with emphasis in Banking and Finance. He was recently appointed by President Joseph… 391b6c15-b974-4778-812d-b39f31060d06 Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:44:44 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-appointing-power-president-part-two By Hun-Bu Tulay (Email: ntevoma@gmail.com; Cell # +231886517356/777111032)  The people of Liberia are on a journey seeking a functional democracy. History often judges what leaders of a country do for their country long after their bones turn to dust. Has our past leaders since 1986… 43e87b79-1eaf-4e66-b703-6a27cd0631b6 Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:26:11 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-heat-wave-halted-liberias-presidential-inauguration By Michael Roberts Liberians and their international guests had gathered on Capitol Hill, the seat of the government, to celebrate a major democratic milestone that, for the second time in succession, saw the peaceful transfer of power from one democratically elected president to another… 60b7695d-c398-4b95-998e-f5069f752c7f Wed, 07 Feb 2024 07:27:31 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/president-boakai-must-be-commended-advancing-cause-dual-nationality-liberia By Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor  His Excellency, President Boakai is cognizant, that in today’s global economy, developing countries like Liberia and others in Africa, must endeavor to engage their nationals in the diaspora to help with economic developments. All Liberians need to… 75a584ec-9b5c-4d60-97be-6b3f664312bb Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:50:11 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/let-appointment-government-position-be-opportunity-serve-and-not-spillway-amass-wealth Rev. Dr. Slewion P. Lewis Appointment to public office is a privilege and not a right, and as a result, it should be considered an opportunity for one to serve his or her country diligently with patriotism and not a trough to amass disputed wealth to the disadvantage of the masses.… cb38922f-4e23-44d8-9df8-7f9c2da38b1b Tue, 23 Jan 2024 06:28:18 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/advancing-democratic-governance-lessons-liberias-2023-elections-and-innovative-strategies-better By  Frantz Sawyer, Founder/Executive Director, The Amos Claudius Sawyer Foundation The recent national elections in Liberia, conducted in October 2023, followed by a consequential presidential runoff in November of the same year, have yielded valuable lessons for reflection. The… a80d1302-ffd6-4552-b706-58908b56e288 Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:49:22 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-does-george-weah-outgoing-president-have-authority-nominate-new-associate-justice By Julius Kullie Kanubah Six years are never too long in a democracy with an electorally viable opposition and informationally empowered citizen-voters. The days of George Weah at the helm of the Presidency of Liberia are frankly numbered. In less than 25 days, Weah will assume the… 5a28c721-a388-4aed-be81-ee88159b9e37 Fri, 29 Dec 2023 09:54:36 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-jonathan-fonati-koffas-criminal-history-makes-him-wrong-fit-speaker-house-representatives By John H. T. Stewart Mr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, an ex-convict and US felon has announced his intention to contest the Speakership of the House of Representatives amid huge public controversy about the content of his character. But he appears hell-bent and focused on achieving his prized… dc5dc236-97f7-4ef5-8fe1-593b390db38b Wed, 27 Dec 2023 07:48:03 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-stop-being-grinch-stole-christmas-fhi360 .... As it stands now, FHI360 closes today for the holidays to resume in January 2024. Smiles, from ear to ear, are on the faces of their staff whose bread has been buttered. What a joyful Christmas it shall be for them and their families.  Christmas is the biggest holiday in Liberia. During the holiday season, parents spend their best on their children—purchasing their “Christmas clothes”, etc. Children, deck in their Christmas best on December 25, move around their communities in droves with their latest toys–it’s a sight to behold.  It is also a gathering and perhaps a reunion of family and friends as food and drinks galore in endless display. As it is suggestively festive, Liberians go all out to be in the craze of the holiday season.  However, across Liberia, thousands of civil servants in the public sector will experience a morose Christmas, according to FrontPage Africa, due to the inability of the Liberian government to service its debt to the Central Bank of Liberia which has refused to honor financial instruments emanating from the Ministry of Finance of Development Planning.  But civil servants aren’t the only ones who will experience a grim Christmas filled with sadness and hunger due to the apparent lack of purchasing power.  Across the country, hundreds of LGBTIQ+ employees of local human rights organizations working on the USAID’s PEPFAR initiative that is being implemented by the global health chain, FHI360, will also experience a fate akin to civil servants.  Some of these individuals are breadwinners of their families, while others are partners—husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc—that have people who also look up to them for acts of magnanimity. The paltry sum they earn pales in comparison to the thousands of dollars staff at FHI360 earns in Liberia.  For example, a Peer Educator (PE) under the USAID PEPFAR initiative earns US$110, while the minimum amount the lowest employee at FHI360 earns is anywhere around US$400, excluding amenities and add-ons.  From the amount that is given to the peer educator, US$15 is set for transportation, leaving them with US$95 for a stipend.  And it doesn’t come monthly or biweekly.  This is below the minimum wage of Liberia for the formal sector which is set at US$142.  The work of the peer educator is to get clients enrolled and get tested for HIV. If a client is positive, they are linked to a peer navigator who linked them to the facility to get on a treatment.  Peer educators, according to sources, are expected to transport clients to the facility to get treated at their own expense with no hope of reimbursement.  Just why they are indignantly paid this amount in willful violation of the labor law and their rights remains the lingering question.  Although staff of implementing partners who do the real work of collecting the raw data and transmitting it to FHI360 to meet the global 90-90-90 goal of HIV eradication have been calling for increments in their stipend, transportation allowance, and calling cards, the management team in Liberia has been perennially tone deaf to their pleas. The fact that many of these organizations are cash strapped, their tongues remain tied with their heads bowed in supplication as they roll over to play dead in violation of all that they claim to stand for—human rights.  Unlike civil servants whose fate remains in limbo due to the inability of the government to shoulder its responsibility, such cannot be said of FHI360 which subcontracts them as implementing partners under the PEPFAR initiative.  FHI360 has the money to pay what is due them by the stroke of the pen. Just why they willfully choose to give others a sad Christmas is a question for which answers appear not to be forthcoming. Staff of FHI360 in Liberia, according to sources, are paid biweekly. But the biweekly approach cannot be said of its implementing partners who sometimes complained of going months without getting what is duly theirs, contravening the labor laws of Liberia.  The global health organization, according to its partners, uses a carrot and stick method to implement its work.  Taking advantage of the vulnerability of these organizations, this inhumane method, which would never fly in the United States and other areas, was embedded in its work methodology since it was awarded the grant by the USAID to implement the PEPFAR initiative in the country.  This should claim the attention of the United States Agency for International Development. For, the work that FHI360 does in Liberia is in its (USAID’s) name.  Thousands of stickers emblazoned on walls across the country carry the logos of USAID and FHI360.  And since FHI360’s work plans and activities are approved by the agency, can we say that USAID is aware of the violation of the rights of these LGBTIQ+ workers who are afraid to speak up for fear that the hovering Sword of Damocles may decapitate their heads? Editor’s note: The views expressed in this commentary are solely of the author and do not necessarily represent that of the Daily Observer newspaper. 505680e2-0296-4f66-b266-03bd72cc75eb Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:10:34 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/us-liberia-presidential-parallels-coincidence-or-conspiracy By Ellis Bill Harmon Will the 2024 American presidential election determine the fate of Liberia’s 2029 presidential election? For about two decades, both the United States of America and Liberia have shared similarities in their Presidential results. This discovery was made from a… ac027ca4-64cd-4d3a-ac68-6050ddf4bd80 Fri, 22 Dec 2023 09:57:42 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily http://www.liberianobserver.com/what-great-about-president-elect-republic-liberia-his-excellency-joseph-nyuma-boakai By Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor His Excellency , President Elect, Hon. Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Mrs. Boakai, Future wonderful First Lady of the Republic of Liberia; Officials of the State of Rhode Island present, officials and members of the Liberian Community Association of Rhode Island,… 5ea80210-26cd-4489-98bf-8356d8b2276c Thu, 21 Dec 2023 09:28:19 +0000 Liberian Observer - Liberia's First Independent Daily