Something to think about:
One would think the president would have considered going to court for allegation of war crime. President Sirleaf is among about 50 individuals recommended by the TRC to be barred from politics in Liberia for 30 years--for being a financier of the war that took away the lives of more than 300.000 Liberians and 5 American citizens. But NO! President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is preparing to pursue her US$5 million libel suit against the Publisher of the New Broom Newspaper, Roland Wowee, fully aware that she is considered in many quarters as an alleged war crime suspect - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Ellen Roll Sleeves for U.S$5m Case Against New Broom Publisher
Source: all Africa
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is preparing to pursue her US$5 million libel suit against the Publisher of the New Broom Newspaper, Roland Wowee, her spokesman Cyrus Badio disclosed yesterday.
Mr. Badio said the President will go to court to be proven guilty or not for taking a bribe of US$2 million as reported by Mr. Wowee's paper early this year.
Mr. Wowee, who had said he stands by his story and is ready to prove his allegation in court, claimed that President Sirleaf received the bribe in favor of a concession agreement in Maryland County.
The case is now slated for the November Term of Court at the 6th Judicial Circuit under the gavel of Judge Yussuf Kaba.
Addressing Executive Mansion reporters yesterday, Mr. Badio said "the President will pursue the case". He said because the allegation levied against her (bribery) is a criminal act under the laws of Liberia, President Sirleaf was not willing to let her character, name and image go damaged.
Mr. Badio dismissed the belief that the President's action is a clampdown in the media; rather, he said, it is intended to clear her name and image from the stain.
He said the President was a friend of the media, evidenced by the recent award she received from the African Editor Forum. Mr. Badio noted that the president's action was a breakaway from the past when leaders of the country clamped down on the press or close down media institutions for what they reported.
Mr. Badio however stated that the President may drop the case against the New Broom Publisher if he comes out to say that his story against the President was manufactured.
The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia states that the President, while in office can not be sued, but it did not say whether the President can sue or not.
Whether the President will leave her office to go down into the courtroom to face her accuser, Mr. Badio said her legal team will address the question.
Meanwhile the Executive Mansion says President Sirleaf and officials and members of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) last Thursday, October 28, held a meeting to discuss several issues of national concern.
The President invited the church leaders, Mr. Badio told reporters, to discuss issues of concern, including reports that the Government had halted the teaching of the Bible in public schools.
But President Sirleaf, according to Badio, informed the Church leaders that there has been no such instruction or directive by the Government to stop the teaching of the Bible in public schools.
She expressed surprise that church leaders were raising the issue since at no time had Government discussed the matter.
The President, however, noted that Liberia, under its Constitution, is a secular State and that Government will continue to protect the rights of other religions under the Constitution.
Last week more the 25 church leaders alarmed that the government had banned the teaching of Bible in Public schools and had halted the conduct of church services in public buildings including schools.
The churches took serious exception to the mandate reportedly issued by the Ministry of Education.
President Sirleaf, at the meeting, informed church leaders that Vice President Joseph N. Boakai will spearhead discussions between the Ministry of Education and churches that are using public buildings for worship services to ensure that measures are put in place to safeguard usage of public facilities.
The President assured church leaders that using public buildings for worship services will continue while measures are being put in place to protect the assets. By D Kaihenneh Sengbeh; Contact: 06 586 531; dakasen1978@yahoo.com
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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
News Headline
Everyone is a genius
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein
Drawing the line in Liberia
Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause
They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
If Liberia must move forward ...
If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's greatest problem!
While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah
What do I think should be done?
The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Solving problems in the absence of war talks
As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah