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MPC Terms Ellens Annual AddressFailure!

MPC Political leader Simeon Freeman said there is nothing to benefit Liberians in the Presidents address

By Keith Morris

The Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) has described the Annual Message deliv-ered by President Ellen John-son Sirleaf as a message of failure with nothing to benefit

the Liberian people.At a news conference Mon-

day, February 3rd in Mon-rovia, MPC political leader Simeon Freeman provided what he called critical analy-sis of the Presidents speech, dealing with all sectors of the nation.

Contd on pg. 9

Affected Mining Communities Block

ArcelorMittals Operations in Nimba

The locals had long been threatening to halt Arcelor-Mittals operations if their plights were not met in a

timely fashion.

-Ellens Appropriate

Action Continues to

Enrage Senators

Did Police Director Apologize to Senate?

See story on Pg.9

See story on Pg.9

See story on Pg.9

-Seeks Support for Mass Productions to Elimi-nate Darkness in the Country

-As Crude Palm Oil Power Generator Unveiling Underway Soon

Ex-Presidential Aspirant Invents Biomass Electric Power Machine

TUESDAY, FEB. 4, 2014, vol. 16, No.70indd 2 2/4/14 1:40 AM

Daily Observer Monday, February 03, 2014 Page 10dTuesday, January 28, 2014

Foreign Briefs

World NewsPage 2Tuesday, February 4, 2014

EU

South Africa

Costa Rica

Russia

US(BBC) - US Treasury Secre-

tary Jack Lew has warned the US may default on its debt by the end of the month if Con-gress does not raise its borrow-ing limit.

Mr Lew said he could rely on emergency measures to pay US debts after the limit is reinstated on 7 February.But he anticipated the treasurys reserves would quickly be ex-hausted as it issues annual in-come tax refunds.

(BBC) - Russia has urged Ukrainian opposition leaders to end their campaign of ul-timatums and threats and to step up negotiations with the government.

Russias foreign ministry said Moscow was concerned by activists attempts to in-flame the situation.

Protesters in Kiev have re-peated their calls for the resig-nation of President Viktor Ya-nukovych, who is now back at work after four days of illness.

(BBC) - The extent of cor-ruption in Europe is breath-taking and it costs the EU economy at least 120bn euros (99bn) annually, the Euro-pean Commission says.

EU Home Affairs Commis-sioner Cecilia Malmstroem has presented a full report on the problem.

She said the true cost of cor-ruption was probably much higher than 120bn.

(BBC) - A deal, which would have given South Africas main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) a black presi-dential candidate, has col-lapsed.

Last weeks agreement would have merged the DA with the Agang party of anti-apartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele.

Ms Ramphele had been put forward as the DAs presiden-tial candidate for this years elections.

(BBC) - With more than 80% of the votes counted in Costa Ricas presidential elec-tion, Luis Guillermo Solis of the left-leaning Citizens Ac-tion Party has a one-percent-age-point lead.

Mr Solis, 55, edged ahead of the governing National Lib-eration Partys Johnny Araya, 56, who had led in opinion polls and early vote returns.

If Mr Solis wins in the 6 April run-off, it would be an-other victory for centre-left parties in Latin America.

Nelson Mandela Left $4m Estate(BBC) - South Africas for-

mer President Nelson Mandela left an estate provisionally valued at 46m rand ($4.13m; 2.53m), the executors of his will have said.

The Mandela family trust will receive $130,000, plus royalties. Others to benefit in-clude the governing ANC, per-sonal staff and several schools.

Mr Mandelas third wife, Graca Machel, was likely to waive her claims to the estate, the executors said, although she is entitled to half of it.

Mr Mandela died in Decem-ber, aged 95.

The former president left be-hind an estate that includes an upmarket house in Johannes-burg, a modest dwelling in his rural Eastern Cape home prov-ince and royalties from book sales, including his autobiog-raphy Long Walk to Freedom.

Nelson Mandela left some of his money to close personal staff and schools he attended

Executor Justice Dikgang Moseneke said he was not aware of any contest to the 40-page will.

Nelson Mandelas bank ac-count certainly did not match his stature in the world.

For all the respect he enjoyed around the globe, he was not a rich man.

It was very much in line with his character that he be-queathed funds to his staff and the schools he attended.

He left an equitable will, giv-ing $300,000 to each of his

biological and step-children. These are the ones Graca Ma-chel had with her late husband, former Mozambique President Samora Machel.

When I asked Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, who read out the summary of the will, about the mood inside the room when he read it to Mr Mandelas family, he said it had gone well but will read-ings tend to be emotionally charged in most families.

I have not heard of any re-ports of acrimonious disagree-ments from his family, which media reports have led us to expect. If the huge Mandela dynasty can keep it this way, they will have done them-selves and the nation proud.

Speaking at the Nelson Man-dela Foundation in Johannes-burg, Mr Moseneke said the 46m rand was based on rough and ready estimates and the final amount could be very dif-ferent.

We are yet to get down to the business of finding the as-set, listing them and valuing them and accurately reflecting them. We have a duty to file a

provisional inventory. The final amount could be

one 10th of what weve said the value is, it could even be double, he said.

Justice Moseneke, who is also deputy head of South Africas Constitutional Court, said some of the estate would be split between three trusts set up by Mr Mandela, includ-ing a family trust designed to provide for his more than 30 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family trust will receive 1.5m rand, plus royalties.

Schools the former president attended are due to receive 100,000 rand each, as are Wits and Fort Hare Universities, for bursaries and scholarships.

The ANC (African National Congress) will also receive some royalties, to be used at the discretion of the partys ex-ecutive committee, to spread information about the partys principles and policies, par-ticularly concerning reconcili-ation.

Mr Mandelas children each received loans worth $300,000 during his lifetime and will

have that debt scrapped if it has not been repaid.

Close personal staff, includ-ing long-time personal aide Zelda la Grange, each get 50,000 rand.

Relatives feuded over the Mandela family grave even before the former president died, leading to speculation the will could spark new dis-agreements

The high school in Mr Man-delas home village of Qunu, will get 100,000 rand

The family of his deceased son Makgatho will use the home in Houghton, Johannes-burg where Mr Mandela died on 5 December.

It is my wish that it should also serve as a place of gath-ering of the Mandela family in order to maintain its unity long after my death, the former statesman wrote.

The mood of the Mandela family when the will was read was charged with emotions but it went well, said the executor, who added that the Mandela family were well pleased by his will.

Despite this, there are fears the will could set off another round of squabbling among members of his large and fac-tious family.

Mr Moseneke said there was a 90-day period in which the will can be contested.

The will was first written in 2004 and last amended in 2008.

Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke: im not aware of any contest of any type

Kenya Terror Charges after Mombasa Police Raid Mosque

(BBC) - More than 100 people arrested in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa have appeared in court on charges of membership of Somalias Islamist militant group, al-Shabab, police say.

Police raided a mosque in the city on Sunday, saying mili-tants were carrying out train-ing there.

At least two people are feared dead in ensuing riots, which lasted hours.

Kenya has been under pres-sure to crack down on mili-tants blamed for a spate of at-tacks, including the Westgate siege.

This flag linked to al-Shabab

had been raised at the mosque, previously associated with militants

Somalias al-Qaeda-affiliat-ed al-Shabab Islamists have carried out a series of attacks in Kenya, in what they say is retaliation for Nairobis deci-sion to deploy troops to Soma-lia to hunt them down.

It said its militants stormed the Westgate shopping centre last year, sparking a four-day siege in which at least 67 peo-ple were killed.

In another development, four Somali men were charged with possessing explosives and attempting to commit a terrorist act after a small blast

last month at the main airport in the capital, Nairobi.

Police initially said the blast was caused by an exploding light bulb.

During the Mombasa raid on the Masjid Musa mosque on Sunday, some youths raised a black flag associated with al-Shabab.

Some in the mosque said they were only there to pray

The 129 people arrested dur-ing the riots which followed were remanded in custody un-til Friday, when they will be asked to plead.

Police fired live rounds and teargas during the protests, and said they had been shot at.

Senior Mombasa police of-ficer Henry Ondieki told the Daily Nation newspaper that youths had distributed leaflets on jihad at the mosque.

This is not a mosque for prayers but a base for recruit-ing Muslim youths to engage in terrorist activities, he was quoted as saying by the news-paper.

Police said they came under fire from protesters

The mosque is said to have attracted radical followers for a number of years.

In August 2012, unknown gunmen shot dead radical cleric Aboud Rogo, who used to preach in the same mosque.

He had been accused of re-cruiting and fundraising for al-Shabab. His death sparked days of rioting in the city, which has a large Muslim population.

Police seized laptops and DVDs in Sundays raid.

One of those reported killed is said to have been a police officer.

A local rights group criti-cized the police action.

There was no need for ex-cessive force and the police should have restrained them-selves to avoid bloodshed, the Associated Press quoted Khalid Hussein, an official with Haki Africa, as saying.

Protesters were angry that the police entered the mosque

Atiku Abubakar: Nigerias

Former VP Leaves PDP for

APC

(BBC) - Nigerias former Vice-President Atiku Abuba-kar has joined the opposition - the most high-profile in a wave of defections from the govern-ing party.

Mr Abubakar told the BBC that he believed that Nigeria should have a two-party politi-cal system.

The Peoples Democratic Party has won every national election since the end of mili-tary rule in 1999.

But it is deeply divided over whether President Goodluck Jonathan should seek re-elec-tion next year.

Last week, 11 senators an-nounced that they were join-ing the opposition All Progres-sives Congress (APC) - the same party as Mr Abubakar.

The PDP has also lost its majority in the house of repre-sentatives, the lower house of parliament.

The APC has called on its members to block all legisla-tion, including the 2014 bud-get.

Mr Abubakar has previously left the PDP but rejoined and sought to be the partys candi-date in the 2011 elections, won by Mr Jonathan.

In an interview with the BBCs Newsday programme, Mr Abubakar denied that he was only switching sides so he could run for president.

I really want to see a strong second party for the party, he said.

BBC Nigeria analyst Aliyu Tanko says Mr Abubakar is the most significant national poli-tician to defect from the PDP to the APC.

Mr Abubakar is extremely wealthy and retains consider-able support, especially in the mainly Muslim north of Nige-ria.

Some in the PDP accuse Mr Jonathan of planning to renege on a promise to stand down af-ter a single term as president.

The party has tradition-ally alternated power between northerners and those from the mainly Christian and animist south.

Mr Jonathan first became president in 2010, following the death of his predecessor, Umaru YarAdua.

He has not said whether he intends to seek re-election.

atiku abubakar denied he was only switching sides

to run for president

Daily Observer Page 3Tuesday, February 4, 2014

by edwin M. Fayia iii

A newly constructed US$100,000 Ben Town School in Marshall City, Margibi County was, during the weekend, given 466 armed chairs and tables to start aca-demic work.

During the presentation of the chairs and tables, the presi-dent and members of the Ro-tary Club of Monrovia prom-ised to build housing units for teachers and a library and play-ground for students.

Funds for the construction of the Ben Town School were provided by the Rotary Club of Reston, Virginia, USA, and managed by the Rotary Club of Monrovia.

According to Mr. Milton A. Weeks, president of the Rotary

Club of Monrovia, the Ben Town School is situated in the middle of six towns without access to schools, clinics and safe drinking water.

Prior to the construction of the school, the Rotary Club of Monrovia constructed several hand pumps in the perimeters of these six towns in Mar-shall, Rotarian Weeks ex-plained.

He said the Ben Town area was selected based on the fact its only operational school at the time had its students in a single mat house and they sat on the floor.

The Rotary Club president affirmed his organizations belief in the fundamental prin-ciple of providing an enabling environment for better aca-demic activities.

Highlighting contributions

US$100,000 Ben Town School Gets Furniture to Start Academic Work rotary Club of Monrovia Promises Teachers Quarters, library & Play-ground

made to water and sanitation, Mr. Weeks gave details about latrines and water wells for three villages in the communi-ty of Ben Town and other com-munities in Saclapea, Nimba County that were built thanks

to the Rotary Clubs efforts. He said in total the Rotary

Club of Monrovia provided funding for the construction of 40 water wells and hand pumps throughout various communities in the country.

As part of its commitment to the health sector, the Rotary Club of Monrovia has grants for the Polio-plus eradication initiative for 25,000 children in the country.

The Rotary Club has also teamed up with Mercy Ship Africa for specialized sur-gical procedures and de-livery of medicine through the provision of a grant for US$304,000.00.

He further intimated that the Rotary Club of Monrovia has provided a container of toys, stools, and supplies for the Pediatric Ward at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Sinkor, Monrovia.

The Rotary Club of Monro-via boss also disclosed that the charity provided a container of food and medical supplies to the Redemption Hospital in Bushrod Island.

He furthered that the Rotary Club of Monrovia has, among other contributions, provided a 12kva generator and furniture to the Kings Orphanage in Mount Barclay, lower Mont-serrado County.

Also commenting on his or-ganizations socio-economic initiatives, Rotarian Weeks said that the Rotary Club of Monrovia has provided US$25,000.00 funding for a micro-credit program imple-mented by the Foundation For Women (FFW) in Liberia.

In closing, Rotary president Weeks detailed the activities of a health fair organized with the proposed Rotary Clubs of Gbarnga and Phebe Hospital to conduct eye tests, dental check-ups and reading glasses to communities in Bong Coun-ty.

Truck conveying the 466 armed chairs to ben Town school and one of class rooms ready for occupancy in

Marshall

Rubber Theft Angers RPALby C.y. Kwanue

Authorities at the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) have raised a red flag on what it considers to be the constant wave of theft in the rubber in-dustry across the country.

RPAL executive director Simeon Zumo Woheel told reporters at a press confer-ence Monday, February 3rd, that, the major dilemma in the rubber sector is theft and what to do to minimize it. It is also a question of who should do what to combat this scourge affecting almost every rubber planter in the country.

He explained, The problem of rubber theft is an old prob-lem in the industry. Theft oc-curs at every level, but is more

pronounced at the production level; with illicit tapping, and collection of coagulated (syr-upy, heavy) rubber.

The problem, according to Mr. Woheel, has been inten-sified with the coming into existence of brokers and their

activities.Theft in the industry, he

said, was much more pro-nounced during the war years, because brokers were basi-cally buying rubber from any-body willing to sell whether they were farmers or not.

As a result, Mr. Woheel added, many rubber farms were destroyed from bad tap-ping and burning of rubber trees for charcoal production.

This problem presently continues with reports of many brokers buying and sell-ing rubber from those who are not rubber farmers. This is encouraging rubber theft at an alarming rate, he said.

As a result of theft and un-regulated rubber brokerage,

Mr. Woheel said, income gen-eration of rubber farmers has become dramatically reduced to the extent that farmers are being victimized.

Production of rubber at large plantations has also declined over the last few years, despite the promulgation of Executive Order #50 as issued by Presi-dent Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, he explicated.

Section 9 of Executive Or-der #50, states as of the ef-fective date of this order, all broker activities relating to the purchase, sale, and trade of unprocessed rubber in Liberia shall cease. Agents shall be the only persons to act as on behalf of a processor or to act as in-termediaries between farmers and processors in transacting the unprocessed natural rubber trade.

According to Mr. Woheel, in contravention of Executive Order #50, a suspected pri-vately owned business entity with a profit motive, allegedly aided by some members of law enforcement, reportedly set up road blocks along farm-to-market roads with the sole purpose of extorting money from rubber farmers as well as assaulting those resisting pay-ment of their illegal rubber sale fees.

Already, RPAL says it has reportedly made representa-tion of this matter to relevant government ministries and agencies for redress, but the expected actions have been delayed.

RPAL was established by an Act of the National Legis-lature in 1966 with a statutory mandate to promote, foster and protect the planting and processing industry and the in-terest of the rubber planters in Liberia.

As such, once a person has planted a rubber tree in Liberia for commercial purpose, auto-matically, that person is a part of the National Association in keeping with the law, because the RPAL statutory mandates are being undermined by a pri-vate business that has injected itself into its Articles of Incor-poration statutory functions.

Mr. Woheel with a piece of document to substantiate his claim of illegal buying, says the entity was concerned about the poor farmers in the rubber industry

Hand-to-Mouth Job for Citizens-lP Describes Prez sirleafs Job Creations

alvin Worzi

One of Liberias leading politi-cal parties, Lib-erty Party, has

described President Ellen Johnson Sirleafs job cre-ation in the country as hand to mouth.

According to the party, the job created for Liberians through investment incen-tive contracts concessions were low paying jobs that add no flavors for livelihood of the people in the country.

The opposition party, through its 2014 Senatorial aspirant, Mr. Benjamin San-vee, explained that most of the jobs created for citizens were cleaning up, security guards and drivers. He said these jobs are insecure of creating livelihood for many people and their children in the country.

The Liberty Party was of-

ficially reacting to President Sirleafs Annual Message, she delivered on January 27 to Members of the National Legislature.

The party further noted that most of the citizens were lacking the financial capa-bility to be a genuine share-holder for any of the leading businesses in the country that could create future worthi-ness for many Liberians.

The party believes that Li-beria is desperately in needs of inflows of foreign invest-ments that have the capabil-ity of creating the wellbeing of it citizens as well as the technology in the free envi-ronment that can affect the lives of many Liberians.

The party also stated that President Sirleaf has seen many citizens as unreason-able in the country due to a fact of demanding a fair share of benefits from the most productive land that have been granted to foreign businesses through the gov-

ernment.The party explained that

many families in the country are in need of opportunity to grow their businesses to earn more money that could help in solving problem like sick-nesses, and maintaining their finances in catering to others need.

Liberian families making a living on One to two mar-ket businesses do not need handouts, but need a better living conditions that could reduce poverty, adding that extreme poverty could lead to their children been drop out of school, as well as put them in long term debts.

The party has at the same time congratulated President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for fulfilling her constitutional duties as well as the adminis-tration program to the honor-able legislature on the State of the Republic.liberty Partys 2014 senatorial aspirant benjamin

sanvee

Daily Observer Tuesday, February 04, 2014 Page 10dTuesday, January 28, 2014

OBSERVER CARTOON WITH A. Leslie Lumeh E-mail: leslie@leslielumeh.com www.leslielumeh.com

Published by Liberian Observer CorporationP.O. Box 1858, Monrovia

Liberias First Independent Daily

0886812888, 0886472772www.liberianobserver.com

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Page 4

Govmen owes me plenty money. How you expect me to pay tax if I dont get paid ?

The Challenge for Capacitating Liberian-owned

Businesses Part IIIn yesterdays editorial on this subject, we wrote about the role

of government officials and their failure to put their people and country first in the development of business and industry in Li-beria. We touched briefly also on the role of the Central Bank of Liberia and the Liberian Business Association (LIBA) in their attempt to lift Liberians in business.

Today we return to our government, and to our educational institutions and their failure to seize the opportunity to make a difference by rescuing their people from second class citizenship and from a persistent and domineering foreign presence in Libe-rias commerce and industry.

We have often in our editorials alluded to certain key govern-ment Ministries and Agencies which are chiefly responsible for ensuring that Liberian business participation is encouraged. These Ministries are Finance, which has a serious influence be-cause it pays the bills; Justice, including its Immigration arm that dishes out the Resident Permits; Commerce, which issues the Business Licenses without asking a single question about Libe-rian participation; and all the other GOL institutions that consis-tently dish out the contracts to foreign businesses again.

We are dealing with a government and its officials--our own people--who could care less about their fellow Liberians in busi-ness, yet those who run Liberian businesses are their mamas and papas, sisters and brothers and cousins and friends--yea even their children. Yet these government officials only see the short term--what they can get today from foreign businesspeople--rather than the long termwhat it means for peace and stability, for the economic empowerment and wellbeing of Liberians.

But what about the macroeconomic role of government in en-suring that Liberians enjoy a fair share in the national economy? It is as though absolutely NO ONE is thinking about this. We re-call in the mid-1960s a speech by Treasury Secretary Charles D. Sherman, Liberias first economist, addressing foreign business-men at the Ducor Intercontinental Hotel. He appealed to them to consider the little man on the street.

Here was a very powerful GOL official and his government, surrendering their macroeconomic responsibility to put in place policies to ensure that Liberians participate meaningfully in their economy. The thinking young people who listened to that speech considered it a sad day for Liberia--that a powerful figure like Mr. Sherman seemed to have surrendered his responsibility to use his power and influence to stand up and make a difference on behalf of his beleaguered (broken, oppressed, subjugated) people.

It seems we still have such officials in power today in Libe-ria--officials who just dont care about their own people and are quite content to see them remain in the same old state--cheated, deprived, disengaged, dejected and poor.

Doesnt the government know what to do? How can the gov-ernment just sit there and see foreigners control EVERYTHING in the country while GOLs own people struggle so desperately and so pitifully for survival? Does the government not know that this the disconnect of Liberians from commerce and the economy is what brought the war? Have they already forgotten Varney Shermans Independence Oration last year, that blamed the war primarily on abject poverty?

The handing over of the Robertsfield Hotel to a Lebanese busi-nessman and the sidelining of a Liberian hotelier who won the first but cancelled bid is a clear indication that this government doesnt care. But that was two years ago.

Now that the President has spoken about this glaring disconnect of her people in business, we hope that she has something up her sleeves to address it.

When University of Liberia president, Dr. Emmet Dennis, took over several years ago, he pledged to introduce a program to boost Liberian entrepreneurship. What has happened to that pro-gram? Is the UL Business College still not teaching Marketing? Have the other universities followed suit?

What are schools, colleges and universities for, if not to teach the courses the people need most to deliver themselves from pov-erty and powerlessness?

The fundamental question we always ask is, how SERIOUS are we as a people? The answer, in the current premises, is obvious: We are not a serious people. We--all of us--better start getting serious; or otherwise sow the seeds that will take us again to the abyss, from which we may never return.

The Trouble with Emerging Marketsby Nouriel roubini (Courtesy of

Project-syndicate.org)

LAGOS The financial turmoil that hit emerging-market economies last spring, following the US Federal Re-serves taper tantrum over its quanti-tative-easing (QE) policy, has returned with a vengeance. This time, the trig-ger was a confluence of several events: a currency crisis in Argentina, where the authorities stopped intervening in the forex markets to prevent the loss of foreign reserves; weaker economic data from China; and persistent political un-certainty and unrest in Turkey, Ukraine, and Thailand.

This mini perfect storm in emerging markets was soon transmitted, via inter-national investors risk aversion, to ad-vanced economies stock markets. But the immediate trigger for these pres-sures should not be confused with their deeper causes: Many emerging markets are in real trouble.

The list includes India, Indonesia, Bra-zil, Turkey, and South Africa dubbed the Fragile Five, because all have twin fiscal and current-account deficits, falling growth rates, above-target infla-tion, and political uncertainty from up-coming legislative and/or presidential elections this year. But five other signif-icant countries Argentina, Venezuela, Ukraine, Hungary, and Thailand are also vulnerable. Political and/or elector-al risk can be found in all of them, loose fiscal policy in many of them, and rising external imbalances and sovereign risk in some of them.

Then, there are the over-hyped BRICS countries, now falling back to real-ity. Three of them (Brazil, Russia, and South Africa) will grow more slowly than the United States this year, with real (inflation-adjusted) GDP rising at less than 2.5%, while the economies of the other two (China and India) are slowing sharply. Indeed, Brazil, India, and South Africa are members of the Fragile Five, and demographic decline in China and Russia will undermine both countries potential growth.

The largest of the BRICS, China, faces additional risk stemming from a credit-fueled investment boom, with exces-sive borrowing by local governments,

state-owned enterprises, and real-estate firms severely weakening the asset port-folios of banks and shadow banks. Most credit bubbles this large have ended up causing a hard economic landing, and Chinas economy is unlikely to escape unscathed, particularly as reforms to re-balance growth from high savings and fixed investment to private consump-tion are likely to be implemented too slowly, given the powerful interests aligned against them.

Moreover, the deep causes of last years turmoil in emerging markets have not disappeared. For starters, the risk of a hard landing in China poses a serious threat to emerging Asia, com-modity exporters around the world, and even advanced economies.

At the same time, the Feds tapering of its long-term asset purchases has be-gun in earnest, with interest rates set to rise. As a result, the capital that flowed to emerging markets in the years of high liquidity and low yields in advanced economies is now fleeing many coun-tries where easy money caused fiscal, monetary, and credit policies to become too lax.

Another deep cause of current volatil-ity is that the commodity super-cycle is over. This is not just because China is slowing; years of high prices have led to investment in new capacity and an increase in the supply of many com-modities. Meanwhile, emerging-market commodity exporters failed to take ad-vantage of the windfall and implement market-oriented structural reforms in the last decade; on the contrary, many of them embraced state capitalism, giv-ing too large a role to state-owned en-terprises and banks.

These risks will not wane anytime soon. Chinese growth is unlikely to accelerate and lift commodity prices; the Fed has increased the pace of its QE tapering; structural reforms are not likely until after elections; and incum-bent governments have been similarly wary of the growth-depressing effects of tightening fiscal, monetary, and cred-it policies. Indeed, the failure of many emerging-market governments to tight-en macroeconomic policy sufficiently has led to another round of currency depreciation, which risks feeding into

higher inflation and jeopardizing these countries ability to finance twin fiscal and external deficits.

Nonetheless, the threat of a full-fledged currency, sovereign-debt, and banking crisis remains low, even in the Fragile Five, for several reasons. All have flexible exchange rates, a large war chest of reserves to shield against a run on their currencies and banks, and fewer currency mismatches (for exam-ple, heavy foreign-currency borrowing to finance investment in local-currency assets). Many also have sounder bank-ing systems, while their public and pri-vate debt ratios, though rising, are still low, with little risk of insolvency.

Over time, optimism about emerging markets is probably correct. Many have sound macroeconomic, financial, and policy fundamentals. Moreover, some of the medium-term fundamentals for most emerging markets, including the fragile ones, remain strong: urbaniza-tion, industrialization, catch-up growth from low per capita income, a demo-graphic dividend, the emergence of a more stable middle class, the rise of a consumer society, and the opportunities for faster output gains once structural reforms are implemented. So it is not fair to lump all emerging markets into one basket; differentiation is needed.

But the short-run policy tradeoffs that many of these countries face damned if they tighten monetary and fiscal pol-icy fast enough, and damned if they do not remain ugly. The external risks and internal macroeconomic and structural vulnerabilities that they face will con-tinue to cloud their immediate outlook. The next year or two will be a bumpy ride for many emerging markets, before more stable and market-oriented gov-ernments implement sounder policies.

about the authorNouriel roubini, a professor at

NyUs stern school of business and Chairman of roubini Global econom-ics, was senior economist for inter-national affairs in the White Houses Council of economic advisers during the Clinton administration. He has worked for the international Monetary Fund, the Us Federal reserve, and the World bank.

Daily Observer Monday, February 03, 2014 Page 10dTuesday, January 28, 2014Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Page 5

Health Workers Asso. Threatens Health Sector Again

--Will Health Ministrys Pro-activeness Prevent it?

The National Health Workers Association of Liberia (NHW-AL) is again threatening a national strike action.

Last year when these workers went on strike, the whole nations health sector came to the brink of collapse. The Health Min-istry and other institutions reported cases of death and patients forcibly abandoned public health facilities for home or headed to private health facilities. At some public health facilities, only the Ministry of Healths as-signed medical doctors, were there alone to cater for patients. Again, they are threatening to begin strike on February 17, if nothing tangible is done to address their concerns, which they had put forward sometime early last year.

BACKGROUND

The NHWAL last Feb-ruary went to the Capitol Building and put forward a 14-count points and asked their lawmakers to address them.

Mr. Joseph S. Tamba, president, NHWAL, read-ing their points, he had said that realizing that they overwork particularly on holidays and weekends and in most cases without lunch break, it is important for na-tional government to con-sider providing allowances and benefits as is done in the case of other civil ser-vants.

He said they were also dissatisfied over the mar-ginalization of over 80% of health and social workers in 2010, when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced increment for teachers, se-curities and health workers only selected few health workers did benefit.

He also stated that given that about 40% of health workers in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare control facilities in Liberia are volunteers/contractors, thus they get older and even

die without retirement ben-efits.

Another dissatisfaction that he had mentioned was the case handling involving the mysterious disappear-ance and subsequent death of one of their colleagues, Mr. Ballah Scott, a health worker, who served the John F. Kennedy Medical Center for about 25 years.

Relative to salaries and other benefits demanded, he had pointed out that gov-ernment ensures that health workers are given employ-ment package that would include letter of employ-ment, retirement package upon employment and that the employment of profes-sionals be done through their respective boards that include, Nursing and Mid-wifery, Laboratory, among others.

Another thing, he had also stressed that health workers with Masters degree and its equivalent should take home not less than US$2,000, BSc or its equivalent not less than US$1,500 amongst other.

He had also said that when any one of them is transferred from one county to another, resettle-ment package should be provided nothing less than US$500 and in the case of intra-county transfer, re-settlement package should be US$250 while govern-ment should provide staff quarters/housing for em-ployees with necessary housing utilities. If housing facilities are not available, government should provide five percent increment in

salary for Monrovia-based workers and 10 percent for those in the rural areas.

Tamba and his colleagues had also immediately de-manded a halt to the un-explained deduction of US$57 across the board from their salaries.

When this matter reached a boiling point and sprawled out of control, subsequently leading to deaths in health facilities because all the health workers had aban-doned those facilities, in-terventions were made.

Lawmakers, including Senators Dr. (MD) Peter Coleman, Armah Zolu Jal-lah, Geraldine Doe Sheriff and others intervened. They had asked the health work-ers, through their leader-ship, to go back to work and that they would do all they can to address their concerns.

Health workers went back to work and had since been waiting for tangible action, according to Mr. Tamba.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, PRESS CONFAB

However, on Monday, February 3rd, the Minister of Health and Social Wel-fare (MOSHW), Dr. Walter T. Gwenigale, addressed the press. He disclosed that he had heard rumors that the health workers were again planning on striking.

Dr. G, as he is affection-ately called, said when Senator Dr. Coleman had hinted him about health workers plan to strike, he immediately contacted Sen. Jallah, who was one of

those working on the report that was being crafted after they (Senators, Health Min-istry officials and health workers) had met.

He said he also called NHWAL leadership, in-cluding its president Joseph Tamba and spokesperson George Williams. He asked them about the rumors, which they admitted was true that they were plan-ning a strike action because their concerns were not be-ing addressed.

At the Monday press con-ference, Dr. G stated: We have an unfinished business that disrupted the health

care delivery of our people. It is showing up again and I thought we should be pro-active to address it.

The Health and Social Welfare Minister said one of the health workers com-plaints against the Ministry was that the authorities at the Ministry was deducting US$55 from their salaries without any explanation.

We have tried to ex-plained to them again and again. Ok, US55$ was taken and an increment was done to their salaries in Li-berian dollars. Now, since they are saying that we

should put the US55$ back, then should we take the Liberian dollars which is even more than the amount that they are complaining about? he asked rhetori-cally.

He displayed a document, which was marked with different colors showing different figures in amount.

The press was only al-lowed to look at it and not have a copy.

The first person on the list, a health worker from Phebe Hospital in Bong County, was said to make US$180.43 before ad-justment. And after

adjustment, it dropped to US$125.43. It further showed that Liberia dol-lars basic salary paid to the same health worker af-ter adjustment amounted to L$19,819.50 and that the total amount in US$ that the Phebe Hospitals RN Staff Nurse received after ad-justment was US$384.51.

Dr. G. said the differ-ence paid as top-up to that employee after adjustment was US$204.08.

According to the Health Minister, the health work-ers were now earning more money and should stop

Dr. Walter T. Gwenigale displaying a document with pay structures for the health workers

Mr. Joseph Tamba, president, NHWal

complaining.He also displayed a docu-

ment, which he said con-tained a list having at least 500 names of some of the health workers, whose names had been forwarded to the Civil Servant Agency (CSA) for placement on the Government of Liberias payroll. Our Health Cor-respondent said once this is done, those individuals automatically become full employees of the MOHSW. The Minister disclosed that the Ministry was further processing at least 1600 others, for onward trans-mission to the CSA.

The Health Minister used the press conference to appeal to health workers throughout Liberia to aban-don their planned strike ac-tion as it would only hurt ordinary Liberians, as was in the case last year.

He praised the health workers for making Liberia attained Millennium De-velopment Goal number 4, which called for reduction in infant mortality. Our infant mortality rate, which used to be 994 per 100,000 live births, has dropped to 770. It is still high, but it is good for us. So my ap-peal to every health worker is for us to maintain these gains and further work to reduce them. Please dont hurt ordinary Liberians with your strike action, he pleaded.

He urged the workers to wait on the reform exercise, which is being conducted by the CSA. He also called on Superintendents of all the counties to work along with their county health teams so our people do not get punished.

NHWALS REACTION

Our Health Correspondent put the Ministers plea to the National Health Work-ers Association of Liberias president Joseph Tamba.

Tamba said they couldnt comment now but the workers association would officially comment on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 on their next course of actions. He had, howev-er, let the cat out of the bag that they would go on strike by February 17, if nothing concrete was done to ad-dress their concerns.

DAILY OBSERVER Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Page 6

CHINA & AFRICASponsored by the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China

Sponsored by the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China. Please send your comments to the following email: chinaemb_lr@mfa.gov.cn

Sorry, Japan: Yasukuni Is Not ArlingtonBy Mindy Kotler, January

16, 2014, The National Interest

Japans prime minis-ter Shinzo Abe made a well-planned and well-publicized visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on Christmas Day in the Unit-ed States. The Shrine gives special recognition to war criminals tried after Japans surrender in 1945 and has long been an unhappy re-minder of the vast damage Japan inflicted upon Asians and Westerners during World War II. Nevertheless, Abe brushed aside criticism by saying that going to Yas-ukuni is no different than an American presidents visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

This analogy is mistaken, and the differences between the two places explain why the Prime Ministers visit is so provocative. The two memorials share neither the same history nor spirit. Al-though both were the result of civil wars, Yasukuni now focuses on the idealization of the Pacific Theater of WWII, while Arlington re-cords the continuing sorrow of a nation.

Arlington National Cem-etery was created from the estate of General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederacys armies. Oc-cupying Union Brig. Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs appropriated the grounds around the mansion in 1864 to use as a military cem-etery. Meigs wanted to en-sure that if the Lee family returned, tombstones and widows in mourning would surround their home. The intent was for Lees estate to symbolize the pain and suffering caused by the Souths engaging in the Civil War.

Unlike Yasukuni, Ar-lington is a cemetery. The bodies or ashes of those who served and their fam-ily members are interred on the grounds. The fallen will continue to rest there as long as the United States exists.

None of this is true at Yasukuni. It is a religious shrine established in 1869 to embed the supremacy of the Shinto faith, the divin-ity of the Emperor, and the centrality of the Imperial institution into the national polity. At Yasukuni, those fighting for the Emperor from the civil wars of mid-nineteenth century Japan through the end of the Pa-

cific War were transformed into divine spirits to join as one with the Emperor. Here the common foot soldier was rewarded in death by becoming equal to the Em-peror.

At Arlington, men and women of all religions and races are buried. At Yasuku-ni only Shinto is practiced and only the souls of identi-fied and approved members of Imperial Japans military who died on the battlefield can be apotheosized with the Emperor. There are many exceptions, such as the fourteen Class A war criminals who were hanged or died in Sugamo Prison after the Pacific War. Fur-ther, some Japanese social classes are not allowed; and the unknown are not repre-sented.

Yasukuni is now a private park that hosts religious rites as well as festivals. To the left (south) of the main sanctuary, behind often-locked gates, is the Chin-reisha, a small shrine which pacifies the souls of Impe-rial Japans enemies so that they will not cause trouble to the living. Encircling the property are a series of small memorial shrines cre-ated by various Japanese WWII military units includ-ing the notorious Kempeitai (Military Police).

There is also a modern museum, Yushukan, glori-fying wartime deeds. The Yushukan displays memo-rabilia and technology of past conflicts, especially the Greater Asian War and related incidents. The narrative boasts of how Ja-pan liberated Asia from the Western colonialists after the United States tricked Japan into the war. Little is said of the atomic bomb or defeat. The Shrines website states the truth of Japanese history is now re-stored.

In contrast, Arlington does not dwell on the glo-ry of any war or push one interpretation, providing instead a neutral ground upon which people can mourn and reflect. Arling-tons website is subdued and factual. It reviews the rules for interment, outlines the property, and notes the famous people buried there. The grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, says the website, are to provide a sense of beauty and peace.

The spiritual center of Ar-lington is the Tomb of the Unknown, which consists

of four crypts containing remains of an American from each of WWI, WWII, the Korean War and the Vi-etnam War. These represent both the collective sacrifice and grief of the country.

At Yasukuni, the unknown cannot be deified. Thus, in 1959, the Japanese govern-ment created near Yasukuni Chidorigafuchi a public park that contains a crypt for the ashes of thousands of unknown soldiers, sail-ors, and likely civilians who died in the Pacific War. Every year, coinciding with Memorial Day in the Unit-ed States, there is an official ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, a member of the Imperial Family, and foreign ambassadors to add new ashes to the ossuary.

Most important, one of the criteria for those bur-ied at Arlington is an hon-orable discharge. Those court-martialed, tried for war crimes, or convicted of a felony cannot be in-terred. This is not the case for Yasukuni. In addition to the fourteen convicted war criminals who were found responsible for carrying forward the Pacific War, there are thousands who violated both Japanese and international laws. Notable is Washio Awochi (some-times spelled Awachi) a ci-vilian manager of a comfort station in Batavia (Jarkarta) who was convicted by a 1946 Dutch wars crimes tribunal (Case No. 76) of forcing Dutch women to be Comfort Women (sex slaves). He died in a Bata-via jail.

Yasukuni is about reject-ing the judgments of the Tokyo War Crimes Tribu-nal. Many Japanese still believe that Imperial Japan should not be subject to the rules or values created by the West. The Tribunal is deemed victors justice. To emphasize this point, a large monument to the Tri-bunals Indian Judge Radha Binod Pal, who questioned the legitimacy its judg-ments, stands on a plaza at the Shrine.

Arlington, by contrast, makes no moral or politi-cal judgments about either American military policy or about the individual sol-diers buried there. Ameri-cans do not visit the cem-etery to worship them. And unlike their Japanese counterparts, American politicians do not come to Arlington to make state-

ments about current foreign policy. Indeed, any effort to go beyond recognition of the sacrifices made by American would backfire internally as well as exter-nally. But for Japans con-servative leaders, Yasukuni has become a tacit political expression of Japanese de-fiance and autonomy.

A visit to Yasukuni has always been a political act. War is presented as a noble and glorious sacrifice pre-serving Japans Imperial institution. Originally, the Emperor used it to unite his nation with his divin-ity. Today, Yasukuni allows a Prime Minister to assert Japans independence and recast its past.

The rites, the grounds, and museum all focus on

Japans Pacific War. The Shrine is for Imperial Ja-pan. No postwar soldier is allowed deification. The story Yasukuni wants to tell is that an industrially so-phisticated Japan liberated a backward Asia and that their fellow Asians should be grateful.

Today, the Shrine serves mostly as a protest against those who do not accept this narrative. The Shrine tacitly rejects the interna-tional and national legal underpinnings of postwar Japanthe Peace Treaty and the Constitution. Abe making an official visit as prime minister to honor the selected souls at Yasukuni blurs the separation be-tween Japans religious and political institutions and

suggests that the Emperor has regained his divinity. Both are central to the le-gitimacy of modern Japan.

The Yasukuni Shrine is about declaring victory. The Emperor God was right, the victorious foreigners were wrong. Yasukuni is not about contrition or reflec-tion, but about certainty. There, Japan did not lose the war. Imperial Japan, when Japanese were said to noble, selfless and brave, is longed for as a better time. Yasukuni is a place of defi-ance, and this is what sepa-rates it most from places of memory like Arlington Na-tional Cemetery.

Mindy Kotler is the direc-tor of Asia Policy Point.

Foreign Minister Wang Yis Exclusive Interview With the Financial Times

On 24 January, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was at-tending the World Econom-ic Forum Annual Meeting 2014 in Davos, Switzerland, gave an exclusive interview to Zhang Lifen, Associ-ate Editor of the Financial Times and Editor-in-Chief of FTChinese.com. The fol-lowing are excerpts of the interview.

Zhang Lifen: Leaders from 40 countries and 2,500 elite representatives from various sectors have gath-ered at this years Davos meeting. They have many questions about where China will go from here. Traditionally, discussions at Davos have been dominated by economic and trade is-sues. But this year, it is very different. We hear more about Chinas geopolitics, international relations and some regional issues.

Before you came, Japa-nese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was here and he gave a high-profile special address, which contained two parts. The bulk of his address was devoted to Abenomics and his plan to revive the Japa-nese economy. The rest in-cluded his views about geo-politics in the Asia-Pacific, especially with regard to China. He also defended his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. As the Chinese foreign min-ister, whats your reaction to that?

Wang Yi: In my answer to the same question by an-other journalist in Montreux

yesterday, I used a Chinese saying, the more one wants to wipe something out, the darker this something be-comes.

To get a clear answer to this question, we should first recognize the nature of the Yasukuni Shrine is-sue. The Shrine was without doubt a militarist symbol before World War II, and has been retained after the war. Even today, the Shrine openly claims that Japans past aggression was justi-fied, that the Pacific War was waged for self defense, and that the trial by the In-ternational Military Tribu-nal for the Far East was ille-gal. The Shrine still honors 14 Class-A war criminals as divine spirits. Is that an ap-propriate place for a Japa-nese leader to visit? The an-swer is very clear. Not only the people from China, the ROK and other victimized Asian countries have ex-pressed opposition to Abes visit. Even people within Ja-pan are strongly questioning the visit. Five out of the six major newspapers in Japan have expressed disapproval of Abes visit.

The visit is damaging, as it has crossed three bottom lines. First, the bottom line of China-Japan relations. A key prerequisite for the nor-malization of China-Japan relations in 1972 was that Japan should treat history correctly, recognize its past aggression, and draw les-

sons from history. But this bottom line was breached when the Japanese prime minister paid homage to Class-A war criminals hon-ored in the Shrine. A visit there is an act to clear the name for war criminals and overturn the history of ag-gression. The message it sends is clear no matter how it is explained.

Second, the bottom line of human conscience and international justice. Is it imaginable that a European leader should lay wreath and pay homage to the Na-zis? Definitely not. Abe said he was there to express his sincere reverence and at the same time, promise not to wage war again. This makes no sense at all. It would be unthinkable or even unlaw-ful if such things happened in Europe.

Third, the bottom line of the subsequent post-war international order. The contemporary international order represented by the United Nations was estab-lished on the basis of the victory of the worlds anti-fascist war. Any attempt to question or challenge the outcomes of the war is absolutely unacceptable. Moreover, we should also ask ourselves why Abe in-sisted on doing so, knowing full well the strong opposi-tion at home and abroad. All peace-loving countries and peoples should be vigilant about it.

Daily Observer Page 8 Tuesday, February 4, 2014

1 December 2013

Peace Corps/Liberia Education Programming and Training Specialist (ED PTS)

REPORTS TO: Programming and Training Manager (PTM) POSITION BRIEF: The ED PTS serves as a member of the Programming and Training (P&T) team and supports 80-100 Volunteers in training, program, administration, and other Volunteer support issues. The ED PTS has responsibility for supporting the planning, development, implementation and administration of Peace Corps Liberias programming and training activities. The ED PTS will support all P&T related activities for the Education Project with support and direction from the Education Program Manager (ED PM) and PTM. During the Pre-Service Training (PST) and In-Service Training (IST) cycles, the PTS will be the full-time technical trainer for the Education Project and will receive support and direction from the TM and ED PM. The ED PTS also represents Peace Corps Liberia with governmental officials and representatives of non-governmental and host country organizations. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A. Project and Program Support Site Development Site Visits Administrative Program Support Volunteer Program Support B. Development and Implementation Of Training Activities C. Administrative and other Volunteer Support D. Grants Coordination and Management E. Information Resource Center Management F. Safety and Security QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE Education: Bachelors degree in education, project management, community development or relevant field. Experience: Three years progressively responsible experience in Education field and/or community development. Trainer of trainers and adult training experience. Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes: Knowledge of and experience with adult education, education in Liberia, and participatory community analysis for development. Strong experience with group facilitation, session plan design, and cultural adaptation & sensitivity training. Computer skills with Microsoft Office required. Ability to work with minimal supervision Ability to manage and administer small grant programs. Position requires a valid Liberia drivers license and ability to drive a manual vehicle (stick shift). ED PTS must be available and willing to travel throughout Liberia approximately 50-60% of time either accompanied by PM or alone. For a complete Statement of Work please send a request to pcjobs@lr.@peacecorps.gov. Submit a letter of interest, resume and three reference contacts as attachments via email to: pcjobs@lr.peacecorps.gov. No phone calls please. The deadline for applications is January 13, 2014. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the Contracting Officer. A detailed Statement of Work can be obtained at the guard stations of the Peace Corps Office in Congo Town.

6a

Total Liberia Vacancy Announcement

Total Liberia is seeking interested applicants for the following:

Job Title: Corporate Affairs Assistant

Responsible to: Corporate Affairs Manager

Status: Full Time

Summary of the Position: The Corporate Affairs Assistant will provide

mid-to-high level executive assistance in this setting with clerical, administrative and marketing support.

The Assistant will perform routine functions, such as drafting and sending correspondences, maintaining office files, managing schedulesand assisting with organizing corporate functions.

The Assistant will also be responsible for administrative support including media monitoring and evaluation, maintaining databases and keeping the Corporate Affairs Manager updated.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors Degree in Management or Advanced

Diploma in Secretarial Science Minimum 2 years experience in a professional officeenvironment

Computerskills(Microsoftoffice,internet) Excellent oral and written communications

skills Able to work with minimum supervision

Instructions to Apply: At Totals Head Office on Bushrod Island:

Cover letter must be typed and attached to a one page resume

DonotsubmitcertificatesorpicturesType Application for the position of Corporate

Affairs Assistant on the sealed envelope with the application enclosed

Online Applications: Please submit online applications to: human.resources@total-liberia.comType Application for the position of Corporate

Affairs Assistant in the subject line of your email

Deadline for submission of applications is February 10, 2014 at 5:00pm

by: Darren Wilkins | 0777129092/0886703789

| DWilkins@saharaTechnology.Com

If someone was to ask how much the Government of Liberia(GoL)orLiberianbusinesses spend on proprietary and commercial software, I am not sure you would get a straight answer. This is just my opinion, of course. But, if a software audit was done today at our ministries, state-owned enterprises(SOEs),businesses,and other organizations, how would they fare? In todays article, I briefly discusssoftware audit and its impact on our society.

Before I proceed, let clarify the misunderstanding that a few IT professionals have about a software audit. Soft-ware audit is different from Information Technology (IT)audit. A software audit or soft-ware licensing audit, on which this article focuses, is a regular investigation of the software installed on all computers in an organization to ensure that it is authorized or licensed. The process minimizes the risk of prosecution for software theft, as well as the risk of malware through uncontrolled software copying. In addition, a software audit ensures that the right technical support is available to all users.

On the other hand, an Infor-mation Technology Audit or IT Audit is an examination of the checks and balances, or controls, within an informa-tion technology (IT) group.In this process, evidence of an organizations information systems, practices, and opera-tions are collected and evalu-ated. The evidence culled from this evaluation is used to determine whether the organi-zations information system is safeguarding the information assets, maintaining data integ-rity, and operating effectively and efficiently to achieve theorganizations business goals or objectives. As I said earlier, the focus of this article is on software audit and this is what I discuss in following para-graphs.

Many of the IT professionals I know in Liberia (some of

How Would Our Ministries, Agencies

and other Organizations Fare When a Software

Audit is Performed? them working at government establishments), carry asoftware wallet or portable storage device that stores costly proprietary software on them. I often wonder how they manage to obtain their repository of software knowing that the cost of commercial software is extremely prohibitive. For example, the Microsoft Windows 8 operating system is about $200 USD or more per copy. This amount is more than what some IT professionals make monthly in Liberia. So, it doesnt take a Rocket Scientist to figureout that software piracy is ubiquitous in Liberia, and the entire continent of Africa. In fact, report on global software piracy by the International DataCorporation(IDC)foundthat 80% of all software sold in Africa is pirated. This level of piracy, according to the IDCs report, causes Africas economy to suffer to the tune of over USD$1 billion.

Software piracy is mostly found among consumers and small businesses, and the in-creasing availability of unli-censed software at online peer-to-peer file-sharing sites. Forevery legal copy of software that comes out more than one copy of it is made and distrib-uted illegally, and Liberia is not alien to this phenomenon. Honestly, I dont think a lot of folks in Liberia bother to think of the ethical or economic con-sequences of pirating software; just as folks dont give thought do music or movie piracy.

Companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, IBM, and other large software publish-ers often perform an audit of their customers. And when organizations are found to be in violation of licensing agreements, significant finesare placed on them. Despite this, no software publisher has successfully found a 100% se-cure method to control pirated software. Illegal software is freely available and readily accessible in many forms: on CDs, both home-recorded and mass-produced, and across the Internet. But does this mean that our government entities should have illegal software installed on their computers?

For many businesses and organizations in Liberia, the term software auditing is foreign. And even if there is a remote thought of software audit, it is without a doubt given the lowest priority. Obviously, there are many reasons for this: very little

interest in ICT and the lack of funding to purchase legitimate software. But the most vivid reason for this is the proverbial and ubiquitous problem that haunts us in Liberia; the lack of knowledge of software auditing and piracy, as well as their impact on organizations.

Software audits provide sev-eral benefits for an organiza-tion, especially the Govern-ment of Liberia. It can be an effective and efficientway toimprove software distribu-tion, and help avoid copyright infringement prosecution by software companies like Mi-crosoft. This is something I wish policy makers would take seriously. In fact, the Busi-nessSoftwareAlliance(BSA),which is the leading advocate for the global software indus-try before governments and in the international marketplace, lists five key elements that itbelieves governments must implement in order to reduce piracy in their respective coun-tries. Perhaps our policymak-ers can begin by taking a look atthosefiveelements.

Now, lets get back to my original question: Do we know how much the Government of Liberia (GoL) spends onproprietary software? I would assume that it does spend a lot of money on proprietary soft-ware. And these software are greatly under-utilized, partly because of the lack of skills or proper training, and often because they were deployed without due diligence or re-search. Now, do you under-stand why I have always ad-vocated the development and use of Open source software in Liberia? Such an initiative could allow software to be produced locally thereby em-powering Liberians through entrepreneurship, and reduc-ing the risks that software pi-racy brings.

If we invest the same amount spent purchasing proprietary software on Open Source Software development in Li-beria, we may just be able to stimulate economic activity via a software ecosystem and reduce, if not eliminate, the amount spent on proprietary software. I reckon we might need to provide strong quanti-tative data to help us make a strong economic argument to our policymakers, for why we should adopt open source soft-ware. To make this argument, you need to collect data on the number of licenses that are purchased by the government, businesses, etc. The question is,wheredoyoufindthedata?

Daily Observer Monday, February 03, 2014 Page 10dTuesday, January 28, 2014 Page 6bTuesday, February 4, 2014

0886554882/0777544882

Governor Jones Raps UMU Studentssays they must learn to succeed

Central Bank Execu-tive Governor, Dr. Joseph Mills Jones, says the surest way for one to succeed in life is to become fully educated and do away with the age-old depen-dency syndrome.

Dr. Jones observed the world with all its diverse and ad-vanced technology depends on people with the requisite edu-cational qualifications, not on people who will jostle (shove, elbow) their way through life through reliance on handouts and other ideas.

Liberians, he said, would only become successful if they are fully educated with the necessary skills needed for progress.

Governor Jones made the statement over the weekend when he delivered the key-note address at a program marking the official induction ceremony of officers-elect of the United Methodist Univer-sity (UMU) Student Council (UMUSC) 2013/2014.

The ceremony, which was held under the theme: UMU First, UMU Last, UMU Al-ways, was punctuated by rounds of applause from the audience, most them the stu-dents.

According to Dr. Jones, when students are encour-aged to learn they will in turn get a good education and strive for excellence. This promotes them to strive for excellence rather than leaving them alone to think they have academi-cally achieved.

On the topic, Economic

Transformation, Governor Jones noted that the exercise is the responsibility of all, ir-respective of status.

Therefore, he admonished the student body to muster the courage and the foresight to think outside the box.

In this regard, Liberia must be seen to be a land of hope and opportunity; a land where big dreams can become big ac-complishments, where those who are academically pre-pared to work can lift them-selves out of poverty.

According to him, Liberians will not win the war against poverty by relying on hand-outs. It can only be won when Liberians are economically empowered; when Liberi-ans enhance their productiv-ity and become the principal shareholders in the Liberian economy.

He urged the students to strive for excellence and be-come disciplined, saying, You must learn now to culti-

vate a sense of community, be-cause it is only through being a responsible member of a com-munity that you can become a responsible member of the larger society.

Dr. Jones: If we, Liberians choose to remain unprepared, or go for the unprepared, unin-formed, uneducated and ones with a lack initiative, the coun-try will be governed by the unprepared, uninformed, and unenlightened too; thus carry-ing us backward.

Through that assertion, Dr. Jones encouraged all of the stu-dents to get a good and sound education that would eventu-ally open the door to a more prosperous (affluent, well-off) future; a future where not only a privileged few benefit, but the entire country.

Prior to delivering his speech, Dr. Jones presented to the UMUSC eight brand-new copiers valued over US$5,000, and pledged to make substan-tial contributions to whatever

endeavors the students leader-ship intended to undertake in the future.

Those inaugurated into UMUSCs government were the president, Ms. Kate Love Manford; vice president, Jal-lah K. Wright; secretary-gen-eral, Jah Wolobah Beyan; and the financial secretary, Musta-pha Z. Sherman.

Officials of the student coun-cil government installed are being elected earlier as mem-bers of their respective class government. For example, the financial secretary to the UMUSC, Mustapha Z. Sher-man serves as president for the freshman class, the secretary-general also serves as the pres-ident for the sophomore class,

while the vice president, Jah K. Wright is the president for the junior class and the presi-dent, Kate Love Manford is herself, president of the senior class.

In her inaugural address, Ms. Kate Love Manford, called for understanding and coopera-tion between the UMUSC and the administration.

She then promised to foster the welfare of the institution by working closely with the Administration and holding consultations with her col-leagues to ensure that UMU remains first, last and always.

Earlier in his induction speech, UMUs president, Dr. Emmanuel F. Bailey told the audience that it was a bless-

ing and serious responsibility conferred on the student lead-ership, and therefore, urged them to work hard because the students recognized them as their voice.

Dr. Bailey on behalf of the UMU administration, board, and student body, pledged un-flinching support and loyalty to the newly installed UMUSC government. He added, To-gether we will strive to create a supportive fellowship and expand the development of our university.

He admonished the students to take their studies seriously as it is the only viable means to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Governor Jones: What we are talking about is cultivating characteristic of good citizenship to become

properly schooled

Dr. bailey installs UMUsC government

Bomi Community College Prexy Credentials Questionable

The committee inves-tigating the president of the Bomi County Community College (BCCC), Samuel Momweh, has described his academic credentials as questionable.

Dr. Momweh claimed he acquired a doctorate degree from a university in the United States prior to obtaining the job.

The National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) had accused Dr. Momweh of presenting fake credentials in a bid to get the job--- which he now occupies--- and therefore, set up an investigative com-mittee.

The investigative commit-tee, chaired by Bomi County Education Officer, Seo Davis, reported that its probe found the BCCC president liable and recommended that the NCHE take appropriate action against

Mr. Momweh in keeping with governments education poli-cy.

The committee in its report presented January 22, further recommended that the com-mission prevails on BCCCs Administration and Legisla-tive Caucus to speedily imple-ment Article 5, Section One of the Act of the college. The Ar-ticle calls for the appointment of the president of the college with a terminal degree, based on the recommendation of the Board to the President of Li-beria.

Following the submission of the committees report, Sam-uel Momweh vowed to retain his post and never to resign, despite recommendations re-sulting from the investigation.

He suspected that there were detractors behind the con-spiracy to damage his repu-tation by questioning his le-

gitimate academic credentials, according to a communication to the Ministry of Education (MOE), and quoted by Liberia News Agency (LINA).

Dr. Momweh insisted that his credentials were genuine and credible, and as such, he would not give in to any negative campaign perpetrated against him.

Recently, authorities at the NCHE have embarked on sys-tematic campaigns to weed out of the Liberian education sec-tor what they termed as insti-tutions and people with bogus academic credentials.

Based on that exercise, the commission has reportedly invited several other persons, some of them, professors and heads of higher education in-stitutions to authenticate their credentials.

NGO to Graduate Women Trainees

A locally-based non-governmental or-ganization (NGO) based in Tub-manburg, Bomi County, will soon graduate several women trained in various skills over the period of a year.

Making the disclosure re-cently, the project officer of the Defense for Children in Liberia (DCL), Madam Helena Wonba said the women had been trained since March last year in various skills and would be graduating this month.

Madam Wonba said the organization has been train-ing women, especially young women, in Tubmanburg, Bomi County in soap making and tai-loring.

According to her, the skills they learned would enable the women to sustain themselves and their families by making meaningful contributions to their respective communities.

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She detailed plans to extend the training program to other areas in Bomi County.

Madam Wonba spoke in a re-cent interview with the Liberia News Agency (LINA) in Tub-manburg.

She said, despite a recent brake in at the offices of the DCL where thieves made away with office equipment estimated at US$700, the pending graduation exercise

would be executed as planned.She explained the burglars

made away with stabilizers, printers and reams of sheets among other items; creating a serious setback to the opera-tions of the organization.

She concluded by revealing that the police in the county were informed and have insti-tuted a preliminary investiga-tion to apprehend the culprits.

Daily Observer Page 7 Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The Board of Directors of the Liberia Immunization Platform (LIP), a network of civil society organizations on the promotion and advocacy of inclusive im-munization in Liberia, is seeking applications to fill two (2) vacant positions at its national office in Monrovia for a one (1) year contractual period. Positions: A. Job Title: Secretary GeneralSummary: The Secretary General (SG) is the head of the National Secretariat and shall be responsible for the overall management of the Secretariat. This unique role calls for a transformational leader who willcarry out the common vision and purpose of LIP.Candi-date for this position must be capable to deliver real strategic value to the general health service delivery frontline through the platform. This position requires the ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfares, local and international partners with niche in health and immunization and donor community.

Key Responsibilities Lead and Manage the Liberia Immunization Platform Oversee the successful implementation of all LIPs programs; Serve as Secretary to the Board of Directors Provide cutting edge program management delivery for the Platform Lead Policy advocacy strategies of the Platform Ensure the implementation of programs aligned with the mission, vision and stra-

tegic plan of the Platform. Identify funding opportunities and sources for projects and core funding, includ-

ing fundraising campaigns, and collection of membership dues Package and share publicly the best practices of member organizations Serve as the liaison between the Board of Directors and management staff; Attend operational programs, project meetings on behalf of the Platform. Create a work environment in which the Liberia Immunization Platform can

thrive: Effectively supervise staff of the national secretariat and manage their perfor-

mances; Effectively implement the administrative, human resource, financial and report-

ing policy and procedures of the Platform and its regional secretariats; Serve as Secretary to the Board of Trustees and Standing Committees

Qualification:Applicant must hold at least a Bachelors Degree in Sociology, Social Work, Public Ad-ministration, Public Health or related fields with at least 10 year experience. Masters Degree in Public Health and health related studies are added advantages. Applicant must have worked in the health system, social work and civil society activities for at least three (3) years.

Submission of Application: Apply to the Interim Board of Directors, Liberia Immuniza-tion Platform (LIP). Submit your application and all supporting documents to: lipboard@gmail.com at later than February 7,, 2014.

B. Job Title: ADVOCACY OFFICERJOB DESCRIPTIONSummary TaskThe advocacy officer, as a full time staff of the secretariat, works under the supervision of the Secretary General in designing and carrying out the advocacy and visibility strategies of the Liberia Immunization Platform.

Key Responsibilities Develop and deliver LIP advocacy & lobbying agenda and positions at the na-

tional, regional and district levels in consultation with the Secretary General and by extension, the Board of Directors

Develop evidence based advocacy messages and/or materials such as presenta-tions, policy briefs etc in consultation with other staff and key stakeholders

Develop and implement an advocacy strategy for the Platform Liaise and seek to influence stakeholders including Ministries, Departments and

Agencies, Legislature relevant to the work of the LIP. Develop and implement the research agenda and facilitate research on behalf of

the Platform for advocacy Provide technical support to platform members in advocacy and research at na-

tional and regional district levels of the Republic of Liberia. Engage in policy tracking and analysis to support advocacy Assist the secretariat in Resource mobilization Coordinate the development of systems for monitoring and evaluation of pro-

grams and Projects of the platform. Promote Knowledge sharing and learning among membership of the network Responsible for ICT, website development and maintenance, development of

newsletter and media relations that shows visibility of network activities. Any other assignment from the Secretary General

Qualification:Applicant must hold Bachelors Degree in Sociology, Mass Communication or other re-lated fields of study and at least three years of work experience in social work and proac-tive advocacy. At least a certificate or diploma in health advocacy training is an added advantage.

Submission of Application: Apply to the Interim Board of Directors, Liberia Immunization Platform (LIP). Submit your application and all supporting documents to: lipboard@gmail.com at later than February 7,, 2014.

Vacancy AnnouncementWater Supply/Construction Site EngineerFor USAID/LIBERIA MUNICIPAL WATER PROJECT (LMWP)

LMWP/LWSC is soliciting suitably qualified engineers with experience in urban water supply designs and constructions, to provide specialized technical input to the rehabilitation and/or construction of water infra-structure improvements for the various urban water supply systems in each of the three Cities.

BACKGROUNDThe Liberia Municipal Water Project (LMWP), funded by the USAID, is supporting the design, tendering execution and operation of water supply infrastructure improvements in the secondary cities of Robertsport, Sanniquelleh and Voinjama. This Project is working to assist local and national authorities in developing plans for urban water supply improvements, implementing water supply infrastructure improvements capital works in the three(3) cities. After four years, over 90% of the population in each city will have improved water access, and improved infrastructure will be handed over to locally-based management entities capable of financially and technically sustaining water supply in the three cities.

This advert seeks a Water Supply/Construction Site Engineer in Sanniquelle and VoinjamaThe works will be implemented in a partnership with the LWSC, the State Government Authorities, who has the mandate to operate and maintain the Water improvement infrastructure projects. LMWP is responsible for the design, tendering, contract administration and the construction supervision of the various engineer-ing works and, and reestablishing local capability to sustainably operate and maintain water supply systems defined under the Project Plan. The incumbent will be seconded to the LWSC to strengthen its capacity in construction over-sight.

REPORTINGThe incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (LMWP/LWSC Project), with secondary reporting commitment to the LMWP Water Supply Engineer (WSE) or designee.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITIONThe Water Supply/Construction Site Engineer, under the supervision of the Project Manager (LMWP/LWSC Project) is responsible for all the tasks associated with the construction of water supply improvement works, ensuring successful and timely project delivery. The Water Engineer/Construction, in collaboration with the LMWP Staff Engineers, will be responsible for the overall design and construction supervision of the ap-propriate water supply improvement infrastructures in the City. He/she serves as coordinator and liaison with other partners in the sector, including the Government representatives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Duties and Responsibilities)The incumbent of post will be responsible for the following specific tasks:

Check and verify works quantities and quality submitted by the Contractors for the claims, review requests for variation orders and make recommendations in collaboration with the LMWP staff engineer for actions

Prepare contractual letter with reference to the Project General Condition of Contract in order to address contractors issues / claims and time extension, as well as completion certificates

Manage and guide staff / Contractor in all related activities in the implementation of the construc-tion works.

Provide support, through guidance and organization as well as supervision to the field teams/Con-tractors to promote quality in project deliverables.

Represent the LWSC/LMWP and collaborate, plan and liaise with key local government officials and community members in the implementation of project activities.

Manage water supply improvements, and associated construction projects. Responsible for monitoring and documenting achievement of project outputs and objectives, en-

suring the quality and timely achievement of program objectives. Prepare and submit timely internal project reports on field activities, detailing the progress and

achievement of project outputs and objectives, the challenges faced and how they were tackled and recommendations for subsequent phases.

Under the direction of the Project Manager (LMWP/LWSC Project), independently conduct de-tailed engineering field works and design activities in compliance with project designs acceptable to LWSC, USAID/LMWP (Tetratech), and the local engineering designs standards and norms;

Ensure compliance with project designs acceptable to LWSC and Tetra Tech quality standards; Collaborate with other Engineering Design/construction Team members; Contribute to project reports as needed; Assume any other duties as may be assigned by the PM.

QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE A Bachelors degree in civil engineering, preferably in water engineering Minimum 5 years of relevant progressively responsible professional work experience in related

field experience including 3 years of wide-ranging experience in design of urban water supply schemes, project management, monitoring and evaluation, and 2 years of construction supervision experience in urban water supply schemes rehabilitation or constructions is essential.

Demonstrated ability to work in an a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization;

Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications. Fluency in English, knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset.

COMPETENCY / ABILITIES Good supervisory and managerial skills; co-ordinates group activities; Highly knowledgeable in appropriate construction administration systems and procedures, in par-

ticular control of works and financial management Strong analytical, problem solving and decision making skills Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals Ability to understand and respect the cultural, religious and political environment and to work well

with staff and local authorities in a diplomatic manner Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment; Good skills interpreting blue prints; and translating strategic direction into plans and objectives; Ability to work in partnership with local communities Background/training in behavioral change Communities is a plus Ability to work independently with minimal supervision Empathy to Organizations goals and objectives

HOW TO APPLYInterested and qualified candidates are asked to send their current curriculum vitae (CV), 3 references, and a brief cover letter explaining why they are qualified for the position to:The Administrative/Human Resources Manager, USAID/Liberia Municipal Water Project,19th Street and Payne Avenue,Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberiaor email to jharris@tetratech-lmwp.com

Subject of the email should read Water Supply/Construction Site Engineer.Short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviewSelected candidates will be hired as soon as they are available Compensation will be commensurate with relevant experience

Tetra Tech is committed to diversity and gender equality in all of its operations. We encourage applications from women and underrepresented groups. Tetra Tech ARD is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Deadline for submission of applications is: February 10, 2014 at 4:00 PM

Daily Observer Monday, February 03, 2014 Page 10dTuesday, January 28, 2014Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Page 8

Vision 2030 under Spotlightby David a. yates

The achievements of the agenda for Vi-sion 2030 have come under the spotlight with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expressing doubt as to their implementation.

In the annual State of the Nation address, the President disclosed that the Agenda for Transformation pointed out that the national Vision 2030 would only be achieved if there is economic transforma-tion that addresses the long standing structural deficien-cies in the system.

According to the President, the beginning years of our national recovery required re-activation of growth in those traditional economic sectors; however, these latter years

demand a commitment not to repeat the mistakes of the past. We should rather re-spond to inequality by lifting a larger number of the Liberian populace out of long-standing poverty through inclusive growth.

President Sirleaf identified as part of the chronic deficit in Liberias growth potential a large undiversified economy dependent on traditional ex-port products; iron ore, rubber and timber, which she said, are exposed to the global markets volatility.

The Liberian leader said, despite these historical