UNMIL Daily News summary

UNMIL Public Information Office Complete Media Summaries
24 April 2009
Newspaper Summary
Four Opposition Parties Want Legislature Pass Threshold Bill
(The Analyst, The Inquirer)

· The leadership of four opposition political parties have requested the National Legislature to pass the new Population Threshold Bill currently before it. The four parties - Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Liberty Party (LP), the National Democratic Party (NDPL) and the National Patriotic Party (NPP) - said the census has been conducted in line with the constitution and therefore wanted the lawmakers to pass the threshold bill which is intended to establish electoral constituencies in the country.
· On Wednesday, former President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Isaac Nyenabo said the preliminary census results submitted to the National Legislature cannot be used to enact the threshold bill saying it would be legally wrong for a national law to be based on initial results which are subject to changes.

Justice Minister Explains Controversial US$500,000 Capital Flight from Central Bank
(Heritage, Daily Observer, The Analyst, The Inquirer)

· Justice Minister Philip Banks has disclosed the US$500,000 that reportedly vanished from the Central Bank of Liberia vault was put in government’s coffers.
· Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Minister Banks said the amount was confiscated from a Nigerian national at the Roberts International Airport in 2006.
· The Minister said when the man was arrested by security officers he had the amount plastered to his skin.
· According to Minister Banks, the money was ordered confiscated by the court and placed in government’s coffers saying it is currently being used for security operations in the country.

For WFP Container Disappearance at Port…LSP Director Suspended Indefinitely
(Daily Observer, Liberian Journal)

· Liberia’s Seaport Police Director Ashford Peal has been suspended for time indefinite as a result of the disappearance of three containers and 450 bags of rice over the last few days from the Freeport of Monrovia.
· During a visit to the Freeport of Monrovia Thursday, Internal Affairs Minister and Acting President Ambulai Johnson confirmed that Mr. Peal had been suspended for time indefinite, and four other persons dismissed pending investigation into the matter.
· Minister Johnson said the relevant authorities were conducting investigation into the circumstances surrounding the WFP containers and the 450 bags of rice and that an official report will be forwarded to the President upon her return. Meanwhile, reports say the containers belonging to the WFP are still missing while a truck carrying the consignment of rice has been arrested and is in police custody.

Regional Maritime Rescue Centre Inaugurated in Liberia
(Daily Observer, The Analyst, The Inquirer, New Democrat)

· The Monrovia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre has been inaugurated in Monrovia.
· Speaking during the inauguration, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Efthimios Mitropoulos described the newly established Monrovia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Liberia as a difficult task saying it will require what he called undiminished vigilance, high standard of professionalism and sharp reactions.
· Also speaking, Maritime Bureau Commissioner, Binyan Kesselly renewed Liberia’s commitment to professionally manage and operate the centre.
· According to Mr. Kesselly, the establishment of the centre places Liberia in a ready position to meet the challenges posed by the growing maritime trade in the sub-region.

World Bank Approves US$44M
(Daily Observer)

· The World Bank Group has approved an (International Development Association) IDA Grant of forty-four million United States Dollars (US$44m) equivalent for Urban and Rural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project for Liberia.
· The development objective of the project is to support Government’s goal of improving road access in Monrovia and targeted rural areas, as well as improving institutional structure for technical management of the road sector. The Urban and Rural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project will finance several critical components of transport infrastructure around the country.

Radio Summary

Star Radio (News culled from website today at 09:00 am)
Justice Minister Clarifies how US$500,000 confiscated from Nigerian National was used
(Also reported on Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Regional Maritime Rescue Centre Inaugurated in Liberia

Executive Wants Legislature Use Preliminary Census Result to Pass Threshold Bill

· The Executive Branch has called on the National Legislature to use the data submitted by the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
· Speaking at a regular press briefing Thursday, Acting Information Minister, Cletus Sieh said the current preliminary results of the census would make no difference to the final draft accusing some lawmakers of using the issue to stall the Threshold process.
· On Wednesday, Former President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Isaac Nyenabo said the preliminary census results submitted to the National Legislature cannot be used to enact the threshold bill saying it would be legally wrong for a national law to be based on initial results which are subject to changes.
(Also reported on Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Government Re-arrests 35 of the Escapees from the Zwedru Correction Palace

· Government says 35 of the 40 inmates who broke jail at the Zwedru Correction Palace in Grand Gedeh County have been re-arrested.
· Acting Information Minister Cletus Sieh said the inmates were re-arrested following a rigorous operation launched by the Joint Security.
· Acting Minister Sieh said efforts are underway to re-arrest the remaining five who are at large.
· He said most of those re-arrested are hard core criminals who are capable of causing havoc in the country.
(Also reported on Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Boat Accident Leaves Two Dead

· Two persons are reported dead following separate accidents in Grand Bassa County.
· The first death occurred when 19 persons onboard a sinking boat jumped into the sea to swim ashore.
· The 19 persons including crew members were on board the MV Jeffery sailing from Monrovia to Maryland County.
· The other death occurred when an ambulance dispatched to transport the victims form the boat to Buchanan for treatment involved in an accident.
· Police accounts say the accident occurred when a motorcycle collided head on with the ambulance leaving the motorcyclist dead.