Chris Neyor Writes Prez Obama
The president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Morweh Energy Group, Incorporated, Dr. Christopher Z. Neyor, has on behalf of the entity’s partners and friends, written a letter of commendation to President Barrack Obama of the United States of America, for committing his government to the ongoing fight against the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia.“I would like to thank President Barack Obama, the government and people of the United States of America for their great humanity in coming to the rescue of West Africa, especially Liberia, to contain the deadly Ebola epidemic that is ravaging our land and people,” Mr. Neyor said in his letter dated September 17, addressed to President Obama at the White House.Over the course of the week, President Obama has come up with a massive response of 3000 troops, US$500 million, and the further appointment of an Ebola Czar. Neyor said that was indeed the kind of robust intervention required to contain this killer virus.Mr. Neyor, a onetime president of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and now a senatorial candidate for Montserrado County, is also the CEO of the Morweh Energy Group based in Monrovia.Speaking on behalf of his company, he said he believed that no other nation on earth has the military or civilian resources and capability as the United States to undertake the level of intervention President Obama has committed the US to do for Liberia. In his dispatch, Mr. Neyor said deployment of the US military intervention through the US Army Corp of Engineers was commendable, “because we advocated for this in 2006 for restoration of power in post conflict Liberia.”“We are delighted that it is working this time with a more profound intervention of saving lives.”“By this outstanding humanitarian gesture,” he said, “the United States has again shown the world the great compassion of the American people. Real global power is not bullying weaker countries, but utilizing your power to go to distant lands to save the oppressed and the dying where there are no ulterior motives.”According to Mr. Neyor, by naming Liberia as the control center of the American response, President Obama has taken into account and elevated to a new level the nearly two centuries of US-Liberia relations, starting in 1816 with formation of the American Colonization Society (ACS).Liberians, both at home and abroad, especially those in the United States, are appreciative and remain grateful to the United States for rescuing our homeland once again, this time from the deadly Ebola menace. At the same time, Dr. Neyor has expressed thanks and gratitude to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for putting the request to President Obama. Neyor called on the government to not to leave everything to the Americans, but to improve on those things we can ourselves do to save the lives of our dying people.“With this massive assistance, we can now be reassured that Ebola will be kicked out of Liberia and West Africa. Let us all continue and intensify our individual and collective awareness and preventive initiatives.“Let all our citizens continue to take all the prescribed measures to remain Ebola free,” the Neyor’s letter concluded.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Human Rights activist and former Public Works Minister, Attorney Kofi Woods yesterday challenged the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to be more civilian-friendly and eschew (avoid, shun) its tragic legacy when it played the role of “terrorist to democracy.”Fresh in the mind of this year’s Armed Forces Day Speaker were two particular incidents of terror. The first was the AFL’s invasion of the University of Liberia on August 22, 1984 when, led by Samuel Doe’s Defense Minister Gray D. Allison, the heavily armed AFL soldiers stormed the UL’s main campus and stripped naked, brutalized, raped and killed many professors, students and staff and ransacked the campus. The Daily Observer, too, remembers vividly the horrors of that day, which we covered in detail. Our editorial the following morning cried, “Bleed, Bleed, Poor Country—Great Tyranny”—a line borrowed from William Shakespeare.Kofi Woods’ second fresh recollection of AFL brutality was the shooting and subsequent bleeding to death last August of the West Point youth, Shaki Kamara.It was heartwarming to hear Defense Minister Brownie Samukai himself, in his remarks yesterday, apologetically recall that tragic incident, for which he showed contrition (remorse). The logical and most welcomed denouement (conclusion) to this unfortunate episode is for the government to release the results of the investigation that followed and tell the public what punishment has been meted out to those involved in Shaki’s untimely death and other victims. A more distant reminiscence (recall) of Attorney Woods was the cruel participation of the AFL’s predecessor, the Liberia Frontier Force (LFF), in hut tax collection in the Liberian interior.But this is all in the past. Mr. Woods, who told his audience that he had long been a severe critic of the AFL, including even denying the necessity for its very existence, was now full of praises for the men and women in arms. He commended their role in road building, carried out by the AFL’s Engineering Battalion, in the erection of Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in various parts of the country, and their successful role in peace keeping in Mali.Recalling, however, the Biblical dictum that “Charity begins at home,” Mr. Woods then challenged the AFL to turn its attention to winning “the hearts of its citizens at home.”He urged the AFL to start within its own community—PHP [and nearby Buzzi Quarters] and do something to help the people in those slum communities. He also called for the revival of the AFL’s Agricultural Battalion. This could help train Liberian farmers and AFL itself could grow food, in order to enhance Liberia’s food security.He further dared the AFL to return to West Point, not with guns this time, but with shovels and diggers, copybooks and pencils, to engage in agriculture, clean-up campaigns and house repair as well as adult literacy.He called these endeavors “the civilianization” of the AFL.For sure, if the AFL could return to West Point in the way Attorney Woods has suggested, it would be a tremendous attempt at reconciliation. But beyond that, should the AFL be able to reenergize its Agricultural and Engineering Battalions, they could make their impact felt throughout the country, by helping to improve and expand agricultural activities and to build more farm-to-market roads around the country.There is a big BUT to all this—and Defense Minister Samukai took pains to emphasize this in his own Armed Forces Day Address yesterday: funding. The Ministry was seriously cash-strapped, limiting it from doing the urgent items on its agenda. The Defense Ministry was not oblivious to the need for better pay, housing conditions and other emoluments for the men and women in arms—something Keynote Speaker Woods also called for, toward making our military truly professional people. The more professional they become, the better service they would be able to render the country following their retirement, Mr. Woods averred.But, as Minister Samukai cautioned, none of this would be possible without more money.We urge the GOL to heed this plea and empower the Ministry and our men and women in arms not so much with military hardware as with money, to professionalize them and turn them into a truly CIVILIAN-friendly force for good. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
The proprietor of Sleepin International Hotel and Casino Inc, Clifton Bacchus, has filed legal proceedings against the Gaming Authority after the company was not granted a Casino Operator’s Licence or a Casino Premises Licence by the agency even after the submission of all requisite documents and materials since 2016.Legal documents seen by this newspaper revealed that Bacchus is asking the court to grant an order or writ of mandamus directing the authority to process, consider and determine in accordance with law, the applicant’s applications for a Casino Premises Licence and a Casino Operator’s Licence made on or about April 5, 2017, with all convenient speed; costs and such further or other orders that the Honorable Court may deem just.Sleepin International Hotel and Casino IncThese claims are being made on the grounds that the respondent (Gaming Authority) is a statutory corporation created under the Regulations to the Gambling Prevention Act, Chapter 79:02 and that is therefore tasked with the responsibility of issuing casino premises licences and casino operator’s licences in accordance with the Gambling Prevention Act and the Regulations made thereunder. This is together with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the businessman and the Government of Guyana, signed in 2015, which guarantees him a licence to operate a casino once he is able to complete construction in line with several specifications, including the construction of a minimum of one hundred and fifty-five (155) rooms at its hotel.Further, it is stated that upon making an application for the licence, the company paid an application fee for the said licences in the sum of $9 million, which was refused to be granted three months after the application was made.The documents also revealed that after almost two years since the required documents were submitted, the licence was not yet granted. According to the legal proceedings filed, Attorney-at-Law for the company, Anil Nandlall wrote to Chairman of the Gaming Authority, Roysdale Forde, enquiring as to why the issuing of the said licence was delayed.In response, the Chairman pointed out that the agency is awaiting the completion of certain investigations being conducted by the Guyana Police Force in respect of the applicant and its principals, but according to the claims, Bacchus was never contacted in relation to such investigations.In July of this year, the attorney sought clarity in the matter in a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, but to date, no response was received.Since the opening of the state-of-the-art casino, Bacchus disclosed plans to reapply for a licence in 2017 after he was denied permission in 2016 after failing to provide proof of “its financial soundness and capability,” which was critical for approval.As such, the court hearings for the parties is set to commence on November 13 at the Demerara High Court.
160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! LANCASTER – A Lancaster man was killed early Wednesday morning in a home-invasion robbery, authorities said. Coroner’s investigators identified the victim as 39-year-old Melvin Lee Bright. Bright was shot to death in his home in the 2000 block of West Avenue H-7 shortly after midnight, authorities said. Homicide detectives said Bright’s wife and three children were unharmed. They were asleep when Bright apparently was awakened by a noise downstairs in the family’s home, and he was killed when he went to investigate, authorities said. Sheriff’s deputies said it was not immediately known if any money or property was stolen from the home. gideon.rubin@dailynews.com (661) 267-7802
160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! Thirteen candidates qualified for the Oct. 20 ballot, most notably the Republican congressman, Democratic state Sen. Walter Boasso, Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell and businessman John Georges, who dropped his Republican Party affiliation Thursday before signing up to run as an independent. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who beat Jindal four years ago, chose not to run for re-election. Nagin had remained coy about his plans even in the final hours, saying early Thursday in a TV interview that he hadn’t made up his mind and was “having great fun with this.” Later in the day, he said in a radio interview that it was “very unlikely.” By Melinda Deslatte THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BATON ROUGE, La. – Keeping speculation alive until the very end, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin opted not to join the Louisiana governor’s race Thursday – a decision that became clear only when the qualifying deadline passed. Many in Nagin’s city were surprised he was even considering a run, with more than 2 years left in his second term, a painfully slow hurricane recovery effort in the city and a gubernatorial candidate – U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal – who has held a commanding lead in polls. 