• Elections ‘Challenges’ Were Harmless, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Supreme Court Hears LP/UP Bill of Exception, Source: The INQUIRER
• Nimba District #8 Citizens want NEC Expedite Probe of Dispute, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Today is World Aids Day; WHO Regional Director Urges Treatment for All, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa
• ‘What happened to 2017/2018 National Budget? Senate Debates Current state of Economy: Sources: Daily OBSERVER
• Senate Sued for USD62,470 Debt, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• MFDP to Testify Today in USD10.7m Vehicle Debt case, Source: Daily OBSERVER and New Democrat
• 200 Delegates in Nimba for Maternal and Newborn Health Confab, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Demand Government to respect Child’s Rights, African Bar Association President challenges Liberian lawyers, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Elections ‘Challenges’ Were Harmless, Source: FrontPage Africa

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says challenges and difficulties faced in the 10 October 2017 elections were harmless and has called on the Supreme Court to deny or dismiss Liberty Party (LP) and Unity Party (UP) appeal and order the run-off processed with. “Assuming without admitting that there were challenges and difficulties experienced by NEC in conducting the 10 October 2017 elections, did the challenges rise to a level sufficient to invalidate the elections results, the Commission says no. They said difficulties and challenges were harmless and did not impact the elections results,” NEC lawyers led by Cllr. Frank Musa Dean said in the election body’s resistance to the parties’ appeal filed with the Supreme Court.

In their  Bill of Exception, UP and LP are alleging that the National Elections Commission ignored recommendation from its Chief Dispute Hearing Officer Muana Ville who asked NEC to take necessary steps with respect to correcting what the electoral body referred to as difficulties and challenges and faced in the 10 October 2017 polls before future elections.

The challenges and difficulties referred by the protesting include but not limited to some polling places opened later than 08:00 am; there were lack of queue controllers on election day to direct voters to their proper places; some polling places were changed without adequate notice; that some voters whose names were not on the Final Registration Roll (FRR) were allowed to vote; there were no serial numbers on the ballots and a presiding officer was attempting to stuff marked ballot papers in the ballot box.

In its legal brief filed with high court on Thursday, 30 November 2017, NEC said in the midst of the challenges and difficulties, the parties have not shown that sufficient illegal votes were cast to change the results of the just-ended presidential and representative’ elections.

Supreme Court Hears LP/UP Bill of Exception, Source: The INQUIRER

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the appeal filed to the High Court by the Liberty Party and Unity Party after the National Elections Commission (NEC) denied the parties when they filed their bill of information to the Board of Commissioners of the NEC. In their bill of information they accused the NEC of committing reversible error in its final ruling by dismissing the case.

Nimba District #8 Citizens want NEC Expedite Probe of Dispute, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Reports say the people of Nimba county District #8 are becoming frustrated over the current legal process which they say is taking too long to settle the current election crisis. Although the Supreme Court has asked the National Election Commission to speedily investigate the matter in which the district’s incumbent, Larry Yaunquoi has challenged his defeat in the poll.

Today is World Aids Day; WHO Regional Director Urges Treatment for All, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

WHO Director for the African region, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti has urged all member states of the UN-specialized agency to prioritize treatment for those living with HIV and AIDS. She made the comment in her World Aids Day message to Africa in which she stated that everybody should strive to achieve more rapid and sustainable progress towards universal health coverage for all people living with HIV.

‘What happened to 2017/2018 National Budget? Senate Debates Current state of Economy: Sources: Daily OBSERVER

Reports say the Senate, at its session Thursday debated the state of the economy and asked about the whereabouts of the 2017/18 National Budget which was passed by the National Legislature.  The senate said the whereabouts of the budget is unknown since it was passed five months ago and it is not known whether it has been signed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf or not.  It follows a communication from Senator Jonathan Kaipay to that body in which he spoke about the economic situation in the country.

Senate Sued for USD62,470 Debt, Source: New DEMOCRAT

This paper reports that a USD62,470 lawsuit has been filed against the Liberian Senate by a local car dealer, the United Motor Company (UMC). According to legal documents, the Senate is indebted to the Car Dealer Company for two vehicles and eight motorcycles supplied to the Upper House of the Legislature in 2012, upon its request.

The complainant said despite several reminders to the defendant over the years to settle its long outstanding obligation, it has failed and neglected to do so. UMC said the Senate promised to allot the money owed the company in its 2016/2017 budget but until now the defendant still has not settled its long-standing financial obligation.

MFDP to Testify Today in USD10.7m Vehicle Debt case, Source: Daily OBSERVER and New Democrat

The Ministry of Finance is expected to testify today in the ongoing USD10.7 million vehicle debt lawsuit filed by Prestige & Alliance Motors against the government in 2015. The Commercial Court ordered the ministry to testify as to whether or not the government owes the company, but it is yet to neither deny nor confirm its indebtedness. Reports say the debt was accrued from credit of vehicles to repair which took place from 2003 up to 2008.

Alliance and Prestige Motors, representing an American and German auto dealer in Monrovia sued the Liberian government for failing in the last nine years to pay for vehicles and spare parts taken on credits in 2003 and up to March 2008. Alliance and Prestige Motors, owned and managed by Lebanese businessman George Haddad, filed the debt action in 2014.

200 Delegates in Nimba for Maternal and Newborn Health Confab, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Some 200 people from six districts in Nimba County have participated in a county-level maternal and newborn health conference, according to this paper.  The conference which took place Thursday is being jointly convened by the Health Ministry through the Nimba County Health team and its partners with support from Africare and USAID among others. It was meant to celebrate gains made in the fight against maternal and newborn deaths.

Demand Government to respect Child’s Rights, African Bar Association President challenges Liberian lawyers, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The President of the African Bar Association has challenged Liberian lawyers to ensure that the government respects all national and international legal instruments on the protection of the child. Mr. Hannibal Unaifo who is in the country as guest of the Liberia National Bar Association made the comment when he visited the office of the  Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia.

He said there are laws in Liberia that protect children and women but they are not effective because lawmakers are only interested in the enforcement component of the law that will make them get more money in return.