The country's team to this year's Olympic games which is scheduled to officially kick-off tomorrow in Athens, Greece left the country yesterday.

According to the Liberia National Olympic Committee's Vice president for Technical Affairs, Philipbert Brown, the team's departure was made possible by the Liberian government that provided US$16,000 through Youth and Sports Minister Wheatonia Dixon Barnes.

Speaking to The INQUIRER yesterday at the LNOC headquarters, Mr. Brown said although the amount is small, the Olympic body was assured by the Sports Minister that the government will replenish whatsoever amount used by the LNOC to get the team to Athens and participate in the tournament.

Mr. Brown said it cost the LNOC, US$19,800 to get the air tickets for the team's travel to Athens, an amount which he stressed is far above what was provided by the government.

The LNOC Vice president said the government of Liberia is indebted to the Olympic body in the tune of US$40,000, explaining that to have Liberia represented at the competition, the LNOC has had to tamper with its yearly grant of US$40,000 intended for its yearly projects just to fly the country's flag in Athens.

He added that already the LNOC has printed its banner; produced the country's Olympic pins and had purchased attires for the athletes as well as purchased the country's flag for the competition.

The LNOC Vice president said the local Olympic body have had to reverse its earlier decision not to fly the country's flag, adding" we have rest our case."

Meanwhile, Mr. Brown disclosed that nine members of the country's 13-man delegation, have left the country for Athens. He identified some of them as Gladys Thomas and Sylvester Rennie of the Swimming Federation; LNOC boss Deborah Williams, Morris Dukuly, and Luwoo Wallace. He said four other athletes who are based in the United States are to form part of the Liberian Olympic team.

CARITAS/Monrovia Offers More Scholarships

In its efforts to assist the needy in society, Caritas/Monrovia has augmented its scholarship program by accommodating more deserving students. The program has now swelled from 120 to 400 students for the coming academic year.

Disclosing this to The INQUIRER yesterday, the Director of Caritas/Monrovia, Mr. Stanley Sheriff said the increase in the number of students has been necessitated by the growing need to cater to more deserving students. He said the scholarship program is serving all students at all levels, noting that it was not only limited to Catholic Schools.

He said the program dubbed, "Helping The Poorest Of The Poor," has been catering to needy students for a protracted period and is still committed to doing so because education is necessary in developing the country.

"The scholarship program is mainly for deserving students, students who really need assistance", Mr. Sheriff said. He however, pointed out that the program also stresses sound academic performance.

He said while the program is catering to needy students, the students themselves must take their studies seriously. He said those who do not perform well are dropped from the program. Mr. Sheriff, whose group has won several awards for splendid performance over the years, said it would be useless if beneficiaries do not take advantage of the program.

The scholarship program which started several years ago, is being sponsored by MISEREOR of Germany. The program is part of the German group's social funds for "extremely poor people."

Need for Peaceful, Sustainable Environment Stressed

A media practitioner has stressed the need for a peaceful and sustainable environment if Liberia must prosper and take its place among the comity of nations.

Mr. J. Grody Dorbor, I, Business & Administrative Manager of The INQUIRER Newspaper, welcomed the efforts of United Nations peace-keepers in creating a peaceful environment, but pointed out that peace cannot be sustained in the absence of a sustainable environment.

He said unless a country whose citizens, affected by a 14-year civil war, are empowered socially and economically, much cannot be achieved.

According to Mr. Dorbor there can not be durable peace without development, and a sustainable environment can only be attained in Liberia provided the government is sensitive to the plight of the people.

Mr. Dorbor made the assertions last Saturday when he was addressing the 5th Kindergarten Graduation and Thanksgiving Service of the Rev. Seo Yah Memorial Assembly of God Elementary and Junior High School at the edifice of the Sinkor 24th Street Assembly of God Church.

Mr. Dorbor who is also an Environmental Columnist, challenged Liberians to advocate for a sustainable environment by ensuring that the present transitional government and all succeeding governments are accountable and transparent in administering the affairs of state.

He said until a sustainable environment is created, Liberia will remain under-developed, and the high illiteracy rate and abject poverty will continue to take roots in the country.

He observed that the age-old practice of people working and not being paid by government must be discouraged if civil servants are to sustain their homes and family.

Twelve kids received certificates after successfully completing kindergarten. The valedictorian, Little Blessing Fully in her address, stressed the need for quality education in Liberia.

Liberian Women Raise Crucial Issues With Bryant

...Say Culture of Impunity Continuing

The women, quoting part 6 Article XII of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA), in a special statement read and presented to the NTGL Chairman, said the parties agreed that the basic human, civil and political rights as enunciated in the Declaration and Principle of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations, ECOWAS and the AU, as well as the Liberian constitution among others, would be fully guaranteed and respected.

The women whose statement was read by Madam Lindora Howard, acting coordinator of WIPNET, said contrary to the portion of the CPA, there has been gross violation of said agreement as evidenced by the August 2nd violence by fighters of the LURD.

They also called for investigation into the security aspect of the agreement reached by the parties so that the necessary measures can be taken to ensure compliance by the parties.

According to the women some of whom were holding banners with inscriptions such as "Stop Violence and Corruption", pointed out that the slow pace of the ongoing disarmament has served as a gate-way for the re-grouping of ex-combatants with silent weapons thereby, making the citizens vulnerable to danger, violence, and the loss of lives and properties. They said this is also evidenced by the leadership crisis within the former rebel movement, LURD.

They urged the NTGL Chairman to exert more efforts in fully implementing the provisions of the CPA and that he should oversee, coordinate and evaluate the implementation of the political and rehabilitation programs as clearly stated in the CPA.

They further called on the NTGL Chairman to carefully watch the trend of events during this transitional period and act accordingly by mounting pressure where need be for the right things to be done to ensure genuine peace and safety throughout the country.

Responding, NTGL Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant assured the women that he will act on their statement and called on them to expose perpetrators of human rights abuses, corruption and other societal vices in the country.

He assured them that action will be taken against anyone who is identified to be violating human rights, carrying out corruption and other vices.

The NTGL Chairman used the occasion to admonish the women to exercise patience, stressing that for a country that is just coming out of war like Liberia, it would take time to detraumatize, reform and rehabilitate those who fought in the war.

He reminded the women that it is only through prayers, hard work and honesty that Liberian can change for the better.