- Two Coerced To Apology, One Suspended

The Youth Representative Rufus Neufville is facing the wrath of National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) with a three-month suspension from the plenary of that body, while Bong County Representative Joseph Cornormia and John Gbellie of Bomi back out from the protest for 26 public buses and apologize to escape anger of that body.

Announcing the legislative action against Representative Neufville, Deputy Speaker Eddington Vamah said the action by the youth representative was in total disregard to his colleagues and to the integrity of the NTLA.

According to Cllr. Vamah said the plenary resolved to suspend Neufville for three month with all his immunity seized.

During deliberation, Representative Neufville said the protest action by him and two of his other colleagues was necessary to show concern for the ordinary people, so that the people would know a difference of how they were truly represented.

Concerning the public buses, he said, should be of paramount interest to the direct representatives of the people.

But some lawmakers complained how they were attacked on account of the call on them by the protestor at the NTLA to park their official cars.

Cornormia told this paper after his apology that he was intending to help the help the House enhance its works on the question of the buses.

In Plenary, he therefore apologized just as Gbellie, Bomi Legislator apologize, leaving Neufville alone in the cold.

The three lawmakers recently announced that they were parking their official Cherokee Jeeps in protest for the delay by African Motors and the Executive Branch of Government in ensuring the timely procurement of the 26 buses intended for to ease the acute public transport imbroglio.

The Representatives said it was unfair for them as direct representatives of the people to sit in expensive Cherokee Jeeps why members of the public were lingering about daily tussling over the few substandard commercial vehicles, and could not therefore get at their various destinations on time due to scarcity of public vehicle.

The buses should have been procured three months ago, but Africa Motors, the vendor apparently reneged of the term of his ill-gotten contract.

The Contract itself was initially awarded a Liberian Businessman, Morris Sackor as a result of a bid, but Transitional Chairman and Transport Minister for reason that Sackor was unable to underwrite the cost of importation, even though Sackor has persistently said he was able to import the buses.

It was in the midst of this rancor that the Contract was given to the Lebanese who was not part of the bid, but the apparently failure by the Africa Motors to live up to its three-month promise of bringing the buses amidst the public transport system annoyed the Neufville, Cornormia and Gbellie as law makers to park their official vehicles and called on the rest of their colleagues to do same in sympathy with the struggling public.

But the public pronounced by the three, exalted them over their colleges most of who fall victim to public reprimand for not parking the official jeeps, a called which has turned against them.

It may be recalled that this paper reported that Lawmakers are bound for strike to coerce the Bryant-led Executive Branch of the Transitional Government and the vendor for the purchase of some 26 public buses to avail the buses for public use.

"The people are suffering; it is unfair for us as Representatives of the people to sit in Cherokee Jeeps while we see them suffering under the rain to get to their various buses," Joseph Cornormia an advocate representing Bong County at National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA) said Cornormia said "We are going to park our Cherokee jeeps within the compound of the seat of the Assembly, the Capitol Building in protest of the deception meted out to the people by the government and the vendor." "Park your Cherokee Jeep at the Capitol, use your private car or a commercial vehicle to protest for the people," Cornormia added.

The 26 buses bided for and one Morris Sackor, a Liberian Businessman won the bid to purchase the public buses at the inception of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL).

But Transport Minister later canceled the bid amid massive criticisms and awarded it to a Lebanese Business, the African Motors.

Transport Minister Vamah Kanneh contended that Sackor did not show convincing proof that he is economically potent to import the buses.

Since then the business are yet to be seen while public transport has remained a mess for the people.

Notwithstanding, African Motors was only able to supply Cherokee Jeeps for Assemblymen.

"The people elected us. And we should, instead of seeking our own glory, concern ourselves with their welfare," Assemblyman Cornormia indicated.

Annan Sees Urban, Rural Societies Economically Whole By Geroge Borteh The Secretary General of the United Nations has urged policy makers not to differentiate between urban and rural sectors of the society as they were rather part of an economic and social whole.

Dr. Annan said urban areas interact with the rural parts in many ways such that migrants living in urban communities worked and send money to families in the rural parts The Secretary General's message was delivered in his behalf by the Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations Mission in Liberia Abou Moussa on the World Habitat Day held on October 4, 2004.

The World Habitat day has been set aside since 1985 by the UN to celebrate each first Monday in November as World Habitat Day. The day is to also reflect on human settlement and set the basis for adequate shelters and human habitat.

Dr. Annan projected that there would be urban population density, especially in developing countries.