Liberia Government (Monrovia)
27 March 2008
Monrovia — President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has toured the USS Fort McHenry, one of four U.S. naval ships off the Liberian coast. The President was led on the tour by US naval captain John Nowell, accompanied by American Ambassador Donald Booth. In a brief chat with a number of AFL solders currently undergoing professional exchanges with visiting US naval officer, the President urged the soldiers to exhibit the value in the experience of the exchanges they have received from interacting with the US naval officers.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the USS Fort McHenry, houses the Africa Partnership Station which Wednesday presented a consignment of medical supplies, worth more than US $3-million dollars to the Liberian government. The consignment represents donations coming from the private sector in the United States. The supplies will benefit Liberian medical institutions particularly the John F. Kennedy hospital, Redemption Hospital and the Logan Town Clinic.
Speaking Wednesday at a presentation ceremony, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf thanked the government and people of the United States through the African Partnership Station for the services in the health care delivery system of the country.
The President also praised Liberians at the Redemption hospital and other government health facilities who are rendering sacrificial services to the country inspite of the challenges. "I am always struck by how I get motivated in places such as these, because for every one person who complains or who criticizes, there are five people who are making sacrificial services for the country," the Liberian leader pointed out. The presence of the naval ships, the President noted, bring hope to Liberians and help government in its efforts to respond to the needs of the people.
US ambassador, Donald Booth, who also spoke at the ceremony, disclosed that besides the donation, personnel on the ship will offer training and health care at several facilities in Monrovia and its environs.
Naval ship personnel, the US ambassador said, will also rehabilitate the Logan Town road, renovate the Demonstration school as well as clinics including Island and Clay Ash Land, among others. More than 23 medical, dental, and veterinary professionals will offer training and care at various sites near Monrovia during the two-week period of the ships' tour of Liberia. Some Seabees and Marines of the African Partnership Station are also expected to provide training to AFL soldiers over the next couple of months.
The United States naval ships are visiting Liberia under the African Partnership Station, a multi-national effort, with a combined staff representing natives of ten European, African and North American countries, which brings the latest training and techniques to maritime professions in ten West African countries, to address common threats of illegal fishing, smuggling, and human trafficking. On this deployment, the Station has now visited ports in Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe and now Liberia.
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