allAfrica.com: Liberia: Ellen Seeks Oppostion's Help (Page 1 of 4)

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf arrived in the country from the U.S., Monday this week, where she underwent medical check-ups, held talks with U.S. business executives, and picked up a number of university degrees and laurels for her work.

Upon touchdown, she addressed the media on major issues facing the country, amongst them the high prices of consumer commodities and the involvement of the political opposition in seeking solutions to problems facing the nation.

Transcription Of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Press Conference At The Roberts International Airport In Margibi County, Following Her Arrival From Visits To Denmark And The United States Of America On Monday, May 5, 2008. Transcript provided by the Office of the Press Secretary to the President.

Prez. Sirleaf: Joe and my very close entrusted colleague, Mr. Pro Temp, President Pro Temp of the Senate, and all the Honorable members from the Senate here from the Senate, Representatives, Ministers, Officials of government, Unity Party partisans, Superintendents, friends, as well as well wishers. Thank you for the warm welcome, I am back! (Applause)....

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf arrived home Monday evening to a rousing welcome, following a visit abroad which took her to Denmark and the United States.

... Let me just a make a few comments on some of the topical issues that have been under discussion during my absence. Armed robbery: Let me commend the Minister of Justice, the Liberia National Police, UNMIL and all those who have worked collaboratively to be able to bring this situation under control.

I have monitored it from were I was and I know that the incidences have reduced sharply. The program for the protection of our citizens will continue, and I believe all citizens now embrace what may be called tough actions, but actions that needed to be taken to bring that situation to what it is; so we will continue to do that. (Applause...)

...And to give the ministers and security services all the support that they need to enable them to protect our citizens; that's one of the first responsibilities of any government.

Eh...what has happened with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is indeed unfortunate.

Eh, just before I left, I did get a letter about the suspension of Commissioner Pearl Brown Bull, and I was advised by our lawyer that for an officer or for an official appointed by the President and commissioned by the Honorable Liberian Senate, that the head of the Commission could only suspend or fire someone by going the same route, upon recommendation to the President and the President's approval; and I have brought this to the attention of the Chairman, Commissioner Verdier's attention; eh.. while I was away, I think he met with the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and said that the Legislation authorized him; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) did give him, indeed, those powers. I don't know.

I only asked Minister McClain to say, let the lawyers look at it, and what ever is the law, there is a constitutional thing about the appointment of officials. If a law says something that is different from the constitution, and the lawyer will tell us that, that takes precedence. I will abide by whatever is the legal opinion that's given me. But I said, in the meanwhile, the work of the Commission should not stop; I was very clear about that; that there should be no interruption in the work of the commission, because we consider the work of the commission very important, and we don't want to send signal outside of the country that there is a problem in the commission that will cause us to loose support, the support which we need for the Commissions.

There are certain commissions and the General Auditing Commission is just one of them (I think I saw the Auditor-general around here)...so those are the commissions whose work we value, and we all must do everything we can as a government; myself as the President, the people of the country, must give those Commissions all the support they need, so they can carry out their work effectively.

So, I'm just sorry you have all this wrangling, but I hope that we can set it back on course; we'll respect the law of course, and follow what the law says, but we hope that their work will continue, and we'll continue to give them the fullest of support.

Eh...When it comes to the price of rice, that big issue; well...it is not only rice, let's call it the increases in commodities prices, something that is global, but yet we must all deal with it on a national basis and find national solutions to global problems.

"Eh...we know when it comes to petroleum price increases, those who follow the prices and those who follow the internet and all of that, know that prices have just been going up, and recently, they've just been changing down, out, no clear pattern. Eh... the LPRC made a recommendation to increase petroleum prices. We took a decision, because they were in touch with me, and I was still in control, but I wasn't here. And so, I insisted that they should make certain adjustments so that they would not increase it by the amount they had requested, but some increase was necessary to avoid shortages, because if we had not done something, and the shortages had occurred, then the situation would have been even worst, because then people will be holding up the product and the prices would have increased even more.

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