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. Photo: Abbas Dulleh

… 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.

But what we have done, and I think we announced that before we left, that we would continue to give subsidy to the Monrovia Transit Authority, so that public Transport cost, could be contained, to enable the public to get by without going through any heavy increases. …I am sure all of that has been done; and while I was away, we were still working on getting some more buses for the M T A. to enable them meet the public transport needs.  We will continue to monitor that”.

On the rice situation, eh…while there of course, I have been talking to different bodies that import, Firestone and some of the other importers that have been long time importers of rice to Liberia.  They’re all looking into what they can do.  I have been in been in touch with the World Bank, because the World Bank has the facility to support countries that have these increases in grain. I have been in touch with the IMF, they also have a facility and with the U. S. Government. Many of you know that President Bush just announced 770-million dollars facility to help countries. My task was to ensure that Liberia gets on that list of countries that will benefit (applause).

“…. And so, just tonight, I got an update on the situation that requires me sending a letter which I will fix tomorrow and sent it off through the Ambassador, but I know that we’ve got some good friends there, because I had informal discussions with people in the State Department that make these decisions, people in the National  Security  Council that work on these decisions, and so we are sure that they’re working to try to…it’s an FY-09 appropriation, but we’ve been trying to get them to bring it forward on an emergency basis.  Whatever happens, eh, indeed Liberia will be on the list of those countries that will benefit. We have to work out the details of this in communication with the U.S. Embassy here, and others to see exactly what they mean.

At the same time, I was in touch with Minister Toe, and Minister Sayeh, for them to follow up with the Bank and IMF, and Minster Sayeh with the other importers to make sure that he stayed in touch with them. So if we got quotations for rice, he would work with these importers. I have a series of meetings scheduled this week with rice importers; with political party leaders. This time, we asked them to come and give us their ideas. We want to know what and how they can help us, so we can find the right solution to the problem.

So we hope they will respond to that call, and we’ll all sit for an exchange of views - importers and the ministries  concerned – Agriculture, commerce, finance, the
National Investment Commission, along with those and we’ll see how we can try to advert. Of course, the real solution to food problem, our rice problem is for us to grow more rice. There is no other way out of that. (applause...) so, I made that statement before  I left, encouraging everybody to go and do a little bit of farm in your back yard, or whatever land you may have in your county or in your community; put it in production.

We do have couple of companies that want to do large scale mechanize rice production, one of the concession agreements is before the Legislature.  I don’t know if it has passed; eh, but that will enable us…we are holding consultations with the Chinese Ambassador here to see whether we can get China to support…so we are doing all we can to try to   make sure that we try to find the right responses.  In the short term, it will be through bi-lateral support, in the medium to long term, we will just have to grow it; produce more rice to meet our national needs.

“…Uhh... (chuckle)…on the question of (chuckle) my health situation (laughter-audience)… the one that created all this problem.  I don’t understand our people to tell you the truth, sometimes I wonder.

“…Uhh… I left from here, I was very clear that I was going to be away for a while. I was going to take one week to do my medicals, some thing I haven’t done. You know people die when you don’t do yourself every year? (chuckle)…to take corrective measures, so this time; I have a son who is a physician, and so he grounded me and said you will come. He works with the Bridgeport and Yale Hospital System; and he said, this time, you will not just come and do these quick exams, I will ground you for one week so that you can do all these tests. (chuckle) I did things that I have never done before…you know. Skin test, cholornorstrophy (all the Doctor people will know what I am talking abut), all the x-ray; I did everything that I could do, and for a person my age, the doctors say ‘you’re fit for your age.’ (applause).

“So … While I’m there, trying to catch up, and you know, he forced me to take some rest, and Dr. Gwenigale was always behind me sending messages. ‘you know, stay there, rest little bit.’  But I guess, you know, because people are so used to me being here, working from 9:00 a.m. til 11-in the night, so (chuckle) when they don’t see me, they figure something has got to be wrong. No, I am very well fit!  Yea, you know at my age, you get small arthritis, pain and all of those…but other than that.  Let me tell some of them: I will see them under before I go. (Loud cheers by audience…)

Every time… you know, they cause a lot of problems over there because this news was all over; all over in the States. People calling all over to say something. Our media has to be a little bit more responsible.

But you know freedom must be exercised with responsibility, and those things that will undermine the national interest and cause problems for the country. You need to be a little bit more careful about how you do it, because it doesn’t hurt me personally, but it hurts your country, it hurts your people, when you spread rumors that will create concern, that will take away from some of the positive things we are trying to do, to encourage investments, to get people to come here. If they are concern that a big problem is coming either in the leadership, or in other areas, then you don’t do well for your country, so … you must be a bit more factual in what you do, check out your information, before you publish a sensational or something else.

But any way; uhh... I am back, and while I was there, the things that I went to do, I did all, and… I went to my church conference, the annual conference and I made a statement there, and received an award from the International Crisis Group. I just left Dr. Sawyer and others there at Indiana University, of course I received an honorary degree, but more than that, they will do something to help our law school; to help our business school, to give scholarships to assist our people”.

So all in all, I spent three weeks there, and I feel satisfied that while I was there, I was working for the Liberian people and I was in charge. I was working with those who were working here, who were assuming those responsibilities and now I’m back. We got problems, because while I was there, I read Front Page Africa too, and read all the other things and see all the other issues concerning the Port and all of that, so …l met with the Liberian communities in Indiana and other places, and some of them are willing to return home, but … most of them say they are having problems with the port and taxes and all of that, but … we coming to take some actions too, we got to clean up some things too”.

So I want to thank you all, I know the press got some questions here too”.

Prez Sec. Badio:  It has been a long day, so … we will just take a few questions.

Rodney Sieh: Front Page Africa – (Question on improving JFK so that people don’t have to go abroad to seek medical attention.

Prez. Sirleaf…….   Well, what we have done is to improve on our own health services; and you know we are doing that. If you go and take a look at JFK today, you will see the great improvement that has taken place there. From some of our trips, we have people who are helping to rebuild JFK. They’re trying to restore basic services, and provide equipment, and there are groups that have been coming here and rendering short term services to improve the medical center, but it is also goes beyond JFK, because the Telewoyan Hospital in Voinjama has been renovated and will be operated with Swiss Government support for three years. The Chinese will soon start the Tappita Hospital and others. As you know we just concluded an agreement with Cuba to give 50 doctors,   and those doctors will be assigned to most of our rural hospitals and clinics to supplement our own service, so… you are correct”.

The answer to all of that is for us to improve our own health services here, so that most of us can stay home here to be able to take those treatments; to be able to take these treatments and examinations at home, and I hope in the next 1-2 years, we should be there.”

Moses Kowo-SKY FM 107…..Over the weekend, a court in Monrovia acquitted two individuals in this country, charged with treason, and the judge of that court said the prosecution, the state failed miserably to provide evidences that could indict the two. What’s you own take on that…!”.

Prez. Sirleaf:…Well when we put those cases in court and presented evidence, we felt that we had solid evidence to do so, the court has ruled otherwise. That’s democracy! We respect the judgment of the court. I can only say that I leave to the people concerned and to the judge, I leave them to their conscience, may they go and sin no more.

Good evening Madam President, welcome back home and thank God that you are fit and well. I am Vivian Gartayn from Star Radio. My question has to do with the sea erosion in Grand Bassa County. Last year, there were cases of disaster there and the disaster and Disaster Committee named certain areas as disaster zones and encouraged government to make sure that people leave those areas. Up to now the people are still there and the rains are coming again. Star Radio visited the area over the weekend and there were concerns. What is government doing?

Prez Sirleaf: I know that in the supplemental budget, I believe, I don’t know. (looking in Senator Nyenebo's direction) Pro-Temp, ain’t pass yet?... That we have a certain amount of appropriation. The appropriation that had to do with the sale of certain iron ore, where we agreed with the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus that those funds will be used to work on stopping the erosion as a first step action. So if it hasn’t passed, that is our immediate response. I believe there have been some survey that was done by some group, the Minister of Lands and Mines is there, he can tell, that looked at our entire coast line to deal with the question of erosion and see what we can do. But in the case of Grand Bassa, that was an immediate action to arrest it, until we can take some longer term measures.

Good evening Madam President, I am Emmanuel Johnson of Peace F.M Community Radio. Your visit in the States, we understand that you met with some importers including Firestone, what were some of the issues discussed with Firestone. And you also urged the press to be responsible in its reportage. Have you traced the source of this information that has to do with your of death news?

Prez. Sirleaf: Well in the case of Firestone, you know Firestone is an importer of rice, primarily for their employees. But I wanted to explore the possibility of increasing the input to be able to serve people other than their employees; and they are working cooperatively with us.

Of course it depends on the cost. Their rice is a higher grade than those on the market; than the normal ones on the market, but if we can get them to increase, to meet a particular segment of the population, that can afford that rice, then we can concentrate on the other segment of the population, for which maybe, a lower grade and lower price of rice may be necessary.

So, we will work with some of the importers on that, we will work with Firestone on that; the representative from Seaboard, who also deals in commodities, came on the plane with me tonight.  He will be meeting with me to make some suggestions on it; so we’re working on all of that.

The (chuckle)… I was not here, you suppose to tell me.  …Independent?...what can I say; we still believe today there are liberties in the country that must be protected; there are certain risks that go with allowing freedom and liberty to prevail, but people haven’t had it for so long, that eh, now you know, that we are given it to them; sometimes they push it to the other extreme. eh, but let me tell you, if some people want this government to move against them, so they can have an excuse to cry human rights violation and look for political asylum, they will not get it! (Cheers)….

President Secretary Badio:  Thank you very much Press, thank you.