Monrovia (Liberia)-The Governments of Liberia and Portugal have signed an agreement to exchange tax information on how to combat tax crimes.

The Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA), signed in Monrovia at the weekend committed the two countries to sharing information on how to curtail tax evasion.

Liberia’s Deputy Minister of Finance for Revenues, Madam Elfreda Tamba signed on behalf of the Government of Liberia, while Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tax Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, Professor Sergio Vasques signed for his government.

Under the agreement, both Liberia and Portugal are expected to jointly eradicate tax havens, enhance the work of tax authority, reduce trade barriers, increase tax revenues and provide additional information on taxes levied  on goods and services.

The (TIEA) is an initiative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as a policy development tool to help countries around the world combat tax crimes.

Liberia is on the “gray list” of the OECD which implies that the country is a tax haven which tax payers from other countries may be using to evade taxes in their homelands.

This agreement brings to two the number of TIEAs signed between the government of Liberia and other countries.

“This is a crystal expression of our unequivocal commitment to openness, fiscal transparency, adherence to the OECD’s applicable guidelines and international laws,” Deputy Minister Tamba said.

Also in rearks at the ceremony, Professor Vasques pointed out that the deal represents the two countries’ commitment to tax transparency and the deepening of economic relations between Portugal and Liberia.

By Terence Sesay, Monday, January 17, 2011

By Shem Kosse

The Nyando based home for the orphans and vulnerable children has come up with an elaborate feeding programme to ensure that the children that are under its care do not only get quality education, but also eat well.

Situated off Nairobi-Kisumu road in Alendu, the organization known as REACH OUT-OVC which takes care of close to 300 unprivileged children, has put in place a monthly food donation cum care-givers-mothers meeting, for the local women who are living with the pupils, hailing from the locality and learning in the institution.

And majority of the boarders in this institution are female lot who are considered to be more vulnerable. Some, of the children, the care-giver-mothers have not sired and just taking good care of them courtesy of the unwavering institutional support of REACH OUT-OVC, which supplements them.

Dubbed food for education, the donations are provided by Toel Tran Foundation (TTF) and Task Force for Global Health, both based in Atlanta, Georgia. And, the coordinator is Dr.Aomella Mcquide.

In addition to food donation: “health care services, water, psyco-social support and education are accorded by the organization among other basic wants” said Mr. Hezekiah Bunde, the director. Further, the clean water in the school compound also serves the surrounding community.

Started a decade ago as a nursery school, the organization, incumbently, runs a primary (partly) and secondary school education and further supports its students, through to the college level. And it’s aimed at making the students to be self-reliant on completion of their education.

Currently, it has a total of 5 students in university and 5 in medical school and also 3 in polytechnic. An achievement, the management largely attributed to hardworking students, committed staff and the cooperative community members, around.

Despite the influx and overwhelming number of the orphaned children as a result of the soaring death rates of their parents, the outfit’ managerial team under the flagship of its director appears unbowed : “it’s a call to us we can’t abandon them” said Bunde who at the same time appealed to the government to aid to reduce operating costs.

“It should consider giving bursary to them because whenever they apply for the same it’s turned down on grounds that they are private students” he added, tearfully.

ENDS

Monrovia (Liberia)-The Libyan African Investment Company (LAICO), an investment arm of the Libyan government is to commence reconstruction work on the Ducor Palace Hotel.

A high-powered delegation of the company, headed by the President of its Board, Dr.Etayeb Elsafi Etayeb was on Thursday presented the Ducor Hotel structure and premises by the Liberian Government.

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, who served as proxy for President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, handed over documents of the Ducor structure and premises to Dr. Etayeb at a colorful ceremony in Monrovia.
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In remarks, Vice President Boakai described the ceremony as an important day for Liberia, and thanked President Johnson Sirleaf for her courage to ensure that development comes to Liberia.

He also thanked Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his long-time interest in ensuring that development comes to Liberia.

He described Ducor Hotel as a historic monument that has a future for every Liberian, noting that in its heydays, Ducor was a place that every visitor wanted to see.

In remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Etayeb said Libya is contemplating investing in several sectors of the Liberia economy, including communication, mining, tourism and agriculture.

According to the Liberian Government Representative of LAICO, Mr. Eugene Peabody the Ducor Palace redevelopment project eis estimated at about US$25 million..

He said upon completion, the Ducor Palace Hotel will consist of 151 rooms including suites, several restaurants, a conference facility, tennis court, a shopping center, exercise facilities, bar, as well as a casino, and that it will provide jobs and training when it becomes fully operational.

The Ducor Palace Hotel, constructed in 1959, was destroyed during the Liberian civil conflict.

By Terence Sesay, Thursday, January 20, 2011