The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Liberia has denied reports about a crisis within its fold and views as total falsehood and misrepresentation of the facts, the Monday, March 17, 2008 front page story of the Public Agenda Newspaper captioned “Crisis Shakes TRC.”

In his it reaction, the commission states that the Public Agenda report that two of its commissioners have been suspended and that the International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL) has intervened to restore dignity to the TRC is mere and fabrication.

While it is not a standing policy of the TRC to spend valuable time reacting to  negative media reports, the Commission is, however, constrained to state that none of its commissioner(s) has been suspended, and there was no fist fight in Fish Town, River Gee as reported in the Public Agenda.

“Further, at no time did the International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL) mount pressure on the TRC on this matter. To the contrary, the TRC and the ICGL have enjoyed, and continue to have a cordial and mutually rewarding relationship.

"As a matter of fact, an ICGL delegation from Monrovia on March 5th visited Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County to observe the public hearings there, and encouraged by progress made thus far, the ICGL re-affirmed its support to the TRC,” the Commission’s statement under the signature of its Communication Officer, Richmond Anderson says.

In earlier clarification, TRC maintained that during a closed door meeting in Fish Town, River Gee County recently, an argument over policy matters ensued between Commissioners and became heated amongst Commissioners Massa Washington and Pearl Brown-Bull, but did not result into a fistfight as reported.

Recently, an 8-man ICGL delegation from Monrovia on March 5th visited Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County to observe the public hearings there, and reaffirmed its support for the TRC process in a meeting attended by all commissioners.

During the visit the team expressed satisfaction over the progress made by the commission despite the many challenges facing it.

Six Clinics Risk Closure

Reports emanating from Grand Bassa County say about six public health centers actively involved in the county’s health delivery system risk closure due to lack of supports from central government.

Grand Bassa County Junior Senator, Nathaniel Innis told our Legislative reporter yesterday that the County Health Officer, Dr. Jerry F. Brown has written authorities of the Ministry of Health expressing the plight of the clinics and called for urgent attention to avoid the clinics being closed down.

Among other things, our reporter quoted Senator Innis as indicating that workers of the six clinics have not been paid for months and that NGOs have withdrawn their supports owing to the fact that they are on verge of closing down.

The clinics concerned, according to the Bassa lawmaker are Jacob Larteh Public Health Center, Sue Town Clinic, Barseegiah Clinic, Senyan Town Clinic, Boeglay Town Clinic and the Edina Public Health center.

He said the closure of these clinics which is largely due to the ‘no money’ syndrome has the propensity to undermine the health care delivery system, and also endangers the lives of the people. He told our reporter that he recently visited some of the communities in which the clinics are, and gathered that situation is serious.

During the 2007/2008 Fiscal Year Budget, Senator Innis said he told his colleagues that the amount allocated for the health care delivery system for the counties was insufficient. “What I was afraid of has happened and my people are about to suffer because there is no money to operate some of our clinics, “he said.

Sen. Innis called on the authorities of the Health Ministry to consider keeping the clinics functional by providing funds. In a related development, the lawmaker has decried the continuous increment of the prices of basic commodities, especially rice and petroleum products on the Liberian market.

He observed that the ordinary people are suffering the hikes in prices of these commodities while those in government do not care because they can afford to buy at whatever prices.

“This  prices of our nation’s staple food continues to triple in rural Liberia,” he said making specific reference to Bassa  and Rivercess , Sinoe Counties where he said rice is sold  between LD$2,000 to LD$2500.

“This is a crucial issue that government needs to address to alleviate the suffering of the vast majority. He recommended to the executive through the Ministry of  Commerce and Industry to  allow the K&K and Bridgeway to once more join the  rice market in other to stabilize the prices of the  nation’s stable  food and  to make it affordable to the  ordinary people.

He also recommended that there is a need  for the  government to see reasons to open the rice market, and  break the monopoly that Fouta Corporation was enjoying, something he said was  responsible for the  sky rocketing  of the price of rice on the  market.