Begonia Way, Gaithersburg – 6/24/08 The Maryland Chapter of the Committee to Elect Seton/Curtis will be host of a BIG MEETING slated for Saturday, July 19, and Sunday, July 20, 2008, respectively. The meeting, according to the Senior Organizer and Strategist, Mrs. Celia Cuffy-Brown, will be the single most gathering in the ULAA campaign history that will bring together the cross section of Liberians living in the Metro area. The meeting is also expected to draw high profile personalities from outside the LCA.

On Saturday, July 19, 2008 the University of Maryland University College in College Park, Maryland will be a scene of Seton/Curtis Campaign Strategists making another debut in their quests to sweep the upcoming ULAA Presidential Election. According to Mrs. Brown, the Saturday morning meeting, which is named and styled “On the Road to ULAA Top Post,” will be attended by Ernest Johnson, President of the Liberian Community Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area; Vice Chairman of LCA Washington Metro Area Board of Directors Hon. Dave Garnett, Sr.; the President and Vice President of the Progress In Unity (PIU) Mrs. Lucy Wilson-Kear and Mr. Eric Harris; Treasurer of the LCA Mrs. Irene Fiawo; Campaign Strategist Dr. Maggie M. Kromah; Campaign Strategist Mr. Jerome Gayman of Florida; Local Campaign Financial Advisor Mrs. Monica Draper-Toe; Former ULAA Board Chairman Hon. James Rogers,  and a host of other Campaign Committee members from in and outside the LCA Metro Area.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, July 20, 2008, Dr. Mariah Y. Seton is expected to speak to hundreds of her supporters and friends in a Town Hall Meeting at the Long Branch Community Center on Piney Branch Road. Dr. Seton will be discussing many issues including immigration, youth empowerment, elder wellness, and the missing link between ULAA and Diaspora Liberians. Also expected to attend this Town Hall meeting is Hon. Christopher Nippy First Secretary for Diaspora Affairs at the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia.

The MD Chapter of the Committee to Elect Seton/Curtis is therefore calling all members and supporters of the Committee to attend this all important meeting so that you can get the feeling and coolness of Her Excellency Dr. Mariah Y. Seton, the only Lady that is taking on her opponents.

Art Weah Doe

Dr. Seton

...Tours New England States This Weekend

...Tours the Carolinas Next Weekend

By Jay Nagbe Sloh, SIS Managing Editor

Philadelphia, May 22, 2008 (SIS) - After a successful tour of the East Coast just two weeks ago, ULAA presidential candidate Mariah Y. Seton is on the road again this weekend and next weekend.

This weekend

Dr. Seton arrives in Boston, Massachusetts, tomorrow (May 24, 2008) for a weekend full of campaign activities. Her Campaign announced today that Dr. Seton, former president of the Maryland County Association in the Americas, will be meeting with her fellow Marylanders in Massachusetts and the leadership of Folicam. She is also expected to travel to New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut to meet with some Liberians in those states before returning to Chicago early next week.

 Next weekend 

Dr. Seton arrives in North Carolina next weekend to serve as guest speaker at a program organized by the Liberia First Organization of the Triangle, Inc. (LFOTI), established in 1995 to unite Liberians in Raleigh, Durham , and Cary (North Carolina). The May 31^st program will be climaxed by a queen and king contest. She will be speaking on “The Broken Link.”

Dr. Seton will also have the honor of crowning the selected queen and king. In an invitation to Dr. Seton on April 14, 2008, LFOTI President Nukey M. Gargard said, “Madam President, your presence will reiterate the theme of our administration which is ‘Liberians in the Triangle Networking for Kinship’.”   

Speaking to our reporter today, Ms. Gargard said the program is organized to encourage our children, show our appreciation to certain mothers and to stay connected as THE Triangle Family. 

She said the program will be held at 101 Wilkinson Avenue, Cary, NC  27513. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m. Entrance  is FREE but participants will have the opportunity to financially support the queen and king of their choices.

Ms. Gargard disclosed that Dr. Seton will also be speaking at Pastor Cecelia Towah’s People Christian Church in Durham on June 1, 2008. She said Dr. Seton will be speaking to members of the church, about her vision for ULAA.  

About LFOTI

LFOTI was established in 1995 by Liberians who, after the war, settled in The Triangle, North Carolina. Its mission is to promote health awareness through health education and annual health fairs in collaboration with the State and Local government. It also aims at addressing the common concerns and shared goals of Liberians and other nationals within the Triangle. She said the organization also provides opportunities for senior citizens to become actively involved in physical and social programs.

According to Ms. Gargard, LOFTI also stimulates the educational and cultural awareness of Liberian youth within the Triangle through traditional Liberian programs and activities.

LOFTI officers

Nukey Gargard, President

Aaron “Trokon” Kollie, Vice President

Emmanuel Whea, Secretary

Amelia Dahn, Assistant Secretary

Margaret Feury, Treasurer

Alexander Bryant, Financial Secretary

Nyemah Johnson, Parliamentarian

ULAA Official Mirrors Liberia

...Reviews Samuel Doe's Leadership

Dr.Seton and youth Officials

...Cautions Youth to Take Charge of Future

By Jay Nagbe Sloh, Managing Editor

Sloh Information System (SIS)

 The Executive Director of the Social Services Commission of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Dr. Mariah Y. Seton, says while she recognizes and respects the fact that every Liberian holds a particular view of the rise and fall of the late President Samuel Doe, she equally knows that "the history of our country is incomplete without mentioning Doe's contributions to the country."

Dr. Seton, also a presidential candidate in this year's ULAA elections, says "coming to power at age 29, the late President Doe is an example of what the youth can do to shape the destiny of their country."

"Yes, it is true that the late President Doe, like any of us, was a human being. As such, he made mistakes because he was not infallible. However, he made a lot of positive contributions to the development of our country, and we should not ignore those contributions. For example, the multiparty democracy we enjoy today was effected by him," she said to a thunderous applause.

Dr. Seton's statement was contained in a keynote speech she delivered in Philadelphia last Saturday at programs marking the 57^th birth anniversary of president Doe, assassinated on September 9, 1990 by Prince Johnson and his INPFL rebels.

 Liberia on world stage of soccer

She added: "For the first time in our history, Liberia paraded soccer stars, such as George Oppong Weah, James Salinsa Debah, Mass Saar Jr, Joe Nagbe, Christopher Wreh, and many others on the international stage." She said Doe used sports - especially the annual national county meet - to bring Liberians of all backgrounds together.

 Food production

Dr. Seton remembered that the late Doe "launched the Green Revolution Program which was intended to make Liberia self-sufficient in food production, an initial stage that could eventually lead us to food self-sufficiency if succeeding governments build on where Doe ended."

 The ULAA official noted, "I am told that there are officials of the late Doe’s government here tonight, like Honorable Bai Mason Gbala, who can do justice to the late President in terms of his achievements, but I just thought I should make these few comments before turning to the topic you have assigned me – The Role of the Youth in the Reconstruction of Post-war Liberia."

 Victims and participants of Liberian civil war

Turning to her topic, Dr. Seton said she was sure that "in times to come, our country will come to realize how critical the role of the youth is in the process of reconstructing our country following a very ugly civil war in which the very youth were both victims and participants against their will."

 She said "Our country faces many problems and challenges. But it also has the advantage of many opportunities to achieve the common objective we all pursue of transforming itself into a common homeland that we can all be proud of. To transform those opportunities and possibilities into a positive reality requires that all of us, the so-called Americo-Liberians and native Liberians, the young and the old, act together for the realization of the goal of a better life for all."

 Youth contributions in Liberia's reconstruction

"It is from this that your program tonight derives its importance. I hope that by the time you conclude this program, you and the youth of other Liberian political sub-divisions will have agreed on the steps you will take together to contribute to the historic objective of rebuilding Liberia," Dr. Seton noted.

 "To do this," she cautioned, "you will have to undertake a frank and open assessment of the major elements that characterize our society, encompassing both the positives and the negatives. You will then have to address the question of what the correct policy responses should be to all of these factors.

Having decided this important issue, obviously you will have to determine the joint program of action in which you will engage, and encourage the youth of our country to participate in, to ensure the success of the vision you will have elaborated together."

 Liberians as distinct elements

"The first point I would like to make is that, in reality, we have not as yet developed a sense of common nationhood. We are all Liberians by nationality and according to the Identity Documents and passports we carry. But in our social psychology, our instincts and our perception of ourselves, we see ourselves as distinct elements of an agglomeration of different tribal and ethnic groups whose interests we believe might very well be mutually exclusive. As a result and an expression of this, we entertain differing and different perceptions of one another and what it means to be Liberians. Consequently, we respond differently to various events and developments in our country, including processes brought about as a result of the civil war and even actions of our government," the community activist told his audience admist standing ovations.

 Dr. Seton said as a result of how Liberians see and interact with each other, they "provide different answers to the question - what is it that I need to do as a Liberian to contribute to the building of a new Liberian society?"

 Mass response to patriotism

"As a result of all of this, when we are challenged to develop and adhere to a new level of patriotism, there is no immediate mass response because the common and unifying answer to the question - what shall I be patriotic about - has not been easy to come by. What is clear is that we cannot say that we are committed to nation building and, at the same time, seek to marginalize the youth section of our population," she noted.

 What tomorrow should look like

On the importance of her topic, Dr. Seton told the Grand Gedeh Youth: "You have chosen a very eloquent topic to express what you feel and think” The Role of the Youth in the Reconstruction of Post-war Liberia ! It is precisely because tomorrow belongs to you that you must determine what tomorrow should look like. You will therefore have to decide what you - the youth of our country - must do, itself to ensure that we reconstruct our country, our common heritage, into an entity that will be entirely different from what previous generations made it to be."

 Determinations youth must make

On the responsibilities and challenges facing Liberian youth today, Dr. Seton said she was convinced that "Liberian youth themselves must make certain determinations, such as the following:

1.      You “all Liberian youth” should refuse to perpetuate war tendencies that previous generations, might have sought to implant into your minds and, instead, focus on your education.

 2.      You “ I mean all Liberian youth - will work hard to ensure that you actually interact with one another, across the tribal lines, to engage in a common action to bring about the social changes that are necessary in the rebuilding of our country.

3.      You should agree that tolerance of different views and acceptance of different dialects and cultures among yourselves are fundamental to the success of your common struggle to fashion yourselves into a joint force for the birth of a new Liberia .

 4.      You should work to build a strong spirit of solidarity and comradeship among all Liberian youths to enhance your capacity to defeat those forces in our society that want to continue to use you for their selfish political, social, and economic gains.

 5.      You should base your program of action on the actual challenges facing the youth and people of our country, including such issues as tribalism and sexism, education and training, employment, crime and substance abuse, sports and culture." 

Liberia as outcast among other nations

The Liberian educator reminded her audience that "For many years, Liberia has been an outcast among other nations because of the war. But precisely because of our experience, we have the possibility to make an important contribution to the African and worldwide struggle to overcome problems war, tribalism, corruption, and illiteracy. In this regard, I would like to remind you, the youth of the Republic of Liberia , our dear country, to take seriously your role as the future leaders of the country. Whether you succeed in achieving this goal in your own interest and in the interest of Liberia as a whole, will depend on what you - the youth of the country – do now and in the future. I sincerely believe that you will not fail us."

 Overcoming the legacy of the past

Concluding, Dr. Seton reminded the youth: "Tonight, we meet on the 57^th birth anniversary of our 20^th president, to pay tribute to his contributions to our country. Indeed, he contributed his quota to the advancement of Liberia as the youngest leader of our country. He has past on the torch to you all to continue where he stopped. You must also correct what ever mistakes he may have made. Please ensure that you do not disappoint him and/or your country. In the same way that his sacrifices brought us many of the good things we celebrate today, such as participatory democracy, so should you be convinced that your sacrifices will help us to overcome the legacy of the past and ensure that, indeed, tomorrow belongs to all our people, both young and old."

The program was attended by an array of former Liberian government officials and community activists - including former Maritime Commissioner Tiah Slangar, former Liberia Free Zone Authority Managing Director Bai Mason Gbala, former National Bank Governor Thomas D. Voer Hanson, former Presidential Affairs Minister Charles Gaye Breeze, Jr., and the current Chairman of the ULAA Elections Commission, Mr. Amos Ziah Koukou.

Minnesota  Managers and leaders

Committee To Elect Dr. Mariah Y. Seton

Margarett Toweh

Dexter Roberts

Kla-Bleh Seton

Jonathan Early

Dear Dr. Seton,
 
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to work  with you and others on your campaign team. The experience gained has helped me to appreciate the sacrifices and hard work of dedicated Liberians. However, due to extreme circumstances which have been developing over time caused by the illness of my brother, former associate justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, the Hon. Ishmael P. Campbell who is blind and is suffering from other illnesses, coupled with additional responsibilities, I would be unable to continue to serve as Chairman of the Committee to Elect Dr. Mariah Y. Seton President of ULAA.
 
It was a pleasure working with all of you. During this interaction, I am grateful for the friendships we have formed with each other. I would encourage you however, to remain steadfast and resolute to the purpose of the campaign. I wish all of you and Dr. Seton a successful campaign to succeed Mr. Emmanuel Wettee in October this year; I thank you.
 
Sincerely yours,

Nyenpan Tarpehdoe
617-913-9425