Inauguration Organizer Miatta Fahnbulleh Addressed The Media On Inauguration Funds Speculation - LB

well folks a pleasant good morning this is co TV we coming to you live from the ministry of information culture Affairs and tourism this morning Matata family will be addressing the media recard in public speculation of her mismanaging public the inauguration funds so be with us my name is [Music] Daniel right [Music] distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the press we like to welcome you to the ministry of information Affairs and tourism regular T press briefing you may be thinking that yes indeed the ministry of information does not have a minister but in the of the minister the ministry wrongs and so it is by an act of the national legislature the ministry will established so the committee on the inauguration have been working the chair on that commune is ENT family she asked to come on the national platform to provide some update on her workings and so without much ad do I would like to introduce to you Mr P Mr P will come on the platform to introduce to you in dep those member of the committee after which will come on the platform to explain to you in details on some update J thank you so much Mr this program I mean the conf was to start at 11:00 we already behind so we will not any a long time to make introductions Here We Came as an INE as headed by family what I can say is even though there are some committee members in the room if there's a need for any of them to make clarification in terms of what they did but what it were supposed to do then of course that Committee Member or chairperson will come but not the was of time any longer we were for me for example I was a committee on media and Communications and so if there will be some some issue that have to do communication you can direct that to me but the chair person of this committee my will give an overall view of what inspired so if you have a question the question can ask her or toe so my pleasure to introduce the media also introduce to the media to make your point M there mounting the podium to speak to the media good morning members of the media first of all let me say thank you to his Excellency Joseph Muma for the recognition and the call to perform a national patriotic Duty through our advancement the president recognize our life's work dedicated to the Arts advocacy for enhancing gender equality by choosing me I believe President boa wanted to elevate the Showcase of our Rich cultural heritage through our arts and crafts fascinating history Delicacies music poetry and other Performing [Music] Arts president B made it clear that he wanted a modest celebration that was inclusive of all citizens irrespective of our various divisions prepering an event that encouraged building a bridge rather than one that widen our guesss he wanted an event that extended beyond the unity party Alliance on December the 10th rather December the 8th I was informed publicly of my appointment as the head of the Inaugural Committee plenty news around my name compliments opinions but I'd like to inform the press and everybody here that I was the noal chair in name only the unity party ran a second alternative Inaugural Committee from their office on Broad Street and then the government of Liberia also became an inaugural head by controlling the budget and every other plan that we had I control no budget for those who have clutched on to the report of the 650,000 for that you will be able through the audit to see that during this entire period of putting this program together my team was considered non government actors meaning we made no demands we could carry out no problem solving because I was reminded on a daily basis that the go this inauguration was that of the government of Liberia we put everything in place by his excellency's order of hunting a small modest dignifi inauguration we went in search of the venues I recommended the Centennial pilion for it hyos for its convenience and for it having less work than all of the other venues that was the plan I presented to the jtp and from there my trouble started Centennial was too small Centennial could not accommodate sentenal was not large enough and I said we can host 4,000 people in the hall outside Under The Canopy I even went to the extent of conferring with Bishop Samuel Reeves asking if he would permit us to use his a church as an over flow and we will put Springs inside he [Music] agreed but there were those who had decided that it was not to be when I presented that proposal I was reminded by the legislature that they had oversight for the inauguration also the question of crowd control like I said I was the no head in name but other people made the decisions and when I think about it now there was a stage when I realized I was not in control and I sincerely gave it the thought of relinquishing the position but of course in Liberia you know everybody oh are you president you can't do it how would you do that how would you do that yes I was probably being selfish thinking about myself and so we continued on the exercise funds were made available funds were made available to quote the committee to begin their work on December the January the 15th count it to the 22nd even if you're a miracle worker the first event was the 19th the Muslim ceremony that went in order because the powers that we were not really interested so the Muslims ceremony turned out fine on Sunday we went to the eort Baptist Church for the service everything put in place for media for choirs for everything by the time I got to the church changed changed the choir have been put one with could and the Press was all over the place and it's very interesting that Sunday evening I met my cousin P at the capital and I said to him I do not want to see what happened today in calv Baptist Church at ination tomorrow get your journalist under control you don't need to credit everybody is here asking Sunday afternoon I go to the capital on my way to my sister Julie and's beautiful exhibition that went well I don't hear anybody talking about because people there worked in Harmony and we work together and they listen to the inaugural here as anoun by josepher on my way to the capital and getting at the capital I saw that work was half done in fact a quarter done no carpets nothing the things we talked about the things we said we would put in place when I asked I was told that it was the GSA that was responsible who is the head of the GSA my sister Mary bro my sister Mary BR received the funding for the upliftment of the capital the preparation of the capital and the events not my subcommittee um chair and so I went and approach Madame bro I tomorrow is the day look at the state what happened to this what happened to that what happened to this mam BR proceeded with home I don't have this I don't have that I don't have my you a [Music] GSA it is your responsibility to put things into place when they are official and National occasions I can't accept excuses from you of course that went in the media another way and I shouted at her yes I was a little angry who wouldn't be angry I got any Inauguration tomorrow morning everybody thinks I can do wonders and the people who supposed to do the Wonders are telling me they can't do anything and to the members of the legislature who today want to shy far from this National disaster as you want call it those who claimed they had oversight where were they how many of them came to the capital the night before or the day before to check and see how many of them ask do we have enough water how many of them ask do we have enough chairs how many I thank in the person of pro amalo former Senator sand Johnson ndcr chairman sa who came to find out how they could help and what was going on before the inauguration now the and committee were not responsible for the printing of any inv ation just to show you the disrespect so as a result where I thought the understanding of the number 4,000 was complete I'm finding out this morning that 7,000 invitations were printed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol I only found out this morning so why is somebody going to hold me responsible for not having 7,000 chairs how was I supposed to know that the government security that control the entire process in terms of security how did I know that government EPS officers would stand at Gates and just allow people to walk in invitation or no invitation or you didn't see that you are not aware from the very direct entrance that very direct entrance people walked in and out including the Grand Pre sellers to the situation of water I came out of the hospital on the 20th Saturday and one of the orders from my doctor was to consistently drink as much water as possible because I was quickly dehydrating so I went to the capital with water for me but oning like 10 minutes I realized it was hot so of course I turned so those responsible for the catering and all the water we have received and we had enough water thanks to Aqua life thanks to the thanks to um you and others yes we had enough water now from the beginning of the stage to the end was where the Caterers were right I walked that distance twice appealing for water I was told the water will be serve for that L and my son who was with me so you prefer for the people to die until your with you understand so I'm saying all of the issues I heard a journalist yesterday on the radio why to the fans what happened to the F did you give me money for fans I'm not the GSA woman GSA got a budget to make the place equipped and at that particular stage at that particular stage we were at I really couldn't care less because I saw in front of me all rules all bounds broken the protocol we put together a fantastic protocol team who would control our day with the likes of Ambassador bro Nelson from Japan former Ambassador J bass they didn't come on our committees to make money they came on the committees to show us direct us the protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cracked all of them push all of them aside and said we will take care and let me just add this I did not choose the acting ch for protocol as my NC I did not I envisioned on the stage as NPC a Liberian who would make us proud who would be able to pronounce who would be able to recognize African leaders give them the right title and perspective and I wrote as the head of the Inaugural Committee to quami Clement one of the best voices in journalism in this country he consented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told me that nobody nobody else could do that job on that morning except the Ministry of Foreign Affairs you know I'm a rebel y but not everything you won't fight for like that I can fight I mean Aries I'm not afraid of a fight but it was just going on and on and all so I didn't argue that is why you did not see as your MC someone who could pronounce the names of our visiting heads of state someone who could tell you that the vice president of Nigeria is alaji shettima not somebody who would be afraid to announce the governor of Bea State we are our wor enemies so in another week I hope bring on the Auditors nobody's running for auditor around here they say flower before for to leave the a will come I want the audit I want the audit my father work for his name my mother went for her name and I would not allow betting minded people to tarish me and my reputation yes the book stops with me but I just explained to all of you I was never in control never and I wasn't going to go run into and let me do today and didn't let no he expected much more from me but at this stage a lot of people have said M don't say nothing leave it no I will not leave it I will not leave it when known criminals in this Society can sit on public viewing in radio and castigate me I I basically that is the reality that we saw any questions you want to ask you are welcome mece yes um but please let me introduce a brilliant woman a friend of mine she's supposed to be traveling out came to give me her support one of my's best that I invited for thetion a woman who has made so much contribution from academic excellence and writings respected all over Africa and the world but yet she comes to her country and this soal protocol MC because she doesn't know her value for who she is actually attempts to stop her from reading her entire poem that she has sat down to write for this piure so please let me introduce my friend and sister Dr Professor Patricia ja Wesley of the University Pennsylvania [Applause] you listen to me our society is this ination we heard a lot and it was just good for the person who was named chair this commit come to make the clarification made everywhere I $600,000 was a committee so you have this morning that not a DME was ever s there so even the Committees that government work with individually committee chairpersons went to the ministry to receive checks for whatever they were to do I'm hearing or I was heing the media commit for example the letter that give to was sent to Min information from the foreign Ministry before the information Ministry some money to us so this was the bureaucracy in the and so we just wanted to take a verification it's not being confrontational but it's being real so that the fact can be known and so before the question we don't forget there are some Meers committees here their names I course work with the the transport committee that was to be the transport committee headed by but they were not allowed to the GSA had to do everything that to do we have Mr Dean there to on the committee secretary on the committee we have one of my committee members deputy fire who was person between our committee and the committee s vetan broadcaster my co-chair marn Allison was in a protal committee but she wasn't also allowed to do the work for which was was put there Char K was on the committee to volunteers people who wanted to come to to help and of course we have introduced people Bradas 198 broadcas was also my commun so we stop here if there are some question [Music] forair ask question question Rel to thef do question so this time we invite you to ask question thank you don't has a question thank you so much uh my name is Morris W and I report for thank you so much Madam cheer for deliberation according to you you were just the head and by name and I want to appreciate you for your work towards thater but um I have two questions one of them is uh during your presentation we talk about some of the challenges that you face uh I want to know who to blame for what we what we observe on that particular day and my second question is uh you were one of those who were passionately making sure that President you have a good or colorful inauguration where these conent or observation may present ambassador to say oh Mr President these are some of the challenges freezing how can we work thank you who who's to blame hey the bug stops with me do apologize and um and I'm sure it won't happen again and what was the second question oh when I ever to president like I know is when you are doing a birthday party for a loved one surprise party or whatever but and planning something for somebody you don't normally go running and say what you what you Etc so basically like I said I didn't want to go running uh and and whining to his Excellency he had given me a responsibility and um I I tried to protect him I tried to protect him from what what was going on because basically a lot of things were coming that that like I said not only from the government but his party I didn't wish to pitch him against his party so yeah I tried to exclud them from these things