Gov’t welcomes S/Court ruling
The Government of Liberia has welcomed the recent ruling from the Supreme Court of Liberia, ordering the reopening of the National Chronicle Newspaper, a local independent daily. The authorities shut down the paper about a year ago for its reportage.
Liberia’s Information Minister, Lewis G. Brown, at a regular press briefing Wednesday, 11 August hosted by the ministry, said the Supreme Court did what was right for the public. According to Brown, the decision of the Supreme Court demonstrates and promotes the centrality of the level of free press Liberians enjoy.
He the government did not go to court with The National Chronicle Newspaper, and has no intention of going to court now, saying, “We must all celebrate the changes that are taking place in this country for Supreme Court to rule in your favour; it implies freedom of speech is an added value to every Liberian citizenship in the country”.
He said the highest court of the land has right to order the closure of the paper, but the government did not go that route because it has a duty to protect all citizens. Brown said the fact behind some media institution reporting falsehood is due to weakness in confirming the truth about a particular story or an individual.
“I am pleased that we have a courageous court that can respond to the needs of its people; we have suffered for so long to earn the freedom of speech that was abused by certain individuals, but one abuse to the freedom of speech will not bend our heads to deny it from our citizens”, the government chief spokesman said. By Lewis S. Teh – Editing by Jonathan Browne
