Deputy Labor Minister Assures Liberia’s Preparedness to Improve Fight Against TIP
Minister Dixon. Deputy Labor Minister for Planning, Attorney Phil T. Dixon says the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), ECOWAS and other international partners have shown great interest in supporting Liberia’s engagement in the fight against trafficking in persons in Liberia.Dixon said that in the last few months, many requests sent to these international organizations have received a greater level of support. He said that this level of support is a vote of confidence in efforts the current administration at the Ministry of Labor is giving to the issues of human trafficking and child labor.Minister Dixon informed participants that the National Focal Point representative and other law enforcement agencies have been invited for a regional training in Lomé, Togo. The training is sponsored by ILO and the ECOWAS Commission in support of the Free Movement and Migration in West Africa Project.Dixon said that because of the importance the Government of Liberia attaches to the fight against trafficking in persons, the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Task force’s regular meeting is now pushed to a level that a number of cabinet ministers are attending.He assured the participants that the country is prepared to take steps towards improving its status in the fight against TIP, child labor and other ills in society and is optimistic of the success of this training as the trainers possess a high level of capacity.Minister Dixon made these assertions on Monday, November 5, at the opening of a four-day Step Down Training for National Trafficking in Persons Focal Points (NFPs) held in Monrovia.The objectives of the training are to Enhance participants’ understanding of the current trends in the areas of TIP, Forced Labor, Child Labor and Labor Migration; share best practices in the elimination of TIP, Forced Labor, and Child Labor; and Sensitize participants on Alliance 8.7 and discuss on how to establish/strengthen its coordination.ILO Country Director, Dennis Zulu, National Prgram Officer, ILO/FMM West Africa Project, Dr. Agatha Kolawole said that Liberia is among four countries in West Africa that were selected to benefit from this Step Down Training of TIP National Focal points.She said that Liberia was selected because of the request sent to the ILO and also that the country has earlier submitted a need for training the Demand Driven Fund of the FMM project. She noted that this training is basically aimed at building the capacity of NFPs in the five thematic areas and also to strengthen coordination in the combat of TIP, Child Labor and Forced Labor at the national level. She noted that these are major gaps in most ECOWAS countries and stressed the need for more coordination in order to achieve these objectives.
Participants posed with Minister Dixon shortly after the opening ceremony.She named the five thematic modules as “Understanding the issues, Preventing Trafficking and Exploitation, Protecting People at Risk, Protecting People in the Workplace and Matters of Process.”She told participants that a blended training program was developed by the project in partnership with the ITC-ILO to enhance NFPs ability to deliver national level training targeting multiple stakeholders in the ECOWAS region. The blended training consists of an online course and a face to face workshop.Dr. Kolawole said that the blended training program was developed to enhance NFPs ability to deliver national level training targeting multiple stakeholders in the ECOWAS region. The blended training consists of an online course and a face to face workshop. The trained NFPs were expected to step down the training to their counterparts at the National levelThe workshop will also sensitize stakeholders on achieving SDG 8.7 relating to Force Labor, Child Labor and Trafficking. SDG 8.7 seeks to “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its worst forms,” and create a safe and healthy workplace for the next generation (s).In view of this, the workshop will sensitize participants on their role in achieving target 8.7 through Alliance 8.7. This is in a bid to promote a more coordinated and pro-active intervention to accelerate the elimination of TIP, child labor and force labor at the country level. The workshop will provide a forum to discuss operation of Alliance 8.7 at the country level and to provide concrete recommendations on the way forward.The training is being attended by members of the Anti-Human Trafficking Task force, law enforcement officers, civil society organizations (CSOs) and other partners in the fight against human trafficking, child labor and forced labor in Liberia.The workshop is implemented by the ILO and sponsored by the European Union in collaboration with ECOWAS within the framework of the Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa Project.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin will now be responsible for the Tourism industry, following the A Partnership for National Unit/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) government’s decision to relieve Minister ofPublic Telecommunications Minister Cathy HughesMinister of Business who will now add Tourism to his portfolio, Dominic GaskinPublic Telecommunications Cathy Hughes of these duties.In a move to focus more on Public Telecommunications, Minister Hughes who serves as Minister of Public Telecommunications and Tourism, will now relinquish her responsibly of the tourism sector.This newspaper understands that the rationale behind this move is based on the need for a greater focus on Public Telecommunications, even after Minister Hughes has managed both sectors effectively.Minister Hughes had amassed a vast knowledge of the Telecommunications sector having graduated from University of the West Indies, with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Mass Communications in addition to her 20 years of on-field knowledge.Minister Hughes will serve as Minister of Tourism until end of June, as Gaskin, the son-in-law of President David Granger, will take over effective July 1, 2016. Hughes has also previously served as Director of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG).The responsibility of Public Telecommunications was moved from Ministry of Public Infrastructure in January, to the Ministry of Tourism.
Work came to a halt on the construction of the new Browns Socialhouse in Fort St. John after the roof collapsed Wednesday.The building is located at 98A Street and 100 Avenue and was being built by Hegge Construction Ltd., who are based out of Dawson Creek.A representative from WorkSafe BC told Energeticcity.ca that no one was injured in the incident and that they had officers on site Wednesday to take a better look at the cause of the incident. The officers are currently in the process of completing an inspection report that will be made available within the next week. – Advertisement -Energeticcity.ca contacted Hegge Construction Ltd. for a comment but no one is available to speak about the incident at this time.
· 15 people were arrested and charged with impaired driving· 13 people were issued 72 hr immediate roadside suspensions· 2 people were screened for possible drug impaired driving· 15 provincial violation tickets were issuedAdvertisement GRANDE PRAIRIE, A.B. – Over the weekend, the Grande Prairie RCMP Traffic Unit conducted an impaired driving initiative with representatives from MADD.During August 9 to the 11, RCMP utilized the Mobile Breath Test Unit and conducted multiple checkstops throughout the city.During the three day initiative, RCMP say 1,418 drivers were checked and provided roadside breath samples in accordance with Mandatory Alcohol Screening laws.- Advertisement -Grande Prairie RCMP consider this initiative to be highly successful, as numerous impaired drivers were removed from city streets.The RCMP say they will continue to monitor the roads and are committed to keeping the roads safe for everyone.Here are the weekend’s numbers:Advertisement · 3 other Criminal Code Investigations were conducted, 1 resulting in multiple firearms related charges
1 The agent of Liverpool target Ezequiel Lavezzi has revealed it is not set in stone that his client will join Napoli.The Argentine has been heavily linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain since the summer, with Liverpool expressing a strong interest.However, the 29-year-old hinted at a return to Napoli earlier this week after admitting he’d love to team up with fellow Argentine Gonzalo Higuain.But while the winger may have said that, his agent Alejandro Mazzoni has looked to play down the significance of such reports.“Lavezzi has said nothing new,” Mazzoni told Radio Kiss Kiss.“He always said that if he had the opportunity to return to Italy, Napoli would be his first choice. But we must see if Napoli are interested or not.“I also want to make it clear that we are not trying to get him to leave PSG at all costs.“Lavezzi has expressed his thoughts, he likes Italy and especially Napoli, and if he returns to Italy, the city where he spent several years would obviously be his priority.?? But that does not depend just on him.“Much depends on the will of [Napoli] president [Aurelio] De Laurentiis. Lavezzi is a professional and in football, weddings always need two participants.” Ezequiel Lavezzi 
1 Manchester United summer signing Sergio Romero wants fellow goalkeeper David de Gea to stay at Old Trafford this season, as speculation over a move to Real Madrid drags on.Argentine Romero took the Spanish glovesman’s starting spot for the third time this season on Tuesday night as the Red Devils beat Club Brugge 3-1 in their Champions League play-off first leg at home.Louis van Gaal has decided to bench De Gea as the United manager feels the Spaniard cannot focus properly due to Real’s interest.The ten-time European champions are determined to sign the 24-year-old goalkeeper before the transfer window shuts on September 1, but Romero hopes the club’s number one stays, despite that putting his own place in the team in jeopardy.“The truth is that I have no idea [if he will leave], but for me I hope that De Gea stays here because he’s a good team-mate who always works hard and that is best for the group,” the Argentinian goalkeeper said.Having conceded defeat in their bid to persuade Madrid to give them Sergio Ramos in return for De Gea, the Red Devils are not holding out for a fee of over £35million for the goalkeeper.The situation De Gea finds himself in is far from ideal, Romero admits.“It is a difficult situation for him but when one is a great professional like he is and when one has a good head like his you keep training to get better day by day because you never know, he could play this weekend,” said the free signing, who was released by Sampdoria earlier this summer.“He is a great team-mate, a great professional, a great person. It happened to me last year in Sampdoria. I was not playing but I was working as if I was going to play.” Manchester United goalkeepers Sergio Romero and David de Gea 
Tottenham’s excellent start to the season has begun to stall in recent weeks as draws with Chelsea and West Brom were followed by a defeat to Newcastle.The humbling defeat leaves Spurs four points off fourth place Manchester United, despite their good form, so the time may have come for another injection of youth and exuberance to their burgeoning squad.It’s unlikely we’ll see Mauricio Pochettino linked with any top superstars in the January transfer windows as he seeks more under-the-radar players to bolster his ranks.But who will the Argentine target? talkSPORT takes a look at the most recent news.Click the right arrow above to find out the latest Tottenham transfer news… Moussa Dembele (Fulham) – Now this could get confusing. Not content with Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele, it now seems they are keen on signing French starlet Moussa Dembele from Fulham. The teen striker has hit 10 goals in 21 games for the Cottagers and is being coveted, according to reports, by Manchester United and Napoli, but Spurs are ready to muscle into the transfer tussle too. 5 As the transfer window nears, talkSPORT takes a look at the rumours doing the rounds, starting with Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi – Click the right arrow for more… – The Daily Mail believes Spurs are stepping up their bid for the Belgian international as they look to bolster their striker options. Tottenhams attempts to make the top four could hinge on their goal-getting and any injury to Harry Kane could set them back. Its reported Mauricio Pochettinos scouts are keeping tabs on the forward, who has netted 11 goals in 18 games this season. 5 5 Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) – Find out which Premier League star Spurs could sign, next… – The talented English teen rejected a Premier League move in the summer as Leicester City and Bournemouth made advances. Now, though, its Southampton, Liverpool and Spurs who have designs on the youngster, the Blues will have to fend off in January. Tottenham could tempt them with a deal similar to the one which took Dele Alli to White Hart Lane and would see Gray spend the rest of the season back on loan at St Andrews. The players £3.75m release clause will also make him desired in the next window. 5 Karol Linetty (Lech Poznan) – See which Championship striker is being targeted by Spurs, amongst others… – According to Polish broadcaster Polsat Sport, both Tottenham and Arsenal are running the rule over international midfielder Linetty. The 20-year-old has earned seven caps so far and now has several Italian clubs on his trail too. Tricky but also willing to get stuck in, Linetty is one for the future. 5 Ayoze Perez (Newcastle United) – Click the right arrow to see who Spurs and Arsenal are keeping tabs on – The young Spaniard already loves scoring at White Hart Lane, having scored there two seasons in a row. Hes a hard-working forward who could do a job as either a replacement for Harry Kane, should the Englishman get injured, or as his foil. Spurs interest has been sustained but according to reports they will have to challenge Manchester United for the 22-year-olds signature. 
PALMDALE – Lancaster and Palmdale home prices continued to climb in August as California home sales hit their second-strongest August figure in more than 25 years. Palmdale’s median price for both new and resale homes hit $330,000, up from $325,000 in July and 26.9 percent ahead of a year earlier, according to statistics released by the California Association of Realtors. Lancaster’s median price hit $297,000, up from $291,750 in July and 25.8 percent ahead of a year earlier. “Since more buyers are relying on adjustable-rate mortgages to finance the purchase of their homes, buyers may be moving more quickly to make the home purchase decision in anticipation of future rate increases,” California Association of Realtors President Jim Hamilton said. “This is adding more pressure to the price of a home.” Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled 632,240 in August at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, according to information collected by the association. That’s up 7 percent from the 591,150 sales pace recorded in August 2004. Antelope Valley home prices have nearly quadrupled in the past six years, after bottoming out in 1999 at the end of the deep 1990s home-buying slump. In December 1999, the median price was $75,000 in Lancaster and $84,000 in Palmdale. Statewide, the 10 cities and communities with the highest median home prices in California during August 2005 were: Laguna Beach, $1,550,000; Los Altos, $1,515,250; Manhattan Beach, $1,464,500; Burlingame, $1,450,000; Palos Verdes Estates, $1,415,000; Calabasas, $1,351,500; Saratoga, $1,307,500; Newport Beach, $1,296,250; Mill Valley, $1,257,500; Rancho Palos Verdes, $1,201,500. Statewide, the 10 cities and communities with the greatest median home price increases in August 2005 compared with the same period a year ago were: Sanger, 76 percent; West Sacramento, 67 percent; Twentynine Palms, 63 percent; San Bruno, 60 percent; Culver City, 49 percent; San Bernardino, 49 percent; California City, 48 percent; Merced, 47 percent; Visalia, 46 percent; Montebello, 45 percent. 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREThe top 10 theme park moments of 2019 The median price of an existing, single-family detached home in California during August 2005 was $568,890, a 20.1 percent increase over the revised $473,520 median for August 2004, the association. The August 2005 median price increased 5.2 percent compared with July’s $540,900 median price. Other local price gains over the previous 12 months included 48 percent in California City to $185,000, making it seventh on the list of California communities with the fastest price increases. Prices were up 23.8 percent in Rosamond, to $260,000, though that was below the $270,000 record set in July. Prices were up 27.9 in Tehachapi to $280,000. In Santa Clarita, the median price was up 31.5 percent, to $539,000, but down from the $559,000 median recorded in July. 
The measure is already in force in many other European countries. In the United States, more than a dozen states recognize some form of domestic partnerships or civil unions, but 11 states voted in November to ban gay marriage. The Rev. Ian Brown of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, a protest leader, said most people in Northern Ireland opposed what he called “sodomite propaganda” and homosexuals’ “perverse lifestyle.” Such views are more widely held in Northern Ireland than in other parts of the United Kingdom. Here, Roman Catholics and Protestants sometimes overcome their political hostility to protest jointly on traditional family issues. Outside, the crowd of gay rights activists grew to outnumber their evangelical opponents. A gay-rights clown walked about on stilts, while two others donned Hitler-style mustaches and waved satirical placards that read, “Earth is flat” and “Bring back slavery.” 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORERose Parade grand marshal Rita Moreno talks New Year’s Day outfit and ‘West Side Story’ remake “This is about making a choice to have our civil rights acknowledged and respected and protected as any human being,” said Sickels, 27, who met her 32-year-old partner in New York four years ago. Their ceremony featured such songs as Dolly Parton’s “Touch Your Woman.” More than 700 such marriage-style ceremonies will be repeated today and Wednesday in registry offices across other regions of the United Kingdom – including Elton John and his longtime partner – but almost certainly without Belfast’s exceptional brand of conservatism on display. Homosexuality itself was outlawed here until 1982, decades after neighboring Britain. “You need to repent, love,” one of the protesters, the Rev. James Dawson, called out to Brenda Murphy, one of the guests at the first civil partnership ceremony. “This is a travesty, and you’re an abomination before God. God bless you – but first you have to repent of your sins.” “You would be so lucky to have this lady, love,” Murphy retorted, holding hands with her partner. “I’ll see you at the gates of heaven, mate.” BELFAST, Northern Ireland – The two women strode into City Hall with outsized pink corsages pinned to their black-and-white tailored suits, ignoring the chants of anti-homosexual protesters outside. The two – Grainne Close, a Northern Ireland social worker, and Shannon Sickels, a New York playwright – emerged from the building after a 30-minute ceremony, smiling and proudly displaying their matching diamond-and-platinum rings. Close and Sickels were among the United Kingdom’s first three same-sex unions Monday, when a new British law granting legal status to gay and lesbian couples came into force here first. As Close and Sickels left, scores of family, friends and gay rights activists tossed flowers and rainbow-colored ribbons in their path. 
Click HERE if you’re unable to view the gallery or video on your mobile device. Join us to get in-game insights and analysis Sunday when former Raiders star Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears face the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium starting at 1:05 p.m.The improved 49ers (4-10) take a two-game winning streak into Sunday’s game as they look to pull an upset of the new NFC North division champion Bears. San Francisco quarterback Nick Mullens continued his strong play a week ago in a 26-23 …