The Interim National Executive President of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Dr.
Mator M. F. Kpangbai, extends profound sentiment of felicitation to all Liberians and friends of Liberia for their support
and solidarity demonstrated during the homegoing of the victims of the Philadelphia fire tragedy.
In
a joint Interim National Administration and Board meeting a forthnight ago, Dr. Kpangbai extended personal thanks to Hon.
Jessie S. Phillips, ULAA External Affairs Committee Chairman, for the outstanding leadership he demonstrated while in representing
the Interim National Administration and coordinating its activities with the fire victim families.
The
ULAA Chief Executive, Dr. Kpangbai, over the weekend led a high-powered 9-man ULAA delegation to the funeral activities in
Philadelphia. The delegation included-- Hon. Benoni Tarr Grimes, Interim National Executive Vice President, Madam Celia Cuffy-Brown,
Interim National General Secretary, Hon. Jessie S. Phillips, ULAA External Affairs Committee Chairman, and Hon. Joe Norris
of the Rhode Island Assembly.
Also on the delegation were National Board of Directors Chairman, James
Nan Larsah, Jr., Board First Vice Chairman Walters James Weah, Board Member Alice K. Jackson, and Board Member and Board Chief
Negotiator Adolphus Benjamin Jacobs.
In his preliminary report, Hon. Phillips indicated that, in addition
to appeals from the Interim National Administration for ULAA-member chapters to individually and collectively raised funds
and make donation to the cause of the fire victims, the Interim National Administration has led by example by raising funds
independent of those from the chapters and directly donating same to the Liberian Association of Pennsylvania (LAP). He reported
that a check for the amount of $1,000.00 was presented to the Shiwoh Kamara administration by a ULAA Interim National Administration
delegation headed by Interim National Executive Vice President Benoni Tarr Grimes.
It can be recalled
that within hours of the fire incident, Dr. Kpangbai appointed Hon. Jessie Phillips of Connecticut to coordinate all ULAA
Administration’s activities related to contributing to the plight of the fire tragedy.
President Kpangbai recently recalled: “Upon the appointment of Hon. Phillips,
he immediately traveled to Philadelphia that morning at the head of a 4-man ULAA delegation. The team visited the site of
the fire and attended the first mass church service on the same day”.
For his part, Board Chairman
Larsah commended the Interim National Administration for living up to its commitment to exercise exemplary and visionary leadership
in matters relative to the needs of Liberians across the Diaspora.
Chairman Larsah: “Those who
claim to be leaders of ULAA must not delight only in praising chapters for contribution, and thereby potentially misrepresenting
the contributions of other chapters, but that the self-proclaimed ULAA leaders themselves must also be able to show their
independent and direct contribution.
Hon. Larsah who recently underlined that “Lead by example”
is the slogan of the day, has also frowned on self-proclaimed ULAA personalities, who he said have engaged in acts that could
further politicized LAP’s reporting on funds collected for the victims, adding “LAP is capable of making a professional
report and that no individual or group of individuals should allow politics to determine the role and contributions of others”.
Meanwhile, ULAA Interim National Executive President, Dr. Kpangbai, has expressed thanks to the various ULAA Chapters
and individual members for their support to the fire victims.
Editor’s Note: This ULAA Press Release is an advertiser supplement. | 
