President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by proclamation declared Sunday, “November 29, 2009, as the 114th birth anniversary of President William V.S Tubman and is to be observed throughout the Republic of Liberia as a National Holiday.”

Since November 29 falls on Sunday; according to the proclamation, the day will be celebrated on Monday, November 30, 2009, with appropriate programs befitting the occasion.

 The day is in recognition of President Tubman‘s able leadership and achievements during his administration, which lasted for twenty-seven years.

  The Liberian leader has ordered and directed that all government offices, business houses, and market places be closed on that day from 6am to 6pm.

  The proclamation is in consonance with an Act passed by the third session of the 42nd Legislature declaring each 29th day of November as the birth anniversary of the Eighteenth President of Liberia as a National Holiday.

  With this holiday pronouncement by the President, it brings together four the number of holidays observed in November.   

  The first was November 3, 2009 (first Thursday in November) as Thanksgiving day, two holidays was observed for the Montserrado County By-elections on November 10th  and the 24th , 2009.

“In recent times, it has being noticed that people are not observing national holidays, Jonathan Gibson, an elderly man explained,  “the recent was  the November 24, 2009, holiday for the by-election, when voters boycotted the polls; but they were instill seen in market places and entertainment centers.

Observers believed that the many holidays leading to the Christmas Holiday has disrupted business activities and has caused a lot of loses to revenue generation.

  President William V.S. Tubman was the longest serving President of Liberia. He is widely remembered for his “Open Door Policy” which was intended to open up the Liberian economy.

 However, a monument was built in honor of the late President on the campus of the University of Liberia, in remembrance of the Liquidation of the 1926 loan. The monument was shot down; head cut off and lays in ruin.

 Efforts by authorities of the University of Liberia and Maryland County Senior Senator John Ballout to secure the missing head has not been successful. Author’s contact: 3216270297; email: perryroland@rocketmail.com.