MONROVIA — Czar M. Palay, Youth Chair of the Movement for Democratic Reconstruction (MDR) and a senior official at the Ministry of Labour, has been fired following a public fallout with Vice President Jeremiah Koung at the state funeral of Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
The Ministry of Labour, through Acting Human Resource Director Mohfel G. Dekpah, confirmed the dismissal in a formal communication, citing administrative reasons without providing further details.
The termination letter, dated January 23, 2025, and signed by Minister of Labour Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., stated that Palay’s contract would not be extended. It added, “Should the need arise for your services in the future, we shall not hesitate to reach out to you.” As part of the process, Mr. Palay has been instructed to return all Ministry property in his possession to the Acting Human Resource Director.
According to party insiders, Palay’s dismissal was reportedly linked to remarks he made during the state funeral of Senator Prince Y. Johnson, which some viewed as inappropriate and contrary to the MDR’s values. His comments were particularly controversial because they appeared to challenge Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung, who is also a key figure in the party.
At the funeral ceremony, the MDR Youth Chairperson frowned at Vice President Jeremiah Koung over his statement against the young people of the party to desist from chanting battle cries, a comment which the MDR Youth Chairperson said that it was an affront to the youth of the party who voted for him.
In response to the backlash, Palay issued a public apology on social media, expressing regret for his comments and apologizing to Vice President Koung and the affected families for any offense caused.
The termination letter was distributed to key Ministry officials, including Deputy Minister for Administration Othello P. Mansor, and relevant departments such as Internal Audit, CSA, and Finance.
Meanwhile, the Ministry thanked Palay for his service and wished him well in future endeavors.
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