Following the long-awaited passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) last Thursday by the House of Senate of the National Legislature, a former President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has welcome the hilarious decision, terming it as a calculated move to empowering the Liberian media at pursing investigative and interpretative reporting throughout the country.

Mr. Sam Van Kesselly, Sr. who has been inactive over the last 15 years, due to what he terms "compulsory leave" to recover from exhaustion suffered out of tireless efforts at helping restore peace, stability and democracy to Liberia, is of the conviction that in keeping with rules and procedures of the Honorable National Legislature, passage by the Upper House of the Act is supposed to mean full concurrence of the Lower House, where it pyramidically ought to evolve.

He has also commended the leadership of the PUL, Civil Society Organizations, the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) and all professional journalists who contributed to the process, hoping that passage of the Act would now buttress that of the Whistle Blowers' Act in cleaning society of filths.

Mr. Kesselly indicated that as a result of the latest victory by the Liberian people and not only the Liberian media, all practicing journalists in the country would now see reason in updating their memberships with the PUL, moreso with a technical examination due in 2011.

He has meanwhile promised to take the lead in the process, although a President-Emeritus of the Union who has truly not been gainfully employed over the years but must continuously lend support its efforts in redirecting the course of society for the better.