LEAD Liberia Constitution

Rules and Regulations of LEAD Liberia


PREAMBLE

We, the LEAD Liberia, united under common purpose, hereby dedicate ourselves to the principles of engaging, educating and empowering the people of Liberia—while demanding respect, accountability and transparency from our elected officials across Liberia. Liberians, the time for change has come, and we as Liberians must seize this moment. LEAD Liberia, a non—partisan political group that sends one message to our elected officials across Liberia, which is “Do the right thing” and stop playing politics with our future and the national interest of our beloved country (Liberia). We believe in the power of the people to compel change for the betterment of Liberia thereby forcing our elected officials to listen to the people and to champion the interest of all Liberians, regardless of their socioeconomic class, religious and traditional believes. We believe in grassroots force for change through citizen participation in government. We believe our leaders should abandon the politics of partisan division, personal greed and find creative solutions to promote the common good of Liberia, so help us God.


The “LEAD Liberia” will be independent and strictly non-party in our approach because we believe that there has been policy failure in relation to public services over a period of years under all governments, and we want to persuade all parties that there is a better way. Our non-party approach is reflected in our organization general policies, which states “this political group shall be a non—partisan political group that sends one message to our elected officials across Liberia, which is “Do the right thing” and stop playing politics with our future and the national interest of our beloved country (Liberia). LEAD Liberia’s volunteers, community organizers, advisors, team members and staff must not use the name of LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia to create any local or national political party in Liberia and/or outside of Liberia. LEAD Liberia’s volunteers, community organizers, advisors, team members and staff must not use the name of LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia to bash anyone political parties in Liberia and/or outside of Liberia”.


However, LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia shall shine a light on our elected officials and individuals within various political parties of Liberia who do not support the goal of engaging, educating and empowering the people of Liberia. LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia shall shine a light on our elected officials and individuals within various political parties of Liberia who do not support the goal of respect, transparency and accountability in government. LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia shall shine a light on government spending; the justice system, Capitol Hill and the Executive Mansion so that all Liberians would be empower to be a watchdog and a whistle blower. The LEAD Organizing For Liberia and/or LEAD Liberia shall support political candidate (s) that shared LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia goal and vision for Liberia; shall issue endorsements, political campaigns, or boycotts any activity that does not support LEAD Liberia goal and vision for Liberia. This non—partisan political group shall by no means be turned into a partisan political group or political party in Liberia and/or outside of Liberia, so help us God.


The LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia, a group of inclusion and one that respects differences of perspective and belief. When we disagree, we will work together for the common good and to move our beloved country in the right direction. This is the Liberia we dream off—we should not only say we love Liberia but we should show it in everything we do–by our deeds, our priorities, and the commitments we keep.


Discrimination Statement: LEAD Liberia does not discriminate, nor do we support programs that discriminate against people on the basis of gender, race, religious, tribes, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or age.


LEAD Liberia Political Ideology: At LEAD Liberia, we believe in the role of the government to fight poverty, both by means of welfare programs, and economic regulation. We believe in empowering ordinary people because when the people are empowered they become the backbone that builds the country. We believe in the education and family values because they are the core values of development, which leads to security, peace and prosperity for all. We believe in small government thereby limiting monetary waste and eliminating fraud and corruption through government over-sized programs.


LEAD Liberia Economic Ideology: At LEAD Liberia, our goal is to forge an environment that doesn't favor the rich and wealthy people through laws that ensure that workers get sufficiently paid instead of a few directors and/or executives getting paid more than the whole workforce thereby creating an industry that works for the people and not the people for the industry. We believe everyone should have the same chances and opportunities through incentives for ambition, while managing and constricting greed and exploitation that may lead to the masses being dependent on the few who control 90% of everything. We believe giving back to the community where businesses and/or companies operate help to create an effective market and economic environment that is conducive to living and working.


Our Vision is “A Liberia with 21st Century healthcare system; high standards in school; investment in a 21st Century education; a modern infrastructure and efficient transport system; safe streets, safe drinking water, food production, and a free, dynamic and competitive economy.


The Goal of “LEAD Liberia” is to……..


• Engage, Educate, and Empower the people of Liberia


• Demand respect, accountability and transparency from our elected officials across Liberia.


• Build grassroots force for change through citizen participation in government across Liberia.


Membership


Membership of LEAD Liberia is opened to well meaning Liberians living in Liberia and in the Diaspora. Membership will be by invitation, appointment and/or nomination of qualified, committed and experienced Liberians across Liberia.


Please note that it is a deliberate policy of LEAD Liberia no single member and/or representative speaks against any one political party in Liberia, thereby reinforcing the credibility / independence for non-party approach of LEAD Organizing For Liberia. Meetings will be held across Liberia. They will be responsible for news releases/articles, presenting research on particular topic, presenting depth of analysis on a particular topic in the shortest time possible, write papers and proffer credible solutions to the country’s myriad of socio-economic and political problems through a non-party approach. Members shall be appointed or elected every four years, except for the five-member executive organizing team whom shall be appointed or elected every three years by the entire LEAD Liberia, and all members may be reelected or reappointed, including the five-member executive organizing team. Members shall communicate via emails, letters, phones, meetings, and/or the internet at least once each month and from time to time, shall make recommendations for the effective operation of LEAD Liberia special projects. The emails exchange meeting and/or the internet communication shall be called by the chief community organizer, counties coordinator and/or the assistant chief community organizer, by the five-member executive organizing team of LEAD Liberia, or by email or letter requests of no fewer than one-fourth of the entire membership of LEAD Liberia. The optimum number of the executive organizing team will be five (5); however, this number may be increased by the majority votes of the “LEAD Liberia entire Membership.”


Members' Responsibilities


Members will be expected to participate in all meetings and/or events whenever possible. Any member of LEAD Liberia who misses three consecutive meetings and/or events of LEAD Liberia had failed to meet the minimum level of attendance and is deemed to have resigned from LEAD Liberia. Any member of LEAD Liberia who fails to discharge his/her duty within the shortest time possible given by the five-member executive organizing team had failed to meet the minimum level of attendance and is deemed to have resigned from LEAD Liberia.


Members will also be required to appoint a suitable 'deputy' in the event that they are not available for any meetings and/or events of LEAD Liberia. It is their responsibility to participate in meetings and/or events of LEAD Liberia, if they cannot participate in order to maintain the representative odd-number of members and the high quality of non-party input. They are responsible for news releases/articles, fashioning out an agenda for LEAD Organizing For Liberia, presenting research on particular issue, presenting depth of analysis on a particular issue in the shortest time possible, writing papers and proffer credible solutions to the country’s myriad of socio-economic and political problems through a non-party approach.


All references by spokespeople to the work of LEAD Liberia should be made "on behalf of the LEAD Liberia. Members will also be expected to make available to LEAD Liberia any useful data to which they have access and more particularly which reflects the discipline and specialist skill/knowledge set for which they have been invited to LEAD Liberia.


Executive Organizing Team


At least 10 days after the meetings of LEAD Liberia and the appointment and nomination of new members, the LEAD Liberia membership at the time shall choose a governing board (called Executive Organizing Team) and appoint the members of the Executive Organizing Team to serve as an oversight body of LEAD Liberia. The appointed members of the governing board will serve as an oversight and advisory body to be known as the “Executive Organizing Team." The Executive Organizing Team shall be composed of five members, two of which shall be the opposite sex of the Chief Community Organizer. The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall include the Chief Community Organizer; the Counties Coordinator of LEAD Liberia and the Assistant Chief Community Organizer and additional two members chosen by majority votes of the entire membership. The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall be persons who have completed college and/or in graduate school and have demonstrated an interest in the social economic development of Liberia. All LEAD Liberia Community Organizers shall be persons who have completed high school, college and/or in graduate school.

The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall be appointed or elected every three years by the entire LEAD Liberia membership, and may be reelected or reappointed. The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall serve for terms of 2 years. The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall communicate via emails, letter, meeting and/or the internet at least once each month and from time to time, shall make recommendations for the effective operation of LEAD special projects. The emails exchange, meeting and/or the internet communication shall be called by the Chief Community Organizer, Counties Coordinator of LEAD Liberia and/or the Assistant Chief Community Organizer, by the five-member Executive Organizing Team or LEAD Liberia, or by email and/or letter requests of no fewer than one-fourth of the entire membership of LEAD Liberia.

The five-member Executive Organizing Team shall continuously review particular issues and bring to the attention of the entire membership any significant changes, topics, objections, and suggestions needed for the effective operation of LEAD Liberia. Unauthorized uses of LEAD Liberia intellectual property and/or its outputs shall be reported by any members of LEAD Liberia, to the five-member Executive Organizing Team for referred to the entire membership of LEAD Liberia. The membership of LEAD Liberia shall review the findings of the five-member Executive Organizing Team and take appropriate administrative or judicial action to ensure compliance with this constitution.


Outputs


LEAD Liberia will issue regular news releases/articles (via LEAD Liberia Chief Community Organizer; Counties Coordinator of LEAD Liberia and/or the Assistant Chief Community Organizer) and write papers addressing specific issues affecting the Liberian’s people at all levels such as achieving the highest standards of effective governance in a rapidly changing socio-economic environment. The cardinal objective is to provide a broad framework of how our elected officials could engage, educate and empower the people in the public and private sectors, improve service delivery and make policy formulation and implementation coherent.


An initial news release/article will summarize the general conclusions of LEAD Liberia with individual quotes as necessary. In particular it will issue last quarter/next quarter position statements on the state of the nation economy, social economic development and the standard of living for ordinary Liberians; write article/paper' which will follow a week or so later driving down in more depth of analysis into any of the key issues or specific topics debated.

Funding LEAD Liberia


• No funding is needed; however, if the members decide to raise fund and/or seek sponsors for events and publishing of articles in news paper across Liberia than such should be considered in a non-party approach.


• This is an important step in the evolution of empowerment because it is a framework based on the principles of citizens’ participation and sustainability in their government, regardless where they are living, empowerment and unity.


• It is the framework needed to help all Liberians living in Liberia and abroad to remain active and productive members of their government.


• This is a common sense approach to empowering ordinary people with the tools they need to make the difference in their country while saving money on travel expenses.


• It is a cost effective way to bring a diverse group of scholars together in one place, so they could interact via internet communication and local meetings for the purpose of coming together to provide a blueprint for engaging, educating and empowering the people of Liberia and to provide sustainable development for our beloved country.


Copyright - All the intellectual property within LEAD Liberia and/or LEAD Organizing For Liberia and its outputs will be owned by LEAD Liberia. Members shall, of course, retain copyright over their own data which they exchange in emails; meetings, and/or internet conversations but shall allow use of properly credited extracts, as required in outputs.


Public Face

The public face of LEAD Liberia will generally be expressed by news releases/articles and the writing of papers. Media enquiries and interviews will be handled by the LEAD Liberia (Executive Organizing Team). No member may express publicly any views purporting to be on behalf of LEAD Liberia without the permission of LEAD Liberia (Chief Community Organizer; the Counties Coordinator; the Assistant Chief Community Organizer/ the entire membership jointly. Where a LEAD Liberia spokesperson is required by the media or at seminars etc that spokesperson shall be offered by reference to the most appropriate member as determined by LEAD Liberia (Chief Community Organizer; the Counties Coordinator and/or the Assistant Chief Community Organizer. The Executive Organizing Team and the entire membership of LEAD Liberia will refrain from discussing publicly any confidential information learned during the LEAD Iberia emails exchange and/or meetings.


Individual members of LEAD Liberia may, with formal, prior permission of LEAD Liberia (Executive Organizing Team), issue their own news releases/articles disassociating themselves from the majority view, if desired, or ask for their minority views to be represented in news releases/articles. The decision on what shall be or not be in the final outputs shall rest with LEAD Liberia (Executive Organizing Team) membership. Members will be able to identify themselves in their personal outputs as being a member/founder member/former member (as appropriate) of LEAD Liberia.


Philosophy


LEAD Liberia will attempt to think one or two steps ahead of the game, to look at the challenges facing the Liberian’s people and suggest ways in which those challenges may be met. The LEAD Liberia will not be sensationalist for the sake of sensation, nor will it be afraid to speak its collective mind within the shortest possible time. The LEAD Liberia will not aim to ruffle feathers but will not flinch from expressing its democratically-arrived-at opinion and proffer credible solutions to the country’s myriad of socio-economic and political problems. The LEAD Liberia will aim to become the authoritative, credible and most trusted window on what is really happening with the Liberian’s people and the areas where our elected officials must adopt, adapt and survive. The LEAD Liberia will aim to become the first citizen port of call for journalist and commentators interested in the social economic development and empowerment of the Liberian’s people.


Format
The Format for each LEAD Liberia emails exchange and/or meetings is in three-parts:


• The first part is to determine a specified diagnostic measurement of the state of Liberia by reviewing a series of inputs, broadly to capture the 'health' of citizens engagement, empowerment and participation in their government and be able to comment on its performance in the previous years and looking forward to the next year;


• The second part is discussion of a significant issue in Liberia at the time that is affecting the people and proffer credible solutions to the significant issue and the country’s myriad of socio-economic and political problems for social economic development of the people.


• The third part comprises a discussion of a likely upcoming issue or trend that may impact our elected officials over the coming months.


The definition of LEAD Liberia is:


" A non—partisan political group that sends one message to our elected officials across Liberia, which is “Do the right thing” and stop playing politics with our future and the national interest of our beloved country (Liberia). We believe in the power of the people to compel change for the betterment of Liberia thereby forcing our elected officials to listen to the people and to champion the interest of all Liberians, regardless of their socioeconomic class, religious and traditional believes. We believe in grassroots force for change through citizen participation in government. We believe our leaders should abandon the politics of partisan division, personal greed and find creative solutions to promote the common good of Liberia.


RESOLUTION OF ADOPTION


The LEAD Liberia assembled in a Conference on LEAD Organizing For Liberia Committees and Policy pursuant to resolution adopted by the July 15, 2010, LEAD Liberia and the Call to the Conference hereby adopts for the governance of LEAD Liberia Constitution by the rules and regulations enclosed hereto, so help us God.