Source: allafrica.com
The Liberian Cabinet is working twenty-four around the clock to make sure that development, as it is unfolding at a full-scale level, remains its foremost focus far beyond 2011.
By this time, the Cabinet, which is supporting progress being made on two of the most significant issues for the future development of Liberia beyond 2011 including local Governance, Decentralization and the development of a new national Vision, is not leaving any stone unturned.
A statement issued yesterday quoted the cabinet as saying that it has taken series of decisions, among them is the first choice to endorse the working plans of the Governance Commission to introduce major reforms that will decentralize the Government by moving more political power out of Monrovia into the hands of local communities within the 15 political sub-divisions.
The decision, taken during its regular meeting in the Cabinet Room at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 27, is an example of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s strong commitment to local governance and decentralization as the means of bringing rapid development to the country and empowering Liberians, according to Dr. Momo Rogers, Director General of the Cabinet.
Dr. Rogers said the President reminded the Cabinet that the constitutional principle that guides her Administration is that “all power is in the hands of the Liberian people.”
The Cabinet told the Governance Commission, chaired by Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, that although the implementation of its mandate is a long-term work and in its early stages, the Government is committed to working closely with the commission to analyze issues and options that will move things forward in achieving the ultimate goal of the decentralization exercise.
In the second decision, the Cabinet endorsed the development of a new national vision for Liberia, tentatively and named it “Liberia Rising 2030,” which is to replace the present “Lift Liberia” theme associated with the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) that has driven the efforts of the Government, but is scheduled to end in June 2011.
Planning and Economic Affairs Minister Amara Konneh, who designed the National Visioning plan in collaboration with the Governance Commission, said Liberia Rising 2030 will build on the successful completion of lift Liberia and defined the vision for what Liberia should be in 2030.
In his presentation, Minister Konneh noted that Liberia Rising is underpinned by the drive for national unity, and Liberians from all over the country and all walks of life will be engaged and listened to in the development of the vision.
Minister Konneh also emphasized that Liberia Rising 2030 will set challenging but achievable targets for the Government to deliver on, with the focus on making Liberia a middle income country by the year 2030.
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Everyone is a genius
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein
Drawing the line in Liberia
Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause
They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
If Liberia must move forward ...
If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's greatest problem!
While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah
What do I think should be done?
The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Solving problems in the absence of war talks
As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah