Thursday, December 2, 2010

Liberia Retires Karpeh, Kparghai, Hansford, Johnson from Foreign Service

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RL

Source: FPA

RETIREMENT DAY: Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Levi Demmah congratulates Ambassador-at-Large Carlton Carpeh. Demmah expressed gratitude and praised the retirees for their long and distinguished services rendered the Liberian Government and People which will forever be remembered.

Monrovia - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has honorably retired four of its senior employees following long years of distinguished and dutiful public service rendered the Government and People of Liberia.


According to a Foreign Ministry release, the honorees were retired and presented retirement packages by the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Finance and Civil Service Agency (CSA), in line with its regulations. Those retired include Senior Ambassador-At-Large, Ambassador Carlton Karpeh; Ambassadors-At-Large, J. Charles Hansford and Trohoe Kparghai; and Inspector-General, Francis B.S. Johnson.


Speaking during the brief ceremony recently, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Levi Demmah expressed gratitude and praised the retirees for their long and distinguished services rendered the Liberian Government and People which will forever be remembered.

Retirees, Karpeh, right, Acting Minister Demmah, Chief of Protocol Eddie Dunn, left and Ambassador Hansford.

The Acting Foreign Minister further disclosed that an official honoring and investiture program is being organized shortly in which the President of Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will be in attendance.

In a special tribute before presenting the retirement packages on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and his Agency, Civil Service Agency (CSA), Principal Director, Alfred Drosaye pointed out that Government had deemed it necessary to provide the distinguished honorees a “special gesture” under the CSA Pension Law for their long years of invaluable services to the Government and People of Liberia.

Acting Foreign Minister Demmah reminded the retirees that their social security benefits are being processed by the Liberian Government through the National Social Security & Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).

Responding on behalf of his three colleagues, Senior Ambassador-At-Large Carlton Karpeh reminded Liberians that the aim of engaging in public service is not to prolong one’s presence in service; rather it must be a duty, privilege and pleasurable opportunity to serve his country. He cautioned the younger ones to emulate the examples of the older ones and perform their duty with diligence so that when they retire they can pass on the virtue.

Ambassador Karpeh expressed thanks to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her leadership role and noted that Liberia was truly on the road to economic recovery. The outgoing Senior Ambassador-At-Large lauded Government for the honor and promised to be available whenever he’s called upon.

Earlier in brief remarks, the Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia, Ambassador Edward Dunn termed the day a great day. He stressed that when one enters an institution at an early age, serve well, serve honestly and diligently and at the end is retired honorably, it must be considered a great day and a step in the right direction for others to follow. He commended the honorees for being a great help. He reminded them that from time to time they will be called upon for advice and guidance.

The Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Service Institute, Dr. Augustine Konneh, for his part, thanked the Ministry for recognizing the efforts and contributions the retirees made while serving as Ambassadors for Liberia. He thanked them for their exemplary service. Dr. Konneh hoped that the honorees continue to be a resource reservoir for the Foreign Ministry and expressed confidence that they will provide their expertise whenever called upon.

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Inside Liberia with Bernard Gbayee Goah

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.

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.
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

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

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

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