Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Liberia: Villain or Maverick - Sen. Prince Johnson's 'Boycott' Under Spotlight

Source: allAfrica.com

Nimba County's Senior Senator Prince Y. Johnson did not attended ceremonies marking the 163rd Independence Day of Liberia held in his home county, Nimba. He actually boycotted the ceremony to avoid being trapped in a political whirlwind (political conspiracy?) planned by fellow Nimbaians. His conspicuous absence raised eyebrows in many quarters; and if recent reports are any measures, his political ambition for the presidency may be in trouble. But the question analysts are asking is, "Was the boycott a villainous act or the act of a political maverick seeking to steer the nation away from patronage politics?" The Analyst been probing just this question.

Senator Johnson has already been condemned by some Liberians, including close kin and legislative caucus colleagues, for boycotting the 2010 Independence Day celebrations, and he appeared likely to suffer a political backlash in October next year 'for the sin of not flocking with the king and mingling with the Hosanna singers'.

But there are emerging argument in the political horizon that as typical as his 'sins' may appear, the Nimba County senior senator may not be wrong after all – that he may be at the cutting edge of a new political dispensation that will steer Liberians and Liberia away from that which they hated most of past administrations: patronage politics.

Provided though, observers say, he articulates his position well, quits being a lone paranoid wolf seeing treachery in every political act and seeking revenge, and teams up with others in the opposition to keep Liberia's political train from veering off the tracks of politics based on law, peace building, tolerance, and fairness.

This, observers say, take the debate to the events of Nimba 2010 to see the flowchart between Mr. Johnson's boycott and what some see as the administration's 'missteps' or calculated attempts to turn back the clock of time knowingly or inadvertently.

Glance at the Nimba Celebrations

The Sirleaf Administration, which has adopted a rotational celebration of the nation's Natal Day, chose Nimba County for 2010.

Observers are still pondering the wisdom of the celebration rotation, but one pattern they say that is emerging is that the government is using the rotation to prioritize development initiatives, something some say brings back immediate political dividend.

But in the Nimba case, the administration encountered more than it bargained for when it realized that key leaders of the county were clawing at one another's throat in a land feud, atop many other bases for bickering in a land known recently for its militancy.

It took the extra efforts of the Executive Mansion and the dexterity of the committee President Sirleaf set up to get the disputants on board in time for the holding of the Sanniquellie celebrations.

In some cases, according to one commentator on the peace process in Nimba, the key contending issues were simply swept under the carpet to avoid jeopardizing the holding of the celebrations in the county.

Why the administration chose Nimba and why it went extra miles to create the necessary tranquility for the celebrations are questions, observers say, for which no one in the Sirleaf Administration may be willing to provide sincere answers, but they say those unanswered questions may hold political clues to why Senator Prince Johnson's so-called boycotts reverberated so fast and high.

For instance, they say, there was a correlation to be made between the huge concentration of hundreds of government and Chinese bilateral development projects in few towns in Nimba County in just one fiscal term and the President's planned bid for second term, using the county as beachhead.

They said the correlation was basic given that the President made the inspection of projects in the county the most essential aspect of the celebrations such that she took more time showing off her administration's key accomplishments in Nimba and Bong counties than she actually spent on the celebrations in Sanniquellie.

While the claims stand disputed, some insist that showcasing the administration's accomplishments in a county chosen for Natal Day celebration is the most appropriate thing to do under the circumstance since development was the key reasons for the annual celebration rotation.

But critics and keen political observers believe that is the vainest argument to make on behalf of an administration that was elected in 2005 to help Liberia part with its crooked political past where political expediency superseded law and good governance.

In their views, danger lurks from what appeared an innocent national performance of a pragmatic president. They see patronage politics rearing up its ugly head slowly but surely in a menacing way; and along with it, a political campaign kicking off well ahead of official authorization.

That is debatable also, analysts say, but 'being debatable' does not subtract from the reasonableness of the points many are straining to make.

"Rotating the July 26 Celebrations in order to arouse patriotism in the people and to include the people in the solemn act of reflect on the achievements, failures, and hopes of the nation is a good idea. But when it is tied to development prioritizing, then hindsight tells us that it is dangerous," said Anthony R. Peters of Waterside.

According to him, prioritizing development on such radical determination will subordinate service delivery according needs and citizens' entitlement to the political contest of winning the populous counties, especially in election years such as between now and October 2011.

"Once the citizens' entitlements that should come through assessed needs and budgetary allocation becomes a matter of where the administration takes the July 26 celebration, it is only large or populated counties that will benefit," he said.

Sinoh Gweh of Brewerville agreed, arguing that part of the reasons why Liberia's development was sporadic and selective was because Tubman, and Tolbert and Doe after him, chose to distribute the nation's wealth on their political terms rather than one the legal terms of the nation's development needs.

"While some counties benefited from high standard roads, thanks to caucus politics and the president's free hand to decide where and how to use the nation's wealth, access roads in other counties literally disappeared especially when one or two sons of the affected counties were deemed not supporting the president and therefore labeled potential enemies of the state," Gweh recalled.

Whether that explains why while colleges were being constructed and major services were being delivered in Nimba, Bong, and Cape Mount counties, farm-to-market roads in River Gee and Grand Kru counties being were reduced to mere footpaths Gweh could not say, but he said there were more.

He said once the government began tying a solemn national celebration to presidential achievements, it diluted the celebration's significance as a national event of solemnity, reduced it to a political show, and confused the citizens about who was delivering what and on what terms.

"This is patronage politics in which the President is seen as the annual Santa Claus delivering good tidings to the political lackeys who behaved well in the year under review. It does not show that the citizens were benefiting from their tax dollar and from the largesse of the nation's bilateral friends," he said.

Political patronage, he said, was not only dangerous in that it gave the president the leverage to use and apply the nation's wealth to his or her political advantage and to the disadvantage of opponents, but that it also made it impossible for the citizens to distinguish public projects from presidential magnanimity.

"This is why while it is clear that Tubman's failed policy of unbridled economic open door contributed to the nation's underdevelopment because it sanctioned uncontrolled capital flight, old generation Liberians continue to hail him as 'the best president Liberia has ever had'", Gweh, 60, a retired school teacher, said.

Thomas S. Brewer agreed, noting that once the citizens were unable to make the distinction between presidential magnanimity and the dividend of their own tax dollar as appropriated by their political leaders in systematic budgeting, their intelligence was compromised when it came to making wise decisions at the polls.

"But that is not the first thing to occur. It starts with county officials competing for the president's attention for July 26 celebrations by rallying support. Then they pull in the county's legislative caucus, which will commit to closing its eyes on the president's budgetary errors, over-bounds, and corruption. As the caucus works hand-in-hand with the county officials, elders, interest group and tradition leaders, the vile cycle of political intrigue is complete. The doom of the opposition is completely sealed and politics starts do wind down to central rule or call it one-party rule," Brewer said.

He said this was the foundation of the "so say one so say all politics" that produced the informal bloc voting, which in the past put people against people and led to security crackdown or systematic suppression and oppression during the days of President Tubman and beyond.

"This nation cannot allow such politics to come back while pretending that it does not see the forming patterns as the display in Nimba County and other counties before it have shown," he said.

The question that critics could not answer, however, is whether the President and those who planned Nimba 2010 consciously and knowingly decided to mix politics with a solemn national event intended to call Liberians to order and to nationalism, daring the consequences and possible political backlashes. Not even analyst and observers would proffer conjectures.

'So in the wake of this missing link answer, how should Johnson's now infamous boycott of Nimba 2010 and the political backlash that appears to follow it be construed – villainous or maverick?'

Senator Johnson: villain or maverick?'

"Villain!" shouted one Kou, who though claimed to be member of a grassroots UP women's group in Sanniquellie, preferred not to be fully identified 'so PYJ supporters in my family will not get at me'.

Kou, who claimed also to be a teacher in a local public high school, said Senator Johnson's boycott has nothing to do with anything called patronage politics because there was nothing like that during the Sanniquellie celebrations.

"He is just one of those troublemakers who always look for reasons to oppose what is in the interest of the county," she said.

She did not say why the county's senior senator would adopt such practices, knowing that it would work against the interest of the citizens, but she said Mr. Johnson and many like him were always on the other side of progress because of their "selfish political interests".

"They always want things to be about them. Once someone else is in the position of influence, they will not participate. That's why there is nothing worthwhile going on in the county but confusion and blame-shifting," she disclosed.

There was nothing President Sirleaf did or did not do in Nimba County, according to her, that justified the senator's boycott.

"Even if she did anything wrong, does that justify his abandoning his people when the attention of the nation was on them? Wouldn't he have waited for the celebrations to end and then registered his observations?" she wondered.

Kou was not alone in her dismissal of Mr. Johnson's reasons for the boycott. "I just don't understand why this one man must always reject everything," said Sayeh J. Wiah of Gray in Nimba County. "Was he the only politicians there; was he the wisest man to see the wrongs and the rights that others did not see?"

Wiah said that unless the people of Nimba did something to remove people like Prince Johnson from the political realm, Nimba would be at the receiving end of underdevelopment.

But not many see Senator Johnson's boycott from the perspectives of Kou and Wiah.

For some, Johnson was at the cutting edge of a new political dispensation that will steer Liberians and Liberia away from that which they hated most of past administrations: patronage politics.

"Prince Johnson may have been controversial on many instances in the past, but the nation needs to listen to him this time around," said Abraham A. Alliou of Paynesville.

Alliou, who said he was not politically or otherwise connected with Mr. Johnson, said his decision to boycott the Nimba celebration was a natural apolitical response to the sum total of the actions of some leaders of Nimba, the timing of President Sirleaf's project assessment, and her decision to accept a political endorsement during or around the time of the holding of a solemn national occasion.

"Senator Johnson was seeing what the rest of the nation did not see: the political violation of the nation's solemn celebration and the de facto reintroduction of patronage and caucus politics. Unless the nation acts, whole counties will soon begin petitioning President Sirleaf for second term during so-called rotational July 26 celebrations," noted Alliou, who said he did not favor a Prince Johnson presidential bid.

"I do not support the man for president; but even if a devil reports danger, you don't ignore it. President Sirleaf has no business receiving or planning to receive a political endorsement during this celebration. That, plus her extensive assessment and dedication of development projects prior to the day were illegal acts of electioneering and it was this that Mr. Johnson saw," he said.

He said where elders and the legislative caucus of the county connived to turn the celebration into a UP sideshow somebody with presidential ambition, like Senator Johnson, should not be expected to endure such betrayal of the people's trust in the name of county solidarity and so-called patriotism.

"Those who stand ready to condemn the senator must rather watch out for the reemergence of caucus politics and the political redistribution of the nation's wealth. The government must not base the nation's recovery on the President's selective delivery method, lest some counties get more than their share of the tax dollar while others settle into mass poverty for failing or refusing to fall in line," Alliou said.

Alliou wondered what else would be the point of mulitpartyism if one party, using the political feedback system of development completed the establishment of electoral cells in the counties through what UP seemed to have begun.

"What are the chances of the opposition? Nothing, absolutely. We saw that under previous administrations including even the Doe administration, which, like that of Tubman's, decided to use the birthday method to build electoral cells in the counties. Had Taylor not used force to remove Doe, it would have been difficult for the opposition to build sufficient arguments to win elections in Liberia," he said.

He said then Liberia was headed for a one-party NDPL state as it was headed for a one-party UP state unless Liberians mustered the courage to stop President Sirleaf and her lackeys in their tracks to borrow from the political chapters of Tubmanism.

Unless the President was stopped, according to him, the only difference between Tubman and Doe's use of Tubmanism would be the alternate use of mutual benefit and quiet arm-twisting rather than brute force and political banishment.

Analysts say how far Alliou's conjectures are true cannot be gauged immediately, but what they say is clear is that Prince Johnson is likely to suffer the effect of his keen foresight alone for quite a while before the nation comes to grip with the reality – if it ever will.

Views from the Law

This, they say, takes the argument to a completely new ground: the ground of law and constitution. Did Johnson violate any laws by boycotting the celebrations?

Again Alliou: "If he did not violate the constitution or any laws of Liberia requiring him to go wherever the President goes, then he is vindicated."

Analysts agreed with Alliou, noting that there was a big difference between law and expediency, which sometimes makes all the difference between patriotism and sycophancy.

Just as not everything that glitters is gold, they said, so are most things that are politically expediency are not legal and do not work for the benefit of the nation however enticing they appear.

For instance, they said, while it was proper for the all state officials to following the President wherever he or she went in the name of the nation, it was not a legal requirement for which any official should be branded 'unpatriotic or troublemaker'.

In the case of Prince Johnson, they say, he saw a breach of the law or protocol and that justified his boycott since 'above all else' must be 'the law'.

"In fact, most acts of expediency undermine the law and create political monsters out of modest presidential candidates who rode to power promising reforms and preaching equality and rule of law," says one analyst who notes that given the presidency undue attention and leverage may embolden it to usurp other functions not constitutionally assigned.

For instance, attaching development initiatives to the county, which won the presidential preference to host the annual Independence Day Celebration, was one of the advantages that the no laws assigned the President.

According to law, the Executive Branch is to plan development initiatives, attach monetary values to them through a system of verifiable budgetary appropriation, and send the budget to the National Legislature for approval and enactment into law prior to implementation.

This arrangement takes its marching orders from Article 34 (d-ii) of the Constitution of Liberia, according to research conducted by this paper.

Meanwhile observers say while blaming Prince Johnson for boycotting the July 26 Celebration may the stylish part of Liberia's bootlicking politics, it was important to examine his claims vis-à-vis President Sirleaf emerging practice of personalizing the nation's recovery program for political ends.

In that case, they say, Senator Johnson must be considered a political maverick that stands aloft of bandwagon politics, except that he erred by failing to alert the nation about what harm he thought the Nimba endorsement may do the nation's new democratic dispensation.

Liberia: 'Stop Garbaging Senator Johnson'

3 August 2010
Source: allAfrica.com

A group of student under the banner “Concern Nimba Universities Student” says they are condemning and garbaging recent statement made by their County Junior Senator, Adolphus Dolo against his colleague to the National Legislature, Senator Prince Johnson.

The group through it spokesman, Victor Kpaseh, said they were cautioning senator Dolo alone with eight others lawmaker from the County, who, the students claimed have already crossed to the ruling Unity Party, to immediately withdraw or retract their statement and at the same time do away with what they called the name of lawmaker Johnson as a conduit or scale goat in pursuing their bid for re-election, by misleading some of the citizens in the County to forcibly petition Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the second term.

The student group in a press release issued Yesterday, to the Analyst, said they were concerned that Senator Dolo, in this new political and democratic dispensation could dream of making a great mistake ever in his life by preaching high level of divisive politic among Nimbains, especially against Senator Johnson who, according to them, is loved by everyone in the County.

At the same time the group which is comprise of men and women from diverse disciplines and who are also from a cross section of Universities in Liberia, noted that they would remain very focus and concern in respecting the propose for which the Peace Tree was planted in the County during the July 26, Independence Day celebration in Sanniquellie, the capital city of Nimba County.

Quoting the July 26, celebration theme “Dialogue is the way forward” the student’s group stressed that they were wondering how, Nimba County Junior Senator, would reconcile what they termed as his destructive statement to that of the covenant signed during the planting of the Peace Tree.

According to the release, the student’s group claimed that for them, to prove that Senator Dolo was inconsistent and incompatible, he (Senator Dolo) misled the Nimba citizens, informing them that the Zoe-Geh medical centre, which according to them, was built by Peter Weato, who they said is a son of that soil in Yao Glaley, was built by President Sirleaf. The action of the lawmaker to misinform the public, they students noted is highly untrue and counterproductive to the people of the areas.

Meanwhile, the student’s group has warned citizen of Nimba County, not to listen to Senator Dolo, who they claimed has given his farewell treat to serve as campaign manager for the ruling Unity Party. And at the same time he (Dolo) requesting them (Nimba Citizen) to put all of their eggs into one basket during the 2011 election, which they say has been demonstrated by the eight lawmakers, considering

Senator Johnson as an opposition, the group noted is frustrating and inconsiderable to the peace and tranquility in the Country.

In a swift contrast, Mr. Kpaseh who is the group spokesperson stressed that Senator Johnson is not considered as been described by those he called “certified bell driven and evil geniuses” who he claimed are doing everything to ensure that they and their political god mother who’s named they did not mentioned, are re-elected to power.

“Senator Johnson is a road model, liberator and the pride of Nimba as well as the society at large.” The group concluded.

Liberia: Citizens Gang Up Against Threshold Resolution

3 August 2010
Source: allAfrica.com

Former Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Mr. Abraham G. Massaley has announced that Liberia at home and in the United States have teamed up to challenge in the Supreme Court of Liberia the constitutionality of the controversial Threshold Resolution if signed into law by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Massaley who said he would lead the crusade in the interest of his people, who have made huge contributions, also announced that they will file a petition for a Writ of Prohibition against the National Elections Commission (NEC) to bar the commission from re-apportioning constituencies under the so-called resolution, if the commission attempts to do so.

A statement quoted the former PUL as saying that the Resolution is unconstitutional because "it contravenes Article 80 D and C, and it seeks to deprive thousands of Liberians of approximately equal representation in the National Legislature as required by the constitution.

Article 80 (d) of the Constitution states that "each constituency shall have an approximately equal population of 20,000, or such number of citizens as the legislature shall prescribe in keeping with population growth and movements as revealed by a national census; provided that the total number of electoral constituencies in the Republic shall not exceed one hundred."

Mr. Massaley indicated that a key point in their argument is that the legislature failed to prescribe population threshold for each constituency consistent with the 2008 census result, as required under Article 80 (d) and (c), but rather chose to arbitrarily dish out nine legislative seats without any constitutional basis.

He said the provision in the Threshold Resolution for counties to retain their number of house seats grossly violates Article 80 (c) which unambiguously requires the NEC to "re-apportion the constituencies immediately following a national census and before the next election in accordance with the new population figures so that every constituency shall have as close to the same population as possible.

According to Massaley, without clearly establishing population threshold, the Elections Commission will have no national criteria to constitutionally re-apportion constituencies in counties in counties that were arbitrarily assigned the nine extra seats, and added, "even more importantly, it is simply undemocratic and unconstitutional for some less populated areas of the country to enjoy more representation in the legislature than other populated areas."

For instance, the former PUL president said Porkpa and Gola Konneh in Grand Cape Mount County with the population of 42,000 and 23,000 respectively (2008 census) will have only one representative under the Threshold Resolution while Tewor District in the same county with the population of 27,000 will have a representative. He said Porkpa and Gola Konneh districts have a combined population of 65,000 which is approximately equal to the population of the entire River Gee County but River Gee will have three representatives.

Similarly, he said, Grand Kru County with a population of 57,000 will have two representatives while Kolahun District in Lofa County with a population of 60,000 will have only one representative. He said Rivercess County with a population of 71,000 will have two house seats as compare to River Gee with a population of 66,000 with three house seats.

He said Foya District in Lofa County with a population of 84,000, Gbarpolu County with the population of 83,000 and Sinoe County with a population of 102,000 will share the same number of house seats (three) each with Grand Cape Mount County which has the population of 127,000. Mr. Massaley feared that these less populated counties which already have two senatorial seats each will enjoy comparative advantage in the legislature because of their numerical strength.

According to him, the Supreme Court under Article 2 of the Constitution, "pursuant to its power of judicial review, is empowered to declare any inconsistent laws unconstitutional," noting that the legislature does not have unlimited powers that cannot be checked under our system of checks and balances. He said the resolution even defies President Sirleaf's constitutional arguments for vetoing the Threshold Bill on two separate occasions that the bill undermines Article 80 d and c. He said it is a sad for our democracy when 22 out of 64 house members can have so much "power" to pass the landmark legislation with far reaching political and economic consequences for the people.

"We must not only stop at criticizing the legislature for acting unconstitutionally, but we must send a clear message that their act of political expediency at the expense of the constitution undermines peace and stability in the country contrary to River Gee Senator Frederick Cherue's assertion that the threshold is based on political expediency to maintain peace in Liberia," he said.

He said the counties of Speaker Alex Tyler, President Pro Tempore Cletus Wotorson and Senator Cherue stand to benefit from this unfair distribution of power, noting this is why these three men are strongly backing the Threshold Resolution.

The former President said Senators and representatives cannot strive to maintain peace in Liberia by grossly undermining the constitution, pointing out that lawmakers do not have constitutional power to arbitrarily assign legislative seats or deprive other counties of seats, in the name of political expediency.

"While we support the holding of general elections on time, we must not being the electoral process by undermining the constitution as this sends a terrible message about the rule of law and sets the stage for unfairness in the upcoming election," Massaley indicated.

He said if the Supreme Court grants the petition, it will be a victory for "our people in the rural areas who are being deprived of fair representation in government and wish their educated children would advocate on their behalf. And that if the court chooses otherwise history will be kind to them for standing up when the constitution and the rule of law were under assault by the legislative and executive branches."

A PLATE OF RICE FOR SEX? Poor Conditions In Monrovia Prison Cells

08/02/2010 - J. Rufus Paul

Source: FrontPage Africa

Monrovia –

Owing to the lack of adequate food supply, a plate of rice has become a commodity traded for homosexuality at the Monrovia Prison Cells.

Prisoners in Liberia suffer malnutrition, overcrowding, grossly inadequate medical care, and the risk of rape or torture. Some of them are detained for years in such conditions even before they are brought to trial. According to prison compound source, food provided by the government for prisoners has been redirected into personal use by Correction and Rehabilitation officials at the Ministry of Justice thereby rendering inmates supplies inadequate. Our sources noted that owing to the lack of adequate food supply, a plate of rice has become a commodity traded for homosexuality at the Monrovia Prison Cells.

Bobby Brown, 29, who has been serving a prison sentence at the Monrovia Prison Compound on Center Street for committing an armed robbery offense has died as a result of poor health condition. He was pronounced dead on July 29, 2010 by medical doctors at the John F. Kennedy hospital where the Ministry of Justice took him for treatment after months of severe sickness in his prison cell.

Another inmate, Lucky Ben told FrontPageAfrica on his sick bed at JFK “I got sick and nearly died in prison that is the reason I’m here undergoing treatment. The doctor said I need to take an operation on my heart, but such operation cannot be performed here only out of the Country. I got sick right in the prison compound owing to the poor conditions in the cells. No good treatment for inmates. Human beings cannot live the way the prisoners are living. You need to go and see for yourself”.

Ben is one inmate at the Monrovia Central Prison accused of theft of property but has not appeared in court. According to him, he has been in jail for over five months without seeing his accuser. He is currently suffering from a heart disease he apparently developed in prison.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has failed to provide basic nutrition, sanitation, and decent housing facility for prisoners, and of the criminal justice system to ensure speedy trials and appeals. Poor conditions and minimal medical care for inmates has contributed to the death of at least six prisoners from the Monrovia Prison Compound in recent times while many others have fallen sick.

Liberian prisoners are starved, packed into cells unfit for human habitation, and face beatings at the hands of certain guards or fellow inmates. Children, pregnant women, pre-trial detainees, and convicted criminals are condemned to brutal treatment including not eating on time at prison centers across the Country.

The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government and its partners have failed to establish improvements in prison conditions and medical care, and the criminal justice system has failed to respect the rights of prisoners.

Prisoners frequently spend years in prison awaiting resolution of their case. Hundreds of prisoners are not serving time following a conviction but are in prison on remand, awaiting trial or other legal action. They frequently have no access to a lawyer or to bail and may wait months even for an initial appearance before a judge.

Apart from Correction or Rehabilitation centers where inmates are kept, many police station cells in Monrovia are so overcrowded or tight that some prisoners are forced to sleep seated or in shifts. Police officers have been accused on many occasions for routinely beating prisoners, or force them naked into small, dark cells where they are kept far above the statutory period before sending them to court.

However, according to Brown’s mother, Mary Jones, her son’s condition had already gotten horrible in his prison cell before he was handcuffed and brought to JFK amidst counts of bureaucracies from the Ministry of Justice. “When I saw Bobby, I knew he was already a dead man. I saw death in his face; he could not stand, eat nor talk”.

Aging madam Junes noted that “I suggested that I take my son for treatment and turn him over to the MOJ thereafter, but I was pushed around many times in vain. As I speak to you now, his body is deposited at the JFK morgue and MOJ has also refused to turn his corpse over to me for burial”.

Monday, August 2, 2010

President Sirleaf signs threshold bill into law

Written by Vivian Gartyn & Julius Kanubah
Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has signed into law the joint resolution prescribing an electoral threshold for representation in the House of Representatives.

Star Radio gathered the resolution was signed on July 29, upon the president’s return from the Independence Day celebration in Nimba County.

Presidential Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio told reporters, the president has sent the resolution to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be printed into handbill.

Mr. Badio said the joint resolution may not be the best document, but the President sees it as a guide to the 2011 elections and sustenance of Liberia’s democracy.

The joint resolution retains the current number of representative seats and creates additional nine seats to be divided among some hugely populated counties.

The counties include Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa, and Lofa.

The President calls on all citizens especially those with different views on the resolution to look at what she considers the greater picture and lend their support.

Several civil society groups earlier opposed the passage of the joint resolution describing it as a mentally impoverished leadership and called on the president not to sign it.

‘lawmakers react to President’s decision’

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have emerged from the Legislature over the decision of President Sirleaf to sign into law the joint resolution prescribing an electoral threshold.

Two ranking members of the Senate hailed the judgment of the President, describing it as a fulfillment of her constitutional duty and in the national interest.

Senators Joseph Nagbe of Sinoe and Abel Massaley of Grand Cape Mount said the signing of the joint resolution into law puts to rest the controversial threshold bill.

The two Senators also condemned the offensive comment of civil society groups that claimed the approval of the resolution reflected an impoverished leadership.

Meanwhile, Grand Bassa Representative Samuel Page who was critical of the joint resolution has cautiously reacted to the final signing of the document into law.

Representative Page said the action of the President reflects what he calls the bypassing of the Constitution and a political expedient move.

Our Legislative reporter said lawmakers who opposed the joint resolution including Rufus Neufville have shied away from commenting on the President’s decision.

Liberia’s Ambassador to America recalled

Written by Vivian Gartyn

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia

Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States has been recalled.

The executive mansion says President Sirleaf recalled Ambassador Nathaniel Barnes for consultation and possible reassignment.

It is not yet clear whether Mr. Barnes who contested the 2005 elections on the ticket of the Liberia Destiny Party was involved in any malpractice.

Meanwhile, the President has granted executive pardon to four elderly inmates detained at the National Palace of Corrections in Grand Gedeh County.

The four including Esther Garduah, Julia Quiah, Amos Grear and Esther Gaye were tried and convicted of kidnapping in 2007.

The Executive Mansion says the decision is a result of pleas from citizens of Grand Gedeh during a visit by the President.

Prince Johnson’s Presidential bid gets another blow

Written by Julius Kanubah

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Libieria

Another Nimba County lawmaker has openly called on his kinsman Prince Johnson to abandon his Presidential bid by not contesting the 2011 elections.

Representative Francis Karway said Senator Prince Johnson must wait for the 2018 elections before getting in the race to become Liberia’s next President.

According to him, majority of Nimba citizens are resolved to vote against Senator Johnson in support of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

The comment by lawmaker Karway comes days after Nimba junior Senator Adolphus Dolo said Senator Johnson was not politically matured to run in 2011.

Representative Karway said his comment does not however mean Senator Prince Johnson is not a good Presidential material.

According to him, Senator Johnson is a good son of Nimba who has the right to contest for any elected position.

Representative Karway spoke to reporters while commending government for successfully hosting the July 26 Independence Day celebrations in Nimba County.

Unity Party/CDC run-off election set for Tuesday

Written by Moses Wenyou

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia


The National Elections Commission has announced that voting will take place Tuesday in the River Gee District number three run-off by-election.

The Co-Chairman of NEC said logistical preparations have been finalized with polling materials and staff being deployed across the electoral district.

Cllr. Elizabeth Nelson said five thousand ballot papers have arrived in the country for the run-off poll which will begin from 8:00am to 6:00pm on Tuesday.

Cllr. Nelson said the ballot papers and other sensitive materials are being packaged for distribution across the sixteen polling places in River Gee district number three.

The NEC Co-chairman called on the seven thousand thirty-six registered voters in the district to turn out in their numbers and vote to fill the vacant seat.

According to Cllr. Nelson, results from the run-off by-election will be announced immediately after the results are tallied and collated.

The two run-off candidates include Christian Chea of the ruling Unity Party and Philbert Toe of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change.

The run-off by-election became necessary due to the failure of all the four candidates in the first round to obtain the required 50% plus one vote.

WAEC releases exam results…over 6,000 seniors fail

Written by Moses Wenyou

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia

The West African Examination Council has released provisional results for the May 2010 Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examinations.

This year’s results show the worst performance of candidates over the last three years with none qualifying for the first two divisions so far.

The Head of National Office of WAEC told a news conference Monday the provisional results cover only seventeen thousand six hundred forty-four students.

Prof. Thomas Gaie said the results of the remaining four thousand three hundred eighty-five students are yet unavailable.

He attributes the unavailability to the failure of their respective schools to file the grades on time.

Prof. Gaie said of the total number of students whose results are available, only ten thousand nine hundred ninety-seven made a pass in division three.

According to Prof. Gaie, a total of six thousand six hundred forty seven candidates failed the examinations.

He however said the overall performance of the candidates may likely change as soon as grades from the delinquent schools are processed and consolidated results finalized.

Professor Gaie named some of the schools that failed to submit their results on time as Tubman High, BW Harris, Monrovia College, JJ Ross among others.

Meanwhile, WAEC says it is withholding the results of at least one hundred schools for their alleged involvement in examination malpractices.

Progress reported at Ganta border post

Written by Matthias Daffah

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia


Authorities at the Ganta border post of entry in Nimba County have reported improvements in revenue collection.

The Senior Collector in the area Akoi Garwolo said despite the difficulty encountered, Finance Ministry agents still succeed in doing their job effectively.

Mr. Garwolo said business people who complain about the inspection process at the port of entry are those who want to evade the payment of taxes.

He said the inspection exercise is necessary to determine the quantity and quality of goods coming into the country.

Government has meanwhile, completed the construction of new structures at the Ganta port of entry to facility cross-border inspection of goods and services.

The construction of the new structures was funded by the United States Aid for International Development and implemented by LCIP.

Phebe School of Nursing threatened with closure

Written by Clarence Jackson

Monday, 02 August 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia


The Chief Medical Officer for Bong County says the Phebe School of Nursing School may not open this academic school year.

Dr. Garfee Williams attributes the situation to the school’s huge indebtedness to vendors.

According to Dr. Williams, government-sponsored students in the school are yet to settle their tuition fees.

He said the Phebe School of Nursing trains nurses to work at government hospitals and clinics across the county to help reduce maternal mortality.

The Bong County Chief Medical Officer expressed fear that the closure of the school could prove disastrous for the county’s health sector.

Although Dr. Williams did not disclose the amount the school owes vendors, sources hinted it could be more than fifty thousand United States dollars.

He appealed to stakeholders in the health sector to prevail on the requisite authorities to resolve the school’s debts to avert possible closure.

Bropleh Declares 2011 Run: Ex-Minister Eyes Bassa Legislative Seat

Hamilton Smith, FPA STAFF WRITER
Source: FrontPage Africa

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County-

Laurence K. Bropleh
Despite a hanging indictment over his head over his alleged role in the siphoning of US$262,772.73, former Information Minister, Dr. Laurence K. Bropleh, over the weekend declared his intention to contest Electoral District Number Four as representative come the 2011 elections, bringing an end to long-standing speculations of the former minister’s intent to do so.

Bropleh, embroiled in an almost US$300,000 theft at the Information Ministry, resigned the post shortly after being indicted by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) following an audit of the foreign mission payroll of the Ministry.

The fallen minister was immediately suspended by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf after some of the auditees tied him into the fraud, recommending that the Ministry of Finance calculate the appropriate interest over the period Bropleh allegedly siphoned the money from state coffers through fraudulent means.

The audit held the suspended Information Minister responsible for three major fraudulent transactions including payments allegedly made to four ghost employees, salaries and allowances of Bernard Warity collected by the suspended Minister for eight months and money paid to ghost name Nathaniel Walker upon the directive of Bropleh.

“Minister Laurence K. Bropleh should be made to immediately restitute US$262,772.73. This represents the funds he misappropriated from the fraudulent processing and payments of salaries to four ghost names in the amount of US$207,160.72, the US$21,807.08 he misappropriated from the salaries and allowances paid in the name of Bernard Waritay, the US$13,855.20 he misappropriated from the salaries and allowances paid in the name of James Essieh, US$9, 569.73 he authorized and paid to ghost worker Nathaniel Walker and US$10,380.00 he authorized withdrawn from the operating account of MICAT at the CBL. Minister Bropleh should be made to restitute the total at an interest determined by the Minister of Finance on the basis of prevailing market rate, compounded monthly since salary and allowances are paid on a monthly basis”, the audit recommended.

Beside restitution, the audit stated that the Ministry of Justice institutes the appropriate legal means to remedy the fraudulent act committed by suspended Minister Bropleh.

“The Government of Liberia, through the Minister of Justice, should institute the appropriate legal procedure to remedy the fraudulent payroll transaction committed by Minister Laurence K. Bropleh”, auditors recommended.

Bropleh was in February, 2010 indicted along with two others from the Ministry–former MICAT Comptroller, Joseph Z. Nyamunue, Sr. and former Chief Accountant, Josiah B.S. Gwaee by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County, Criminal Court ‘A’ at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, and have since been forwarded to the Criminal Court ‘C’, which has legal jurisdiction over the trial.

Promise To Work With Bassa People

During an interactive forum held at the ‘All People, One People Atai Shop’ on Tubman Street in the Port City of Buchanan, Bropleh promised to work along with the citizens of the county if he is elected as their next representative for the seat currently being held by Representative Gabriel B. Smith of the Liberty Party.

Why not promising to build roads, the former minister told his audience that he will do his best to make the Bassa citizens to achieve more because, according to him, working with them would enable him to make discussions.

Bropleh’s declaration was supported by Charles Taylor’s former Defense Minister Daniel Chea, himself a possible aspirant for the junior senatorial seat of the county who told the audience to put their trust in the resigned information minister.

Speaking on his own indictment, Bropleh told the interactive forum that he was indicted for criminal facilitation but the February’s indictment of the former information minister holds him liable for theft of property and criminal conspiracy in addition to the criminal facilitation.

According to the indictment, between the period of November 2006 and September 2009, defendants Bropleh, Nyamunue and Gwagee, “without any color of right and the fear of God; and in violation of the statutory laws of Liberia, knowingly, purposely, intentionally, criminally, stole, took and carried away, and converted sundry amounts from various accounts of GOL, under various schemes, and acting in concert, did place on GOL payroll names of Foreign Service personnel who are not legitimate employees of the Ministry of Information.”

The indictment further said the men forged the signatures of some legitimate Foreign Service personnel as well as fictitious persons. They had also signed for and received the salary checks totaling US$208,407.01 and converted the said amount to their personal use.

The actions of the defendants, according to the indictment, is in violation of sections 15.51, 15.70 and 10.2 of the Penal Laws of the Republic of Liberia.

Count one of the Court’s indictment states that: “the defendants, Joseph Z. Nyamunue Sr. and Josiah B.S. Gwagee did commit theft of property, while serving as comptroller and chief accountant at the Ministry of Information, by placing the names of Foreign Service personnel who are not legitimate employees of the Information Ministry; did forge the signature of some legitimate Foreign Service personnel, received their salaries and converted same to their personal use and benefit to the disadvantage of the plaintiff, Republic of Liberia.”

It remains unclear as to Bropleh’s chances of winning the legislative seat in the midst of both his alleged role in the corruption that brought him down from the governmental post that had him to be one of the President’s closest aides and in an election that promises to be a hot one for an electoral constituency in the country’s second seaport city.

SENATE ‘REJECTS’: Is Rejection of Presidential Nominees: A Cash Scheme?

08/02/2010 - Rodney D. Sieh

Source: FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia -

In April this year, Daryl Ambrose Nmah, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s nominee to head the Liberia Broadcasting System found himself in what at the time appeared to be an impossible position, needing 20 votes to reverse a tide which saw the Senate Executive Committee rejecting Nmah’s bid for the post previously held by Charles Snetter. While lawmakers at the time shied away from divulging why Nmah was rejected, some Senators pointed to what some alluded to as Nmah’s 'poor human relations' as a reason why he was rejected.

Months earlier, the Senate also twice unanimously rejected Sirleaf’s nominee to head the Ministry of Labor citing among other things that Gongloe was incompetent to serve as Labor Minister, based on his experience and professional background, the senators argued. During their second rejection of Gongloe, fourteen Senators voted against the motion of reconsideration and eight in favor while the rest abstained during session. A third motion to reconsider was filed.

Marc Amblard, the current Inspector General of Police also endured similar fate when Senators took him to task over his admission that he did not undergo police training. Now, a Minister-Designate for the Ministry of Education has joined the ranks of Senate rejects, presidential nominees who have fallen prey to the wraths of the lawmaking body.

Last week, Plenary rejected another presidential nominee, this time, Dr. Kadiker Rex Dahn, Deputy Minister-Designate of Education for Planning and Research amid claims of questionable academic credentials.

What changed overnight? How did Gongloe go from “incompetent” to “Competent”? How did Nmah go from having “poor human relations” to being able to survive a double doze of rejections from the same body? And how did Amblard go from not having police training to becoming Inspector General in the post-war government. Is there any possibility that the latest rejection casualty, Dahn will survive or fall? The answer critics say lies in the now infamous “Motion for Reconsideration”.

Strangely though, the reasons giving for the rejection of some nominees border around payback for previous crimes to what some believe is a gross scheme amid allegations that some Senators have been misusing the “Motion for Reconsideration” as a bargaining tool or strangulation effort to muscle money out of nominees for key government positions.

Several presidential nominees who have gone through the process but would only speak to FrontPageAfrica on condition of anonymity have confirmed that they had to use massive payments to win confirmation. One candidate, Gabriel Williams, a former Deputy Minister of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism was given the run-around for almost a year because he did not cough up enough money to win confirmation. Lawmakers finally caved in and confirmed Williams.

In the case of Gongloe for example, some Senators at the time, recounted how some of their colleagues including Senators Roland Kaine and Richard Devine of Margibi and Bomi Counties respectively, were arrested and prosecuted by Cllr. Gongloe while serving as Solicitor-General of Liberia.

In Nmah’s case, a motion for reconsideration was filed before the Senate by Sinoe County Senior Senator Mabutu Nyenpan. According to the Senate Standing Rules, the motion filed on behalf of Mr. Nmah will have to obtain 20 votes if members of the Liberian Senate are to reconsider their decision regarding his rejection. Nmah prevailed in the end and is now serving in the position.

Even the latest casualty, Dahn’s future appears to be looking good. Grand Gedeh Senator Isaac Nyenabo filed a motion for reconsideration, which will attempt to overturn an 16-1 vote which sealed Dahn’s rejection. If Dahn survives, he will join Nmah and a host of others who have turned whopping rejection margin into safe Senate passages weeks after being rejected.

Critics say the stains of rejections and motion to reconsider have the potential to lessen public trust in the national legislature which has been clouded with issues of bribery.

Jim Dube, a Partner Emeritus in the Canadian.-based, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP said in a letter to FrontPageAfrica at the time of the Gongloe rejection controversy that he was puzzled at the double rejection of Gongloe: Said Dube: “For Gongloe to be refused Senate Confirmation as Liberia's new Labor Minister by some in the Senate because Cllr. Gongloe was doing the very thing he was obliged to do as Liberia's Solicitor General has attracted attention here in North America as it is an indication that Liberia may be lessening its commitment to the rule of law by politically punishing one of its best lawyers for doing his job as the country's most senior prosecutor for the past three years.”

Critics contend that the decision by lawmakers to consistently reject nominees to key government posts only to resort to reconsideration motions does not augur well for the post-war nation democracy quest. Reports of bribery first surfaced in the early days of the post-war legislative body amid allegations from former speaker Edwin Snowe (Independent, 5th District) that money changed hands leading to his removal. In 2007, Snowe, would later blamed his removal on the hidden hands of the Executive Branch and trumpeted a conspiracy that bribery was a factor in his removal. The Lower House rejected an independent probe into the matter and instead launched an internal probe, conducted by the House Judiciary Committee, a move which did not win the blessing of Liberia’s international partners.

But Senate leader Cletus Wotorson disagrees. In announcing the Senate’s change of mind over Amblard and Gongloe in July 2009, Wotorson dismissed suggestions that Senators were forced to change their positions, suggesting that the decisions were reversed because of additional information provided to it by the nominees which indicates that they are the right people for the jobs.

How the Motion Works

For a nominee to be any Senator voting on the prevailing side may, on the same day, or on either of the next two days of actual session thereafter, move a reconsideration; and if the Senate shall refuse to reconsider, or upon reconsideration shall affirm its first decision, no further motion to reconsider shall be in order unless by unanimous consent. Every motion to reconsider shall be decided by a majority vote of those elected, without debate, and may be laid on the table without affecting the question in reference to which the same is made, which shall be a final disposition of the motion.

When a bill, resolution, memorial, report, amendment, order, or message upon which a vote has been taken, shall have gone out of the possession of the Senate, and been communicated to the House, the motion to reconsider shall be accompanied by a motion to request the House to return the same; which last motion shall be acted upon immediately, and without debate, and if determined in the negative shall be a final disposition of the motion to reconsider.

While presidential nominees have benefitted from the motion to reconsider, critics point to the fact that Senators have failed to use the motion where it matters most. For example, the Plenary of the Senate last year rejected a proposed act, seeking the pre and post trial seizure of assets owned by public officials and other individuals suspected of corruption. The plenary, which is the highest decision making body of the Senate, took the action following recommendations by its Judiciary. The proposed act, which sought to amend chapter 15 of the penal law of Liberian by adding thereto a new subsection 15.54, was submitted to the Liberian Senate a fortnight ago by the Executive. In its recommendations, the Judiciary Committee among other things observed that portion of the proposed act, calling for pre-seizure of assets is in violation of the constitution and the principle of “due process”. The committee also recommends that the proposed act should not be enacted into law because there are sufficient laws on the books to deal with the question of theft, grafts or corruption.



Ironically, the seizure of assets have been a burden for Liberia since the post-war government came to office. Multiple reports by the United Nations Panel of Experts have cited the government for not doing enough to freeze assets of officials from the Charles Taylor era.

In its 2010 Mid-Term report, the POE focused its attention on seeking to evaluate whether the Government of Liberia has moved forward on implementation of the assets freeze and reported that there is currently no additional evidence of any intention to enforce the assets freeze in Liberia. “The Panel has approached the Financial Action Task Force to obtain its support in encouraging a more proactive approach to compliance with the assets freeze in Liberia,” according to the Mid Term report in possession of FrontPageAfrica.

Ironically, several of those now sitting in the Senate are among those listed for seizure of assets.

In reality, many of the actions taken by the Senate have contributed to the delays of requirements for Liberia. For example, the Senate last year rejected nominees of the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC) and apparently did not see them qualified to take over the government-established Independent National Human Rights Commission. The rejection came even as President Sirleaf prevailed on lawmakers to confirm the nominees to serve the INHCR as Commissioners in order that they will start their work. Today, a vetting committee is in the process of selecting new commissioners for the post.

While some have sailed through the cracks of the controversial motion to reconsider, others have not fared so well. In March 2006, Sirleaf's nominee for the position of Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Jonathan Boye Charles Sogbie, was rejected amid allegations that he falsified his academic credentials to substantiate his inclusion in the Unity Party-led Government of Liberia.

In Sogbie’s case, no motion was filed as lawmakers appeared to have been furnished with concrete documentations to prove that Sogbie was in the wrong. "Investigations conducted by my committee on the academic qualifications of Mr Sogbie revealed that his credentials are fake and misleading," said Fomba Kanneh at the time. Kanneh, was the chairman of the senate's committee on youth and sports

"[Sogbie's act] is tantamount to perjury and we are recommending to the plenary session the denial of his nomination," the Liberian senator said.

Sogbie had presented documents which stated he had obtained an associate of arts degree in political science from Nebraska Christian College in the USA. But this was challenged by Zeogar Wilson, Sogbie's former international team-mate, which led to the parliamentary probe. The parliamentarians said the college authorities did not just deny Sogbie's claims of attending their school, but also confirmed it does not offer political science degrees.

Another nominee who failed to break the crack was Samuel Lynch, nominee for the post of Commandant of the Liberian National Coast Guard. Lynch failed to win confirmation on the basis that his citizenship came into question. The Security Committee of the Senate has suspended the confirmation of the nominee for the post of Commandant of the Liberia National Coast Guard. Lynch admitted serving the American Army especially that Country’s Coast Guard for thirteen years but despite his pledged of allegiance to the United States, he told the Senate Security Committee he remains a citizen of Liberia. But Senators Mobutu Nyepan, Blamo Nelson and Sumo Kupee said it was against Liberian laws to confirm anyone who pledged their allegiance to another country.

Amid the controversy over the motion for reconsideration, some observers say while the exercise is indeed a good process for Liberia’s postwar democracy, the process is only as good as the ability and quality of lawmakers available. Also, critics point to the fact that both the Senate and House have made the process undemocratic by their refusal to make voting records public. Most of the bills debated and most of the discussion involving presidential nominees are done in secrecy under the guise of “Executive Committees” and “Special Sessions”. One lawmaker, who also spoke on condition of anonymity declared bluntly that if lawmakers are reluctant to make their votes public than it must be true that they do have something to hide." The Motion to Reconsider process also remains complicated in the sense that it is difficult to prove whether or not lawmakers are actually engaged in soliciting money for confirmation. Those taking the money will never admit to doing so neither will those on the giving end.

Sadly, as lawmakers toy around with the motion to reconsider, political pundits say, very little is done in both houses to speed up important health care and education legislations which are important to improving the lives of struggling Liberians who cannot afford to travel abroad for medical checkup as most lawmakers are fond of doing, denying those languishing at the bottom of the economic barrel access to adequate care and the benefit of a full-blown and transparent democratic process.

Liberia: Encouraging Sign for Rule of Law

2 August 2010

Source: allafrica.com

EDITORIAL

WE REPORTED IN a front lead of this paper last week that the Criminal Court A at the Temple of Justice has served an 8-count criminal indictment on House Deputy Speaker Mulbah Tokpah. The house deputy is currently out on bail pending preliminary court hearings scheduled by the court for early this month. Our report said he would have been behind bars pending the August court hearings had his legal counsels not picked up early winds of efforts by state prosecutors to obtain a writ of arrest and acted in time to preempt those efforts by presenting him to the court and forthwith tendering a bond for his release on bail. When he appears in court, the legislative second in command is expected to answer for his role in the near-death assault on Police Patrolman Lexington Beah during the last weekend of June 2010.

THE STATE PROSECUTION is holding the House Deputy Speaker on an 8-count indictment that includes 'criminal conspiracy', 'attempt to commit murder', and 'theft of property'. When he takes the witness' stand in the next one or two weeks, Deputy House Speaker Mulbah Tokpah will be the first sitting high legislative official to face criminal charges. When that happens also, we have no doubt it is bound to raise questions amongst political observers about the extent of legislative immunity and about the urgency, the wisdom, and political ramification of prosecuting a sitting deputy speaker who is from the opposition. But it will also disprove the myth that honorability is an entitlement for public officials that they do not have to anything to prove by what they do or refrain from doing. More importantly, it will raise the question of conditions beyond trial: what becomes of the status of the indictee upon conviction; what if not found guilty? How much does politics contribute to what seems a legal imperative for the Sirleaf Administration given that the deputy speaker comes from the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), the voted major rival to the ruling Unity Party?

ALL THESE WHAT'S make the stomach churn and most Liberians would prefer to avoid such a situation that raises questions fundamental to legal and political ifs. They would prefer the state to drop the case against the deputy speaker, seek a compromise, and resolve to move forward with each promising to work for the good of country using the law as the bedrock. They will, in the vain name of peace, prefer the matter swept under the carpet as countless other such vile questions were swept under the carpet for decades and eventually formed the foundation of Liberia's culture of impunity and the culture of outlaw bravado, which some public officials still foolhardily find attractive today. But we think it because of these questions fundamental to the legal and political uncertainties that the state must proceed with the prosecution of the deputy speaker as a matter of national priority. We think so not because it is Mr. Mulbah Tokpah, but because it is the call of the times of extreme need for the rule of law to take over from the rule of political machoism and the sinister culture of outlaw bravado.

COMPROMISING AND 'WASHING dirty linen behind the house' is certainly not the best option opened to the Sirleaf Administration in the face of a legal situation where the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia is charged with felony. We think the state prosecution led by Solicitor General Cllr. Watkins Wright has started a process fundamental to testing the rule of law in this country and from what we see so far, they are on the right path. We bid them continue to the end, not stopping once to be tempted by political expediency and public sentiments, which are all too often willing to compromise the law to achieve quickset cover-over solutions. We hail Cllr. Francis Garlawolo, the legal counsel of the deputy speaker, for mustering the courage to represent the legislator rather than working behind the scene, as is common practice, to avoid prosecution in order to 'protect the speaker's prestige and honorableness' from being smudged by legal records. He has picked the gauntlet alright and all that is required now is to work to the end, not stopping to claim disadvantage or any sort of subterfuge for backing out of this noble effort to set the law on its marks.

THIS NATION HAS come too far experimenting with compromises that only served to exacerbate the difficulties of political and legal reforms. It is time to test the laws and once and for all determine how the nation must proceed in line with the rule of self-governance its people have set for themselves as sovereigns. It is time officials of government are held legally responsible for the paths they chose voluntarily to pursue outside their official realms and bounds. It is time those who are wronged by those who are all too willing to use state power to obtain instant personal gratification get redress through legal recourse rather than otherwise. It is most time to prove that the law is a two-edged sword, which cuts on both edges, that just as the law empowers and sets ordinary men and women above others, it also cuts the platform from beneath them when these men and women fail to balance privilege with responsibility.

WITH THE INDICTMENT already served on the deputy speaker, we believe there is no turning back from his being the first sitting legislator to face criminal charges, possibly revealing the full meaning of Article 42 of the Constitution of Liberia regarding parliamentary immunity, the public conduct of lawmakers, and Liberia's newfound commitment to the rule of law. The public is waiting with bated breath to see how this turns out and they cannot afford to see drawn-out litigation that runs into oblivion, as is common practice.

Liberia: Lawmakers Violated the Constitution - Sen. Innis Observes

The Informer (Monrovia)


Source: allafrica.com

2 August 2010

Grand Bassa County Junior Senator Nathaniel Innis has opined that members of the National Legislature have grossly violated the Liberian Constitution which is the organic law of the land by signing a joint resolution in the face of the Supreme Court of Liberia's legal directive that the lawmakers should return to status quo ante regarding the Threshold Bill.

The High Court through the Justice In Chambers Cllr. Kabineh Janneh ordered that deliberations relating to the Threshold Bill be tabled and directed that the legislators return to status quo ante.

But the lawmakers went ahead and signed a joint resolution and subsequently added additional nine seats to the already sixty-four seats in the Lower house.

However, Senator Innis who is also a lawyer, indicated that the legislature did not only infringed upon the fundamental and Constitutional rights of the Liberian people by disrespecting the Supreme Court's decision regarding the Threshold Bill but are only interested in their personal gains at the detriment of the electorates.

According to the Senator, while majority of the lawmakers are opting to be re-elected come 2011 elections, they have failed to set the Threshold Bill at specific figure.

He further said that although Grand Bassa and other counties like Bong, Lofa, Margibi are interested in additional seats, but the legislature should not have disrespected the Supreme Court which has an adjudicatory role as a constitutional court.

Liberia: Weah Accepts Petition to Run For President

2 August 2010
Source: allafrica.com
The standard-bearer emeritus of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), George Weah, has accepted a petition to run for president in the 2011 presidential elections.

Weah Accepts Petition to Run For President

"I will stand before any force; I will stand in the interest of my people and ensures Ellen's administration defeat in 2011," Weah reportedly told a teeming crowd which is said to represent millions of CDC partisans across the country.

The Congress' founder and chief financier said it was not in his spirit to shy from responsibility and that therefore he was prepared to accept the call of his people to provide alternative leadership for Liberia beyond October 2011.

He said he felt confidence that this time around the CDC would take the gavel of state with ease because the issues that hindered the progress of the party back in 2005 have been significantly resolved.

There was no question therefore, he assured his supporters, that the burden of proof of ability to run the affairs of Liberia were now squarely on the shoulders of the Sirleaf administration.

According to him, now that the question of who knows more book was resolved, the issues for elections 2011 have now shifted from academics to debates about state corruption, lack of development initiatives, and the failed promises the Sirleaf administration made to the Liberian electorates back in 2005.

It is not clear whether the CDC standard-bearer would expect voters to translate the failure of the Sirleaf administration to demonstrate proof of leadership into votes for CDC, but Weah appeared confident that the UP would be at the receiving end of the people's doubt and frustration about the slow pace of recovery.

With the people's mandate to run for president in his sleeves, Weah told the petitioners that he was prepared to collaborate with other parties to put up a tough fight.

According to him, the collaboration was not basically to augment the strength of CDC, but that it was a necessary process aimed at reaching out to other Liberians in order to improve democracy in the country.

He refuted any thought of doing business with UP because in his words, "it lacked the principles of integrity", vowing that he would "never mortgage the CDC", neither would he betray the trust of his people.

The CDC strongman was responding to a petition reportedly presented to him in Logan Town on Bushrod Island over the weekend.

"We, the sixteen political sub-divisions of the Republic of Liberia, emanating from diverse ethnic, religious, and multicultural backgrounds, have today gathered here with a unanimous accord to formally request Ambassador George M. Weah to contest the 2011 general and presidential elections, as Presidential aspirant."

These were the exact words of an electronic statement titled, "Petition Statement Petitioning Ambassador George M. Weah to contest the coming 2011 elections on the ticket of the Congress for Democratic Change as, President..." now in the possession of this paper.

There were no names attached to the "petition" but it described the petitioners as "leaders and regulars of impoverished grassroots communities stretching across our urban and rural scenery" that were the victims of the failed policies of the Sirleaf Administration.

Amongst several reasons, the petitioners said they were petitioning Mr. Weah to run for president because they trusted in his ability to restore their human dignity, rebuild the nation's damaged infrastructures, construct more access roads and highways and decongest the capital city, Monrovia by creating jobs and other incentives for the poor to return to their places of original abode.

"Mr. Weah, we believe you can lead us because in you we see passion for national transformation, and sensitivity to feed the hungry. Your message of peace and stability after the controversial 2005 elections is a testament of your commitment to put Liberia first, above any selfish interest," they the petitioners said.

Meanwhile, the petitioners who said they were now satisfied with Weah's academic achievement have set for him 24 'crucial' principles to use as bedrock for his administration's economic and social policies and challenges to prioritize in meeting the immediate needs of the people for 'better Liberia'.

The petitioners said one crucial principle they would like for Mr. Weah to make part of his administration's governing policy was "a lean and cost effective governmental machinery and a reduction in the complex of legal and regulatory processes that shackle and blunt entrepreneurial initiatives".

They said they wanted to see also the blending of cost-effective government machinery with the overhauling of the financial sector, the launch of an effective clean-up campaign against intrinsic corruption paralyzing system, and the strengthening of the General Auditing Commission (GAC).

With what they called a "sharpened attack on poverty" they say, they would like to see a government policy that promotes national unity and stability in order to strengthen commitment to international and regional obligations.

They say as the Weah Administration comes to power, it should beware of the challenges low growth rate, excessive taxation, and high costs of living pose to national peace and progress.

Also to watch out for, the petitioners said, were low agricultural production, the lack of manufacturing industries in the country, the high levels of unemployment and underemployment, and the fragility of the society, amongst others.

"We, the people of Liberia, hereby petition you to contest the 2011 presidential elections as a Conquering candidate, thereby destining you to be the 'Conqueror of 2011'", the nameless, unsigned petition said.

Liberia: Govt Launches Decentralized Birth Registration/Certification System for Children

The Informer (Monrovia)
2 August 2010

Source: allafrica.com
"In my village, people count a child's age by the number of farms (annual harvests) their parents make. I am happy that my son has a birth certificate and is officially registered in the country's record," said Love Gibson, the mother of two-year old Jacob Jallah. Jacob was the first child to be registered and certified by the new decentralized birth registration and certification system of Liberia that was launched today.

There are more than 50 million children in the world whose births have not been registered. Sixty percent of these children live in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. In Liberia, only 4% of under-five children out of 750,000 are registered and possess birth certificates, the second lowest in the world. This means that more than 20% of the population of Liberia is officially 'non-existent,' without names or record of birth.

Registering every child in Liberia

The new birth registration and certification system aims to register and provide birth certificates to all children in Liberia, approximately 1.6 million of them, by the end of 2011. "This is an important programme of the government to have a credible recording system that will aid in quality planning and budgeting for children and overall national development," said Liberia's Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, as he launched the birth registration and certification system in front of hundreds of mothers and children, and officials from the government, diplomatic missions, UN, civil society organizations and the media.

Lead by the multi sectoral National Universal Birth Registration Task Force, and the Office/Bureau of Vital Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the registration and certification process will be carried out in two phases, the first phase (till the end of 2010) targeting under-five children in six counties, and the second phase in 2011 will register all children in all the 15 counties.

Families in villages or towns can register their children directly with the Assistant Registrar at the office of the General Town Chief or at the local health facility. The district registrars compile and send these records electronically to the national database via smart phones. The registration forms are also archived at the county

office. Based on these forms and the electronic records retrieved from the national database, the county offices print the birth certificates. The certificates are collected by the district registrar and delivered to the child's family. The whole process will take a maximum of two weeks.

Speaking on behalf of the UN system in Liberia, the UNICEF Representative, Ms. Isabel Crowley said, "Children have to count and be counted for the development of this beautiful country. The United Nations reaffirms it continued support to the government and civil society in making birth registration a successful and sustainable system."

Working better together

The birth registration and certification system has become a reality due to the combined efforts of the government, civil societies, the private sector and the UN. While the government's Vital Statistics Bureau and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is coordinating the whole process in the country, Crisis Management Initiative (NGO) is supporting web based technologies through smart phones in partnership with private companies like Nokia and CellCom, Plan Liberia (NGO) is leading the awareness and social mobilization, UNHCR is supporting the recording and documentation process, and UNICEF is investing in supply of birth certificates, data base development and training of officials and volunteers involved in the registration and certification process.

Spreading awareness through community partnerships

Partnership and involvement of community officials and leaders in communities is crucial for the success of the registration and certification process. Consultations and trainings are presently undergoing across the country with more than 1500 paramount chiefs, town chiefs and county /district officials. In the coming months, community radios, schools, youth and women groups, sports groups and traditional communicators will all be involved in spreading awareness and encouraging families to register their children.

Back at the John F. Kennedy Hospital, Love Gibson is proudly displaying Jacob's birth certificate. "I am going to put this certificate in a frame and hang it on my wall. This certificate will make a big difference in Jacob's life. I will encourage other mothers out there to make sure their children also get a birth certificate," she said.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

UBCAA Reacts To News Of Alleged Beating Of A Liberian Police Officer By Bong County Rep. Tokpa Mulbah

Source: Liberian Forum

The National Administration of the United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) expresses with grave concerns recent reports implicating Bong county Representative and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia Hon Tokpa Mulbah for his alleged flogging of a member of the Liberian National Police.

While UBCAA is not here to indict the Deputy Speaker, as it has been reported that investigation into the matter is underway, it believes the good name of Bong County and its people are at stake as such news has the propensity to destroy and tarnish the good reputation of every Bong County citizens since Hon. Tokpa Mulbah represents County.

In the "new" Liberia, no one should be above the law no matter his/her status in government or in the Liberian society. Accordingly, UBCAA hopes that the news of Hon. Tokpa Mulbah's involvement in this ugly public spectacle is not true, as it undermines the very democratic principles upon which he was elected; representing and providing services to the people of Bong County in particular and Liberia in general as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative. UBCAA believes anything less than the complete adherence to the Laws of Liberia by every citizen is tantamount to a return to the old order when those in political positions considered themselves supreme above all else. Such acts must be discouraged and perpetrators brought to justice to face the full weight of the Laws of Liberia without favor.

As Liberia strives to move closer to total peace and stability, any act inimical to achieving our goal of becoming a peaceful nation will be resisted. Therefore, the UBCAA wants to emphatically state that it supports a thorough investigation in this matter involving Rep. Tokpa Mulbah and the police officer, as the result would not only set the stage for the promotion of justice, but serves as deterrence for all.

National President

UBCAA

The Importance of Dual Citizenship to Liberia's Economic Development

Written by Edmund Zar- Zar Bargblor
Saturday, 31 July 2010

Source: Liberian Forum

This article is a contribution to the present debate among Liberians with reference to dual citizenship. The focus of the discussion of this presentation is about economic benefits, relevant to the attainment of US citizenship by Liberians. Subsequently, I will endeavor to highlight some of the essential attributes of dual citizenship and why its implementation in post war Liberia is a necessity.

Dual citizenship in some intellectual circles is perceived as the expression of two major tendencies that are observed in the world today. There is on the one hand globalization, transcendence of all borders, emergence of common identities, multiple new identities that didn't exist before. Another attribute points to the return of nationalism, very often associated with the collapse of empires and old state entities, like the Soviet Union. In dual citizenship, these two tendencies interrelate in a very interesting way. However, for simplicity of definition, dual citizenship or dual nationality is simply an individual being a citizen of two countries or a legal status by which a person is a citizen of two countries. For example, if you as a Liberian relocate to the United States and become a naturalized US citizen, you have dual citizenship. Dual citizens can carry two passports and essentially live and travel freely within their native and naturalized countries.

Bella Consultants (a Consultancy designed for processing dual citizenship applications), emphasized: "dual citizenship is becoming more common in today's increasingly interconnected economy. Countries such as India, the Philippines and Mexico are now seeking the advantages of dual citizenship by liberalizing their citizenship laws. These countries have realized that dual citizenship has the advantages of broadening a country's economic base, fostering trade and investment between the dual citizen's two respective countries".

There exists a prevailing perception among Liberians, that when a Liberian becomes a naturalized US citizen, the individual loses his Liberian citizenship. This point of view is indeed incorrect. According to Bella Consultants, naturalized US citizens are not legally obligated to give up their citizenship of their country. The United States has never ordered any newly naturalized citizens to present themselves to their native country's embassy in order to formally renounce their original citizenship. Legally, there is nothing in the Constitution and there are none from the United States Supreme Court preventing the United States (via the State Department) from requiring all naturalized citizens to officially renounce their citizenship to their native country as a condition for naturalization.

The opponents of dual citizenship debate always draw one's attention to the oath of allegiance that one is required to declare.

The opening lines of the Oath of Allegiance are meant to give the United States sovereignty over the newly naturalized citizen. The important thing to remember about the oath of allegiance is not the renunciation of your original citizenship, which the US does not enforce, but to remember the allegiance and fidelity you swear to the United States of America. The oath is a promise one made to be faithful and true to the laws of America. The Oath is also a demonstration to everyone of one's loyalty and commitment to defend and protect the United States of America at all times. In essence, an individual Liberian who obtained United States Citizenship is still a Liberian, especially on Liberian soil. It is hypocritical to advocate for the adjustment of Liberians' status on TPS to that of US Permanent Residency or naturalized US citizenship and at the same time condemning others seeking the presidency of the Republic of Liberia for obtaining and having dual citizenship. If dual citizenship is such a bad idea, why are Liberians endeavoring through US Congressional hearings on Liberia, to adjust the status of Liberians presently on Temporary Protective Status (TPS)? Mark Fritz of Los Angeles Times wrote: "Scott Wasmuth, the director of a nonprofit refugee relocation agency in New Jersey, deals with a particular type of immigrant said that there are people from Liberia who have managed to survive seven years of merciless combat by avaricious warlords. Or families from Bosnia purged from their homelands by their fellow citizens. They are different from most immigrants in that their lives were so threatened, their living conditions so deadly, they were granted political asylum. To these immigrants, Wasmuth said, U.S. citizenship is more than a passport, economic benefit or immigration status one notch above green card. Citizenship should be about ideals."In the last seven years according to Mark Fritz, Colombia, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and most recently, Mexico -- the suppliers of some of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in America -- have allowed their nationals to become citizens elsewhere without losing their original nationality. New leaderships in South Korea and India have expressed support for the same idea.

Mark Fritz explained that Upscale Australians in the United States have been pressuring their government to allow dual citizenship so they can become Americans without losing their native status. Economic is the main motivation here, avoiding the stiff estate taxes that the U.S. government imposes on foreigners operating in the United States.

There is a large degree of evidence of naturalized US citizens operating in official capacities in their former country of origins. Mark Fritz reports on some examples of tacit US support for dual citizenship:

Previous years, when Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced an end to a decade-old ban on U.S. travel to Lebanon, she referred to the hardship the ban was causing to thousands of Americans with dual Lebanese citizenship. A man with U.S. and Lebanese citizenship runs Beirut's Marriott Hotel and Casino.

Also, the U.S. State Department and Slovakia rescinded an old treaty, thereby enabling "the citizens of both countries to hold dual citizenship," the Slovak Embassy in Washington said.

Washington protested when Israel threatened to revoke the residency rights of Palestinian Americans in Jerusalem unless they surrendered their American passports. In that case, the U.S. was in effect acting to protect dual allegiances.

The State Department said that as far as it can tell, Hussein Mohammed Aidid, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, is still a naturalized American citizen as well as Somalia's most powerful warlord.

All Africa.Com. an internet on line news medium reported on July 21, 2010:

“Abuja — Many years after the Liberian civil war, over 250,000 children born by Nigerian soldiers who were part of the Economic Community Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) peace keeping force in Liberia are still roaming the streets of Liberia, wallowing in poverty and searching for their fathers.” If the population of Liberia is about 3,000,000 people, this number of children is over 8 percent of the nation over all population. These children if come of age will demand for the citizenship of both Liberia and Nigeria. In essence, they are Nigerians and also Liberians. The International institute in the State of

Rhode Island reported years ago, that there are about 15,000 Liberians within Rhode Island and its environs. Let‘s assume that half of this number, each decided to have a child, collectively they will have 7,500 children. There are hundreds of Liberians in New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Washington, DC Metropolitan areas, and other parts of the United States. And these numbers don’t include those born in Europe and other parts of the world.

The question that needs to be answered by the detractors of dual citizenship: will it be fair to deny any of the children born of Liberian parentage from enjoying Liberian citizenship, because, they have dual citizenship?

As society becomes more global and integrated, the value of Dual Citizenship and a second passport is increasingly becoming a necessity. The comforts of being an American Citizen, at the same time maintaining one's original nationality, provides an individual with an abundance of benefits and set of liberties. Economically, Liberia stands to benefit. Dual citizenship provides access to financial investment rights (property, securities, retirement, social security benefits, etc.). American citizenship provides access to adequate medical benefits, including potentially free healthcare, especially for those reaching the age of retirement. Accesses to educational benefits, including potentially free higher education are all possibilities within the reach of Liberians who enjoyed dual citizenships. And most importantly, provides opportunity for children of Liberian parentage to travel freely and reconnect with their cultural background and strengthen the fabric of their African heritage. Never before in the history of Liberia, has the need for international assistance become so urgent and essential. The need to change is apparent; the need to seek and identify individuals whose expertise and experiences transcend the day-to-day norms of the Liberian society is a responsibility, which all Liberians cannot afford to ignore. Is one thing to talk about 163 years of independence, is another to know that Liberians' years of national sovereignty have yet to match the scope of their national development. Currently, developments of road net works, water system, health care facilities, education system, telecommunication facilities, etc. are in a deplorable state of affairs. The endorsing or advocating the development of multiple national attachments should be viewed in terms of national development and economic strategy. Dual citizenship would help Liberian businessmen/women to transact and move freely, especially in and out of the United States. Even the Republic of Ghana has realized the economic benefits of dual citizenship and continues to encourage its citizens since December 1, 2002, to obtain dual citizenship.

The ideals of Free Enterprise and Democracy are complementary. The development and sustaining a strong middle class is essential to attainting stability in Liberia. Dual citizenship has the propensity to bring this about. The future seems to provide a great promise; Dual citizenship will help to democratize the politics of Liberia. As illustrated above, there are hundred upon hundred of children born to Liberian nationals presently residing in the Diaspora. These children with their dual nationalities and exposures could help Liberia to navigate her destiny through the twenty-first century. Democracy indeed, is built on informed citizen participation, especially those who have lived and practiced it in developed countries. The ideal of democracy is meaningful participation of an engaged and informed citizenry. Dual Citizenship is undoubtedly, one of the ways to foster Liberia's future economic development. Leopold Senghor of Senegal was correct when he said: "To build a nation, to create a new civilization which can lay claim to existence because it is humane, we shall try to employ not only enlightened reason but also dynamic imagination."
_________________________
Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor is an Educator within the Providence School Department, Providence, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of Cuttington University College, Liberia, Howard University, Washington, D.C, and Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Mr. Bargblor is a former Vice President of the Liberian Community Association of Rhode Island and President of the African Catholic Community of Rhode Island. He can be contacted at Ezbargblor@aol.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Min. Ngafuan stresses capacity need

Written by Charles Gbollie
Saturday, 31 July 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia

Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan says government needs better capacity to meet the expectations of its partners in the country.

Minister Ngafuan did not elaborate, but said the government’s Pay System was very low and needed improvement.

He believes the provision of more assistance to the country would enable it better condition of the people.

Minister Ngafuan spoke at the opening of a one day Aid Management workshop under the auspices of the Aid Management Unit of the Finance Ministry.

The Director of the unit William Towah said the event was to Review current effective aid management interventions through knowledge sharing.

He said the workshop was intended to enhance effective aid management and transparency in compliance with the Public Financial Management Law.

Deputy Speaker’s indictment withdrawn?

Written by Bruce Boweh
Saturday, 31 July 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia
Government has reportedly withdrawn its indictment against Deputy Speaker Togbah Mulbah.

According to state sources, the action was sparked by procedural errors.

It is not clear who is to be blamed for the alleged error.

Our sources said the indictment was drawn up but prosecution did not pray for a writ for service of the legal instrument.

When an indictment is drawn up against an accused, the sources said, the writ of arrest is served with the knowledge of the prosecution.

Sources close to the prosecution said state lawyers were surprised that the accused even filed a bond when they had not asked the court to serve the indictment on him.

This is a clear indication that the secrecy that attends the service of indictments was violated.
Up to now it is not clear who leaked news of the indictment to the deputy speaker and his lawyer.

Pro Temp Wotorson allays fears over Freedom of Information bill

Written by Julius Kanubah
Saturday, 31 July 2010

Source: Star RadioLiberia

Senate Pro Temp Cletus Wotorson says there is no need for government officials to fear the proposed Freedom of Information Act.

Pro Temp Wotorson said government officials must not get afraid of the FOI bill because certain classified information will not be revealed.

According to him, the Freedom of information bill will come with a level of responsibility if enacted.

The Senate Pro Temp made the statement when the bill was forwarded to the Senate by the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives a week ago passed the draft Freedom of Information Act after two years of scrutiny.

The FOI bill is intended to ensure unhindered access to public documents with the exclusion of issues relating to national security threat and certain trade deals.

National Orator under fire for divisive comment

Written by D. Emmanuel Wheinyue
Saturday, 31 July 2010

Source: Star Radio Liberia
A Media Executive has frowned on a statement of the National Independence Day orator in which he said only people of Negro decent can be citizens of the Country.

According to Mr. Robert Kpadeh, Father Robert Tikpor’s statement smells with division.

Mr. Kpaded, who publishes the Parrot Newspaper, said the statement of the Catholic Priest also undermines the fight against racial discrimination.

He said the orator’s comments are unhealthy and unpleasant for Liberia’s relationship with the outside world.

Mr. Kpadeh has meanwhile called on Liberians not to use what he called errors of the past to thread the feature.

MCC On the ground in Liberia

July 2010 by Cassandra Butts, MCC Senior Advisor
Source: http://www.mcc.gov/pages/povertyreductionblog/entry/on-the-ground-in-liberia

MCC Senior Advisor Cassandra Butts joins Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), and Rep. David Price (D-NC), and Liberian school girls currently receiving education scholarships, at the signing ceremony of MCC’s $15 Threshold Program with Liberia.


Last week I was fortunate to represent MCC at a signing ceremony kicking off MCC’s $15 million Threshold Program with the Government of Liberia. Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation led by Rep. David Price and Rep. David Dreier, representing the U.S. House Democracy Partnership, also attended the signing ceremony, which took place in Monrovia. We were also pleased to have Rep. Donald Payne participate in the ceremony as a long-time supporter of African development and MCC.

The visit marked my first time back to Liberia since a 1999 trip as a member of a congressional staff delegation reviewing the status of refugees in what was then a conflict-riven region. What I saw on my recent trip provided considerable hope that Liberia, under the leadership of President Johnson Sirleaf, is well positioned to translate MCC’s Threshold Program investment in land access and policy, girls’ primary education, and trade policy into successfully- implemented programs that will meaningfully contribute to Liberia’s future development.

MCC Senior Advisor Cassandra Butts visits with Liberian school girls in the King Gray community about educational opportunities for both school age youth and older youth who missed traditional schooling because of the country’s conflict.

While all three components of Liberia’s Threshold Program were identified by Liberians as a part of their national development strategy and are designed to improve Liberia’s performance in the policy areas measured by MCC eligibility criteria, the girls’ primary education program has a particular resonance for me as MCC’s point person for the integration of gender equality in the programs we fund. This is a priority that I share with President Johnson Sirleaf as we, and many others, recognize, without question, that educating girls is crucial to a country’s long-term economic development.

There is no question that the road ahead will be challenging for Liberia, but the country continues to make significant strides in demonstrating a commitment to policy reform and responsible leadership under President Johnson Sirleaf that made our Threshold Program partnership possible in the first place. We look forward to working with the Government of Liberia and USAID, the U.S. Government agency that will administer the Threshold Program, to ensure the delivery of results that will improve the policy environment in the targeted sectors and contribute to the long-term growth and prosperity of the people of Liberia.

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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 truthBernard Gbayee Goah

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