The Realities Versus the PRS Delegation’s Presentations
On slide show, the PRS concept presentation looks very captivating and mind wrecking. It looks like an impressive photo that was taken in shabby clothing. But that is exactly what the pro-Ellen Johnson Sirleaf spin masters wanted to achieve. They came over to redirect your attention away from the present realities of wide spread corruption in Liberia, win your hearts and minds that the country, more so under Ellen Sirleaf was making great progress in its PRS efforts. And based on that, they will try to cajole you to talk to your family members back home to reelect Madam Sirleaf as president in the 2011 elections. But put yourself in the driver’s seat. If you were given the opportunity to advertise your goods and services to few buyers, would you have done it in a way that those buyers and their word of mouth counterparts will keep away from your products whenever they see them on the shelf? Most people won’t. What the delegation will not show or tell you in those presentations, are the colossal failures of the PRS under Madam Sirleaf. This is no attempt to win you over or solicit your support for another political party. I hold no political ambitions for now. In Liberia, these things are also taking place. In addition to my observation series put out earlier, here is the grim realities of what our Ellen Sirleaf spin masters could not told.
Governance and Rule of Law Pillar
In his efforts to paint a very good image of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration, William Allen, Head of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) claims that the government listened to the voice of the people by establishing a good governance policy that will prevent Liberia from slipping further into civil war. According to him, all of the people’s wishes were considered under pillar one of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (Governance and Rule of Law Pillar). Firstly, most of the people are not aware of these claims, let alone agreeing that they made them. Secondly, government set forth a goal of structuring and reforming security agencies (Final PRS p51). Under police reform, the goal was to recruit 1 police officer to every 400 people (aka 1:400) at the county, township, and city limits.
The proposal of 1:400 was realistically set forth by the UN (http://www.ssrnetwork.net/ssrbulletin/liberia.php). As manifested in the Minister of Planning town-hall address, the issue of Security Sector Reform is not a priority under the government of President Sirleaf. There is no money to build a new police force. The United Nations Police (UNPOL) and the US were tasked under Article VII of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and UN Resolution 1506 to restructure the LNP, AFL and other security agencies (See SSR). According to UNPOL, it has reached the goal of recruiting a total strength of 3,500 police officers. Given the UN requirement of 1:400, and Liberia’s current population being 3.49 million (www.lisgis.org), the LNP needs a stable force size of 8,725 for the whole of Liberia. The problem is that the AFL is still struggling to sustain its ridiculous force size of one to two brigades (2000), comprising of newly trained personnel. All but 500 of the Liberian National police personnel recruited are poorly trained. Liberia remains very unsafe, human security is at risk; the United States describes security under the current LNP as one with a very limited and low presence in and outside of Monrovia; police officers can be a source of problems for visitors (Liberia).
LNP and Crimes
Crime rate in Liberia is high, and is intensified by the high rate of unemployment. Theft, assault, sexual crimes, frequent mob justice, and most times resulting to death. For instance, on June 12, a mob burned down a police station in Harper, resulting in the death of a detainee. In August 2009, angry mobs in Monrovia beat to death two suspected criminals. Women have been attacked on deserted beaches. Residential armed break-ins have occurred. The police are ill equipped and largely incapable of providing effective protection or investigation. Criminal activity has been reported in both urban and rural areas (Liberia). The Sirleaf administration has no political prisoners or prisoners of conscience. But this could be due to the presence of an 8,000 strong UN force, and the zero sum tolerance by donor countries and institutions to further support recipient countries which stifle social freedom and political dissent. However, there is awfully, a very large number of imprisoned Liberians and fellow Africans who are kept in very poor conditions behind bars (Zoker 2009), for as little as facing a judge for arraignment; some have been there for as long as three years only to be told by a judge to go home for lack of proper evidence. The justice system is sluggish; prison accommodations are inhumane and prisoners are frequently ill resulting to their early death, some of the prisoners are without proper clothing; prisoner insanity is high. Being a victim herself, Madam Sirleaf professes to despise poor prison conditions, but fails to follow through (http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-01-16-prison-conditions-in-liberia-deplorable).
The LNP Headquarter and all police sub depots are poorly equipped and experience their share of the city power ration; police operate with outdated equipments, no modern police amnesties to conduct fair and impartial investigations, few offices within the LNP are equipped with functioning desktops; improper or old fashion methods of extracting statements from suspects and complainants; the use of flying sheets and ledgers to extract information are commonplace, the breach of habeas corpus is frequent, there is little or no room for prisoner’s rehabilitation, little or no correction system, government has no system in place to educate citizens of their rights to the justice system, and because of this, people held before arraignment are not informed of their rights to bonding/bailing (http://ocha-gwapps1.unog.ch/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VDUX-7NBRW3?OpenDocument). Police officers are not adequately trained to read the Miranda rights of those they arrest. According to Minister Amara Konneh, government is thinking whether or not to employ adequate safety measures to protect the helpless from further harm. Minister Konneh for his part has the LNP checkpoint very close to his residence. Therefore, he does not have the problem of insecurity that you and I have. In fact, there are reports that he wants the checkpoint removed from his immediate backyard. Folks like the Konneh and Allen don’t share the fiercest urgency of being protected from armed gangs roaming your neighborhoods freely at night. People like them have enough time to cool off and contemplate whether or not it is important to take extra measures to protect you, the destitute. Ritualistic killings are on the rise, In essence, Liberia’s justice system needs a complete overhaul (http://www.afrika.no/Detailed/18277.html).
Constitutional and other human rights concerns
Liberia continues to live under racially segregated laws, and denying people of non Negro decent their rights to citizenship and ownership of real property; children born unto unions of Negro and non Negro people of Liberian descendants are treated as second class citizens, and at some point denied the rights enjoyed by other Liberians till their eighteenth birthday where they will have to declare whether they want to be Liberians or not. Widespread child abuse continued, and reports of sexual violence against children are on the increase. According to a December 9, 2009 UNMIL report, 66 percent of girls between the ages of 10 and 19 had been raped; 20 percent of victims were under 10 years of age. Civil society organizations reported increased incidents of rape of girls under 12, and there were 37 cases of alleged child endangerment during the first six months of 2009. This too is Liberia.
What can Liberians abroad do to help with National Rebuilding?
Both William Allen and Amara Konneh ask, “What can you as a Liberian in the Diaspora do to help?” While it is true that both of these men are vigilantly working to effect changes in Liberia, they should seek to address their own contributions to the failure of the PRS. Who do I start with? Dr. Allen I understand nurtured the idea that instead of seeking to employ non-Liberian expatriates, which comes with heavy salary burden, Liberians with similar skills and orientations can be hired locally and internationally to perform the same job for less salaries. This is a very brilliant idea right?
This initiative has a three tier phase. Tier one has to do with the transfer of knowledge through expatriate nationals (TOKTEN), tier two is the Senior Executive Service (SES), and tier three is the Civil Service Reform Directorate (CSRD). The broad aim of these three programs is to develop a cadre of top public servants properly trained, well motivated and “adequately compensated.” For most part all but few of tier-one has phased out. When it was fully functional, the UNDP paid highly qualified Liberians a salary of $3,000. You are left to take care of your housing in Liberia, and family abroad. You will be extremely lucky to be given a car. For most part, 40% your salary is spent on living and working expenses; and excluding supporting one’s family abroad. Liberians in Liberia frown on the idea of you working in Liberia, and yet transfer funds abroad for family support. Bring the family home, they advice. Those Liberians who have not left Liberia, but have gained the level of education needed to compete for these jobs, feel that they too should be given priority over their counterparts coming from abroad. It is unfair to pass over us, and import Liberians from abroad to perform jobs that we right here can perform, they complain.
There are a few folks in Tier-two that are paid $3,000 or so dollars. The rest including County Development Officers, the Head of the Civil Service Reform Directorate, are paid $2,000. There is a class of CSRD that is paid a minimum of $1,000 only. I am sure for a number of Liberians, these salary scales sound great. On the contrary, those programs don’t carry with them, the level of resettlement opportunities, i.e. lofty salaries, housing, transportation, communication, and so on, that other foreign expatriates enjoy for doing less or the same jobs. Don’t tell me about that crap sacrifice for country rhetoric; it does not repay the loan taken to obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees here in the West. Folks like Minister Konneh were at the fore front of putting down their fellow qualified Liberians who earlier responded to the calls of serving their country over their families. This guy told us that qualified Liberians coming from abroad deserve nothing but a Chinese Scooter or cheap motorcycles for work purposes; in Liberia, placing a 15 minutes call to a family member in the US, cost you $5. This may seem like a small amount, but it adds up in the course of a month. It even hurts, when your only means of getting to work, make calls, eat, etc, come from the $2,000 monthly salary. Those are the fine prints, the Konnehs and Allens won’t dare tell you in their slide show. Back in November 2009 when armed robbers broke into my bedroom and made away with valuable items, things could have been worst, but thanks to my resistance, no one from the Ministry of Planning called to check on my wellbeing, even though they were the first to learn of the incident via email. People come here and tell you that you are part of a middle class in a system in which you do not gain tax incentives. That’s a cleaver way to get away with words. By answering to these low incentive programs with their current structures, take you backwards, and not forward. To the Allens and Konnehs, these programs mean a lot them. Because responding to their calls, your presence brings them monies to further go on vacation. You don’t want to hear their miserable audit performance under the GAC. Please.
1. Elise A. Zoker (January 22, 2009:http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/africa/features/article_1454984.php/Awful_prison_conditions_in_Liberia_lead_to_jailbreaks_Feature)
2. http://ocha-gwapps1.unog.ch/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VDUX-7NBRW3?OpenDocument
3. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-01-16-prison-conditions-in-liberia-deplorable
4. http://www.ssrnetwork.net/ssrbulletin/liberia.php
5. http://www.afrika.no/Detailed/18277.html
6. Liberia
7. http://www.ssrnetwork.net/ssrbulletin/liberia.php
8. www.lisgis.org
9. Final PRS p51
Author’s Note: Edmond R. Gray, is a former military intelligence officer and a former Senior Executive Staff of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia, with over twenty years of public service experience. He can be reached on 763-447-1063 and at remiegray@gmail.com.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Was The Liberian PRS Mission to America Successful? A Rejoinder
Introduction
When words of the Liberian civil war broke out in December, 1989, few Liberians paid attention to what will later come to ruin their lives forever. Liberians are curiously a self-satisfied people. When news went around that a delegation from the Liberian government was coming to American cities where Liberians reside, out of curiosity, few made it their duty to go and see what the delegation had to offer them.
What Attracted People to the PRS Town Hall Meeting
Most Liberians were concerned with postwar reconstruction efforts back home in Liberia. Many have promised, ‘that if all goes well’ they will return home soon. Others wanted to hear what Madam Sirleaf has done so far in her five years of presidency. To their disappointment, they were presented with a set of new promises that her Excellency, Madam Sirleaf is intending to carry out in the next several months leading to the 2011 elections.
Liberians in the United States also wanted a clear answer to the growing menace of widespread corruption in government. However, the delegation was not here to discuss corruption. They came over to present their government’s signature program, the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). Those who attended the meetings came out grumbling, that the subject of corruption was given a cold shoulder. All throughout their presentations, the delegation never discussed the effects of corruption on good governance. Neither did they mention that in a country like Liberia where the have-nots outnumber the haves, the continuation of widespread corruption could lead to public unrest.
The Issue of Corruption
There are many reasons why Liberians will not easily put the issue of corruption away. Back in 2005, Madam Sirleaf ran on a platform of ending corruption, end government financial mismanagement. According to her, she will make corruption, ‘public enemy number one’. A lot of Liberians are quite passionate about this issue. To say the least, a growing number of Liberians are disappointed with Madam Sirleaf’s inability to deliver on this key campaign promise.
Under Madam Sirleaf, Liberia is seeing an emerging, but frightening trend of politicking. For instance, few weeks ago, I was the subject of a smear campaign by a government official who was primarily groomed to put me down on a global social network. His only task was to present me as someone who was not credible enough to criticize our current national government. He called me “a big joke”, and one who was fired for underperformance. Not once did he disprove my claim that nothing significant has so far been achieved on the program he claims to supervise, the PRS. That was not his mission. But as cold, and as childish that minister may have appeared, this is one of many unwholesome tactics used by the Sirleaf Administration against her critics, today. I received many calls of concerns on the issue. Most people would have quietly backed off by such a smudge campaign.
But there is a saying that greatness is at the edge of destruction. No one favors the destruction of their integrity, let alone allow their life to be dragged to the edge of a destructive cliff. Why should the minister’s claims deter my noble mission against his administration? There is nothing to be ashamed of. My records of performance are there. With my own resources, I accomplished a lot for the county, and the Superintendent of Grand Cape Mount will tell you just that. I am a natural leader wherever I work. This is not to blow my own horn. I have a twenty year military experience under my belt. I have worked in many corporate establishments here in the States. I am an academic, an adjunct instructor. I am a seasoned research assistant. I am a trained administrator. There is nothing so difficult that I can’t handle. Unlike this minister, I have never made a bogus claim that a degree was conferred on me, but was not found on the school’s list of specializations. Neither did I claim that I am on a sabbatical for an MSIT in Policy Management that is not offered as a program at Carnegie. My credentials are genuine. My resume is authentic.
I am also not a quitter. I brave the storm when the going gets tough. I imagine how many pieces of advice the Rev. Martin Luther King got form his closed friends, and including his wife, Coretta Scott-King for defying the once feared White establishment? Martin, leave this thing alone, they may have pled. Dr. King took on what was mostly the segregated South, asking for equal rights for ALL. Sometimes, these priceless requests are just too difficult to fulfill. In Liberia, the demand for freedom took the lives of 250,000 Liberians. Those who are inspired by their own fate to defend a noble cause must be willing to compromise their personalities, and sometimes, even their own lives. In Liberia, many Liberian human rights and media organizations that are advocating for the end of corruption are dragged to court by syndicate and pariah organizations. There are Concerned Citizen pressure groups that speak up against those who campaign to end corruption.
Every time an anti-government demonstration is staged in Liberia, asking for some reforms, there is a subsequent pro-Ellen demonstration that will run into it, showing banners that suggested the government of Madam Sirleaf is great. Times are hard. Everyone is willing to do anything to put food on the table. News papers and media organizations share their burden of the syndicated ploy. For instance, Front Page Africa has several frivolous law suits hanging over its head for ‘unsubstantiated publications’. President Sirleaf too has taken one or two newspapers to court for libel. I honestly believe that, under the constitution, she is guaranteed her individual rights to take people to court. Equally so, people have a civic responsibility to report with facts. However it boils down to the seriousness of this matter, that a president, who should be leading the way to wipe out corruption in Liberia, is leading the efforts to discourage those who are helping to put an end to corruption.
Words of Caution
In the 2011 presidential elections, one needs to watch out for these shadowy tactics. Madam Sirleaf is a decorated politician who gets what she wants. And this is why the UP wants her contest the 2011 elections at age 76. There is nothing wrong with that. However, she should play it by the rules. We are beginning to see this unethical political trend slowly creeping into our Liberian communities here in the United States. Let me draw your attention to two events. Recently, one of Madam Sirleaf’s former noted critics, returned from Liberia, only to become her chief spokesperson. This is a great thing. We should be striving to win the hearts of those who despise. On the contrary, those converted disciples should not lead the way in spreading falsehoods. Our consciences should be our guides. We owe our unfortunate fellow Liberians upon whose lives and bloods, we thrive to become presidents, senators, representatives, cabinet ministers, syndicate columnists and writers today, a fair share of honesty. Our departed mothers, fathers, children, and kindred need to feel the effects of the PRS and other flagship programs, in their places of rest. No one needs to measure the success of a national development program like the PRS, by the eloquence of a PowerPoint presenter. Most of our people died in the Liberian civil war, responding to the eloquent voices of Mr. Taylor or Madam Sirleaf’s call to level the executive mansion of Liberia.
Grading of the PRS Town Hall Meeting
It is quite unfortunate that those who graded the recent PRS presentation did so in the absence of a performance matrix based on variables. I wonder why the success of a key national outcome, should be based on how well spoken, or how tall and handsome the presenter was. Liberia is a country that is gifted with many eloquent speakers. As I mentioned earlier, Charles Taylor is a very eloquent speaker, and so is Madam Sirleaf. Even Edmond Gray, is eloquent. But the PRS is not about eloquence. It is a performance driven program. It is a program that was started in July of 2008 and scheduled to end in June of 2011. Any success of this program must be graded on what has been accomplished so far.
In Grand Cape Mount where I worked on this PRS program, let me give you a heads up on some of my individual accomplishments. Please be informed that, the car I used for work, the gas, the numerous calling cards, where I resided, the internet service to dispatch reports, all came from my savings. Sometimes, I asked fellow NGO workmates for stationery, just to get by. On the ten or months that I stayed in the county, the Ministry of Planning stopped by twice. The first was to introduce me to the county, and the other was for a workshop held on manpower capacity building. There were few calls placed asking for reports. They will only call when asked by the IMF to provide a report.
Term of Reference of the CDO
As a County Development Officer, I oversee the day to day operations of the CDSC and Working Committees. Lend support to County Administration (CDSC and WCs) in reporting on the implementation progress of PRS/CDA deliverables utilizing approved LRDC reporting templates. Support County Administration to ensure appropriate linkages between WCs and the Planning and County Statistics Units in terms of monitoring and tracking PRS/CDA Deliverables and providing timely reporting against indicators within LRDC Deliverables Tracking Matrices. Support County Administration to ensure regular monitoring and support to implementation of all projects in the 3-year PRS project cycle through establishing and managing a database that contains all development projects committed and under implementation within the County (specifying delivery date, implementing partner, type of project and sector, and the location of project implementation District, Clan and village level), among others. And with this term of reference, I developed the following work annual plan:
Recommendations
1. It is recommended that LNP conduct community policing among boat owners and their occupants on the need to be law abiding.
2.RPAL should be admonished to comply with security advice given by the Guthrie Coordination Committee and that the matter should be properly handled to avoid a spillover effect.
3.The LNP and Joint Security Task Force of Tewor District especially Tieni should be rotated quarterly to avoid compliancy. However, one common practice among security units in these areas bordering our international friends is the unusually high level of connivance with smugglers in the transporting of contrabands into the Liberian side of the border. This should be investigated and those found guilty as alleged should be meted out with disciplinary measures as this is the escape of smuggling suspects is commonplace.
4.With increase in population in Congo, LNP Commander should increase strength in Porkpa District and ensure deployment of LNP in Congo to record and report crimes.
5. UNDP Arms for Development should consider the launching of a final arms for development program in the County especially so being a border county.
6. UNDP Small Arms Unit should take into consideration that most of the ex-combatants, returnees, and refugees from Guinea and Sierra Leone commissioned as private individuals in Porkpa and Gola Konneh District are still struggling with accommodation outside their areas. Therefore service providers should be encouraged to reach them or appropriate reintegration programs must be designed for them.
7.It is strongly recommended for NGOs to extend their services to Congo Mano River and beyond. Donors should reconsider the construction of the Konjah Bridge in Congo which cuts off the people in Sokpo Clan during the rainy season. This is evident now that this region continues to see heavy down pour of rains.
8.USAID under IBIS and SSF did a fantastic job in upgrading the Madina/Robertspot principle Highway. Nonetheless, it was only done as an all season road. Donors or GOL should consider paving it since this road leads to a future Tourism site.
9. Cape Mount is a relatively very peaceful county with no serious inter ethnic or tribal tensions. However, there exist latent land disputes that erupts abruptly especially during farming periods. The establishment of Peace and Reconciliation Committees has help tremendously to amicably settle such disputes. However, more needs to be done resolve some of these land dispute issues to avoid spillover.
10.The lack of knowledge on acquiring land remains a concern. The land commissioner should be facilitated to create awareness by sensitizing the people on how to acquire land. The County Superintendent was highly influential in acquiring community lands for use by Line Ministries.
11.GOL should fast track the formation of the Land Commission to address land disputes in the Country.
12.There is need for support to effectively train a County Peace and Reconciliation Taskforce in conflict resolution and management and to extend the reactivation of the clan elder’s councils. Such a committee could handle future disputes among county officials.
13.CDO and other stakeholders should continue to endeavor to convince both Superintendent and members of the legislative caucus to hold a monthly information sharing meeting to address differences and form consensus on development programs of mutual interest.
14.GOL and partners should also consider holding a national workshop to clearly show the roles, scope and powers of the executive and legislature in the counties and how both parties should collaborate in the effort to develop the county through the PRS/CDA. These entities must continue to smoke the peace pipe. Current friction between entities is hampering the progress of the county.
The strength of immigration officers in the county is still low and lacks the necessary logistics (radios, uniforms, stationeries, motor bikes or vehicles etc) to execute such challenging task. It is recommended that
15. The strength of immigration personnel should be increased to 83 to ensure effective deployment throughout the border especially to increase strength in York Island in Tewor District, Borbor and Gangama in Porkpa District and deploy officers to Congo Mano and Kawellahun, in Porkpa Districts, Keita and Varguay in Gola District.
16.A new County structure to house BIN, Customs and other offices and accommodation is near completion but needs to be furnished.
17.National Bureau of Investigation HQ should deploy additional personnel to ensure adequate coverage of the entire county and provide communication gadgets, mobility and office space in Robertsport.
18.County Attorney should ensure the restructuring of the Districts Joint Security Task Forces need to adopt the standing operational procedures developed by the CDO.
B) On the issue of Governance and Rule of Law, The appointment of qualified county officials by MIA is a positive stride towards enhancing the County Administration to take over full responsibilities in service delivery to the local population. The Line Ministry officials have cautioned the County Officials that the utilization of the funds should not be centralized to one ministry but should be diversified to include the funding of projects from other line ministries.
1. The Line Ministries also noted the need for regular cabinet meetings to be initiated by the Superintendent outside of the CDSC.
2. The structure housing the labor office is completely renovated but. It is recommended for the Ministry of Labor HQ capacitates the staff and office. The single motor bike used by the commissioner or head in Cape Mount should be replaced with a 4x4 jeep and other logistics.
3. Challenges in terms of coordination persist but with the strengthening of the pillars this has significantly improved through the intervention of the CDO, M&E Structure, and LISGIS. However, the need for the construction of a ministerial building to house all line ministries cannot be over-emphasized.
4. Also, the separation of the circuit Court from the administrative building is significant to give more space to county administration staff and create some level of physical separation and independence of the Judiciary.
5. Government should endeavor to design mechanism to allow government workers take their pay at the door step of their work place or introduce banking system of payment were banks exist that would enable principals to collect monies and pay same to their teachers under the supervision of the District Education Officer.
6. The issue of illegal pit-sawing has negative impact on locals as most of the trucks have contributed immensely to the destruction of the roads and bridges and the local communities benefiting nothing from the exercise. FDA should ensure that a written consensus from the local authorities has been given to a potential pit-sawyer before granting waybill to saw and collect timber from any county.
7. Government of Liberia to be lobbied to ensure the participation of local authorities in the negotiation of concession agreements.
8. Government to encourage Companies to recruit Liberians and to undertake development programs in their area of operations.
9. Even though the FDA has deployed personnel to Cape Mount, a shift to monitor illegal pit-sawing in Gola Konneh and Porkpa Districts should be a priority.
10. EPA has a low presence in Cape Mount though regionally based in Bomi County. The use of Lake Peso as public toilet is a tangible reason why the presence of the EPA must be strengthened.
11. Government should widely publicize the reform mineral policy and ensure the inclusion of local authority in the overall management of natural resources. There is unusually large presence of illicit mining activities going on within the county. Precious gems continue to fall in the hands of illicit miners. There is the need for a mining task force.
12. The increase in mining activities has resulted to increase in the population in several mining communities in Gola Konneh and Porkpa Districts resulting to an increase in crime that are not reported to the Police due to lack of transportation and limited LNP personnel presence. It is therefore recommended that the LNP beefs up the strength of its force in Gola Konneh and in Porkpa Districts respectively. This can only materialize with an increase in the overall strength of LNP assigned to the County which is only at 69 of the total number of 161 targeted by the PRS.
13. MPEA should ensure that the implementing NGO LADI is held accountable for the completion of the Police Station project which has been halted due to the county’s inability to provide land in time for the continue of police project.
14. LNP Monrovia HQ must continue the path of increasing the number of officers to Cape Mount to fast track the deployment of LNP to mining areas, border areas and expand the deployment of the Women and Children Protection Section Officers.
15. LNP HQ to institute disciplinary measures for those officers found guilty of deserting their post to serve as deterrent.
16. The need to rehabilitate structures and or construct a structure for use as office space and deployment of LNP officers to Congo Mano River should be seriously considered to restore the rule of law. So far, all magisterial courts are held under stringent atmosphere. Only one court house is partially constructed in Tieni.
17. The Porkpa District Magistrate should be encouraged to deploy to Bambalah as community has agreed to provide a house for on rental basis and the Town hall to be used for court sitting free of charge.
- The construction of magisterial courts in Madina, Bamballa, Tieni and Lofa Bridge should be prioritized.
- Proactive stipendiary magistrates should be recruited.
- GOL and partners should provide funds for the renovation of the prisons facility in Robertsport. Land has been provided for the construction of a new state of the art prison facilities in the Torso upper Tombey community outside of Robertspot
- Civil Affairs and County Attorney to continue to follow up and ensure deployment of LNP and Magistrate to Bambalah.
18. The Human Rights Officer and the County Health Officer should continue their efforts to ensure that justice is dispensed. UN Human Rights Commission and the MOGD must continue their current pace in protecting the rights of detainees, women and children.
C) On Economic Revitalization, Government and donors should continue to support public works to carry out construction or rehabilitation of roads and bridges and encouraging investors to expand their mining activities and ensure recruitment of Liberians.
D) GOL and Donors should establish appropriate skills training centers and encourage youth to be educated to be able to compete for jobs. The efforts of NRC, ODAFARA, and Youth Ambassadors should be ongoing.
E) Encourage youth in agriculture to see the sector as a business.
F) Encourage expansion of Agriculture such as supporting expansion of tree crops or cash crops such as oil palm, rubber, cocoa and coffee farms to provide temporal jobs.
G) Ministry of Labor in collaboration with the Civil Service Agency should be encouraged to develop a bio database of all unemployed Liberians in the County.
H) Lack of office space and inadequate staff are key challenges to enhance the capacity of the field staff. The County Superintendent should continue the path of land advocacy with local communities for construction of office facilities as a matter of urgent priority to enable the construction of the sector facilities. The issue of Agriculture is huge for the growth of any population and community. This increase in agricultural activities in year under review is evident that progress is being made. However, the late arrival of seeds and tools are factors that should be addressed. The engagement of youth in meaningful agricultural activities must be encouraged.
I) FAO and Ministry of Agriculture to focus on Youth and Women Groups engagement in developing seed multiplication sites at clan and district levels.
J) FAO and MOA to engage women groups in community gardening.
K) GOL and partners should encourage the construction of post harvest facilities such as stores and drying floors.
L) GOL / MOA to introduce mechanized agriculture.
M) FAO to consider providing vegetable seeds for the implementation of the women groups agricultural projects and support youth in Agriculture initiatives.
N) FAO to consider providing inputs to local fishermen such as fishing nets and out board machines to enable Liberians compete with other nationalities in the fishing industry.
O) MOA / FAO should ensure that only farmers who met with their obligations should be supported in the coming season.
P) On the issue of Revenue generation, government continues to lose out on important revenue maters. To stop this, Ministry of Finance should increase the number of Collectors, and ensure provision of mobility, rehabilitation of County Revenue Office and office logistics. Senior Collector to convene a Revenue Collection Task Force meeting to undertake an assessment to determine the various taxes applicable in the County and create a tax payer database. Future appointed Development Superintendent should call a meeting of all stakeholders to ensure that all fishermen collaborate with Customs Officials in the execution of their duties.
Introduction
When words of the Liberian civil war broke out in December, 1989, few Liberians paid attention to what will later come to ruin their lives forever. Liberians are curiously a self-satisfied people. When news went around that a delegation from the Liberian government was coming to American cities where Liberians reside, out of curiosity, few made it their duty to go and see what the delegation had to offer them.
What Attracted People to the PRS Town Hall Meeting
Most Liberians were concerned with postwar reconstruction efforts back home in Liberia. Many have promised, ‘that if all goes well’ they will return home soon. Others wanted to hear what Madam Sirleaf has done so far in her five years of presidency. To their disappointment, they were presented with a set of new promises that her Excellency, Madam Sirleaf is intending to carry out in the next several months leading to the 2011 elections.
Liberians in the United States also wanted a clear answer to the growing menace of widespread corruption in government. However, the delegation was not here to discuss corruption. They came over to present their government’s signature program, the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). Those who attended the meetings came out grumbling, that the subject of corruption was given a cold shoulder. All throughout their presentations, the delegation never discussed the effects of corruption on good governance. Neither did they mention that in a country like Liberia where the have-nots outnumber the haves, the continuation of widespread corruption could lead to public unrest.
The Issue of Corruption
There are many reasons why Liberians will not easily put the issue of corruption away. Back in 2005, Madam Sirleaf ran on a platform of ending corruption, end government financial mismanagement. According to her, she will make corruption, ‘public enemy number one’. A lot of Liberians are quite passionate about this issue. To say the least, a growing number of Liberians are disappointed with Madam Sirleaf’s inability to deliver on this key campaign promise.
Under Madam Sirleaf, Liberia is seeing an emerging, but frightening trend of politicking. For instance, few weeks ago, I was the subject of a smear campaign by a government official who was primarily groomed to put me down on a global social network. His only task was to present me as someone who was not credible enough to criticize our current national government. He called me “a big joke”, and one who was fired for underperformance. Not once did he disprove my claim that nothing significant has so far been achieved on the program he claims to supervise, the PRS. That was not his mission. But as cold, and as childish that minister may have appeared, this is one of many unwholesome tactics used by the Sirleaf Administration against her critics, today. I received many calls of concerns on the issue. Most people would have quietly backed off by such a smudge campaign.
But there is a saying that greatness is at the edge of destruction. No one favors the destruction of their integrity, let alone allow their life to be dragged to the edge of a destructive cliff. Why should the minister’s claims deter my noble mission against his administration? There is nothing to be ashamed of. My records of performance are there. With my own resources, I accomplished a lot for the county, and the Superintendent of Grand Cape Mount will tell you just that. I am a natural leader wherever I work. This is not to blow my own horn. I have a twenty year military experience under my belt. I have worked in many corporate establishments here in the States. I am an academic, an adjunct instructor. I am a seasoned research assistant. I am a trained administrator. There is nothing so difficult that I can’t handle. Unlike this minister, I have never made a bogus claim that a degree was conferred on me, but was not found on the school’s list of specializations. Neither did I claim that I am on a sabbatical for an MSIT in Policy Management that is not offered as a program at Carnegie. My credentials are genuine. My resume is authentic.
I am also not a quitter. I brave the storm when the going gets tough. I imagine how many pieces of advice the Rev. Martin Luther King got form his closed friends, and including his wife, Coretta Scott-King for defying the once feared White establishment? Martin, leave this thing alone, they may have pled. Dr. King took on what was mostly the segregated South, asking for equal rights for ALL. Sometimes, these priceless requests are just too difficult to fulfill. In Liberia, the demand for freedom took the lives of 250,000 Liberians. Those who are inspired by their own fate to defend a noble cause must be willing to compromise their personalities, and sometimes, even their own lives. In Liberia, many Liberian human rights and media organizations that are advocating for the end of corruption are dragged to court by syndicate and pariah organizations. There are Concerned Citizen pressure groups that speak up against those who campaign to end corruption.
Every time an anti-government demonstration is staged in Liberia, asking for some reforms, there is a subsequent pro-Ellen demonstration that will run into it, showing banners that suggested the government of Madam Sirleaf is great. Times are hard. Everyone is willing to do anything to put food on the table. News papers and media organizations share their burden of the syndicated ploy. For instance, Front Page Africa has several frivolous law suits hanging over its head for ‘unsubstantiated publications’. President Sirleaf too has taken one or two newspapers to court for libel. I honestly believe that, under the constitution, she is guaranteed her individual rights to take people to court. Equally so, people have a civic responsibility to report with facts. However it boils down to the seriousness of this matter, that a president, who should be leading the way to wipe out corruption in Liberia, is leading the efforts to discourage those who are helping to put an end to corruption.
Words of Caution
In the 2011 presidential elections, one needs to watch out for these shadowy tactics. Madam Sirleaf is a decorated politician who gets what she wants. And this is why the UP wants her contest the 2011 elections at age 76. There is nothing wrong with that. However, she should play it by the rules. We are beginning to see this unethical political trend slowly creeping into our Liberian communities here in the United States. Let me draw your attention to two events. Recently, one of Madam Sirleaf’s former noted critics, returned from Liberia, only to become her chief spokesperson. This is a great thing. We should be striving to win the hearts of those who despise. On the contrary, those converted disciples should not lead the way in spreading falsehoods. Our consciences should be our guides. We owe our unfortunate fellow Liberians upon whose lives and bloods, we thrive to become presidents, senators, representatives, cabinet ministers, syndicate columnists and writers today, a fair share of honesty. Our departed mothers, fathers, children, and kindred need to feel the effects of the PRS and other flagship programs, in their places of rest. No one needs to measure the success of a national development program like the PRS, by the eloquence of a PowerPoint presenter. Most of our people died in the Liberian civil war, responding to the eloquent voices of Mr. Taylor or Madam Sirleaf’s call to level the executive mansion of Liberia.
Grading of the PRS Town Hall Meeting
It is quite unfortunate that those who graded the recent PRS presentation did so in the absence of a performance matrix based on variables. I wonder why the success of a key national outcome, should be based on how well spoken, or how tall and handsome the presenter was. Liberia is a country that is gifted with many eloquent speakers. As I mentioned earlier, Charles Taylor is a very eloquent speaker, and so is Madam Sirleaf. Even Edmond Gray, is eloquent. But the PRS is not about eloquence. It is a performance driven program. It is a program that was started in July of 2008 and scheduled to end in June of 2011. Any success of this program must be graded on what has been accomplished so far.
In Grand Cape Mount where I worked on this PRS program, let me give you a heads up on some of my individual accomplishments. Please be informed that, the car I used for work, the gas, the numerous calling cards, where I resided, the internet service to dispatch reports, all came from my savings. Sometimes, I asked fellow NGO workmates for stationery, just to get by. On the ten or months that I stayed in the county, the Ministry of Planning stopped by twice. The first was to introduce me to the county, and the other was for a workshop held on manpower capacity building. There were few calls placed asking for reports. They will only call when asked by the IMF to provide a report.
Term of Reference of the CDO
As a County Development Officer, I oversee the day to day operations of the CDSC and Working Committees. Lend support to County Administration (CDSC and WCs) in reporting on the implementation progress of PRS/CDA deliverables utilizing approved LRDC reporting templates. Support County Administration to ensure appropriate linkages between WCs and the Planning and County Statistics Units in terms of monitoring and tracking PRS/CDA Deliverables and providing timely reporting against indicators within LRDC Deliverables Tracking Matrices. Support County Administration to ensure regular monitoring and support to implementation of all projects in the 3-year PRS project cycle through establishing and managing a database that contains all development projects committed and under implementation within the County (specifying delivery date, implementing partner, type of project and sector, and the location of project implementation District, Clan and village level), among others. And with this term of reference, I developed the following work annual plan:
Recommendations
1. It is recommended that LNP conduct community policing among boat owners and their occupants on the need to be law abiding.
2.RPAL should be admonished to comply with security advice given by the Guthrie Coordination Committee and that the matter should be properly handled to avoid a spillover effect.
3.The LNP and Joint Security Task Force of Tewor District especially Tieni should be rotated quarterly to avoid compliancy. However, one common practice among security units in these areas bordering our international friends is the unusually high level of connivance with smugglers in the transporting of contrabands into the Liberian side of the border. This should be investigated and those found guilty as alleged should be meted out with disciplinary measures as this is the escape of smuggling suspects is commonplace.
4.With increase in population in Congo, LNP Commander should increase strength in Porkpa District and ensure deployment of LNP in Congo to record and report crimes.
5. UNDP Arms for Development should consider the launching of a final arms for development program in the County especially so being a border county.
6. UNDP Small Arms Unit should take into consideration that most of the ex-combatants, returnees, and refugees from Guinea and Sierra Leone commissioned as private individuals in Porkpa and Gola Konneh District are still struggling with accommodation outside their areas. Therefore service providers should be encouraged to reach them or appropriate reintegration programs must be designed for them.
7.It is strongly recommended for NGOs to extend their services to Congo Mano River and beyond. Donors should reconsider the construction of the Konjah Bridge in Congo which cuts off the people in Sokpo Clan during the rainy season. This is evident now that this region continues to see heavy down pour of rains.
8.USAID under IBIS and SSF did a fantastic job in upgrading the Madina/Robertspot principle Highway. Nonetheless, it was only done as an all season road. Donors or GOL should consider paving it since this road leads to a future Tourism site.
9. Cape Mount is a relatively very peaceful county with no serious inter ethnic or tribal tensions. However, there exist latent land disputes that erupts abruptly especially during farming periods. The establishment of Peace and Reconciliation Committees has help tremendously to amicably settle such disputes. However, more needs to be done resolve some of these land dispute issues to avoid spillover.
10.The lack of knowledge on acquiring land remains a concern. The land commissioner should be facilitated to create awareness by sensitizing the people on how to acquire land. The County Superintendent was highly influential in acquiring community lands for use by Line Ministries.
11.GOL should fast track the formation of the Land Commission to address land disputes in the Country.
12.There is need for support to effectively train a County Peace and Reconciliation Taskforce in conflict resolution and management and to extend the reactivation of the clan elder’s councils. Such a committee could handle future disputes among county officials.
13.CDO and other stakeholders should continue to endeavor to convince both Superintendent and members of the legislative caucus to hold a monthly information sharing meeting to address differences and form consensus on development programs of mutual interest.
14.GOL and partners should also consider holding a national workshop to clearly show the roles, scope and powers of the executive and legislature in the counties and how both parties should collaborate in the effort to develop the county through the PRS/CDA. These entities must continue to smoke the peace pipe. Current friction between entities is hampering the progress of the county.
The strength of immigration officers in the county is still low and lacks the necessary logistics (radios, uniforms, stationeries, motor bikes or vehicles etc) to execute such challenging task. It is recommended that
15. The strength of immigration personnel should be increased to 83 to ensure effective deployment throughout the border especially to increase strength in York Island in Tewor District, Borbor and Gangama in Porkpa District and deploy officers to Congo Mano and Kawellahun, in Porkpa Districts, Keita and Varguay in Gola District.
16.A new County structure to house BIN, Customs and other offices and accommodation is near completion but needs to be furnished.
17.National Bureau of Investigation HQ should deploy additional personnel to ensure adequate coverage of the entire county and provide communication gadgets, mobility and office space in Robertsport.
18.County Attorney should ensure the restructuring of the Districts Joint Security Task Forces need to adopt the standing operational procedures developed by the CDO.
B) On the issue of Governance and Rule of Law, The appointment of qualified county officials by MIA is a positive stride towards enhancing the County Administration to take over full responsibilities in service delivery to the local population. The Line Ministry officials have cautioned the County Officials that the utilization of the funds should not be centralized to one ministry but should be diversified to include the funding of projects from other line ministries.
1. The Line Ministries also noted the need for regular cabinet meetings to be initiated by the Superintendent outside of the CDSC.
2. The structure housing the labor office is completely renovated but. It is recommended for the Ministry of Labor HQ capacitates the staff and office. The single motor bike used by the commissioner or head in Cape Mount should be replaced with a 4x4 jeep and other logistics.
3. Challenges in terms of coordination persist but with the strengthening of the pillars this has significantly improved through the intervention of the CDO, M&E Structure, and LISGIS. However, the need for the construction of a ministerial building to house all line ministries cannot be over-emphasized.
4. Also, the separation of the circuit Court from the administrative building is significant to give more space to county administration staff and create some level of physical separation and independence of the Judiciary.
5. Government should endeavor to design mechanism to allow government workers take their pay at the door step of their work place or introduce banking system of payment were banks exist that would enable principals to collect monies and pay same to their teachers under the supervision of the District Education Officer.
6. The issue of illegal pit-sawing has negative impact on locals as most of the trucks have contributed immensely to the destruction of the roads and bridges and the local communities benefiting nothing from the exercise. FDA should ensure that a written consensus from the local authorities has been given to a potential pit-sawyer before granting waybill to saw and collect timber from any county.
7. Government of Liberia to be lobbied to ensure the participation of local authorities in the negotiation of concession agreements.
8. Government to encourage Companies to recruit Liberians and to undertake development programs in their area of operations.
9. Even though the FDA has deployed personnel to Cape Mount, a shift to monitor illegal pit-sawing in Gola Konneh and Porkpa Districts should be a priority.
10. EPA has a low presence in Cape Mount though regionally based in Bomi County. The use of Lake Peso as public toilet is a tangible reason why the presence of the EPA must be strengthened.
11. Government should widely publicize the reform mineral policy and ensure the inclusion of local authority in the overall management of natural resources. There is unusually large presence of illicit mining activities going on within the county. Precious gems continue to fall in the hands of illicit miners. There is the need for a mining task force.
12. The increase in mining activities has resulted to increase in the population in several mining communities in Gola Konneh and Porkpa Districts resulting to an increase in crime that are not reported to the Police due to lack of transportation and limited LNP personnel presence. It is therefore recommended that the LNP beefs up the strength of its force in Gola Konneh and in Porkpa Districts respectively. This can only materialize with an increase in the overall strength of LNP assigned to the County which is only at 69 of the total number of 161 targeted by the PRS.
13. MPEA should ensure that the implementing NGO LADI is held accountable for the completion of the Police Station project which has been halted due to the county’s inability to provide land in time for the continue of police project.
14. LNP Monrovia HQ must continue the path of increasing the number of officers to Cape Mount to fast track the deployment of LNP to mining areas, border areas and expand the deployment of the Women and Children Protection Section Officers.
15. LNP HQ to institute disciplinary measures for those officers found guilty of deserting their post to serve as deterrent.
16. The need to rehabilitate structures and or construct a structure for use as office space and deployment of LNP officers to Congo Mano River should be seriously considered to restore the rule of law. So far, all magisterial courts are held under stringent atmosphere. Only one court house is partially constructed in Tieni.
17. The Porkpa District Magistrate should be encouraged to deploy to Bambalah as community has agreed to provide a house for on rental basis and the Town hall to be used for court sitting free of charge.
- The construction of magisterial courts in Madina, Bamballa, Tieni and Lofa Bridge should be prioritized.
- Proactive stipendiary magistrates should be recruited.
- GOL and partners should provide funds for the renovation of the prisons facility in Robertsport. Land has been provided for the construction of a new state of the art prison facilities in the Torso upper Tombey community outside of Robertspot
- Civil Affairs and County Attorney to continue to follow up and ensure deployment of LNP and Magistrate to Bambalah.
18. The Human Rights Officer and the County Health Officer should continue their efforts to ensure that justice is dispensed. UN Human Rights Commission and the MOGD must continue their current pace in protecting the rights of detainees, women and children.
C) On Economic Revitalization, Government and donors should continue to support public works to carry out construction or rehabilitation of roads and bridges and encouraging investors to expand their mining activities and ensure recruitment of Liberians.
D) GOL and Donors should establish appropriate skills training centers and encourage youth to be educated to be able to compete for jobs. The efforts of NRC, ODAFARA, and Youth Ambassadors should be ongoing.
E) Encourage youth in agriculture to see the sector as a business.
F) Encourage expansion of Agriculture such as supporting expansion of tree crops or cash crops such as oil palm, rubber, cocoa and coffee farms to provide temporal jobs.
G) Ministry of Labor in collaboration with the Civil Service Agency should be encouraged to develop a bio database of all unemployed Liberians in the County.
H) Lack of office space and inadequate staff are key challenges to enhance the capacity of the field staff. The County Superintendent should continue the path of land advocacy with local communities for construction of office facilities as a matter of urgent priority to enable the construction of the sector facilities. The issue of Agriculture is huge for the growth of any population and community. This increase in agricultural activities in year under review is evident that progress is being made. However, the late arrival of seeds and tools are factors that should be addressed. The engagement of youth in meaningful agricultural activities must be encouraged.
I) FAO and Ministry of Agriculture to focus on Youth and Women Groups engagement in developing seed multiplication sites at clan and district levels.
J) FAO and MOA to engage women groups in community gardening.
K) GOL and partners should encourage the construction of post harvest facilities such as stores and drying floors.
L) GOL / MOA to introduce mechanized agriculture.
M) FAO to consider providing vegetable seeds for the implementation of the women groups agricultural projects and support youth in Agriculture initiatives.
N) FAO to consider providing inputs to local fishermen such as fishing nets and out board machines to enable Liberians compete with other nationalities in the fishing industry.
O) MOA / FAO should ensure that only farmers who met with their obligations should be supported in the coming season.
P) On the issue of Revenue generation, government continues to lose out on important revenue maters. To stop this, Ministry of Finance should increase the number of Collectors, and ensure provision of mobility, rehabilitation of County Revenue Office and office logistics. Senior Collector to convene a Revenue Collection Task Force meeting to undertake an assessment to determine the various taxes applicable in the County and create a tax payer database. Future appointed Development Superintendent should call a meeting of all stakeholders to ensure that all fishermen collaborate with Customs Officials in the execution of their duties.
Who Holds the Key to Liberia’s Largest Voting Demographic in the 2011 Elections?
The Liberian Presidential Election of 2011 is months away. However, the shift in alliances among players is well underway. Current political euphoria in Liberia is very confusing. Also disturbing, is the number of undecided political-trailblazers docking and pulling from one party headquarter to other. Life for this people has become hopeless and short. The trade for votes in exchange for public positions is an investment that pays off with hard luck. Liberian politics is all about personal interests. Almost all adult Liberians invest one way or the other in the Liberian political system, with the hope of collecting some dividends in the end.
Going back, the Charles Taylor administration did not benefit much from large scale global financial support. However, a number of those who lived in Taylor’s Liberia admit that Taylor created a middle class. According to them, ‘the Liberian Dollars circulated mainly, within Liberia’. Political patronage was very high. And government officials interacted freely with the people. young Liberians between ages 19 and 24, have a legacy they gladly point to sparsely decorated, and neatly three and four bedroom houses that were built during the Taylor’s era. Many of them hardly worked in that government which they brag of enjoying that much.
Life during the Bryant’s eon was not that bad either. Many say that though corruption was high, most of the money mostly circulated around Liberia.
On the contrary, under Madam Sirleaf, Liberia is slightly richer, but the flight of the nation’s wealth overseas is unusually higher. Reports of corruption ramps the press daily, and in spite of that, times are harder for most Liberians. Despite the mythical status as being a Harvard Trained Economist, Ellen’s Liberia does not have a middle class. Unemployment is frustratingly higher. As the gap between the haves and have-nots widens, the growing number of dissatisfied-Liberians waiting to vent their anger at the polls, continues to swell. Don’t be fooled by what you see or hear out here, the political picture for Madam Sirleaf in Liberia is completely different from how it’s being presented globally. There is a big question that needs to be answered before the elections’ fever of 2011 finally grips in.
Who among the presidential hopefuls enjoys the support of the largest eligible voting class of Liberians (18-25)?
One needs to observe the many forces that are currently interplaying on the Liberian political landscape. Like Madam Sirleaf, many of these grass hopping politicians shifting alliances here and there at night, are bewildered by the question of who has the confidence of the largest eligible Liberian voting class? Some seek comfort in the fact that Madam Sirleaf and her Unity Party may have amassed some amount of wealth in the course of running Liberia. But the inability to sifter that wealth to the benefit of the poor, has put a dent on UP’s chances of reelections.
There is a very large part of Liberian electorates that is mostly hit by the 14 years of sustained warfare. This class comprises, exiled Liberians who spent the brunt of their childhood in refugee camps surviving on handouts. They have since returned home as heads of their various households. They may not have the credentials to show, but fully understand the survival game. These are the bread winners of families who survive the day with the help of locally produced breads, fried doughnuts, farina, and low graded Chinese grown rice. A number of them pay the ways of their younger siblings through college. At home, when these folks yell out for something, their households hurriedly show up to cater to their needs. Yes sis or yes uncle, what do you want?
For her part, Madam Sirleaf has passionately attracted professionals from abroad. These are the expatriates and others, brought in by international organizations to work. The salaries of these experts come in six digits. But because Liberia lacks those resort facilities found in Ghana, the Caribbean, and others, only a small part of that money goes to benefit the Liberian economy.
On the flipside, there are Liberian expatriates like the Maritime and Freeport bosses whose salaries and bonuses come in six digits also. But like their foreign counterparts, they too have all the reasons to send most of what they earn overseas. At the cross-path to westernization, are the likes of the Ngafuan who have all the good reasons to showcase their new found loyal identities. These loyalists work painfully to upkeep their newfound profiles of neo-Ellen-Loyalists.
So far, Ellen has not been able to connect or get the endorsement of the better part of grass root Liberians. Recently, one of Ellen’s neo-loyalists attempted to extend a desperate plea to Liberians residing abroad to form the new middle class of Ellen’s Liberia. But this only goes to restate the seriousness of this issue.
The Liberian Presidential Election of 2011 is months away. However, the shift in alliances among players is well underway. Current political euphoria in Liberia is very confusing. Also disturbing, is the number of undecided political-trailblazers docking and pulling from one party headquarter to other. Life for this people has become hopeless and short. The trade for votes in exchange for public positions is an investment that pays off with hard luck. Liberian politics is all about personal interests. Almost all adult Liberians invest one way or the other in the Liberian political system, with the hope of collecting some dividends in the end.
Going back, the Charles Taylor administration did not benefit much from large scale global financial support. However, a number of those who lived in Taylor’s Liberia admit that Taylor created a middle class. According to them, ‘the Liberian Dollars circulated mainly, within Liberia’. Political patronage was very high. And government officials interacted freely with the people. young Liberians between ages 19 and 24, have a legacy they gladly point to sparsely decorated, and neatly three and four bedroom houses that were built during the Taylor’s era. Many of them hardly worked in that government which they brag of enjoying that much.
Life during the Bryant’s eon was not that bad either. Many say that though corruption was high, most of the money mostly circulated around Liberia.
On the contrary, under Madam Sirleaf, Liberia is slightly richer, but the flight of the nation’s wealth overseas is unusually higher. Reports of corruption ramps the press daily, and in spite of that, times are harder for most Liberians. Despite the mythical status as being a Harvard Trained Economist, Ellen’s Liberia does not have a middle class. Unemployment is frustratingly higher. As the gap between the haves and have-nots widens, the growing number of dissatisfied-Liberians waiting to vent their anger at the polls, continues to swell. Don’t be fooled by what you see or hear out here, the political picture for Madam Sirleaf in Liberia is completely different from how it’s being presented globally. There is a big question that needs to be answered before the elections’ fever of 2011 finally grips in.
Who among the presidential hopefuls enjoys the support of the largest eligible voting class of Liberians (18-25)?
One needs to observe the many forces that are currently interplaying on the Liberian political landscape. Like Madam Sirleaf, many of these grass hopping politicians shifting alliances here and there at night, are bewildered by the question of who has the confidence of the largest eligible Liberian voting class? Some seek comfort in the fact that Madam Sirleaf and her Unity Party may have amassed some amount of wealth in the course of running Liberia. But the inability to sifter that wealth to the benefit of the poor, has put a dent on UP’s chances of reelections.
There is a very large part of Liberian electorates that is mostly hit by the 14 years of sustained warfare. This class comprises, exiled Liberians who spent the brunt of their childhood in refugee camps surviving on handouts. They have since returned home as heads of their various households. They may not have the credentials to show, but fully understand the survival game. These are the bread winners of families who survive the day with the help of locally produced breads, fried doughnuts, farina, and low graded Chinese grown rice. A number of them pay the ways of their younger siblings through college. At home, when these folks yell out for something, their households hurriedly show up to cater to their needs. Yes sis or yes uncle, what do you want?
For her part, Madam Sirleaf has passionately attracted professionals from abroad. These are the expatriates and others, brought in by international organizations to work. The salaries of these experts come in six digits. But because Liberia lacks those resort facilities found in Ghana, the Caribbean, and others, only a small part of that money goes to benefit the Liberian economy.
On the flipside, there are Liberian expatriates like the Maritime and Freeport bosses whose salaries and bonuses come in six digits also. But like their foreign counterparts, they too have all the reasons to send most of what they earn overseas. At the cross-path to westernization, are the likes of the Ngafuan who have all the good reasons to showcase their new found loyal identities. These loyalists work painfully to upkeep their newfound profiles of neo-Ellen-Loyalists.
So far, Ellen has not been able to connect or get the endorsement of the better part of grass root Liberians. Recently, one of Ellen’s neo-loyalists attempted to extend a desperate plea to Liberians residing abroad to form the new middle class of Ellen’s Liberia. But this only goes to restate the seriousness of this issue.
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