What do Liberians Have to Celebrate after 166 years of Independence?

Liberia, by any standard, is a blessed nation. With abundant natural resources, talented population, good climate, you wonder why it is occupying the unenviable position it is today amongst the countries of the World after the post-Independence brief spell as an internationally acclaimed African country. Liberia, today, has more resources than most emerging nations of the World such as Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and arguably even Brazil. With the recent exploration of oil in 2012, Independence in 1847, and having survived the Civil War in 2003, the achievements we recorded as a Sovereign Nation are far below average when you compare the achievements of other countries in Africa such as Botswana, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Morocco, Ivory Coast or against other emerging countries like Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia, or, for that matter, Venezuela. With the departure of the dominated so-called Americo-Liberian’s True Wing Party (TWP), and the truncating of the First Republic as well as the emerging of the second Republic things started going wrong politically, socially, and economically as the nation started a tortuous drift into a deep abyss. Liberia’s became squandering riches as all other sectors of the economy started experiencing abject neglect. The money was not the problem, but how to spend it. That was the mantra of the leaders back then. Expensive jamborees (President Tubman was noted for such) and elephant projects that were never completed or are allowed to disintegrate after elaborate commissioning became the order of the day. The little genuine efforts made in agriculture in some areas were later abandoned as the projects were starved of funds and research. This is in spite of the key role the agricultural sector, though largely subsistence, played immediately after our Independence declaration. With the introduction of the military into the political life of the country after the bloody coup d’état of 1980, which decimated the pioneer administrative and military leaders of the country; the Military shifted its constituency from the Barracks to the Presidential Mansion, and like they say, the rest is history. Coup or no coup, civil war or no civil war the military is still claiming relevance in the political equation of the nation. Since the demise of the First Republic administrative structures, infrastructures, as well as the economy have degenerated into their present state. The only thing the country could boast of is the geometrical population explosion, from a mere 1 million to 4.2 million (UN, 2012). The national income per capita of Liberia today is less than what it was in 1960s or even the 70’s. We were happier, richer, were able to live a better life in the 60s and 70s than today. There are few people who have made a lot of money and living well today but the generality of Liberians presently are living in abject poverty. Out of the 166 years since Independence the Military ruled the country for a total of ten years, or thereabout. In my opinion, the issue of whether it is a democratic or military regime is only a matter of franchise. Some civilian presidents, particularly in Africa, are worse than military dictatorships, while some military dictatorships perform better than the so-called democratically elected presidents in terms of meeting the needs of their citizens and running the economy as evidence of Madam Sirleaf’s government. In Liberia, we simply choose to make a mess of any type of system with each regime ending up worse than the previous one. In our case it is not the system yet, but the people. As a people we need re-orientation from how to discharge our responsibilities to queuing up for funds at the Money Gram at the LBDI or staying on the right lane in a traffic jam. We are bad as that. Period! Maybe our abundant resources are a curse rather than a blessing, because come to think of it, it is the center of all our present political, economic, and social predicaments as a nation. Otherwise why should limited natural resources and land-locked countries like Botswana be more habitable than our country? Even where we copy systems religiously, sold, or imposed on us hook, line and sinker, we never seem to get it right first time. The international communities are making a mockery of us after seeing the level of corruption, nepotism and wasteful spending under a highly educated President who graduated from the prestigious Harvard University and had graduate previous administrations. Why? This is a BIG why! Think of any big name in companies that existed in the 60’s period up to the beginning of the Civil War, you will find out that they have either closed shop long time ago or are just there in name only, their buildings weather beaten and in ruins and yet the country have not learn not even under the Harvard’s educated Economist leadership. Liberians has opted for the easiest and quickest way of “making it” through contracts, concession agreements, poor policies implementation, etc. With Madam Sirleaf’s government, it seems this is the continuity of the “get- rich- quick- syndrome” as were in previous administrations. Overnight-wealth is nothing strange and therefore conveniently accepted by the society and overlooked by the government. The few Liberians with genuine desire to contribute to the political economy are frustrated one way or another. Government structures became convenient conduits of enrichment. Most, if not all public officials see their position or appointment as a convenient avenue of making money: they will either convert government funds entrusted to them for their personal use, or use their position to make money, one way or another, or both. They are no longer public servants but public masters: “Chief or Bossman” as they are called in some quarters. As we speak, Liberia is ranked number one in the World for corruption according to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). The CPI is the Transparency International world famous index for corruption and is determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. What does this say about our country? Our universities have since deteriorated from half-baking to sub-standard and our hospitals changed from mere consulting clinics to mortuaries. When the lecturers are being forced to stay and contribute only 20% towards a student’s performance, our medical doctors slip out of the country for greener pastures even if they will end up doing professional nurses’ job. With population explosion, un-employment soared as our graduates could not find jobs – any jobs! Some will continue to blame the deplorable state of affair on the civil war but we had those problems even before the conflict. Religion groups are busy competing with one another to establish their own universities, in most cases without thorough professional feasibility studies. My dear reader, visit your Alma mater today and you will be shocked at the sight of the structures you left behind. This is the sorry state of our education system today, even prior to the conflict our super administrators were either “Middle” or “Teachers’ College Graduates”. Experts have said it time without number that education is the bedrock of industrialization just as industrialization is the path to the Promised Land for any country. This has been proved by many countries of the world – ask Germany, Japan, Brazil, India, China, Brazil, and closer home, South Africa. It is beyond a theory. Unfortunately education does not top the priority lists of the previous regimes and as we speak history is repeating itself under Madam Sirleaf regime. The situation is even worse with the economy. Since the introduction of Plantation Economy in Liberia in the 60’s (Open Door Policy), our leaders back then picked up the mantra of money not being our problem but how to spend it, most of the governments to date spend money impulsively, budget or no budget. No expenditure discipline as most of the expenditures are outside budget, priorities are lopsided and more often than not, the governments do not get them right even though from time in memoriam, Liberia has been blessed with renowned economists, accountants, lawyers, bankers, etc., since Independence. While the genuine attempts by some to chart a course for the country are just filed away to gather dust, others are too lily-livered to challenge the government of the day for fear of persecution or termination of their appointment, or both. As the few companies that remain continue to operate far below their capacity utilization under the heavy pressure of high exchange rate, infrastructure decay and heavy importation, among others, the GDP of the country continues to deteriorate in absolute terms even where exaggerated, and often indices are always released by the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank at the beginning of each financial year to convince Liberians otherwise. While the country is groaning under the heavy weight of foreign debt repayment (even though we just had debt cancellation) and interest recapitalization, the revenue being generated from natural resources was squandered through misappropriation, corruption, nepotism, patronage and elephant projects while other productive sectors of the economy such as agriculture, education and manufacturing are abandoned. Misplaced and often poorly executed projects such as Jallah Town, SKD Boulevard, and Poverty Reduction Strategy come to mind. Liberia is about the only rubber country among rubber producing countries that has rubber but relies on importation for local consumption! The adverse effect of all these are the social decay, lawlessness, insecurity, and above all, pervasive corruption that characterize our polity today, 166 years after the declaration of Independence. Armed robbers strike at will in broad daylight and night, 419 transactions are prevalent, economic and financial crimes are the order of the day; drug smuggling, bootlicking are some of the “professions” we thrive on. Tribalism, nepotism, sycophancy, praise singing, religious bigotry, as well as laziness are our common characteristics as individuals. While some are like this by choice, the system and environment forced others to acquire these infamous characteristics. It is no surprise then that our nation occupies the unenviable among the top position of the list of anything negative in the World: from Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, or Travel Advisory Watch list from previous administrations and arguably the present administration of Madam Sirleaf. Are we going to remain like this? Is there no hope? Don’t we as a Nation aspire to drop the shackles of underdevelopment and catch up with even the emerging nations of the World? If the answer to this last question is in the affirmative, then from where do we start? And how do we start? Liberia has the potentials of becoming one of the great nations in the World – the human and material resources are there in abundance to achieve this. What we need is the fighting spirit of the Japanese, the determination of the Germans, the I-can attitude of the Chinese and the nationalism of the Americans. Sounds uphill but we can do it and change things for the better in our country. First and foremost, we have to get our priorities right. Pervasive corruption, nepotism, illiteracy, mismanagement and waste, lawlessness, and dishonesty are the main vices militating against our progress as a nation. In overcoming these vices our leaders must show the way – political, religious, traditional leaders and civil society all have a key role to play in this immense task. When they lead by example without secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering, sleaze, and fear or favor the path will be clear for all and sundry to copy and follow. Our leaders, and indeed other citizens of the country, beseech countries in Europe and the Americas daily where they see firsthand how administrative structures are run, how efficient infrastructures are, and how law enforcement agents and agencies operate but make no attempt to change things back home. Funny enough, they often compare and contrast how inefficient and backward our own systems are (or how efficient the systems in those countries are) – from the system of government we adapted to the corrupt and ill-equipped immigration and custom agencies we operate. Our politicians will do well to start by seeking for political office to serve and not as an investment with upfront and compound interest payments. Their desire should be to serve the nation and make life better for its citizens – value-adding laws should be of more interest than their salaries and allowances. Contracts that will directly impact on the lives of the citizens should be awarded to professionals through vigorous due diligence process instead of sharing it amongst themselves or their cronies. They, or indeed any Liberian, should not pay lip service to thinking of what the nation can do for them but what he or she can do for the Nation. It is as simple as that! Should this be the case the politicians would not spend a whole four-year term discussing their salaries and allowances; and wasting the tax payers’ money in financing posh accommodations, sleek cars, designer mobile phones, lap tops, etc. If you are a keen watcher of the Senate or Representative, you are by now familiar with our honorable legislators carrying excess weight, spotting pot bellies, or outright obese! The cameras have caught many of them sleeping! Little wonder then that winning elections and re-elections in Liberia today are a matter of life and death: it is either how deep one’s pocket is, how ruthless he or she is, the caliber of his sponsor/godfather/lovers, or both. Some of them have never visited their constituencies for the better half of the first term and yet they collect constituency allowances and nobody will ask questions because the whole system is rotten and therefore stinks! Or, come to think of it, why must the Executive “lobby” with “White Envelope” before a Budget is passed? In any civilized polity in the World it is the legislature that appropriates and not to collect money and rubber-stamp proposals submitted by the executive, or for that matter, any ministry or agency. Why should the legislators be settled before they screen and pass political appointees? Why should the welfare of committee members like those of Committees on Ways and Means or Maritime be taken care of before they can do the job for which they were elected? Any serious debate you hear about or executive-legislature squabbles that come to the open more often than not, border on making money through contracts-sharing, travels or money exchanging hands. Maybe we should make the legislator’s job part-time. If the effort of the Government of Liberia on the so-called monetization is a serious one, we should start eliminating waste from the National Legislature by making their job a part-time one. The Presidency should also shed weight. They may even perform better by achieving more this way. It will really be interesting to know exactly how much is spent in absolute terms on each legislator in a year. In other words since his position is a permanent one, what is the “Compensation Package” of each legislator? Within the first and second term of this present administration the turnover of the leadership in the legislature and the ruling party is unprecedented anywhere in the civilized World. A learning process indeed! This is the genesis of our problem as a nation and it must be tackled decisively. All other economic and social maladies revolve around it; once we get it right it will have a direct positive effect on our socio-economic life as a nation. The government must create an enabling environment for local and foreign direct investment through Industrial Economy not the same old Plantation Economy that failed us in the past and continue to fail us. It really beats the imagination of any right thinking human being why our leaders should be globetrotting looking for foreign investors when back home the environment is, to say the least, not investment friendly. The mere fact that they waste their energy in this venture by running helter-skelter suggests that all is not well with our economy. Leaders of other countries of the world do not glob trot looking for investors – their economies and the enabling environment sell themselves. If they have to visit other countries of the world is to discuss things like trade quotas, tariffs, trade barriers, custom duty, etc. How many times have we received the visit of the South African or Ghanaian leaders in Liberia calling us to come and invest in their countries? The basic infrastructure that is necessary and therefore key to the survival of any industry such as uninterrupted power supply, water and communication are non-existent and a foreign exchange regime that defies all theories is the order of the day. The few that come to do business in our country even under these poor operating conditions milk our economy dry with exorbitant prices and tariffs for their products and services. Government must also address the serious issue of security of life and property as it is as critical as the other two. Liberia’s image abroad in terms of security of life and property is nothing to write home about. If countries like South Africa, Botswana or even Ghana within our Continent can attract investors and tourists there is no reason why Liberia cannot do it, despite the fact that crime rate is higher in South Africa than in Liberia, if the available statistics are to be believed. The only difference is that while the South African government has an efficient system in place that tackles the problem, in Liberia it is either in a sorry state or non-existent. As Liberians we should have confidence in our country as we have no other place of abode. Only few Liberians have genuine productive investments in popular companies across the shores of this country – the rest stash the money (ill-gotten?) in popular banks in Europe and America either in real estate, checking accounts or term deposits that they can easily have access to when on their shopping sprees with their families and girlfriends. Personally, I think we are just wasting our time and energy in this venture. Europe and America have records of our earnings as natural resources country, have records of the ill-gotten wealth our leaders stashed in their banks and have full intelligence reports of our mismanagement and wastes on a daily basis. Each and every Liberians, no matter how low and high, has a contribution to make in turning things around, but our leaders must show the way by setting good example and bringing out policies that will add value to the lives of citizens in the areas of manufacturing, education, agriculture, infrastructure, among others. We as a Nation must make an earnest resolve to change from a heavily import-oriented country to an export one to give our economy the necessary stimulant for growth. Our politicians should put the nation and its citizens first in whatever they do even at the expense of their own welfare or benefit. Other public officials should operate as the “public servants” they are and not to turn their positions into money spinners. Corrupt and scandalous politicians or public servants should be investigated, prosecuted and flushed out of the system no matter how highly placed. One of the ways that will help us reach the Promised Land is for us to de-emphasize voting for a political party and look at the individual and vote for integrity, professionalism, proven track record, and personality: reject money politics and band-wagon liberation. Each and every citizen should swallow the seeds of patriotism, nationalism, self-sacrifice, law and order and above all the I-can attitude. There is enough wealth in this country for it to go round the 4.2 Million people, not necessarily as a “National Cake”, instead of the ugly lopsided income distribution of a privileged 5% monopolizing 95% of the nation’s wealth, while the remaining 95% are left with a paltry 5%. It is not late but if you consider what the United States has achieved since it declared independence in 1776, the success of Japan since Hiroshima, the emergence of Germany after WW II as the leader of the New Europe, Singapore since the attainment of independence in 1965, or indeed what South Africa has achieved so far since the demise of apartheid with what we have so far recorded in all spheres of life in Liberia since our Independence 166 years ago, there is cause for concern. Unless We make an honest resolve in owning the future and stop focusing on criminals, crooks masquerading as politicians and technocrats, Our Country will become very a sad place; a Country with enormous potential; with natural resources, our mineral resources, human resources and yet underperforming our potential. We must not allow this to happen! Therefore we have to start NOW. Every generation needs a new revolution (Thomas Jefferson) Be a lamp unto yourself. Work out your liberation with diligence (Buddha) One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived (Niccolo Machiavelli) Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it (Frantz Fanon) Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable (John Fitzgerald Kennedy) Revolution is not the uprising against pre-existing order, but the setting up of a new order contradictory to the traditional one (Jose Ortega y Gasset) Happy July 26, Folks

The Level of Political Prostitution in Liberia is Sickening

My trip to Liberia was a great success and I want to use the opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation to my hard working organizing staff and the people of Montserrrado County District # 3 for making my trip a success. While in Liberia I observed the resurfacing of political prostitution in post Liberia reconstruction and this trend had motivated me to write this article and engage fellow Liberians on the issues. The spate of politicians abandoning one party for the ruling Unity Party (TWP) is a cause for concern, an issue which the civil society body in the Liberia as well as the media must peer into due to its apparent implication for the health of the Liberia’s political culture. These are interesting times. These are disconcerting times.This is not a UP problem but problem that had existed in the Liberian political culture since the days of the True Wing Party (TWP). The political space we find ourselves in Liberia is called the window of opportunity but in reality, it is the window of opportunism. It is time for broke politicians to march for offers from the ruling party (the highest bidder). It has now become the usual occurrence for so-called prominent political personalities aligned with the ruling party in Liberia by declaring their support and abandoning their old parties just because they are no longer in power or may see need to cross carpet for rosy but insidious reasons. Although this is not strange in democratic dispensations the world over, the way and manner in which it is carried out in Liberia is morally disingenuous and smacks of greed and political incredulities. One certainly cannot stop any one from exercising his or her political right to associate whenever one feels doing so; but to do it with awkward and greedy motives is very inimical to the health of the Liberia’s political processor the democratization process unfolding in Liberia. Most often than not, these political infidels shift tents for reasons that can only be described as selfish rather than pitching tents to effect changes that their former parties could not get them to do as per their usual allegations. We saw the trend during the regimes of the True Wing Party (TWP), National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), National Patriotic Party (NPP) and now observing the trend in post Liberia reconstruction under the Unity Party (UP). Political prostitution is not appropriate for consolidating democracy in Liberia. What we are witnessing is the liquidation of democracy. It is actually 419 scams dealing because people are made all kinds of secret offers. So-called opposition members including member of the national legislature who have no integrity sell themselves into a system of patronage. These individuals are thieves. They steal and use property that is not theirs for their own selfish ends and personal aggrandizement. Political prostitution encourages corruption, self-interest and patronage politics. It violates the electoral right of the voters. The voters mandate is treacherously betrayed with impunity in the name of democracy which means political prostitution pass as democracy in Liberia. As I write this article, a group of supporters have already left the Congress of Democratic Change (CDC), Alliance for Democratic Change (ADP), Liberty Party (LP), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Liberian National Union (LINU), etc and have and have surreptitiously taken membership forms for the Unity Party(call it survival tactics). These are the ones that are often used as Trojan horses of political warfare and mischief making. Political prostitution is entrenching corrupt politics in Liberia and will eventually destabilize our country. People will lose confidence in the democratic process andfind another mean of assuming state power. The politics of jumping from one party to the ruling party undermines the values and principles that the broader citizens believe in. Politicians are not pledging the supports or joining Unity Party because they believe the ruling party can deliver poverty eradication, free education, health for all and the right to work. Political prostitution is shredding the values and issues that matter to the masses of our country. In the case of the CDC, a lot of people initially joined with the expectation that George Manneh Weah will win the elections hands down. However, when Weah ended up second, a mass abandonment of the party ensued. In most cases, those who abandon their parties usually do so because it is no more in power (as in the cases of TWP, NDPL and NPP) but rather it is in the opposition and therefore not economically viable to survive in opposition parties in Liberia. Beneath the shades of shifting to the ruling Unity party lies the aspect of greed and that is accompanied by political mischief and corruption of the highest degree. In Liberia, people join other parties (most importantly the ruling party) because they want to benefit, benefits they can’t presently get being in the disadvantaged position (opposition). Political prostitution is creating a new political, economic and social hegemony in Liberia. It is privatizing freedom of expression, and constructing a culture where it is objectionable to offer alternative thinking and ideas. When one examines closely the ruling parties that had benefited from political prostitution in Liberia one will concludes that after the ruling parties of President Tolbert, President Doe, and President Taylor left the presidency, their own high ranking officials started establishing links with the person that was in power in Liberia with the hope that they might be considered for jobs, and even though there were a lot of malpractices and evils being perpetuated, these so called personalities were only interested in protecting their economic interests. In conclusion, political prostitution encourages corruption, self-interest and patronage politics. It violates the electoral right of the voters. The voters mandate is treacherously betrayed with impunity in the name of democracy which means political prostitution pass as democracy. It is also entrenching corrupt politics in Liberia and will eventually destabilize our country.

A Tribute to Tom Kamara: A Liberian Giant

Tom Kamara, the Managing Editor of the New Democrat newspaper, who became one of Liberia best known journalist for his role in promoting freedom of speech, human rights, and justice, died on Friday. Mr. Kamara died in the Netherlands after he was rushed there to seek medical attention after been ill for couple of months. A journalist with the gift of writing, Mr. Kamara went head to head with warlords, presidents, celebrities and con politicians for decades in Liberia. Both his style and the substance of his work drew criticisms from Samuel Doe regime to Taylor and even Ellen Johnson Sirleaf presidency as well as partisans of arguably the leading opposition political party, Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), and others. Critics argued his style of journalism was one sided, but Uncle Tom never conceded to their criticisms because his goal was to educate the Liberian people by bringing the information home. Uncle Tom started as a reported in 1970 with the Liberian Star Newspaper and after high school went to the United States for further studies and came back in 1981, becoming the editor of the New Liberian a pro government newspaper. He served there briefly, and was dismissed for act incompatible with the aims and objectives with the military junta, the People Redemption Council (PRC) headed by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe. Uncle Tom was sacked after he carried a picture of Master Sergeant Doe and picture of the gigantic house Mr. Doe was building in his home town of Tuzon, Grand Gedeh County. He was arrested and thrown in prison without charge. The junta leader asked than Justice Minister, the late Jenkin Scott to prepare confinement paper for him, and Scott concocted charges that were never read to him. The next day was plan for Mr. Kamara to be flown to the notorious Belleh Yellah Prison where he could have been subsequently murder but he later escaped and left the country. He resided in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Ghana for sometimes and later move to the Netherlands. In 1990, as the Liberian violent armed conflict was raging, Uncle Tom was asked by Dr. Amos Sawyer, a close friend of his to come and organize the Liberian media since the Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) headed by Dr. Sawyer was returning to Liberia. When IGNU landed in Freetown, Liberians were fleeing Liberia and Freetown was over crowded with Liberian refugees. Mr. Kamara, and others suggested that it could be good with the ongoing turmoil in Liberia that IGNU contacted the Sierra Leonean authorities to grant Liberian airtime on Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SSBS) on which they could air programs by Liberian journalist already in Freetown among them Cyrus Badio. The Sierra Leone authorities agreed and the idea was given to the government but at the time Dr. Sawyer government didn’t find any relevant in it and it was discarded. Mr. Kamara and others felt at the time that there were misinformation particular coming from the National Patriot Front of Liberia (NPFL) side about the war, false pronouncements made to enhance their military standing. Uncle Tom and others felt if they had air time once or twice a week they could try to counteract those misinformation and also to assist families locate their family members behind rebel lines or vice versa. When Mr. Kamara arrived in Monrovia with IGNU in 1990, the entire city was a ghost town. Men and women who had status were seen at the Ducor Hotel (the home of IGNU) with plate and spoon looking for food to eat. His job was to organize the media infrastructure. An information process was vital since the peacekeeper was here, they needed an information infrastructure as well as the IGNU to counteract whatever was coming from the NPFL media, remember the NPFL had seize the only state short waves transmission station was broadcasting in the entire country as well as abroad. The enclave of Monrovia never hand any counter measure with the level of information that was coming from behind the lines. Uncle Tom, along with his junior colleagues, Cyrus Badio, the late Gabriel Gwelakaju and others went to the Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS). There were lot of equipment’s at LBS but the building was under bombardment from the NPFL. Mr. Kamara and his team took some equipment to salvage them and headed toward Bushrod Island where Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) leader Prince Yomie Johnson (now Senator in the Liberian Senate) almost shot him but missed him by inches after asking him series of question where he was going because he (Prince) was advancing toward central Monrovia. The next stage was what next to do? Mr. Kamara gathered some journalists at the Coast Guard base to reorganize the state media and also private media. The Nigerian information officer than attached to the Field Commander of ECOMOG and Mr. Kamara had a bitter argument because the Nigerian felt the name of LBS should be change to Liberty Radio. Some Liberian journalists were in agreement with the Nigerian officer but Mr. Kamara position was LBS is LBS and is a state entity and the Nigerian officer have no right to change the name of a government radio station. Mr. Kamara and his team sought to organized journalists but that didn’t work. Tom and his team organized private newspapers and it took some time for the Nigerian to bring in FM transmitter but under their control. Been a giant, Mr. Kamara never relented in organizing the media structure. He was shot in 1990 while transporting media equipment on Bushrod Island during the INFPL infamous attack on central Monrovia. He was transported to a clinic in Monrovia (at the time there was no functioning hospital in Monrovia) and later transported to Holland where he remain in hospital. Mr. Kamara’s career path meandered after he formed the New Democrat. He set his sights on making the New Democrat newspaper the best informative newspaper in Liberia. Mr. Kamara and his teams— who researched, reported and wrote the stories — took on Warlords like Charles Taylor, George Boley, Ahaiji Kromah, and others along with his patented brand of exposés. His famous fictional column “The Trial of Charles Ghankay Taylor” which he started in the 90’s was phenomenon and very popular. He started Taylor’s trial long before even any one dream that Mr. Taylor was going to go to The Hague for war crimes or be sentence to 50 years in prison. That was Uncle Tom at his best!! He tried putting Mr. Taylor entire career into a friction. By coincidence, the indictments that were issued for Mr. Taylor arrest are almost same indictments issue in his frictional tale. Most of Mr. Taylor support thought the trial was personal and wanted he to stop but Uncle Tom been Uncle Tom never give in. His work tried to put into perspectives the horrors and insane destructions, the shield savages all in the name of politic. He wanted for the Liberian populace to see through it and reinforces that the likes of Taylor need to face justice. The New Democrat office was looted and burned in 1996 by those that antagonized his work of informing the Liberian public. His paper was shut down and his life threatened. Mr. Kamara went into exile in the Netherlands. While in graduate school abroad, I often sent articles to News Democrat for publication and Uncle Tom was so generous in publishing those articles by even editing some before publication. I remember last year, when I was contesting for a seat in the house of representative, my father (a close pal of Uncle Tom) and I met Uncle Tom on numerous occasions. He was very supportive of my decision to contest and even allowed me to advertise on his newspaper free of charge during the 2011 legislative campaign. He was very optimistic about the future of Liberia and the ongoing process of transferring our country from war to peace and democratization process. Mr. Kamara created enough such moments to become a paragon of journalism in Liberia. He was a fearless Journalist and a prolific writer who always wrote about the truth; this is great loss to country whose lacks qualified and highly educated professionals. Uncle Tom success often lay in the questions he hurled in his numerous articles, not the answers he received. Mr. Kamara was a journalist to the bone. He was a great man who crossed many hearts and left his footprints forever in Liberia. Rest in Peace, Uncle Tom!!

Is Liberia's 2012/13 Draft National Budget full of Gimmicks?

In the course of defending the 2012/13 Draft National Budget on a local talk show in Monrovia, June 25, 2012, the Deputy Minister for Revenues, Dr. James Kollie argues that the draft budget is aim at improving the infrastructural component of our country to include the reconstruction of roads and bridges, as well as the provision of electricity through the reconstruction of the hydro. Dr. Kollie even went further by stating that the current Draft Budget for the fiscal year 2012/13 is highly reflective of the interests of the Liberian people, adding that it is not a bad budget as perceived by some critics. He also stated that the budget will help to reduce unemployment for the job seeking population as it explores job creation for the unemployed. Dr. Kollie believes the draft budget aims are improving the infrastructural component of our country and this is the sacrifice the government is asking Liberians to make for the overall interest of the country. In short, the 2012/13 Budget proposal comes with the themes of People center & Improving the Infrastructural Component of Liberia. The Government has declared its intention to cut down waste and focus resources on those priorities that would alleviate the sufferings of Liberia, enhance infrastructure, macroeconomic stability and improve fiscal governance. However, a good part of the allocations do not support the logic of cutting down waste but takes provisioning for wasteful expenditure to new heights. While Mrs. Madam Sirleaf’s government is calling on Liberians to sacrifice for a better future, the government itself is not willing to curb its own extravagance and waste, as components in the 2012/13 budget proposal currently awaiting the approval of the National Legislature have shown. The detail of the proposed budget of US $649,723,473.80 million (LD$48,014,564,710.13) t for 2012/13 is reek of waste. Most importantly, the 2012/13 draft concentrates spending on administrative capital (wasteful spending on government ministries and agencies) instead of developmental capital that directly impacts on the people living in abject poverty (pro poor policies). For this reason, over the ensuing weeks, this article will undertake a detailed sectorial analysis of the 2012/13 budget proposal submitted by the President to the National Legislature. My objective is to raise awareness and start the discussion on the provisions contained in the budget and suggest areas to reduce waste, question spending priorities and cut out what appears dysfunctional. It is my hope that the National Legislature will in the end make the budget work for the people of Liberia. Today, I will look at the revenues profile for 2012 and issues arising there-from, and then throw a searchlight on the much-headlined expenditure for the Public Administration sector. Details of the budget are available online https://docs.google.com/a/mopea.gov.lr/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=bW9wZWEuZ292LmxyfG10ZWYtYnVkZ2V0fGd4OjI4MTg2YTVlNjVjMjA2M2U&pli=1. According to the 2012/13 Draft Budget, the Liberian government expects to generate about US$ 542,329 million in revenues, consisting of about US$ 117 million on individual taxes & profit, US $3 million on unallocated income & profit, US $ 64million on corporate entities, US $72 million on good and services, US $164 million on international trade and US$45 million grant from our international partners for budgetary support. The 2012/13 budget also has a capital budget proposal of US$68 million (5.4 percent of GDP) slightly above that of the FY2011 out-turn. Starting with projected revenue of about US $542,329 million, the budget envisages a total spend of U.S$ 649,723,473.80 Million (LD$48,014,564,710.13), meaning that we intend to spend US$ 104 million more than we expect to earn in the FYI 2012/13. It seem the budget contains a deficit of 1.4% of GDP (The nominal GDP has been estimated by the World Bank to be about USD $1.32 billion in 2012), so where is the extra cash coming from? The Government of Liberia (GOL) hopes to finance the deficit by borrowing some US$ 80 million. Who are we borrowing from? These are items that need to be detailed for us as citizens to know, and for the National Legislature to decide upon. What are the implications of these pieces of information? How does the plan to borrow an additional US$ 80 million sit with the Sirleaf’s administration’s desire to reduce our borrowing and stop wasteful spending? What does the projected medium term expenditure framework reveal about our revenue and spending patterns? Are these consistent with the desire of our people to see a smaller, less expensive and more efficient government? I am asking Liberians to bear these in mind as they reflect on the numbers presented herein. Looking closely at the spending proposals, we will spend US$175m Million on the Public Administration sector, US$34.4million on Municipal government, US$20.4 Million Transparency & Accountability, US$71million Security & Rule of law, US$69.8million on Health, US$16.1 million Social Development Services, US$76.8million Education, US$63.7million Energy & Environment, US$20million Agriculture, US$82.7million, Infrastructure and Basic Service, and US$37.2 Industry & Commerce. In the draft budget, the provision for the salaries and allowances of government ministries and agency has risen by about US$ 177 Million from the 2011/12 levels to US $185Million. This increase cannot be due to the usual annual salary increment. There is something more and it contradicts the goal of reducing the cost of governance. The National Legislature should scrutinize this more closely! Other items of expenditure that need closer review are the overheads – the US $45.3 Million for Energy Development Fund, US$58 million for General and Special Allowance, US$ 30.3Million on Budgetary Policy and Execution at the Ministry of Finance, US $ 25 Million for Gas Slips and lubricants for vehicle & generators, US$20 Million for the National legislature, US$ 10 Million for the so-called National Capacity Building Fund, US$7.5 Million on Community Development Fund, US$4 Million for Entrepreneur Business fund, US$ 3.5 for Agriculture Produce Buy Back fund, US $ 9 Million for Repairs and Maintenance of Vehicles and Generators, U.S$ 7.5 million on the so-called County Development Funds, US $ 6.5 Million for Celebration of State visit, US$5 Million for Reconciliation, US$2.1million Office building rental lease, US$3million residency property rental property lease, US$5Million for Reconciliation (can reconciliation be bought and what happen to TRC report?), US $4 Million for the so-called Young Entrepreneurs Business Fund, US $2.8 million for foreign travel and additional US $3 million for daily subsistence allowance, US$ 3.4 Million Intelligence Services, US $2.5 Million for the construction of the bridge to nowhere (the Du river Bridge), US$2.5 on skill training and development via TVET (whatever that mean), US $2million for domestic travel daily subsistence allowance, US$3 Million for stationery, magazines & newspapers, US$ 3 Million for telecommunication, Internet, Postage, US$ 1.4 Million Other Specialized Material and Services, US$ 1 Million Societe General de ’Surveillance (whatever that mean!), US$ 604,000 Media relation and intelligence promotion, US$533,750 National Security Expansion(whatever that mean!), US$ 312,503 Advertising and public relation, US$ 312,504 Personal Insurance, US$424,473.00 Security Operation, US$200,000 National Reconstruction and Monument. Within the budget of the Office of the President, US $ 2.7 million is earmarked to keep the President happy which include US $240,000.00 for catering and feeding the President, US$367,999 for compensation, US $51,800 for the rent of the residential property of the President, US $475,000 to hand out as welfare packages, US$ $400,000 for Strategic support of the President 10 outreach projects (whatever that mean!), US $ 225, 000 to compensate the so-called “President Young Professional”. There are other items I will highlight in each sector but these broad areas are indicative for the time being of the need for close scrutiny by the citizens and the National Legislature. I will briefly look at the provisions for the Public Administration Sector beginning with the Ministry of Finance Ministry (MOF). Budgetary allocation for the Public Administration sector is US$ 158 Million. The equivalent tally for 2011 was US$ 75.8 million about US$82.2 Million higher. The MOF proposes to spend about US$81.2Million. A cursory look at the MOF capital project is even more revealing because there is 0 for Capital and over US$ 30.3Million will be spent on budgetary policy and execution (the equivalent tally for 2011/12 was US$ 2.2million, about US$ 28million higher), US$ 8.6 on revenue management, US$4 Million on expenditure & debt management, US$34 Million on General Claims and US$ 5Million on Administration and Management. The Ministry of Finance also proposes to spend USS$9.5 Million on employee compensation, US$28 Million on goods and services, US$12 Million on grant and subsidies, US$ 32.2 Million on GOL and Donor projects, U.S 7 Million on the Department of Revenue, US$ 1.2 Million on the technical and professional support to the Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Finance Merger, $1.7 Million on budget office at Finance, US$450,000 on County Budget office while the rest is cover in gas slip, local and international travel; stationery, magazines, newspapers; maintenance of vehicles, furniture; generators; refreshments, meals, computer software, general and special allowance, entertainments, etc. Are the amounts spent on the MOF is really managing, directing and coordinating the financial affairs of our country, or are they making a few ministers and their appendages so stupendously rich, thereby exacerbating the income disparities, inequalities and injustice amongst us which in turn have contributed to the insecurity in our land? What should interest citizens and our National Legislature members is that similar provisions were made in the 2011/12 Budget for all these items at the Ministry of Finance, so what have we spent so far and when will the budgeting cycle end and the "ongoing projects" completed? Are we getting value for money? There is an incredible request for gas slip, allowances, local and international travel; stationery, magazines, newspapers; maintenance of vehicles, furniture; generators at the MOF. Previous budgets also show this massive demand. The legislature should take steps to confirm the available vehicles, generators, software’s and office equipment’s, etc. at the MOF by asking the officials to bring an inventory. They should use this to determine the reasonableness of these demands. Or, do they throw them away every year to buy new ones? It appears these demands are meant to ensure “job for the boys” through a contract. This unnecessarily shoots up the cost of governance – not through recurrent expenditure but by concentrating spending on administrative capital instead of developmental capital that directly impacts on the people. The central question to ask is how do these bloated and unnecessary expenditures contribute to fiscal consolidation and macroeconomic stability, improved fiscal governance, create jobs or make resources available for infrastructure upgrade? Unless we target our resources to real needs, increase transparency and accountability at the Ministry of Finance spending, and eliminate duplications and copy-cat procurements in our budget, we will continue to lose the value of these investments. When the spending is supposed to be for the Ministry of Finance, it might simply end up in the pockets of officials and contractors. The Ministry of Finance must not be seen as an easy, money- making machine. This is what it appears to citizens these days. We can do better. Our leaders must do better. There is no better time to act than right now!!