December 17, 2008 - Poverty renewal Strategy Part 2 

Often in Liberia, a term comes around, arising from a political event or, from the recent past, a peace conference, which becomes the political slogan for the time and in some cases becomes the highlight or legacy of transitional arrangements, and finally makes the rounds for humor. One can recall the term “concomitant” which arose from the Abuja Accords and the extent to which this term was battered, defined and misinterpreted within the Liberian socio-political arena, even when it was meant to actually lay the foundation for disarmament, power-sharing and peace in Liberia.

This time, the new term is “deliverables”! This term now arises from the strategy put in place by this administration to address the issue of poverty in Liberia. What it is meant to connote is basically achieved outcome arising from goals that have been set within a specific timeframe. In essence what has been achieved, produced or delivered to say the least. Holding that the strategy is based on a 100% accomplishment, it is important to examine the government’s “attainment” – another related term. And the government recently announced that it has attained 12% of its “deliverables” – what it promised to provide/achieve in reducing poverty.  Twelve percent!! This announcement came as the government embarked on an assessment of the strategy and its implementation.

However to get a clearer picture of what is going on and have a people’s determination on whether this strategy is achievable, a new term must be introduced and that term is “trend.” This is meant to show movement in the pursuit of the goals. Now, putting the puzzles together it can be concluded that it took the government close to over a year to develop the strategy and when done, it took the same government close to two years to “attain” 12% of its “deliverables”. With this “trend”, it seems reasonable to expect and predict that the next two years is expected to achieve an additional 12% attainment of government’s PRS’ deliverables! With only a year to go of its tenure and holding to the trend, this government may secure an additional half of the “attainment.”  Essentially, this government would have “attained” 30% of its Poverty Reduction Strategy “deliverables” if the trend holds steady! What would the grade be for this achievement? All that can be said is Papa may not be coming home with much after all! As such, tie your pants with what the Vai man calls kpon-gbo-jue! DELIVERABLES!!!!

kpon-gbo-jue: the Vai word for the rope that is made when leaves are removed from a wild vine, and used to tie stuff, sometimes a bundle of leaves, a pile of yucca roots (cassava) and, at times one’s pants when in hard times one cannot afford a belt.

November 26, 2008 - "JUST WORDS"

As a student at Ricks Institute, my French teacher Ousman Barry would tell the class “before you speak, roll your tongue in your mouth seven times.” What he sought to impart into us was an ability to choose our words wisely, for he understood the gravity of words and the outcome they could generate. Even in the west, words are taken very seriously and their connotation can be damaging to one’s political future, as well as impactful to the movement of the society. Even when one ventures down a path that leads to rhetorical flourishes, they sometimes have compunctions but it becomes too late. Their words have perhaps hampered whatever good intentions they may have had, and unintentionally ruined their good chances or ambitions.

Sometimes people are glorified by their verbosity, like it was at the University of Liberia during my days and maybe now, but sometimes we don’t take time to see the underlying meaning and the consequence of what is being glorified until there is an unexpected occurrence before we look back to find out the meaning of what was articulated. But had we taken time to think first about what we are about to say we would have said it even better and perhaps in a rather euphemistic and unambiguous manner. Calling for the “dissolution of the Liberian State” to the average semi-literate/educated Liberian carries a meaning of tearing down the little that 161 years had done – destruction to say the least. And there are many ready to tear down, and looking for a reason and a basis to do so. And so we cannot be the catalyst by spewing out brazenly extreme words, and not calibrating the consequences only because we want to exonerate ourselves from the decisions of a group we are a part of.

Liberians were critical and rightly so of the late Baccus Matthews when he criticized IGNU and tried to exonerate himself from the decision to form of the Black Berets unit of the Armed Forces of Liberia, while serving in that government as Foreign Minister. Should they be critical of Kofi Woods for calling the actions of this government of which he is a part “window-dressing” and for the “dissolution of the Liberian State” of which he and many others are a part? Yes, they should. Let’s not get this wrong, this is not courage shown by Kofi; this is duplicitous and self-serving and Liberia has had enough. When things are not going our way in a team, let’s not wash our hands and blame others. Let’s remain a part and try to fix whatever it is from within.

November 17, 2008 - Remembering I. Nyenekantoe Johnson - A Brother, Dear Friend

Part II to Poverty Renewal Strategy (PRS) would follow later, but this time must be committed to remembering a hard working Liberian, a dear comrade and a close friend, Honorable Isaac N. Johnson. The news of Isaac’s passing sent shock to many who knew and interacted with this good man. Shock may not be the right term, but disbelief, especially knowing the man Isaac Johnson, who exuded vibrancy, strength and vitality daily, even in difficult times. For those of us who knew him, he was always active and outspoken, ready to listen, perhaps disagree and offer his opinion even if it swayed from the main issue. His rugged overarching voice which drew attention to him was one of the attributes that popularized him even more. Even when he whispered he could be heard, but that was Isaac! At no time was he unwilling to interact with people, for he was always ready to meet and greet folks with opened arms. He was a down-to-earth compatriot who embraced his roots and went to lengths realizing the creation of River Gee County, becoming one of its leaders in the Liberian Senate. In all, he was a dependable friend! 

For all being said, Isaac’s death signals a major canker in Liberia’s health sector that has not been addressed for decades, if not at all. This has to do with medical malpractices. Medical institutions in Liberia are being staffed with Liberian doctors who, since taking their oath and starting practice, have never gone back to school for any refresher courses as required, and therefore lack the updated skills to respond professionally and skillfully to the medical needs of ailing Liberians. There are countless accounts of wrong diagnoses, inconsistent prescription for a particular ailment, etc. that have led to the deaths of many Liberians, and medical practitioners (doctors) have not been held accountable for such errors. This problem has put the lives of thousands of Liberians at risk! Something has to be done about this and like Isaac Johnson who was always in the vanguard for change, the price he paid MUST put this problem in the limelight, to cause his fellow Senators to enact laws that would address medical malpractices and hold these Ceausescu-era, half-baked, eastern-bloc-trained doctors and others accountable for their trial and error approach to medical practices in Liberia. So long, I. Nyenekantoe, so long!

November 1, 2008 - Poverty Renewal Strategy

Life in Liberia now is getting more difficult and harder for the average Liberian, since the end of the civil conflict. This is no joke! The decision of the Liberian people and their hopes in 2005 rested primarily on the abilities of the candidate who could deliver a small portion of all of what they hoped for. They knew and understood that they could not get all that they desired, but wanted just a little that could make their lives a little better than what they were experiencing.  

Today and much to the chagrin of our people, the state of their lives has dwindled and become even harder and excruciatingly difficult than expected. In some cases, this government has become a part of the problem, making it even harder for its people and entrepreneurs to better their lives. The improvement of their conditions has been placed in the outcome of a strategy that may not see the light of day until 2012, considering the state of its implementation or lack of. Shortly the time will come when the people get to review and make a judgment on the report card of those who were thought to have the best solutions for the country. The only report, it seems, this government can give on its attempt to eliminate poverty in Liberia is a single intangible and irrelevant term to the Liberia people – DELIVERABLES! And the people would say “da all we will eat?”  

As commonly stated, “you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” Our people are longing to ease the hardships they have encountered for years and what they get from their leaders is a retreat to talk about “deliverables.” The only deliverables that our people need are tangible “earmarks” that would reduce their sufferings and difficulties, which seem a distant away from them. They are tired of talks and flourishes that do not address their main concerns as they drown in poverty and despair, while their leaders go on retreat to discuss failures and shortcoming! It’s time for results!! Like our saying goes, “dry meat sweet, but the time it takes for de meat to dry!” Until then, “yor eat “DELIVERABLES” yah!”

October 11, 2008 - "Strange Things Are Happening"

Recently, the Supreme Court of Liberia “instructed” the Liberian Senate, the upper house that constitutes the Legislative branch of government, to reinstate its suspended president pro tempore, Isaac Nyenabo! I was struck by this decision and wondered if the Justice in Chambers, Associate Jamesetta Wolokollie, was cognizant of her powers within the co-equal branches, and understood the constitutionality of her actions? What was even striking was the imminent acquiescence of the acting president pro tempore to submit to the “instruction” of the Supreme Court - an indication that neither he, nor his colleagues who took actions based on their own rules, have an understanding of the constitutional ramifications of the court’s action in this cause. No one is above the law, and no one should violate the decision of the courts, but when the court errs, it must be called out! And this is where Justice Wolokollie exceeded the bounds of her authority: The Supreme Court as a coequal branch of government cannot “instruct” another branch, but can only interpret the law and its interpretation should warrant correction if necessary or clarity if required. In this case, it was the duty of Justice Wollokollie to determine the constitutionality of the actions of the Senate against Nyenabo and not “instruct”. If the actions by members of the senate exceeded the bounds of the constitution and violated the law, then it is incumbent upon the senate to institute actions that would correct their rules and regulations that they, the senate, have designed to abide by, so that these rules fall within the bounds of the constitution. As such, the Supreme Court has not stated if such was the case, and even if it is so, it must therefore show respect to the Legislature and not contempt by “instructing”. Certainly, in the words of Dusty Wolokollie, “strange things are happening”, if you know what I mean!

October 2, 2008 - Philip Banks Must Resign

It’s a shame to hear that the Government of Liberia has now begun arresting its citizens for calling their president names! Yes, calling the “old mom”, name as if “old mom” is not a name by itself, since Ellen is not “old” but “aging”, which is also characteristic of number of years she has trod the earth! Rather “old mom” is euphemistic than “rebel.” But monitoring reports from Liberia, the arrest of Mulbah Morlu by security forces in Liberia for “questioning” brings back the dark days of repression and tyranny when guns ruled and the rights of the people were trampled upon. What is disheartening is that those who were the mouthpieces of the society calling for an end to such abuses and for upholding the rights of the people are the same ones presiding over this travesty. It can be recalled in 1987 when the current president of Liberia called Samuel Doe an “ignoramus”, a hullabaloo ensued and security forces around the country were scrambled to seek her arrest or anyone associated with this comment. This was wrong, as public opinion viewed her comments as an exercise of her constitutional rights.  

What is even more appalling is the continuous use of pseudo constitutional premises meant for the sole purpose of suppressing free speech. Where in the constitution of Liberia is a quid pro quo for the exercise of expression? Because no one has challenged these repressive-style actions on the part of government in our courts, and because the courts have not defined the spirit of the constitution and the intent of the framers on this matter, these excesses occur strangely under the watch of those who were viewed by Liberians to be champion of people’s rights. The call by President Sirleaf to have Morlu released is belated and carries no weight to avoid a recurrence. Morlu should not have only been released but the Minister of Justice should have been asked to resign!  

It is embarrassing to have a legal mind like Phillip Banks make a statement, as quoted in The News, that Morlu was arrested for calling the President of Liberia a “rebel.” Banks lived in the US, went to school in US institutions and is aware of the volumes of name calling that leaders in the US get, but his machismo and gravitas as Justice Minister must be channeled to poor Liberians who call their leader names. What a mockery and abuse of his responsibilities and a waste of taxpayers’ revenue! Minister Banks, am I going to be arrested in Liberia if and when I call you a liar or a joke? Can Liberians only say what you, Phillip Banks, deem expedient and respectful? Is this what you criticized Charles Taylor for that is now sweetener in your tea? Is it time to shut your “zipper mouth”? You see, Phillip, Liberia is trying to regain its lost image after years of repression and abuse, but it is you and individuals like you who are bent on aborting the anticipated rebirth of Liberia, and you MUST BE STOPPED! I know not Mulbah Morlu, but like Voltaire, I will defend his right to say whatever he says. That’s all.

July 9, 2008 - Read My Lips

Reading Abdoulaye W. Dukulé’s article in the Perspective captioned: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Dilemma of a Second Term; I was drawn to a number of factors that could impact President Sirleaf’s decision for continuity in the Presidency. These are factors that have resided in the society till today. 

At various levels of the society – village, chiefdom, community, etc. – institutions have been structured around the eminence and authority of a person, a head, or chief. The authority of that person – most notably a male – is barely unchallenged even in the wake of idiosyncrasies. Such formation is grounded in our organic laws and has found its way up to the halls of power, thus exorcising power from the people and placing it into the hands of an individual. This formation has also led to what many Liberians can recall as the years of “so says one, so says all” that characterized governance in Liberia since the 1940s. Liberia’s political structures were not spared the effects of this. 

For their part, political institutions in Liberia of late have not been formed around a unified idea, goal or an innate concept within the society that brought a good portion of the population together on. Instead they have, in most cases, been formed around an individual’s seeming popularity at the group level; or the level of abuse and prosecution a person endured at the hands of a regime. For those that attempted formation around particular principles and precepts, particularly the students’ movement in the 70s, they were not able to gain enough traction to obtain state power, due primarily to clashes between and amongst diverging and competing egos that seemed larger than the inherent principles around which they were envisioned. Weakened by internal struggles these groups have become mere pedestals for a single individual. In other instances where political institutions become “Ellenized”, (affiliation with a dormant political party as a result of internal wrangling within one’s mother party that may deny an individual the standard bearer-ship) and assume power, “manna has fallen from heaven” and they become resistant to change – the result of an answered prayer, a miracle!! 

Finally, the enormity of power ascribed to the executive has led to the formation of entities whose basic existence rests upon manufacturing threats and plots, and whose liabilities pose enormous economic burden on government, especially in Liberia. What to do with these entities has been a difficult consideration especially for leadership in Liberia, giving rise to the “porcupine guts effect.”  In some cases these entities have attempted to show their relevance by “uncovering” botched-up designs to topple the executive. The results of their actions have been to place a pseudo impression of external threat and fear, and deepen executive’s acceptance of their existence in the hope of blurring initial declarations and promises made by those holding the reins of power. 

Caught up in this labyrinth of power and between the forces of continuity, one has to make the ultimate decision of sticking to the principles of truth, or the pressures of power. The transfer of power in 1994 was a watershed moment in Liberia’s history. Let’s build on that, inject into Liberia new dynamism, leadership and vision, and strengthen our democracy.

May 16, 2008 - Just For Laughs

Growing up as a boy in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, life was so amazing and exciting! We walked to school every morning with friends, talking about stuff we did at home, some times doing chic-to-chic, and about what the school day would be like. We were conscious about not being late as that would lead to discipline from Mr. Massaquoi, Fanquoi Rogers or Uncle Prince. Even when we were late for school, we tried to avoid being beaten by sneaking into the line of students; that was also difficult as teachers roamed around the line. We had to take the five lashes in our hands – sooo ahhhhh!!!! 

Mammy put-the-peppeh was greatly anticipated for recess; five cents would give you five little balls of kallah (donuts) with well seasoned tinapur (salmon) gravy on top. But that was not for one person – bah gay me – was the chorus from a group of friends. At times you had to hold your kallah tight to avoid bu-fang-ground-hol-it! Other times you just had to stuff everything in your mouth and run away, but there was a consequence to that because you did not have five cents or twenty-five cents everyday, so it was better to share. 

At the end of the school day it was time to tease Joseph Buzzy (cheh-kpeh). “Spirit of God,” was the line that agitated him and there we went, Kaway, Aja and Alieu running away in laughs from Joseph Buzzy. Getting home was anticipated hoping that the food will be ready only to meet the “switch” waiting for me as someone had told my grandmother about what I had done to Joseph Buzzy. Even after the beaten you would think there would be something to eat, but we had to now put the pot on the fire to begin cooking. The plum trees or guava trees was next on the agenda. If only we can bring those days back; but we can think about them and share them with our kids and relieve some of the stress that life brings!!! Enjoy the weekend and think about your days growing up be it in Pleebo, Tapita, Kakata, Buchanan or Zorzor – those were memorable times!!

May 6, 2008 - Another Plan

Recently, the Government of Liberia published a Poverty Reduction Strategy which spells out its aim of reducing the burden and hardship our compatriots endure as a result of grinding poverty. Not only is poverty pervasive in Liberia, but it tentacles stretches across third world countries and thus has led to crises and fueled conflicts in many such countries, Liberia included. Certainly, reducing poverty is a major undertaking that is front and center of any government, especially in Liberia, where our society has been devastated by war. 

This administration must be commended for developing another plan. That we have such plan is a first step, but how we implement same is where all of the efforts are needed. This is so because Liberia has had a number of plans! Fingers, toes, limbs would not be able to count the number of plans that have been hatched to move the country from stagnancy to progress and to address the endemic burden of poverty - Remember Vision 2024 hatched in 2002; The Grain Revolution, etc.?  

Having a plan to reduce poverty must be accompanied by tangible actions that demonstrate a commitment to its implementation. One such action would be upgrading JFK Medical Center and improving its standards that the President of Liberia does not have to come to the US for a medical/physical checkup! In this case the President can use her physical at JFK to send a message to all Liberians of the important of having a yearly physical exam – that’s a step towards reducing poverty. With this Liberians can begin having longer life span and would be able to prevent some life threatening illnesses. Savvy?

May 1, 2008 - KPARGON

For more than three months, it seemed “The Last Word” column had reached its Rubicon, and I have received calls and emails from the readership that this column had generated asking about its status. Certainly, the dormancy has not been intentional but the result of a number of mitigating factors. That we have not been consistently involved in the public discussion with points of view relevant to transforming Liberia, is a disservice to all who took interests in this column and for this I am sorry! 

To demonstrate this, I have sought to get this apology published on the first day of May, 2008, as a starting point for a deep involvement in the Liberian public forum. There will be regular updates on issues as they arise that are relevant to the Liberian circumstance, and we will ensure that they are balanced. Our commitment this time is firm and our readers can be assured that “The Last Word” will not be precipitous in its approach to arising developments, but thought through analyses meant to offer a second opinion or in some cases analogous to the prevailing views. 

Growing up as a boy in the beautiful Oceanside city of Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, there were times when things did not go well with my friends and acquaintances, but that did not end those relationships. They got even more strengthened when we realized the need to forgive and forget what had transpired, which was preceded by an unforgettable Vai phrase “kolo, e ma bweyah” (sorry, don’t get vex), and as we also say in Bassa “kpargon” (sorry). And so I say to you “KPARGON”!

February 8, 2008 - Let Justice Be Done To All Men 

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