As the euphoria surrounding the debt waiver granted Liberia by her major creditors wanes reality has finally set in.
For the first time Liberians are anxious to get involved in the process of national loans negotiations, know the true intent and terms surrounding those loans and ensure that TRANSPARENCY and fairness are the umbrella principles throughout the processes.
It seems the Unity Party government again is taking Liberians for granted by unilaterally appointing officials of the Debt Management Committee. Once again the Government of the Unity Party have missed an opportunity to live up to its name as the Unity Party of Liberia.
This welcome debt relief presented us yet another opportunity for consensus building and national unity. The Johnson-Sirleaf government MUST accept the fact that REPAYMENT of any loans to be acquired, in the near future, will be the responsibility of EVERY Liberian, whether one is a Unity Party partisan or NOT !
While citing the Public Finance Management Act 2009 as a rationale for the setup of its Debt Management Committee, the Act as passed makes no mention of the composition of the committee.
One would be right to seek more information on the antecedents of the members of this Debt Management Committee. Are they skilled in international and national loan negotiations ? Are they fully aware of the long term implications and impacts of loans on the national economy ? Do they fully understand debt management ? Or is this pronouncement, like most of the Unity Party public antics, yet another charade meant to cajole the Liberian people while saddling them with a Trojan Horse.
I believe that Liberians will collectively shudder at the prospect that this debt relief which was intended to guarantee us a new start could be abused by unscrupulous and oblivious government officials and could ultimately trigger a new cycle of dependency.
In the cause of the people, the STRUGGLE continues !
Government links:
http://www.emansion.gov.lr/press.php?news_id=1513
http://www.mof.gov.lr/doc/Financial%20R ... 2.2010.pdf
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 15 )River Gee Beware of the Unity Party's Machinations!
The Unity Party political machinery, obviously overheated, is on yet another doomed voyage in its latest foray into River Gee County. Liberians are currently witnessing an amassing of forces who sole intent is victory at all cost – literally
The new-found bravura
Emboldened by the lack of widespread public condemnation regarding its recent handling of quasi-nepotism charge, raised by one of its officials - which ultimately led to an elected party official relinquishing his elected position.
The conjured aura of raw power and invincibility has totally consumed the collective conscience of the Party’s hierarchy – Indeed ANYTHING is now possible !
Like the recent Montserrado County by-election, the Unity Party is throwing every weapon in its arsenal into this fight to ensure victory.
Political expediency is now the norm. The people’s will doesn’t matter anymore. Their preferred candidate, Mr. Christian Snorteh Chea, is not only mired in controversy but has NOT fully relinquished his membership of the Liberty Party. (http://necliberia.org/content/Saturday.%20June%2026%20Press%20Conf..pdf | http://liberianonline.com/modules.php?n ... mp;pid=214
A second referendum?
The Unity Party has been REEJECTED by a MAJORITY of Liberians. Its maladministration and unusual penchant for corruption and a plethora of similar vices have made it not only unpopular but a sad example of what genuine leadership and sense of political acumen represent.
Liberians do NOT need a second referendum on the Unity Party. The people of Liberia spoke via the recent Montserrado county by-election where they handed the Unity Party a resounding defeat despite her overwhelming financial strength and pre-election shenanigans.
We all desire to see the Unity Party’s machinery exposed and humiliated before all and sundry, we can ONLY hope that it doesn’t get stuck in the MUD on the way to River Gee.
In the CAUSE of the people, the Struggle continues.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 2.9 / 28 )Unity Party and the impacts of the Fahnbulleh debacle
The ripples of the internal war within the Unity Party are been felt within Liberia and beyond. Ordinary Liberians it seems are shocked beyond description at this obvious blatant show of power and influence by the Chairman-Elect Mr. Varney Sherman.
Does Nepotism exists within the Unity Party
Mr. Sherman's claim of being a newly invigorated anti-nepotistic warrior rings hollow and presents yet another strange dimension to this shameful public charade.
We all can only imagine whose bidding Mr Sherman is carrying out and what are the specific reasons for which the party hierarchy has turned on one of its own.
Did Mr. Fahnbulleh cross unseen lines ? Did he break unwritten rules ? Whatever the reasons are, the Unity Party has unknowingly fired the fatal shot that would ultimately result in the death of its very soul. The impacts of the “Fahnbulleh debacle” will forever be an icon of shame and a blot on the collective conscience of the party’s hierarchy.
Who is Medina ?
It is also evident that the Unity Party believes it has the Western votes (Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties) locked down and the choice of Medina Wesseh is yet another political calculation in their bizarre calculus for victory in 2011.
Political parties in Liberia should regard this giant show of shame as an unambiguous warning and decipher for themselves the length to which the Unity Party is prepared to go to ensure it wins the 2011 election.
A party that will publicly demand one of its internally elected officials resigns and offers his elected position to the loser of the same election is not only desperate but has callously displayed its penchant for illegality..
With the River Gee by-elections on the horizon one can only wonder if this is a show of strength or a veiled ploy to illegally garner support in the far eastern counties.
Whatever their rationale, we have all witnessed a blatant disregard for established rules that should serve as an ominous warning of the DEVIOUS shenanigans to be visited upon Liberians in our near political future.
In the cause of the people, the STRUGGLE continues !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 2.8 / 23 )The Internet and Liberia is currently agog with news of the alleged arrest of a friend of Mr George Weah. While this story has no merits it is obviously been pushed to the center stage by detractors of Mr Weah and the CDC. A succinct reaction will suffice.
It is common knowledge that minions of the Unity Party and their handlers in Monrovia have a vested interest in destroying the very credibility of Mr Weah and to a large extent the CDC as an organization.
We can all wonder WHAT the alleged arrest of a FRIEND of Mr Weah has got to do with Mr Weah himself ! Are the detractors now saying that Mr Weah and the CDC should perform rigorous BACKGROUND CHECKS on everyone that Mr Weah meets ?
I can imagine the hues and cries and the level of angst(s) that will be directed at Mr Weah, who is obviously a people person if he decides to robustly scrutinize the people he meets.
We ALL are NOT responsible for the actions of our friends and acquaintances. What they do should be for THEMSELVES to explain.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is on record saying she met Charles Taylor, a VICIOUS murderer of THOUSANDS, and even gave him $10,000.
Her backers see NOTHING wrong with her association with such a villain.
While we would advocate for some level of due diligence to be applied in Mr Weah's process of association, we will in no way try to LIMIT and or restrict his association with the people.
This EMPTY story is obviously meant to dent the very good news coming out of Minneapolis, Minnesota after the recent "very successful" CDC-USA convention.
While it is a know FACT that Mr Weah has NO credibility issues, we have witnessed, in the recent weeks relentless attacks on his credibility and that of the CDC as an institution - ALL of the attacks have so far FALLEN FLAT due to lack of substance(s).
Remember the “deal with Ellen regarding 2011” ? Remember the CDC secretary general travel with Ellen to the USA saga ? Now we have the “drug dealer connection” only heaven knows what else is coming down the turnpike !
If the CDC’s detractors are happy with the status quo in Liberian I wish them well, but they should know that there are other Liberians who believe they could do a better job and improve the lot of our people.
No amount of intimidation, harassments and flagrant assassination of character will deter us from our goals !
In the cause of the people, the STRUGGLE continues !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 30 )Ellen Johnson Sirleaf emotional rejuvenation.
Most Liberian experienced yesterday the Town Hall Meeting that NEVER was. Indeed a golden opportunity for genuine dialogue was shamelessly sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.
From the initial interviews conducted by the http://www.radiolib.com correspondents, with sections of the "purported" attendees outside of the venue, any reasonable individual could have seen through the veneer that overshadowed President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Town Hall Meeting held yesterday, 05/21/2010 at the Morgan State University in Maryland, USA.
I was shocked to hear a number of the interviewees, including a non-citizen who claimed he was there to SUPPORT the president simply because he has business interest(s) in Liberia. An interviewee referring to himself as a member of the leadership of the shadowy group Liberians for Ellen unknowingly spilled the beans when we mentioned that his group was THERE in their NUMBERS basically as a show of strength and support for their Queen.
Did any of the loud PRAISE SINGERS remember the hardship the ordinary Liberians face on a daily basis ? The extreme lack of the very basics of life? The widespread poverty, lack of sanitation and absence of JUSTICE !
One must give credit to the folks at http://www.radiolib.com for the live stream. It brought to life the callous sycophancy and giant show of shame.
When the reporters entered the building we, the listening audience, were greeted by repeated battle cries and loud praise-singing even before the programm began.
The Unity Party must be very desperate to put up this GIANT show of SHAME so far away from the Homeland. The praise-singers gave ordinary Liberians a realistic taste of what “purchased support” actually is.
If indeed the praises heaped on Ellen, for virtually resuscitating Liberia, were deserved why are thousands of Liberians annually crying for the extension of DED just to remain in the USA ? If conditions are right and the Unity Party is the best thing that happened to Liberia since “palm butter” why the annual pleas to stay here in the USA? Why not go home in our numbers and enjoy the FRUITS of Queen Ellen's work(s) !
This giant show of shame must be roundly condemned by ALL well meaning Liberians. These town Hall Meetings are meant to be a forum for realistic dialogue that are intended to resolve the many problems facing our nation. It was wrong and callous for the Unity Party and her HACKS to hijack this meeting and turn it into a mini political rally.
Except for the lone voice who raised concern regarding the shortcomings judiciary, where Queen Ellen was forced to admit the shortcomings of the judiciary and proclaimed her intention to seek reform that will introduce the “jury system” into the Liberian legal system, this was everything but a Unity party rally - clearly meant as an emotional exercise - for MOST of the praise singers ARE non-voters.
We roundly condemn this show of shame and lay the blame at the feet of overzealous UP partisans who denied Liberians a valuable opportunity for GENUINE dialogue with their leader.
In the cause of the people, the struggle continues.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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