Monrovia – The Chairman of the Board, at the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Mr. Alfred Sieh has lauded H.E. Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., for quickly restoring Liberia’s passport image after the U S State Department placed a travel restriction on the former Director of Passport and Visas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrew Wonplo.
Mr. Sieh said what he and his team gathered at the ministry about the Liberian Passport currently is very impressive stating “We are taking the good news about the passport business back to our people in the diaspora; Mr. Minister, you and your team are doing a great job, continue to change the narrative, you get our support”.
While informing the minister of their plan to establish a Diaspora Development and Investment Bank in Liberia, the Board Chair said in July of this year, ULAA will host a major conference on investment in the United States for Liberians, which will bring together Liberians from Europe and Australia and other part of the world, with key interest of attracting funds from them for the bank, which will create many jobs for Liberians.
Discussing slew of national issues with the Dean of the Cabinet, Chairman Sieh opined that in the past, the National Legislature made laws that are on the books discriminating and excluding one group over the others, especially those in the diaspora, for some political reasons, noting that these laws are still on the books, which need to be repealed.
He said ULAA is grateful to President George Manneh Weah for all the affects he exhorted to lift the dual citizen debate during the just-ended December 8, referendum.
On the issue of education, ULAA Board Chair said his institution is prepared to build a resource center for high school students in Liberia, stating that the resource center will help boost the educational sector in the country.
Mr. Sieh, made these remarks when he paid a courtesy call on the Liberian Foreign Minister, at his Capitol Hill office on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
The ULAA Chairman said given the investment climate in the country, they are planning to come back as soon as possible with a Diaspora investment bank, stating that only one Liberian owned bank in the country competing with many foreign owned banks.
Responding, the Liberian Foreign Minister welcomed, Mr. Sieh and his team to the ministry and called on Liberians in the diaspora to feel free to come back home to invest in the country’s economy, stating that the issue of diaspora bank, is a brilliant idea, which this administration wholeheartedly endorses.
Minister Kemayah said ULAA is on the right trajectory, noting that this administration will support this great initiative, which will help restituted and strengthen the economy of the country. The Liberian Foreign Minister said ULAA has unconditional responsibility to remain engaged for the good of the country.
“Under our administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we want to engage in economy diplomacy; we intent to encourage foreign direct investment in the country, and the ULAA is no exception; we have the responsibility to create the enabling environment, which President George Manneh Weah is committed to,” Minister Kemayah further indicated.