Monrovia – With no debates apparently in play, voters in Liberia’s upcoming Presidential elections are bracing once more to be short-changed by those eyeing leadership.
Report by Rodney D. Sieh, [email protected]
Big Issues: But You’re Not Hearing About From Contenders Eyeing Liberian Presidency
Lost in much of the fanfare regarding cracks in the ruling party and a disintegrating opposition, is what many political observers say, is the lack of viable answers and solutions to the major issues that could or should decide the 2017 Presidential race.
Attorney Lamii Kpargoi, a former Research Scholar at National Endowment for Democracy and currently a founding partner at the Justice Initiative (JI), a not-for-profit law firm which takes on legal cases on behalf of indigent persons languishing in the criminal justice system of Liberia, says it is important that Liberians push the upcoming elections into an issues focused competition of ideas and not the usual rice and T-Shirt elections.
Kpargoi, also the Officer-in-Charge at the Liberia Media Center, argues that politicians are not being challenged on what their platforms and policies for the future growth of the country are.
Says Kpargoi: “There seems to be no discourse around revitalizing the country’s economy, planning for the post UNMIL security environment, food security, and reconciliation in the wake of the TRC debacle.
Candidates ought to be challenged on their plans for the essential sectors and undertakings. More importantly, they must be made to explain in clear terms not only the WHAT, but the HOW their plans will be funded and implemented.”
Many political observers say the issues likely to decide the elections could come down to which candidates has a strong sense of security, an ability to restore economic sanity and a development agenda that could continue some of the strides made by the departing Sirleaf-led government.
FrontPageAfrica now takes a snapshot at what some of the candidates have been saying or not saying about the issues.
The Economy, Stupid
Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have in recent reports, pointed to a downward trend for the Liberian economy in part due to the deadly Ebola Virus Outbreak of 2014.
The post-war nation’s economy has struggled to rebound almost 11 years after the end of the country’s civil war amid a high unemployment rate and an Ebola epidemic that slowed economic growth.
“The continued terms-of-trade shocks and the reversal in private investment inflows due to the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), have prolonged Liberia’s post-Ebola economic recovery,” the World Bank said in a country overview last month.
“The mining sector, which was one of the key drivers of economic growth declined by 17% followed by 1.1% declines in the agriculture sector.
The economy was however salvaged by a relatively resilient services sector, which grew by 5%; attributable mainly to the recovery in construction, hotels and trading services.
Furthermore, fiscal revenues are projected to decline by 12%, based on the original forecast of US$474million.
This will necessitate expenditure cuts by Government in order to maintain the already high fiscal deficit target of 8.5% of GDP in FY2016.”
While there have been enormous criticisms of the Sirleaf administration’s handling of the economy, critics say, the opposition and those eyeing to replace Sirleaf have so far not yet offered clear options and alternatives.
Mr. Nathaniel Barnes, of the Liberia Destiny Party(LPD) agrees that any leader acquiring power in a country like Liberia, is faced with a duality.
“On the one hand, is the need to pursue initiatives that address the immediate, pressing needs of the people such as personal security; food security; health care; safe drinking water and sanitation; education; etc.
On the other hand, is the development and implementation of economic strategies that will ensure sustainable economic growth and prosperity.”
The challenge, according to Barnes, a Finance Minister during the Charles Taylor era, is developing programs that maintain a balance within this duality.
“Historically, in Liberia, more emphasis has been placed on long-term economic growth and stability at the expense of the immediate needs of the people.
Remember, engaging entities with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is wonderful; however, the direct economic benefits of such initiatives will not accrue in the near term.”
Mr. Alexander Cummings, political leader of the Alternative National Congress argues that his experience working in corporate America with Coca Cola puts him in the best position to restore economic sanity to Liberia.
“I often say to people, large corporations are similar, not exactly the same, as governments. They’re similar in the sense that you have to manage large complex organizations, large budgets.
And I remind the Liberian people that the operating budget I managed prior to retiring from Coca Cola was a lot bigger than the budget of the Republic of Liberia. You manage all the challenges with people.
Once you have people involved, it is a bit of politics and so there are a lot of similarities to a large degree and my experiences having done it very successfully; will lend itself to managing the Liberian economy and the Liberian people.”
The ANC boss who says he has assembled a team of Liberians who are strategizing the various sectors and planning on Liberia’s transformation under his watch.
“The way to think about this is first, I said we have to grow the revenues of the country to do anything. You know all the challenges: infrastructure, education, etc.
It begins with having the funds to do it. And so as we speak we have commissioned a small team of Liberians to begin to look at how we can grow the revenue base from 650 million to a billion etc, etc… and by doing that we will create the flexibility to address the issues.
Former Central Bank of Liberia Governor J. Mills Jones in 2017 has pledged to make job creation the centrepiece of his presidency if elected.
“Jobs that Liberians can do, will be done by Liberians.”
Jones says he will ensure that Liberians become prime actors in the Liberian economy.
“We will use fiscal policy, monetary policy, trade policy and investment policy to reinforce each other so that their total impact will advance Liberian participation and ensure greater ownership of the Liberian economy at all levels.”
Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine says he will let the record of the past ten years of the Sirleaf government speak for itself. But says the vision and programs of a Brumskine government will be different from the Sirleaf government.
“For example, our philosophy of government, we do not believe that government is the solution for everything. We believe that the private sector is the driving force for growth and development in any economy.”
But amid the expectations and promises, the inheritors of the Sirleaf-led government will face a daunting challenge, one that Sirleaf acknowledged earlier this year, will include some difficult spells leading into the next government.
“The biggest test is coming, because in the next several months we will have some difficult financial times, but you will have to give your best to make sure we stay the course to deliver for your place of work, but for your country.”
Post-UNMIL Security
When the United Nations Mission wrapped up operations in Liberia in June and turned over responsibility for security to the country, it marked a major shift in Liberia’s post-war development. Back-to-back civil wars left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced thousands more.
Although the government has expressed readiness to pick up the slack in the aftermath of UNMIL, mounting challenges remain. In particular, funding for the various security sectors, particularly the police remains a major concern.
Liberia has a Security Transition plan estimated at US$104 million just up to 2018 when the new government will be inaugurated into office. But most of those funds are expected to be put up by Liberia.
Immediate concerns however have been bordered around security surrounding the 2017 Presidential elections. But many are wondering how the incoming government in 2018 will deal with life after UNMIL.
For Brumskine, a wave of violent turn in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast where the Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for killings was a wake-up call for the region and Liberia to begin putting in place the necessary components to safeguard the state.
Security fears is becoming genuine in the entire West African sub region after Nigeria and Mali are now known havens for terrorists who are endeavouring to spread their cells across the entire region.
Boko Haram is causing havoc in Nigeria while Turareg rebels are also making life uneasy in Mali. Recently Burkina Faso got a taste of terrorism when a hotel was attacked and people killed.
In Brumskine’s view, there is a need for airport visas to be reduced to help eliminate any possibility of vetting those who are admitted into the country.
“Except in extreme and absolutely necessary cases, no one entering Liberia on a visitor visa should have his or stay extended beyond the original period granted”, he suggested.
“Any person entering Liberia on a visitor visa should not be allowed to that of a resident.”
“The requirements that a person applying for a visa to enter Liberia must provide the names of a host with a very viable address and telephone numbers and unless the host is self-employed, the address and telephone numbers of the employer of the visitor’s host should be carefully enforced.”
For Barnes, Liberia definitely has the capacity to provide national security and ensure continuation of the peace in the face of the UN Mission’s departure from Liberia. However in his view, Liberia must pursue four cardinal initiatives including the utilization of the Armed Forces of Liberia.
“I believe that the AFL could be transformed from an inactive entity (due to the absence of threats) into a law enforcement-peacekeeping role.”
Mr. Barnes also says it is important to utilize the private security network, beef up training and equip police and other security personnel so that they are able to perform more effectively.
Food Security
One of the most challenging aspects of Liberia’s post-war development has been in inability of the country to become self-reliant.
According to a World Food Program Assessment, many households continue to face chronic difficulties in accessing the markets and in ensuring quality food utilization. Once again, the Ebola epidemic is cited as a key detriment, hitting farmers’ hard farmers.
The assessment notes that food insecurity affects 640,000 peopl , corresponding to16 percent of the population. Among these about 52,000 households (2 percent) are severely food insecure
Today, some 21 percent of households in Liberia lack access to adequate diet while 41 percent of households did not have food or money to buy food the week before the survey, thus the average reduced Coping Strategies Index (rCSI) doubled in three years.
The report says most food insecure counties are located in the south eastern part of the country (Grand Kru: 33 percent; River Gee: 32 percent) and the North (Grand Cape Mount (30 percent) and
Bomi (30 percent) where the physical access to market is a constraint, and the disruption of markets and reduced economic activity due to Ebola measures have not returned to pre-crisis level.
Presidential aspirant, Mr. Benoni Urey, says he is targeting using agriculture to rebuild the economy and boost food security, citing late President Tolbert’s visionary approach to the sector.
“He (Tolbert) realized that you cannot base your economy on the extractive industry. Our economy was based on iron ore and what he did, he tried to turn it around and make it agro based, the most sustainable source of growth is in the agro industry.
For Cummings, agriculture will be a primary focus of his presidency if elected.
“We’ve got to be able to feed ourselves. As you know we import. The numbers are high I think in the 200 million dollar range – when it comes to the import of food stuff. We have to change that dynamic. It will not happen overnight but it is going to be a focus area of our administration.”
Cummings says Liberia must become less dependent on commodities, iron ore, rubber in the wake of what’s happening in the world.
“We need to think about resurrecting the Agricultural Cooperative Development Bank, financing is a big barrier. I know the ministry of agriculture today has a very large extension program; we need to augment that, supplement that so that we provide skills to the farmers. Farmers need a ready market for their products.
We used to have the Liberian Produce Marketing Corporation, we need to revisit that, restructure that so that when people grow their produce they know that there is a buyer so all of those things are in our plans. But the blueprint exists.
Some of those things we did in the past, somethings we have to adjust to today’s realities. But the fact is that a blueprint exists and it will be a focus of ours.”
For Barnes, it is important to create an initiative that focuses on empowering communal/small farms in order to meet the demands of our local food consumption.
“Currently, Liberia expends an inordinate amount of money importing produce that could be locally grown and produced.
The greatest country in the world today – the United States of America – still subsidizes farmers. We need to look at a form of subsidy that will not only improve food security, but spur and sustain employment.”
The Presidential candidate is proposing recruiting at-risk youth, small farmers, and farming communities and empowering them with land, training, tools, seeds, fertilizer etc.
Additionally, we should encourage the formation of Specialty Zones across the country. For example, a Rice Zone, a Cassava Zone, Fruit/Vegetable Zones etc.
“The most important aspect of this proposed model is that government should be prepared to buy all produce that meet specific quality standards from participants in this initiative.
The purchased produce can be used in school feeding programs and value-added processing from which products (such as cassava flour) can be sold on the local market.”
Gay Rights
Same sex marriage is becoming a polarizing issue ahead of 2017. The Senate in 2012, unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage.
But the draft amendment is currently in the lower house. If approved in its current form, it will be sent to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her assent.
But the President is already on record as saying that she will veto the proposed legislation should it reach her desk, a view shared by her Vice President Joseph Boakai who told the popular Bumper Show recently:
“I don’t believe in same sex marriage. I am Christian and do not believe in that. You can count me out of that for now. My tradition it will take me light years to even think about it.”
ANC’s Cummings has not been direct on his response, saying only: “My position is that as a Christian I don’t support or subscribe to that lifestyle.
But I also believe that we have to obey the laws of the land of Liberia and as President of Liberia we will follow the laws of the land of Liberia but to be very clear as a Christian I do not subscribe to that but our constitution proposes non-discrimination etc….etc. and we have to uphold it.”
Cummings view is shared by LP’s Brumskine whose party opposes same sex marriage but will enforce the law.
Mr. Barnes, for his part says while he does not condone or support homosexuality, the constitution should be upheld. “I do believe the Constitutional and legal rights of all people should be upheld and protected at all cost.”
Beyond the candidates own views ordinary Liberians are eager to see how the issues will play out.
“Same sex marriage is not part of our African culture. Our next President should discourage such act but what I see is that they are careful with their words because they need to beg the West for assistance that is why they are not coming clear,” says Johnson Kennedy.
Dual Citizenship
The Dual Citizenship has been a thorny issue for some time with opposing views from both sides of the aisle.
Despite support from President Sirleaf, lawmakers in the national legislature have been split on the issue despite repeated appeals from the President, urging them to grant persons of Liberian descent the right to dual citizenship.
The President has argued that the recommendation is consistent with the Constitutions and practice that prevail in majority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Many of those running for President also support the legislation. Brumskine however explains that it has its advantages and disadvantages.
“What I would say though, the people who have become citizens of another country, not necessarily because of their own choosing, but circumstances have compelled them to leave Liberia and be over there.
For those people, it is a kind of unfair to have them lose their Liberian citizenship simply because they were forced into exile. Notwithstanding, the function of citizenship goes along with certain responsibilities.”
The LP political leader adds: “If you are a citizen of our country, you must have tax obligation, find a way that you can pay taxes, we should have one who is just an absentee citizen, you want to be a citizen of Liberia because you want to own land, you want to be a citizen of Liberia because you want to come back and hold a position.
All these things need to be looked at comprehensively and then we can come out with a solution.”
Cummings supports the legislation because many Liberians fled during the war for a variety of reasons.
“Some because of circumstances beyond their control, some because of choice have assumed nationalities of other countries. I think we should embrace them. I think we should welcome them and I think we should allow dual citizenship.
As you know all around us in Africa, in other parts of Asia, most countries today allow dual citizenships because for a variety of reasons their citizens have gone and comeback and had their citizenship so I think we can leverage all Liberians in the transformation of our country. So I am in support of dual citizenship.”
Reconciliation
Opinions have always been divided over the findings and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Recommendations were made in 2009 but the findings are yet to be implementation with many international stakeholders citing the lack of political will and support.
In recent months however, interests in the state of the findings have heightened with the issue now a top priority by citizens and of late, the Sirleaf government.
Sirleaf recently prevailed on the national legislature to implement portions of the report, informing lawmakers that she has implemented or is well advanced in implementing, majority of the recommendations.
The President argued that a large number of the recommendations are being addressed in the National Vision (Liberia Rising 2030), such as the National Symbols Project and the Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peace-building and Reconciliations.
The President pointed out that in her August 27, 2010 progress report; a Task force was constituted to review the TRC Report and Recommendations and advised on implementation.
But with very little time remaining on her presidency, attention is being shifted toward the next government to see how they will implement the TRC report or at least put in place a structured reconciliation plan.
One way Cummings hopes to reconcile the country is through a unified government of inclusion.
“I believe that one, having a truly inclusive government is one way we could start the reconciliation process, I think two, we have to look back and understand why we have perhaps the rift and challenges we have, we need to celebrate each other, we need to look at our national symbol.
I believe there was a commission happening there; but we need to revisit that and make sure our national symbols all of Liberia and so understanding and accepting the fact that we need to reconcile ourselves you know. Reconciliation is like an alcoholic.
If you don’t admit that you have a problem, you don’t begin to solve the problem. So we have a problem, let’s come together as Liberians as I mentioned inclusive government, national symbols, and conversations.
You know the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had a list of things; recommendations. I want to focus on those positive recommendations that were all about reconciliation and about moving forward and I am committed to actually doing that.”
Brumskine for his part says reconciliation will be the cornerstone of his presidency. “Unfortunately, the country has not made significant progress in this area.
After expending enormous resources in man hours and money over a period of three years, the report and recommendations of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have now been consigned to the shelf. This sad state of affairs was engendered by one recommendation that the TRC made.”
Rev. Hannaiah Zoe, a new entry in the race is hope to use his “man of God” persona to trumpet himself as a unifier.
“Political parties, other institutions, we are all one. I’m here to bring us all together. I don’t see opposition.
Who’s opposing who and for what? Even the opposition, I look at their agenda, they too have a desire to do something good for Liberia. I’m not opposing them.
There are times, I tell myself, I’m not an opposition, I’m a unifier, and I’m here to unify the nation, to bring the nation together, even if others curled insults at me, no problem but it’s amazing since I came back.”
Corruption
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf ran on a zero-tolerance on her way to the presidency in 2005 but much of her presidency has been hurt by allegations of corruption dogging officials in her government making graft a major Achilles of her presidency.
It is an issue that the next government will no doubt have to deal with if it hopes to change the trend and turn the tide and a new page when the Sirleaf-led government leaves the stage.
Urey of the All Liberia Party is hoping the Sirleaf path will enhance his credentials as the anti-graft candidate.
“I really hope there was another word or phrase other than zero tolerance on corruption. Because the zero tolerance for corruption has been used so many times and the Liberian people have seen no effect of it. For me to say it, they would say, that is the same thing that they have all said.
But look, there is a difference between me and others. Like I told you I do not need to steal, I am ok, I do not need government’s money, I could get out Liberia and live happily for the rest of my life but what good is it for me to be sitting somewhere and enjoying when all of you in Liberia can hardly afford a decent living.”
Cummings for his part says the blueprint has to start with Liberians acknowledging the fact that in some ways we are probably all a bit corrupt.
“Almost every Liberian has either in the past or today; has given somebody a bribe to facilitate whatever they needed to get done, to get to the front of the line; as simple as that.
And when you give somebody a bribe, you are corrupt as the person who receives the bribe. So we have to take a step back and understand that we all have a part to play in stamping out corruption.”
Cummings says there has to be consequences for actions. “Historically we have not had any or we’ve not had enough consequences of our actions. So we have to be systemic about it, we have to recognize it will not change overnight.
We need some symbolic actions like punishing big people or friends of Alex – if they’re corrupt but we also need to admit as a people that we all have a role to play in fighting corruption and we have to be systematic about it, we have to simplify.”
Education
The education sector in Liberia since the end of the civil war has been in tatters.
With the 2017 Presidential elections on the horizon, the issues will no doubt remain a dominant play for constituents. Whether those seeking their votes will engage and be open to debate the issues remains to be seen.
For Attorney Kpargoi, for the first time since 1944, a peaceful transition will happen from one living President to another. But as the political debates are slowly being revved up, it is increasingly becoming alarming to many that the main issues are being ignored and less important ones are taking center stage.”
Recently the Ministry of Education entered a Public Private Partnership agreement with bridge International for the private institution to supervise the pre-primary education sector for a period of five years with an initial one year pilot project.
With the project yet to go into full swing, there are concerns that the government which is about to leave power is obligating the country to a long term agreement which could see the burden of such contract transferred to a new regime.
There are early signs of problem as the much-heralded and far-reaching plan to outsource the entire pre-primary and primary education system to Bridge International Academies appears to have hit a snag.
Recent report including confidential reports had it that Minister George Werner appears to be expressing concerns over Bridge’s method amid reports that education partners may be contemplating walking away if the Minister insists on the Randomized Control Trial, which Bridge does not want to agree to.
Under the public-private arrangement, Bridge was expected to pilot the programme in 50 public schools in 2016, as well as design curriculum materials, while phase two could have the company rollout mass implementation over five years, “with government exit possible each year dependent on provided performance from September 2017 onwards.
The MoE is said to be aiming to contract out all primary and early childhood education schools to private providers who meet the required standards over five-year period.
The program has been criticized by many including civil society organizations and politicians and should the Ministry go ahead with the project, all candidates will have to make reference to the program because it will come to be a burden to any incoming administration.
