Introduction
Early in 2010 (February 15 – March 16) I visited Monrovia, having been away for about 18 months. I decided to write a journal - “The Monrovia Journal” - during my trip. The articles below constitute the entries of the journal. These articles prompted me to continue to write and publish on events and issues occurring in the country. My writing is informed by a justice, peace and peaceful social transformation framework. I hope you find it interesting, humorous but above all forward looking and optimistic about the future direction of Liberia, the land that is dearest to my heart and to which I am fully committed.
Usual Things on a Trip
All the usual things happened. My wife drove me to the airport. Check-in was as it has always been with me. I have this paranoid feeling that my luggage would be in excess. I was bringing some wine, tee- shirts and other paraphernalia to Liberia as gifts for some family members and friends. Fortunately, I had packed exactly 30 kilograms – 20 kg for the check-in bag and 10 kg for the carry-on, which is what is allowed on Kenyan Airways.
My wife kissed me and admonished “you behave yourself”. I smile at her and said, “Sweetie, I will” and furthered that “indeed, I would behave”. Why wouldn’t I? I love her so very much and feel blessed to have her in my life.
The flight took-off on time and the 5 hours 45 minutes trip over the vast land of Africa was mostly uneventful. Transit point was the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. So far so good then another usual thing happened. Our flight would be delayed for about five hours. What do you do with five hours on you hand>
Went to the lounge, got a cup of coffee and bought the Daily Nation and the East African newspapers. Both papers are my most favorite newspaper whenever I am in Nairobi. The East African, in my opinion is the best newspaper that I read regularly and is published in Africa. It covers the economy of the region fairly, and the commentaries are well researched and written. There was a great interview with Chinua Achebe in the East African. With The Daily Nation, you get a sense of what the burning issues there are in Kenya.
With so much time on hand, I took a walk into the duty-free store and headed for the spirits section. I bought a bottle of Jameson and proceeded to the Transit lounge which is about 50 meter walk from the shopping area. There were a number of Liberians who were also on the delayed flight. Then the usual things happen. Loud hellos, garrulous laugh, huge glad-handings and the “what’s up”? “How you been doing?” Liberians were travelling from Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Ethiopia and of course me from South Africa. I needed to know what Liberians were experiencing in these places.
A woman, with a child from Cambodia was married to a Cambodian. She said he is a business man and was travelling to Liberia so her family and friends will meet her daughter. The guy from Thailand was “doing business” there and the guy from China - fully adorned in his hip-hop gear: baggy pants, sleeveless t-shirt, huge silver chain around his neck and those glasses that cover all the face - was also a “businessman” in China. We were all coming home to see folks and incidentally to get the “new passport.” For some reason just saying the new passport wasn’t enough it had to be to get the “bio-metric passport”. The way it was being said, sounded, like some high-tech passport and extremely important to be in their possession. So here we were, all Liberians, all suited and bound for home and country to get our “bio-metric passports” all of us were excited about how the new book will feel in our hands and how when we return to our adopted countries the custom and immigration officials will look at us with, perhaps, more respect. After all, the bio-metric passport met “international standards” they reminded themselves. “International standards,” some how appear to be a very important measurement and meant that “things are improving” in Liberia.
Meanwhile, the Guinness and Tusker beer were flowing, the bottle of Jameson was opened, and fried chicken and rice spread across the two tables we had commandeered to establish our little colony in the transit lounge. No doubt, we were our usual noisy selves; attracted the attention of the other Africans in the room. Curiously no white person wanted to come to the transit lounge – they perhaps prefer the shopping areas, other closed-by cafes and the corridors.
Boarding time came and the usual things happened. At screening one had to take out all metal stuff from pockets and put through the scanner; belts and shoes had to be taken off, and water and other liquids not sealed in duty-free, see-through bags were confiscated. Some luggages had to be taken away because the clerk reasoned that “the plane is too full and over-head space limited.” The usual futile resistance was mounted especially by the guy from Thailand who kept saying “you people should not steal my things ooo; I worked hard for them and you people always like to steal from us”.
We were finally bound for Monrovia, after all the drama, at last. Well not really, we had to stop in Accra, where some passengers, mostly Ghanaian women athletes and staff persons, deplaned and other passengers embarked. But before the passengers could embark, the plane had to be cleaned and vacuumed. It took about an hour for all of this to happen. There were many Liberians among the new passengers including members of the Legislature, the Government and some Press men. After about one hour and forty five minutes, we started to descend into Monrovia. From above one could not help but admire the lush vegetation, the inviting beaches and the lapping waves. This was home at least, the place where one’s umbilical cord is buried. A sense of relief and contentment flooded the recesses of my being.
The Bio-metric Passport
So I checked into the Palm Hotel located at Broad and Randall Streets. This is where our financial district is located. From my hotel room, I can see the International Bank and when I look left I can see ECOBANK and next door is LBDI (the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment). If you had the energy and walk towards Ashmun Street and look left, you will see Global Bank. All of these banks and so many poor people. What’s with all these banks? Last time I checked the number of Liberian depositors was less than 1 percent of the employed population. The Ministry of Finance is not so far either; give and take a few 100 yards.
A local paper reported that during 2009 or was it 2008, the total amount of money that LBDI lent out to its clients was a miserly USD 2.8 million. I guess this is what the lack of “absorptive capacity” means. That is the word the West uses when it does not want to really help poor countries. We lack the capacity and the infrastructure so we can not possibly use a lot of money. Balderdash, if you ask me. If you do not have enough money to deal with these challenges you will always be poor. Even as the Government of Liberia strives to improve the conditions of the poor, poverty level is deeply horrifying.
On a Sunday, I took a walk to the West Point Market. I am of the belief that if you really want to see how the majority of our people live in the big cities, like Monrovia, visit the market. They all come to buy their food daily. They wear, on their tired faces and wary looks, the indelible marks o f hopelessness. To me it really does not matter who says what about whom. Just take a walk in the market anonymously, as I am able to do, even though not successfully. A woman looked at my sneakers and spotless white tube socks and said to me “please buy me two cup of rice.” I was standing by the rice stand and buying rice for myself. When I turned to look at her she was certain that I could afford to buy her two cups of rice. I bought her two cup of rice and she said “God bless you and the place where that one comes from plenty must come from there.” She disappeared into the mass of people – people who were either selling or buying. The cacophony was ever present as it always was when I came to the market with my mother way back then. “Kool-Aid here, sweeten your mouth.” Or the mobile pharmacist who was trying to move the medicine which he advertises as “all the dirty thing you are eating, can cause you problem, take the flagee and drink it, it will kill all the bad bad thing in your stomach that make you poo poo plenty”
Opps wasn’t I suppose to talk about the bio-metric passport? Early Monday morning, I got up and had my breakfast brought to my room. It was fried eggs, coffee, toast and some fruit. The fruit included banana and paw paw. The paw paw did not look too attractive, first because it was peeled and second because it looked battered. When in Monrovia it is good to heed to the mantra “if you can not peel it, do not eat it.” And if you do eat it because of some nostalgia or pretending to be like the people, you will shit your butt away for another four days.
I call my man to find a car that we can use for the day. He brought a car that wasn’t, well to be charitable, clean. But who was I to complain of such things. Mary Broh, the indomitable Mayor of Monrovia, has been trying to clean the city; she is doing a good job. But I can tell you that as hard as she tries, the city can not be cleaned sufficiently. I saw people working as early as 5:00 A.M. cleaning the streets of Monrovia and by mid-day, when the hordes pull into the streets, it was like no one had cleaned the streets that morning. Plastic bags, especially the ones use to wrap water, is thrown every where, littering is, well, the normal thing to do. It is simply a big big market. And as a market, unless and until there is no one there, you can not really clean it; especially by cleaning you mean, to reduce the chance of encountering diseases. In my first few days, I made a point of not straying to far from the loo. That was strategic as I needed it so much and so often. An African-American friend of mine, who works in Monrovia at the moment observed that “talking about the texture of your excrement”, is acceptable breakfast conversation. So far most of those who cancelled their meeting with me were busy “having diarrhea.”
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was provided a form to fill-in; of course you have to write your first name, last name and middle name. Then you will describe your eye color – it looks like all Liberians have the same eye color – brown. Then you indicate your height and any distinguishing features. In my case wearing glasses is a distinguishing feature. Then there is other lengthy section in which you have to name a number of persons - maybe between three and four - who can vouch for your citizenship; like your moms, dad, other family members, or an elder in the community.
Once the form is completed, it goes to the Immigration Office. Ostensibly, you are to be vetted in order to establish your citizenship. If you do pass the interview; that is to say if it is established that you are a Liberian, you go to the “bank” which is in the building just a few feet away from the “Director” of Passport Control Office. You pay your US$50.00 then you do the bio-metric thing; essentially fingerprinting your left and right thumps. Once that is complete, your cash receipt is photocopied. You are issued a date to return and pick up the passport. It usually takes three weeks, but as one of the staff reminded me the date is “tentative”. If you desire or should I say so inclined, you can get a phone number you could call and you may get your book in a few days or just a week. The phone number is the way to “facilitate” the process. No more “where the cold water?”. You shed a facilitation fee and you are off on your way. For me, I am in no haste so I do not need to facilitate the process; as a law abiding citizen, I follow the law and wait for the passport to be ready.
Police Officer Burned by Mob
Ever since we were in school, we knew that on the Capitol By-Pass - the blocks between Benson Street and G. W. Gibson High School (then it was a junior high school) - marijuana could be bought in the area. A walk in this area, at the time and even more so now, one is confronted with the pungent odor of the illegal substance. It invades your nostril and your right to fresh air is denied. Another new addition to the area is a brothel, an affront to our assumed sense of moral decency. A Police Officer was killed in this particular area on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at about 9:00 P.M.
This is how the press has played out the story. A local TV station that is located in the area broke the story as it carried live, the incident. It reported that an officer of the law shot a resident and a mob doused the police officer with petrol and set him alight. He was taken to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
The following Monday, newspapers carried the story accompanied by a press release from the Ministry of Justice. The press release identified the officer as Chief Inspector Amos Tutu of the Police Support Unit (PSU). The deceased resident was described as Mr. Preston Davis. According to the press release Chief Inspector Tutu had gone to the area to arrest a “criminal gang”. The release never really said what, if any offense, the criminal gang had committed. While in the apparent line of duty, the officer was struck with “an iron rod” and in “self-defense” the Chief Inspector shot Preston Davis. A simple case one might think; but it ain’t.
The Ministry’s press release appeared to be anything but a cover-up. Any thinking person would pose the following questions: If Chief Inspector Amos Tutu was indeed in the area to effect an arrest of a “criminal gang” while was he doing it alone? The area in question is known to be a drug den, where a brothel is located. The arrest was to take place at 9:00 P.M. The area is not well lit at night. Certainly a lone ranger would think twice before attempting to arrest “a criminal gang” in their neck of the wood. After all, a criminal gang is not supposed to get arrested without incident. It is a gang, they resist and they do not like the police. They are law breakers and the police are hunting them down. In this world, survival of the fittest must be at play: kill or be killed. Certainly, a single police officer affecting an arrest of a “criminal gang” must be aware of these variables.
This is a real problem. The government is telling lies about a particular incident and in telling their lies, they forgot that there was an eyewitness to the incident. In this case, the wife of Preston Davis was at the scene and her version differs remarkably from the Justice Ministry’s. Who would the public believe: a grieving widow or a bureaucrat? The public, obviously believe the widow, her testimony appeared truthful.
This is how she narrated her story. She and her husband were sitting on the porch, “catching breeze” as they always do before retiring to bed. A passerby, with a flash light, pointed it in the direction of the couple sitting on their porch “catching breeze”. The man on the porch said something obscene about the man with the flashlight that was pointed in his “face.” The man with the flashlight, happens to be Chief Inspector Amos Tutu. He also returned his own obscenities. He approached the man on the porch. I can already visualize the pulsating male testerones bubbling in the veins of both men. Who will be the last man standing? The grieving widow explained further, that the man with the flash light “sweep” the legs of her husband; he fell, she ran from the scene with her “baby” and while in flight, she heard “gun shot – gbo!” When she returned to the scene, the man on the porch was in a “pool of blood”
Interestingly, she said the man with the flashlight appeared “confused” and apparently transfixed, and said something like “Oh, what have I done?” When the gun shot rang in the neighborhood, the mob appeared. On realizing what had transpired they unleashed their violence against Chief Inspector Amos Tutu. He was doused with petrol. He was set alight. Indications are that another officer, perhaps an “army man”, attempted to rescue the Chief Inspector, he also suffered the wrath of the mob and was wounded. Chief Inspector Tutu was taken to hospital but died shortly thereafter.
A tragedy! One night, two men, both fathers died tragically. In our country, the people do not like the police; they are suspicious of the police and call them all kinds of name. Public officials are known to also express doubts about the police. What is not reflected upon sufficiently enough is the fact that on a daily basis, the police are what most members of the public encounter as the face of government. Each morning when the average person leaves his or her house and step into the public realm, the face of government most likely to see is the police officer. The public harbor deep hostilities towards this face of government. Does that say something about our public institutions, especially one that is supposed to “protect and serve”? The deep hostilities and entrenched mistrust between the public and the police pose huge challenges. As a radio caller to a talk show said what happen on Capitol Bye-Pass , “ does not augur well for our peace process and nascent democracy”. Trying to cover up the situation on Capitol Bye-Pass proved to be a public relations disaster for the Liberia National Police. How can this be corrected? How can we begin to convince the public to respect the police and for the police to respect the people?
Our condolences to the family members, love ones and friends of Preston Davis and Amos Tutu. Their deaths were avoidable; if only we learn to respect each other – simple human decency is so absent in our civil relationships. How can we re-capture that important relationship that affords us to live as decent human beings in a caring and loving society?
Mayhem in Lofa
Towards the end of February, Voinjama was the center of the news. Riot broke out in the city and by the time calm was restored, at least four persons were killed, dozens wounded, properties were looted, vandalized and destroyed. The violent episode provided the platform for a lot of discussions. As always, bromides spewed out of the mouth of persons, political posturing abounded and of course, commissions were set up to investigate, while multiple fact-finding missions were set up. Have we not been down this road before? Why do these things happen the way they do and our predictable reactions don’t ever solve the underlining problems? Or is this the way a nation is governed; that no matter how hard you work at resolving issues, such violent implosion are bound to happen? After all, even in the developed countries, a lone gun man may walk to a place of work and just shoot his fellow workers. Or a lone student would walk into his school or university campus and gunned down innocent persons. Or a faculty member at a university would gun down her colleagues.
That may very well be the case but in the Liberian context, the Lofa event brings to mind almost immediately the sad stories of the war years. The political actors inevitably begin to engage in hyperboles, trading accusations, and apportioning blames. They would get hoarse, sooner than later, and everyone will return to their hideouts and the conditions of the people will remain the same.
Generally, the Lofa story was reported as follows. Students in the County had been demonstrating against what they believe to be a case of corruption. The Government of Liberia had adopted a program to construct three junior colleges in the country. The designated counties where these facilities are to be constructed were Lofa, Nimba and Grand Gedeh. In Grand Gedeh and Nimba counties, work on these facilities had already begun but not in Lofa. The students reasoned that County officials may have misapply the funds; thus the protest.
Meanwhile, a female student was reportedly missing. After a couple of days, her body was found and several body parts were removed – an apparent ritualistic murder. The body was found, according to press account, near a school not far from a Mosque. A phone call was made from the town, Konia, where the body was found, to Voinjama. No one has said who made the call and to whom the call was made. It has been alleged that the caller said that a Mosque in Konia had been burned, this was not true. The mosque had been vandalized. The person who received the phone call in Voinjama decided to spread the rumour”. Folks got incensed and ran amok burning church buildings, destroying lives and properties. Another set of folks felt they were targeted and returned the favor, destroying mosques, lives and properties. The media represented the issue as Muslims versus Christians and others attributed the violent events to ethnicity: Mandingoes versus Lormas. Nobody thought for once that the perpetrators may involve the hoards of unemployed young people who mill the streets of Voinjama daily, without the hope of getting employed and not much else to do to eke out a decent livelihood. The press reports did not talk about the possibility of former combatants, who are idle in Voinjama and may use any opportunity to do what they learned very well during the war years: looting, destruction and killing.
Some leaders from the County, in press briefings and radio talk show, suggested that the United Nations Mission to Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers stationed in the area did not take all the necessary actions to prevent the loss of lives, destruction of properties and massive looting. They averred, as well, that the peacekeepers, who are mostly Pakistani, in the area were biased in favor of the “Moslems.” They pointed out that the peacekeeper was protecting a Mosque in the City, while the Churches did not receive a similar protection. The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), Ms. Magrethe Loj, told a Press Conference in Monrovia that there was no truth in the allegation. She said that one of the reactions of the UNMIL peacekeepers was to protect public buildings in the area. Near the Mosque, where there was Peacekeepers presence, is the Police Station and the Peacekeepers were there to protect the Police Station. Of course, the politicians would not accept this explanation; even though it appears to be the case.
The opposition Liberty Party issued a statement in which they called on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to cut short her tour of Southeastern Liberia, return to Monrovia or in the least go to Lofa to deal with the situation. President Johnson-Sirleaf has been touring the Southeast. She went to Maryland County, where the new President of the new William Tubman University (formerly a technology college which awarded associate degree now a full university) was inducted. She has also visited River Gee County and Grand Gedeh County, where a “Cabinet Retreat” took place. The fact that the situation in Lofa did not amount to a national crisis was lost on the Liberty Party. What is more, the situation was brought under control within hours after it ignited, pointing to the fact that the response was adequate and calm return to Voinjama within the same day. But given the alarmist undertone to the violence, the gullibility of the public coupled with political posturing by leaders and some citizens from the region, the Liberty Party thought to score some political points on this one. Indeed lives were lost, indeed properties were damaged and religious houses were burned and vandalized but the Presidency is not a fire-brigade and cannot run from place to place to settle any and every discontent. The less political posturing there is in light of these circumstances perhaps the better it may be to resolve them. But politicians will be politicians and in the Liberian case, brinkmanship and demagoguery are central to the praxis.
The lessons of the Lofa event is quite clear to anyone who employs a pair of discerning eyes. Unemployment among the young people of the country and the bleak prospects for employment is the real culprit. No amount of reconciliation, peacemaking or peacebuilding will alter this sad reality. Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper, which was imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on Liberia has to demonstrate that it can provide jobs for the jobless and give hope to the hopeless. Yet the history of PRSP in Africa is that it has not reduced poverty and in several cases it exacerbated poverty for example in Zambia. Four years into the Sirleaf-Johnson Presidency, poverty continues to be the central unresolved issue. Short-term jobs such as cleaning up the streets, brushing the side of roads will not change the conditions in the country. Real jobs that pay a living wage and provide benefits that include a pension plan and health care is what need to happen. Unless and until that happens more Konias, more Voinjamas will happen and we will blame it on ethnic and/or religious intolerance, we will blame it on one person or another but as they saying goes “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” The devil is really busy in these parts.
Vulture Funds Prey on Liberia
The New Democrat Newspaper (Monday, March 8, 2010) ran a story that Liberia “Must Pay US$ 20M: Vultures Triumph”. The story is about a case brought before a London Court by two investment funds which are referred to - in their line of work - as Vulture Funds. The Court has ruled in their favor and as a result the Government of Liberia is to cough up US$ 20 million for a US$ 6 million loan contracted in 1978. The loan was contracted by the Government of Liberia from a New York bank. According to the terms of the loan, the money was to be used to “buy and develop an oil refinery.” It was scheduled to be paid back in “seven years.”
In 1980, the Government of Liberia that contracted the loan was removed by force of arms. Samuel Kanyon Doe became Head of State. We know the rest of the story: after the coup d’état, came the civil war and the virtual collapse of the Liberian state.
What are vulture funds? They are “private equity or hedge fund that invests in debt issued by an entity that is considered weak or dying.” Like the vulture itself, these companies are said to be “patiently circling, waiting to pick over the remains of a rapidly weakening” country or institution. International anti-debt groups such as Jubilee/USA describes vulture funds as a “company that seeks to make profit by buying up debt in default on the secondary market for pennies on the dollar, then trying to recover up to ten times the purchase price, often by suing impoverished countries in U.S. or European courts.”
Even more disturbing according to Jubilee/USA is the fact that “these companies operate with little transparency; as shell companies (a company set up exclusively to pursue one goal – in this case, poor country debt).” They usually “set up tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands to avoid financial constraints and oversight. Because of this, most funds have limited or no information on who manages them and their actions.”
Jubilee/USA points out that these companies prey on countries that embrace the IMF/World bank imposed policy known as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, which the Liberian Government has slavishly embraced. The IMF and the World Bank compelled countries who are seeking debt relief to undertake this economic reform package as the solution to their debt problems. Countries which are referred to as the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) such as Liberia must under-take this one-size-fits-all economic dictate.
In 2007 the very institution – that is the IMF - that urged this failed policy on Liberia reported that almost half of HIPC countries, where survey was conducted, have fallen victims to Vulture Funds. Of the 46 different vulture funds that have sued HIPC countries, 25 of them received about US$ 1 Billion on loans worth under US$ 0.5 billion. In the liberal economic framework that is touted by the powers that be in Liberia, this is good business. It is called the free-market system. I am not sure what is free about an opaque entity called Vulture Funds that gleefully seeks to deny poor people the opportunity to rise out of their impoverished conditions.
Yet, we have always been told that “where the leaders do not have vision, the people perish”. No doubt, the President of Liberia worked at a senior level in the Ministry of Finance in 1978. She may have known that this loan was contracted. By the way, she is among those who set up the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company. Was this undertaken part of that loan deal? Thus, it may not come as a surprise to her that she now has to fork out US$ 20 million to pay a loan of only $6 million. If this money is paid, the leaders who run Liberia will not lose any of their privileges: they would still be able to fly abroad for medical check-ups and send their children abroad for a good education, in addition to attending their graduation, when they complete. It is the poor people of Liberia who will be denied health care, education and an enabling environment that would have made it easier for them to lift themselves out of the crippling and horrifying poverty to which they have been condemned.
When the IMF and World Bank began their forays into Liberia after the end of the war, some, among us, argued that Liberia’s debt fell within the orbit of the “odious debt” regime. Our debts were contracted by governments which were not duly elected by the Liberian people and the money was spent in ways that did not improve the material conditions of our people. During the True Whig Party reign, only people with titled deeds had the right to vote. There was no universal suffrage. Therefore, President Tolbert did not enjoy any legality, or is it legitimacy, in terms of his governance of the Republic. President Doe stole the 1985 elections. He, as well, did not have any legitimacy to run the Republic. What is more, the money he may have borrowed not only did not improve the material conditions of the Liberian people, he used the money to terrorize (yes I am using the word), harass, humiliate and kill the Liberian people. So who owes whom? The illegitimacy of these two Presidents was known to all and sundry. It was manifestly clear that no improvement happened as a result of the contracted loans; so why hold the Liberian people responsible for making a bad loan to the wrong people?
The poverty of public policy formation in Liberia has Government officials embracing frameworks, which ultimately harm the best interest of the people of Liberia. Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (Guerilla leader, Jolo Wylie, calls it Liberia’s Poverty Reproduction Strategy Papers) will not reduce poverty; it has not done so in any African country, where it has been implemented. No doubt there are improvements in Liberia in terms of rebuilding hospitals, schools and market places, roads and bridges are being repaired. None of these have had a significant impact on Liberia’s unemployment problems. The private sector, which the government sees as “engine of growth” will not deliver the jobs that Liberians have to have in order to improve their material circumstances.
After World War II, Germany’s debt was cancelled because it was argued that Adolf Hitler had used the debt to oppress the German people. The first time the “odious debt” concept was applied. Former Secretary of State, James Baker told the world community that Iraq’s debt should be cancelled since Saddam Hussein did not use the money to improve the conditions of Iraqis. Tolbert and especially Doe borrowed money that was not used to improve the lives of Liberian poor majority. You will think that “what is good for the goose, is good for the gender.” Not so; the vulture funds are getting richer and the Liberian people are getting poorer. Thanks to the fact that our leaders are not making the crucial decisions that need to be made in order that the livelihood of the Liberian people is made dignified. The global anti-debt campaigner continues to remind us that the poor people of the global south “Don’t Owe, Wont Pay.”
And so how is Monrovia
Monrovia is busy. Monrovia is as it should be, considering the tough times it has undergone. Yet, things are improving. The streets are cleaner: as early as 5:00 A.M. street cleaners are busy at work trying to make the city clean. It is still a big market town, but the market folks do not crowd out the cars on some of the major streets (Randall, Mechlin and Gurley) as they used to in say, 2007. The people are not as desperate as they were, say around 2005. Fewer people now, when you meet them, ask you for money; even the “don boscoe boys” are not as abusive or aggressive when they beg you as they used to be. The city looks more congested; traffic is more tedious but this is due to the fact that the roads in Monrovia are being re-conditioned and some have to be shut down. Thus, more vehicles are plying fewer roads. As well, there are more luxurious vehicles now, the up and coming young women in the city, all seem to be driving sport utilities vehicles – even if the average age of the vehicle is 10 years...
Take a drive from the University of Liberia along the Tubman Boulevard, and I bet you, you will not see a single pot-hole. In fact several side streets have been re-conditioned. The Jallah Town Bye-Pass, the Old Road, SD Cooper Road and the A.B. Tolbert Road are all paved and have reduced the traffic congestion towards and from Paynesville. The price of petrol has fallen or at least is stable. There are several modern petrol filling stations, thanks to the presence of Total, a French Petrol retailer company, which has built about seven such stations: two on Tubman Boulevard and two along the Gardnerville Freeway (do not ask me why this is call the freeway since it is just two lanes and perhaps less than 5 miles); two along the Robertsfield Highway and one when you go pass Douala Market.
The Hataye shops are still busy, but they appear to loose their cutting edge and boisterous debates on issues of national concern. It appears that but for corruption issues, there is not much else to talk about; except European football. They have even decreased in numbers and the amount of on-lookers/passer-bys they attract. However, the call-in talk shows continue to be robust and people have a sense that they need to talk about their living conditions and prevail on the powers-that- be to intervene – as in the “Good Morning Madame President” show. At times, the criticisms of the government can be caustic but there is a general acknowledgement that things are indeed improving. On one of such talk shows, where the host is a little bit, should I say, discourteous and condescending, callers hurl invectives at her. In fact one morning a caller used the f--k word. Interestingly, subsequent callers apologized for the previous caller’s use of the f word. What this demonstrates is that talk show hosts need to appreciate their audiences and not refrain from assuming an air of superiority. From the attitude of folks and the things they want to talk about and are concerned about, Monrovia may very well be on its way to becoming an egalitarian city.
There are many more hotels in the city than a few years ago. The Chinese appears to be leading this growth. Spa and massage parlours are mushrooming at some of these new places. Yet, I can not but assume that there may be more going on than meet the eyes. Perhaps, and this is an informed guess, they are providing “comfort women” for the tens, if not hundreds of Chinese workers in the country. As always, the drinking places abound and the beer can be chilly-pissy. Yet night life, in central Monrovia is not so exciting; they say the oldma is “mean”, as fewer people can afford to hang out. But on the other hand, folks may simply be hanging out in their neck of the wood.
Many new houses are being constructed. The Robertsfield Highway is a clear example of this development. In my view, the country is architecturally challenged; as the homes are grotesquely built and a painful sight to behold but they are building nonetheless. Even on Bushrod Island, more and newer warehouses are under construction but this time around, apartments are being built above these warehouses. I am sure this may be happening across the country as there are more importers of cement and the price appears to be stable – somewhere around or below US$10.00 per bag. Oops, did not mention the numerous new market buildings that have been constructed or renovated across the county; thanks to a fund established by President Sirleaf.
The politicians are bracing themselves for the upcoming elections in 2011 (will do a piece on the electoral threshold build subsequently). Already three candidates have declared their desires to run for the presidency. The incumbent, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has declared that she will be a “formidable” candidate. What that really means is anyone’s guess – as she will have to run on her record of achievement or lack thereof. By the way, “formidable” has become a much used word in Monrovia now as “concomitant” was during the Sawyer period. Another candidate, Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh, has said that he is “not formidable but credible” and declared himself the candidate of the “poor people”. Given that almost everyone in the country is poor, it will be telling how much support he gets. In the past, he did not garner more than one percent of the votes. The third candidate, Senator Prince Johnson, has said that once elected he will not include “book people” in his government. Sounds like the George Weah battle cry in 2006 “you know book you na know book, we will vote for you.” A refreshing development is the apparent intention of a couple of young and capable persons to canvass for seats in the Legislature. As well, debates are beginning among the enlightened class that there is a need for a generation shift in Liberians politics. The thinking is that the current corps of leaders in the country including the leaders of the opposition have outlived their usefulness; if they had any. How this manifest itself is yet to be determined. So there you go for the political atmosphere.
Monrovia is getting better and better by the day and I am sure that things can only improve given the pace of reconstruction and development work going on. This does not mean that living conditions are significantly improved. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the scars of the war years are disappearing – albeit painfully slow; people’s hope in the future is being entrenched and the country is beginning to visualize what a peace dividend looks like. The current government can make claims about these developments; since for the most part, they are happening under their watch. Yet, the road to sustained peace and development is long and arduous. It may take at least two generations for the Liberian people to see significant improvements in their material circumstances. That is why 2011 is so important and why those contesting the presidency may do well to keep in mind. In the words of Archbishop Michael Francis, I am an “incurable optimist” and I believe the future of Liberia is bright.
No comments:
Post a Comment