The 2009/2010 Budget hearings: our inability to see the forest from the trees
“The budget formulation, budget execution and financial reporting
systems need to be rehabilitated… there is no medium term framework
guiding the budget process, the budget is not tied to programs or
development results, there are no reliable estimates of revenues,
budgetary ceilings are not notified to line ministries in time, the
budget circular and the formats therein are unclear resulting in line
Ministries sending inflated proposals.
After the budget is passed, Ministries are rarely notified of their allotments, with allotments being changed multiple times during the month /year at the sole discretion of the Bureau of the Budget resulting in Ministries not knowing at any point in time what their allotment is. There is no reporting system and communications are weak with the revenue management authorities (Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Liberia, and Cash Management Committee). This causes uncertainty both at the commitment stage as well the final payment stage resulting in the excessive build up of large arrears”(Final terms of reference for BoB budget expert-February 24, 2006).
The above excerpt from the GMAP terms of reference is exactly what is being put on display for the fiscal 2010 budget hearings. The minister of Finance assertion that delay from various ministries, agencies, and the different branches of government in meeting the budget submission deadline gives me the impression that the Ministry of Finance and the department of budget are not in control of the budget process. The ministers, including the minister of Finance answer directly to the president, so if the ministers are not adhering to budget submission deadline, surely there has to be a way to rectify this problem. It is unacceptable for the minister of finance to wait until budget hearings to tell the nation that due to a lack of cooperation from his fellow ministers, he and his staff are unable to properly execute their responsibility.
The over emphasis on the “floating” $500,000 for the past few days seems to have distracted those following the budget hearings from viewing the amount in context of the entire budget. There’s more waste in the current proposed budget that far exceed the five thousand dollars that everyone seems to now be so focused on. We seem to be looking at one tree in the middle of an enormous forest instead how the one tree relates to the entire forest. Minister Ngafuan says that “there are a lot of things to be achieved by the budget this year. But the budget can’t accommodate all of the dreams and aspirations of all these things”. The minister’s statement is accurate; however, the current proposed budget in my humble opinion is accommodating the wrong dreams and aspirations.
I also find it interesting that the Finance minister has taken on the role of budget director. When did Mr. Ngafuan relinquish his position as Minister of Finance to become Director of Budget?
The 2009/2010 budget document states:“The Department of Budget is responsible to coordinate the budget process by developing and/or participating in the formulation of policies, guidelines, and procedures for the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the national budget. The Department also reviews, analyzes, and consolidates budget estimates and requests and performs annual surveys of the economic activities against which budget guidelines and procedures are developed, and administers the national budget through data processing or allotment to ensure quality, transparency, efficiency and accountability”.
According to the 1972 Act which created the Ministry of Finance, the ministry was created and authorized to manage, direct and coordinate the financial affairs of the Country. It is mandated to collect revenue; engage in loan arrangement, disburse Government funds, and service the National Debt.
The ministry is also charged with the following duties:
1) To effectively and efficiently manage the financial resources of the Republic; be the depository of Government funds and of all indicia to title of assets of Government
2) To administer the revenue program of the government, including supervision of the collection of the revenues
3) To report the financial activities and financial position of the Government to the President and the Legislature
4) To maintain the central accounting records of the Government and prescribe for all Government agencies of accounts reporting and documentation necessary to safeguard the assets of the Government
5) To formulate fiscal policies for financial planning
6) To disburse Government funds in accordance with legislative appropriations
The ambiguity of roles and responsibilities in the Liberian public sector continues to perpetuate the cycle of misplaced priorities, wasteful spending, fraud, and abuse of government resources. Case in point, the appearance of the Finance Minster before the legislature for the 2009/2010 budget hearings; instead of the Finance Minister briefing the legislature and the nation on the global and domestic economy, including fiscal issues impacting government revenues and expenditures, a political theater has been created for the – intentional or unintentional – inclusion of the infamous “floating” $500,000. I am not down playing the fact that $500,000 is a lot of money that should be accounted for, and granted the Minster of Finance bears some responsibility for missed deadlines that have led to inflated budgets as well as the poorly prepared ministry budgets, in his defense, it is not his responsibility to defend or justify detailed level line items in the budget.
When the Minister of Finance appears before the legislature to present the nation’s budget, his presentation does not entail the minute details buried deep within the budget, this is why Liberia has a budget office with a budget director and several budget analysts. His most important responsibility is to brief the legislators and the nation on the economy, debt position of the nation, and the nation’s financial condition and position. He’s responsible for briefing the nation on the major drivers in expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year, the future outlook for revenues and expenditures, tax policies, future challenges on the revenue side, etc.
As the individual entrusted to safe guard the nation’s resources, my advice to Minister Ngafuan for future reference would be to be more aggressive and assertive when it comes to saying no to wasteful spending by ministries, and holding their feet to the fire for meeting budget submission deadlines. When it comes to the allocation of government financial resources, most government entities have a tendency of over inflating their budget request, and will always justify why such amount is needed. Whether or not their need for more money is justified falls under the purview of the budget office and budget analysts. It is the responsibility of the budget analysts/office to efficiently distribute the government’s financial resources by examining the budget request from the different ministries for accuracy and completeness. If in their professional judgment they believe that a Ministry, agency, or commission’s budget request is inflated, inaccurate, and not complete, by the power of their office they should be able to recommend a smaller amount and ways to improve the budget estimates sent to them from the ministries.
The position of Ministry of Finance is a very powerful position. In some countries the Minister of finance is more powerful than the prime minister. Finance Ministers have broad control of the government's spending, making the position quite powerful; but I don’t think Mr. Ngafuan has realized the power he has to become a transformational leader by using his position to effectuate tremendous change within the public finance sector in Liberia.
Nyankor Matthew
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Comments (29)
1. 23-06-2009 12:57
FINANCE MINISTER PUTS FOXNEWS-FPA IN ITS
FINANCE MINISTER PUTS FOXNEWS-FPA IN ITS PLACE!!!!
Nyankor, I do not think the Finance Minister going deliberately over the line by line items in the budget to members of the House of Representative was a bad idea. Until we get this budgeting process to a fully professional level, the participation of Mr. Ngafuan was very important to educate lawmakers and the general public. I'll agree with you that the job of the Finance minister is not to explain the budget line by line. But in this early stage of this budgeting process, it is require of the Minister to bring clarity and integrity to the process. Just imagine what Foxnews-FPA headline will be if Mr. Ngafuan said he will not defend the budget line by line.
So I hope the Finance Minister's explanation of the budgeting process below will help allay some of your concerns. This is just a start of something new - there will be confusion and a sense of no one really in charge but as you'll see, there are lots of work behind the scene when completed will greatly improve the process when the day will come for the Minister of Finance as you stated "to brief the legislators and the nation on the economy, debt position of the nation, and the nation’s financial condition and position…. briefing the nation on the major drivers in expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year, the future outlook for revenues and expenditures, tax policies, future challenges on the revenue side, etc." These are conditions of a well develop systems and we are just beginning and people want for everything to be perfect just in the second year of this kind of budgeting. Even in well developed countries like America, sometimes the budget from the Executive is dead on arrival at the Legislature and the whole thing is rewritten by the Legislature.
If we are not careful and understanding that it will take sometime to perfect our public financial systems, hurry, hurry will definitely burst the trousers.
HYPOCRTICAL RODNEY SIEH ASKING THE GOVERNMENT FOR SPECIAL FAVOR!!
On Feb.27, 2009, Mr. Rodney Sieh interviewed Binyah Kesselly, Commissioner of Maritime Affairs. In that interviewed, Mr. Kesseley made this statement to Mr. Rodney Sieh " I think you’re about to bring machinery into the country to open your multimedia company, you’ll get a good sense of what it cost to bring stuff in very soon." This is a very important revelation because if we take into consideration one of the questions Mr. Rodney Sieh asked Finance Minister Ngafuan on June 23, 2009 you will notice that Mr. Rodney Sieh is seeking special treatment from the same government he is calling corrupt everyday. Just follow this exchanged between Mr. Rodney Sieh and the Minister of Finance.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA.COM: One issue which is a big problem has to do with people in the Diaspora trying to come back home. This has to do with importation. NPA says it’s Finance Ministry. Finance Ministry says it’s NPA. What’s the problem with that? Who’s responsible for the high taxes?
MINISTER NGAFUAN: Well, everyone is responsible. NPA charges, Finance Ministry charges. There are fees you pay which are NPA related. There are fees you pay which are custom related. In fact, there are some benefits and waivers for someone coming home, for Liberians coming home who are in the right sense of coming home; even though there are some Liberians who are not coming home but they just come, get the benefit and go. And so, we try to make sure that the person is really relocating. If a family is relocating, there are duty waivers that the person benefits from under the code. But you know some of our people decide to come defraud the system. They come for one week and you know that some of them are business people. And if you are a business person, Government got to get some of the taxes from you. How will Government get some of the taxes to increase the pay of the civil servants? We in the Finance Ministry got to be the bad guys to collect the money to divide. We got to get the money. We want to build roads. How do we get the money? In other jurisdictions, people pay their taxes but when they come to their country they don’t want to. Some Liberians feel that part of their ‘Liberian-ness’ is not to pay their Liberian taxes. You prove to be more Liberian if you don’t pay tax. They only feel it’s only foreigners that must pay taxes. We need to change that psychology. But let me tell you this about the entire issue of taxes, codes and what have you. We tabled before the Legislature ‘Revision to The Taxes Code’. There’s going to be a net reduction. There will be a reduction in the personal income tax in Liberia. The highest threshold is going to reduce from 35% to25%. Corporate income tax will be reduced from 35% to 25%. And other taxes are being reduced. We hope that the Legislature can pass this before they start the other Fiscal Year so that the benefit can start to accrue to our people. We as a fiscal authority will have a total cost of $13 million foregone in revenue for next year. It may sound as a little contradictory that you’re looking for more money but you’re reducing tax. Government is not just taking the money but Government is keeping the money in the pocket of the people. This will make them to spend. If aggregate demand increases, then production can increase. Supply will increase. That’s how own way of stimulating the economy. It’s our own way of engaging in a stimulus on the revenue side, although the scope is little bit limited. But besides all these things that we’re going to do, I told you about tax that comes from bureaucracy—delays. If we delay in processing a transaction we have imposed a tax. I’m working on that seriously but alteration is going to help us. As part of it, we need software. Some of those things are expansive. They would tell millions for that. We’re trying to spend the money for those kinds of efficiency the system deserves.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA.COM: Will that affect the media also who might be importing some equipment, machines and other stuff?
MINISTER NGAFUAN: Well, in terms of that I will have to check about specific industries and institutions. Once we have a general thing, the media benefits although on a specific basis there are waivers for Liberians relocating and coming with personal effects. But for business, you pay taxes because you make profits and Government needs part of the profits to build roads, in order to pay civil servants, in order to do that. It just happens all around the world.
This is clearly Mr. Rodney Sieh asking for favor from the government so he can bring his so-called media equipments.
Minister Ngafuan did handle it with class and should be careful from now because if Mr. Rodney Sieh can not get his favor he will just run one of his made-up corruption stories about the Finance Minister.
These are the links to the two stories I mentioned:
"Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough". ~ Janwillem Van De Wettering
7. 26-06-2009 14:06
Generous gift of the Japanese gov't
Mr. The Liberian People,
How are you coming on, Sir? Under the topic of budget hearings, you decided to inform the general public about the generous gift of the Japanese government. That's impolite to flip like that.
I am forced to respond to you (not in the form of The Monrovia People, see post number 3) but in a different way. In my view, Mr. The Liberian People, it's a shame for the government of any country to give rice to the Liberian people. It's a big shame! About 20-25% of the land in Japan grows food. In Liberia's case, almost 99.9% of the land can grow food. Do you think it makes sense for a country like Liberia to crave for rice when we could do the farming ourselves?
The people of Liberia, the residents of the countryside, can farm. All they need is help from the government of Liberia. There are no roads anywhere. If roads are constructed, the people in the country (the country people..... I am proud of them 100%) would wipe the shame off our faces if they could be helped with roads, farm tools, etc. Teach a man how to fish and he'll feed himself.
The 84,000 bags of rice that's been donated will not reach in the countryside. The Monrovia city dwellers who rob the people of Liberia will be the beneficiaries. They'll be the ones to buy the rice. They can stuck rice up like cows, but there's little incentive to encourage its growth. Yeah, they have the money, because most of it is stolen anyway. Starvation still looms across the horizon of the poor. Why? Because there are no roads! No farm tools! It's useless to grow excess rice when there's really no way to bring the rice to the markets. No roads, no roads. Since 1847, when will there be roads? Just when?
This is the time in our history when farming should be encouraged by the government. What is rice? It's an edible seed, I know it. It takes about 7 months for rice to be grown. Since our soil is 100x richer than that of Japan, it shames me that our government is not willing to build roads in order for rice to be grown and sold on the markets of Liberia for a cheaper price.
I do not mean for the people of Liberia to starve. But, I am not proud of Liberia receiving rice as a gift especially when the stuff could be grown in Liberia.
WARNING: Miss Nyankor will spank you if you change her topic next time. That woman doesn't play. Be careful man!
What was you reason for informing us? To show how good of a job our mother is doing? Come on, Mr. People. I will be very proud on the day you tell the world that the government of Liberia encourages the farmers of Liberia to grow and produce rice abundantly.
Thanks!
8. 26-06-2009 18:22
VEEP Boakai Launches Back To Soil Campai
Liberia: VEEP Boakai Launches Back To Soil Campaign Tomorrow.
The farmers produce will perish as there are no roads in the country.
I remember Doe green revolution where farmers had to use cutlasses to make farm and feed the nation. Ah, ah.
Not even a dusty road was built to connect farmers and produce buyers.
I saw in the Ivory Coast, how pick-ups haul the people produce from villages.
Liberian People, stop your PRO business on this forum.
By the way, we all can visit these sites to read news for ourselves.
What are you trying to prove here?
You better aet up your own web site to be posting links to others web sites.
We don't need those junks you always post here.
Former agriculture minister my foot. Whnat did he do as minister of agriculture when conditions were far normal?
Nothing. The answer is just nothing, except he promoted, connived, and took bribes from Labanese people to import US parboiled rice.
With the new political development in Liberia (39 people) most of whom are governemnt and top government officials on prosecution list, Ellen government will only steal more.
Any announcement of development is an attempt to buy time.
Liberians are no longer stupid.
I do hereby strongly advise you to stop calling yourselff The LiberianPeople, for you are not.
From now on I personally will call you NefarianPeople Good day NefarianPeople Nefarian People means wicked people.
You full your belly, ride expensive cars, live in luxurous house, make trips to the US and other places while your victims beg on the streets, others sleep hungry, children under age been abused by you for little or nothing, telling the poor people to be patient, whilst you grumble for bonuses plus vacations.
Nefarian People I know who you are and that is why I am pissed up. You should not be here trying to deceive us.
I promise you if you continue with your cheap and deceiful campaign I will catch up you in due course.
10. 26-06-2009 21:29
The FPA Competitor
Mr. The Liberian People,
Almost every commentary you write is followed by a referral in red letters. Guess what? You're Rodney Sieh's competitor. The only difference between you and Sieh is that Sieh works for a newspaper company. As it regard what you do: You always refer your readers to "click and read".
Mr. The L. People, in addition to Sieh, you have a new competitor and his name is "The Monrovia People". Now, you've met your real match!
The back to the soil campaign launched by VP Boakai is a beginning. Kudos! But, more needs to be done. I have a feeling that you and Sieh will have a clash if the VP fails to address the issue of roads. Sieh is waiting in the wings to explode on the roads' issue. Since you're a "friend indeed" to Boakai and others, it seems that this is the right time to outperform Sieh.
It really makes sense to motivate the Liberian farmers. They have specific needs. Some of those needs are roads, roads, roads! Let's say that I am a Bong county resident. I am a peanut farmer. I have a 50-acre land that's covered with peanuts. A few months from now, the peanuts will be ready to be harvested. But, there's a calamity. It begins to rain heavily. The road between Bong and Monrovia is devastated by torrential rain. What do I do? Will my crop rot if there isn't a good motor road? Secondly, will I be inclined to listen to the VP next year? Nooooo!
Launching of a program such as the VP is doing is fantastic, don't misconstrue me. But, what's the incentive? Should a Nimba man carry a 100-lb sack of coco on his head to Monrovia?
Tell the VP, if you could, to think twice before he acts. Road construction will be a good place to start.
11. 27-06-2009 10:14
The Chicken or the Egg
The argument in Liberia over "motor" roads is clearly a case of the chicken or the egg. Why do Liberians want to skip the steps other countries took to become more developed?
Case in point..what came first....farming or the motor road? Farming! If we start producing the motor roads will come! When the United States was being built did the farmers have motor roads to bring their produce to the market? No! They had dirt roads.
Most of the roads in the United States were made of dirt until the mid 20th century...The USA was founded on July 4th, 1776. What prompted the need for paved or "motor" roads? PRODUCTIVITY, GROWTH, and INCREASED use of the AUTOMOBILE.
"When the Office of Public Roads Inquiries undertook the first inventory of all U.S. roads in 1904, the country had 2,151,570 miles of rural public roads, but 1,997,908 miles, or 93 percent, were dirt. Of the 153,662 miles with any kind of surfacing, only 38,622 miles were stone or macadam, while the remainder included 108,232 miles of gravel and 6,810 of shell, sand, clay, brick, or other materials. Only a few hundred miles of roads in the entire country were suitable for motor vehicles." Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/road
Please read the following case study for more information on the history of America's road network. http://mgagnon.myweb.uga.edu/students/Brignac.htm
Be reasonable and realistic my people. We need good paved roads but just like any other country we have to build our communities and start experiencing economic growth first.
12. 27-06-2009 13:35
You've got it right!
Mr. Concerned, You've made my point, you took the air out of me and you've got it right!
There is no doubt that the Liberian farmers should be encouraged to do their best in terms of planting their crops. It's the incentive that's of the essence. The roads are a must!
The economic theory of supply and demand is the solid ground of my argument. Let's look at rice for example. If the Liberian rice farmers have good roads, they'll make way for their rice to be transported to the markets. In the mean time, as the rice sells in Monrovia and other major markets in Liberia, more and more farmers will be enouraged to get into the rice business and produce even more rice. Many other crops will be grown and sold in great numbers. Frankly, if the Liberian markets are flooded with rice, the price of rice will have nowhere to go but down.
Japan donated rice because of many reasons that some of us will never know. Some governments make donations when they're interested in something. Nothing is for free! Reciprocity is the name of the game. But from an economic standpoint, the Japanese have recognized that rice is scarce, while the demand for it is at an all time high.
On the world market, we see how the price of oil fluctuates. When a barrel of oil dips by a dollar, owners of gas stations lower their prices by a few pennies. If their is an oil glut, motorists become happy. Why? Because, gasoline tanks can now be filled to the max. Because the prices have dipped to unprecedented levels.
There is a certain kind of crime that's called "black on black" crime. This sort of crime gets committed easily. Often times, government officials ignore the plight of the poor and cover themselves with issues of irrelevances. It comes about because of their mean-spiritedness. It goes on in Liberia right now.
Question: Where did the VP go to announce his "back to the soil" initiative? Maryland county, Lofa or where? In Monrovia? Assuming that he went to Maryland, how did he get there? By car, ship or plane? That's my point! If he got to Maryland by plane, that's good, somehow. But, why didn't he have his driver take him there in a car? Answer: The VP would have sat his butt in the car for a couple of days without eating his regular meals. Perhaps he'd dine on kola nuts and peanuts! He also would have arrived in Harper with his gray hair turning red or yellow because of the dust! In which case, he would have learned a valuable lesson. But, the VP somehow feels that he's got to babble about "returning to the soil". Goodness! In my view, he's smartly perpetrating a crime...... a black on black crime.
13. 27-06-2009 16:34
Roads/farms
VR Liberians have been farming since the beginning of time or pre-historic. I don't understand when you say Let the people start farming first before roads.
14. 27-06-2009 17:28
Farming before roads?
VR, You've got to be kidding to suggest that farms should be in place before roads get constructed. You are also wrong to say that the US was founded on July 4, 1776. (see the third paragraph) The country of the US declared its independence on July 4, 1776.
Roads were not built in the US exclusively to benefit the farmers. Roads were built to enhance economic, political, educational and social development. That's what Liberia needs. When I talk about roads, I don't mean to suggest that farmers are the only ones that need roads. No! Everyone gets the benefit when good roads exist. If you were born in the Monrovia area, you would have no reason to go to Lofa or Sinoe to vacation there, unless you really want to. The Krus are hospitable. They would love to have you in their county. But, your host might want to sell his produce. Where on earth is he going go to make money if there is no major highway?
I am also shocked at your question: What came first, farms or motor roads? When the US came together as a nation, there weren't cars. The Industrial Revolution was in its early stages. There was no need for major highways, nevertheless, there were roads. When the need arose in America in the mid 50s for major highways to be constructed, the Americans did not wait to see what the French, Germans or Brits would do. So why do we have to be like other countries in order for us to build roads? Besides, you need to get serious, VR. Consider the idea of pre-modern and modern. This is the modern age. Why do you suppose we ought to wait and see doom before our roads get constructed?
VR, Liberia is an old country. In terms of political governance, Liberia is older than the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and many others. The Ivory Coast's major roads are paved. Because the Ivorians and others have good roads, the farmers as well as the average citizen can go from east to west without hassle.
The issue of roads should not be compared with the chicken and egg debate. Roads are an absolute must. If rice, cocoa and cassava are grown on one's farm, how on earth will a farmer's produce be brought to the markets? I hope you're not thinking that I am negatively disparaging the government of Liberia. What would be the benefit? What should be understood is that when the government is wrong, "we the people" should not be timid or petrified to say what we mean and mean what we say. The truth is the truth and I know it hurts. But, I am not being negative! I am stating the truth.
15. 27-06-2009 18:08
Roads/farms
Concerned,
We are not talking about subsistence farming. What don't you understand my brother? This is how it was done in every other country! The farming, for economic benefit, came before the motor road. I gave a very good example.
Liberians need to not only start producing their own rice but to start eating it. If we increase our consumption the farmers will increase production and the rice will find its way to the markets regardless of the road conditions.
People also need to move back to their rural communities so they can rebuild and support the local economies. When this occurs the government will be forced to invest in better roads. Again, this is how it has been done in every developed country. What makes Liberia so different or unique that we should be able to skip this step?
The logic: The government operates on many of the same principals as business. It is neither smart, efficient, or cost effective to build motor roads to "no where". If you owned a mountain would you build a motor road to the top before or after you located something of value (i.e. diamonds, iron ore, beautiful views) or something that would help you pay for the road? Let the people start producing something of value, in this case rice, so road improvements can come. This is how it has always been done.
Please read the links I provided if you still don't understand.
16. 27-06-2009 18:14
Roads/farms
p.s. Raw rice grain does not spoil easily. "Sorry" to burst your bubbles but they are on the right track with this one.
17. 27-06-2009 18:40
Roads/farms
Wow,
Sorry to say it but you are wrong, communities, which includes the production of goods and services have always been built before motor roads! Please read the links and my response to Concerned.
18. 27-06-2009 18:43
Roads/farms
Ivory Coast is younger than Liberia but was also financed heavily by France and foreign interests. Ivory Coast never underwent a civil war to the scale of Liberia. Context my brother. You are overlooking all the variables in favor of the easy answer.
19. 27-06-2009 19:04
Roads/farms
Wow,
You are clearly being disingenuous, the United States was founded July 4, 1776. The first American colony was established in 1607.
I see now you will twist not only facts but well known history in order to deliver your message. You remind me of some other forumites who are notorious for doing the same.
20. 27-06-2009 21:21
Economic benefit
VR, I close my argument for you don't know what economic benefit means.
Farming without roads is an economic benefit. Good bye!!!
21. 27-06-2009 21:48
The Usefulness of roads
VR, If anyone is poised to twist the facts, you are. Of course, you're doing a pretty good job.
The point that I made about America is factually correct. The US declared independence on 4th July, 1776. What's wrong about that? I am not twisting anything.
In post number 16, you tell your readers that "raw rice grain does not spoil easily". That's true. The question becomes where will the rice be stored when it is processed for consumption? On the farmers' farms? In the farmers' lawns? To say that the rice does not "spoil easily" is an admission that the rice spoils eventually. Why does the rice have to be stored when the demand for it is high? When the rice floods the markets, the price of it goes down. Additionally, imported rice will not be in abundance because its price will be higher than the locally produced rice. Therefore roads should be in place for the smooth transition of things! You have to remember also the substitution factor. People will switch their taste in order to satisfy themselves.
In post number 17, you're putting up a remarkable spin. I have not said that without roads, farmers should not plant their crops. Roads will facilitate the process. Once again, when roads are built, everyone benefits. That means business people, government officials, students, the sick who could be driven to hospitals on time and just about everyone. That's the bigger picture you should be aware of, VR.
In post number 18, you're coming in with excuses! The Ivory Coast has had its share of the equivalence of an uncivil war. During the late 90s and early 2000s, Ecomog and French troops were brought in to put down insurrection in the Ivory Coast. Won't you consider that as an uncivil war? Well, perhaps their war was uncivil. But, there was nothing civil about Liberia's war.
What is more surprising is your assertion that the French poured in money to help the Ivorians. There's nothing new here. We know that France is a protectorate of the Ivory Coast. Like them, Liberians have received financial assistance from donor nations in the past. Why weren't roads constructed in Liberia? Are you suggesting that we would have had to be colonized in order for roads to have been built? The French connection amounts to excuses! If the government of Liberia wants to construct paved roads, it'll be done, my friend.
VR, I am not out here to blame all of Liberia's problems on the present administration. It is my hope that the mistakes of our past leaders will not be repeated. Comprende?
22. 28-06-2009 07:41
Well Said Wow
Wow you have said it all. You give me the reason to come back to this debate.
Farming first before roads my foot. VR has to back to economic class to study economy.
Roads and farming are economically interdependent.
VR states, "The farming, for economic benefit, came before the motor road," This is a complete irony.
Farmining without roads is not an economic beneffit, but rather a subsistence farming.
VR I think you don't know the meanings of these two phrases yet you use them: Economic benefits and subsistence farming. Please look at their meanings and you will see your own confusion.
23. 28-06-2009 09:16
Well Said Wow
Wow,
You are being disingenuous yet again. What you wrote is posted for everyone to see. These will be my last comments to you.
The bulk of our financial assistance came during the Doe era, you will have to ask people from his administration why the dirt roads were not upgraded. If I had worked for his government my advice would have been to enable the farmers to develop crops large enough to feed the population before spending millions of dollars to pave a road. Neither was done.
Tolbert was the only President, with exception of the current, who ever made a worthwhile attempt. Most of the other administrations were flat broke (pre Tubman). Tubman himself spent money to make some improvements but mostly to keep himself in power. You can ask what Doe did. Taylor did nothing.
We are talking about development strategy and I used the USA as an example. We are not talking about blame....we ARE talking about Dirt roads vs Paved or Motor Roads. I can only provide facts and support them with real life examples, which I have done. I can't force you to accept reality because clearly, you would opt to build a paved road up a mountain before you identified anything of value at the peak. I wish you well with that strategy when managing your personal finances, any business or organization.
Concerned,
Please don't twist what I say. I did not say farming without roads is an economic benefit. I said farming FOR economic benefit came before the MOTOR (PAVED) road.
This discussion is clearly going no where. All the best.
24. 28-06-2009 09:17
Well Said Wow
If I am confused you two must be crazy.
FIN
25. 28-06-2009 11:06
Well said, Wow
VR, Just because you feel that I am being disingenous doesn't mean I am. What you say is your opinion. I disagrere though. Roads are a top priority for national development. But there's even more. If the the past governments did not have money to build roads, why didn't they use their limited funds to build schools, libraries, clinics and a host of things that could help the Liberian people?
Once again, you seem to be of the opinion that I am taking the current administration to task. Yet, I am not afriad to do so. But, that's not the case. My point is that the present government should not repeat the same mistakes of the past.
If roads take a high priority, farmers as well as all Liberians will reap various types of benefits.
I know very well that Doe received $500 million dollars during the Reagan years. When I look around, I don't see roads, libraries, or clinics. I don't know what Doe the clown did to $500 million bucks!
"Handouts" are not always good. A "handout" is a soft money that gets to be misused because it was handed over to a government. In my view, a handout becomes effectively managed if the donor nation carries out the project. Neither am I saying that we should not appreciate any financial assistance from foreign governments which take the form of a handout. Not at all. Our government need to find ways in which our people can be helped.
Roads are an absolute must. Until the "dirt roads" are properly managed or until good highways are constructed, the people of Liberia will continue to experience difficulties in producing food abundantly. If there're no roads, how will one's produce be brought to the markets?
It certainly was a pleasure to discuss the foregoing issues with you. I really did not think neither do I feel now that the use of polemics would be the best alternative in settling a spirited debate. Too bad we couldn't see eye to eye on this one. But, Liberia is our country. We should always find room to discuss intellectually. Peace my friend!
26. 28-06-2009 13:46
Childish
Why you folks talk about donations here and there and who received the highest and who did not?
Gosh,are you not ashame of yourselves? It tells me you support begging and laziness of your leaders. You might be even worst if you were a leader.
The country doesn't have roads because that regime received less and this regime received more donation/loan; childish.
This is an outright nonsense and lack of sense of nationalism, economic independence,and creativity.
It is shameful to know we still have Liberians who are mentally enslaved despite the revolution.
But again, I think we must embark on a new form of revolution; emancipation of mental slavery revolution.
Why discuss a country economy when you are yet to understand what a country and its people stand for.
If you as a citizen is not capable to advance idea(s) how the country can generate funds from its countless resources for development, please this topic is not for you. Thanks
27. 28-06-2009 16:59
Childish
Mr. Concerned, If you're referring to me as being childish, you are wrong. The only reason why I mentioned how much money was received during the Doe era was to rebut a statement made earlier by VR. In any case, the use of monetary figures by anyone is not being childish especially if one's point is relevant to the topic.
28. 10-07-2009 18:31
Fiscal Year 2009-2010 National Budget Si
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The 2009/2010 Budget hearings: our inability to see the forest from the trees 
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