The NEWS (Monrovia)
18 April 2008
Monrovia — "We heard their concerns. And these concerns fall into the area of issues that have come up and that we are looking to see how we can take care of the problem". These were the words of U.S. Ambassador Donald Booth on Thursday when he addressed the press on grievances emanating from within the Liberian military circles.
Some soldiers and Defense Ministry authorities appeared aggrieved last week with reservations over feeding and housing facilities for the new Liberian army.
Notwithstanding, Ambassador Booth said, "The U.S. is still committed to the security sector reform of Liberia and that the contractors who have been working on this for three and half years have been doing a great job and something unique as it is difficult to train an army from scratch".
Booth made these statements against the background that the United States government is financing the training of the Liberian army.
Booth said the training of a new Liberian army was a process involving the Liberian government, the contractors and the U.S. government working together and agreeing on objectives and plans on how to achieve the objectives.
He said troops that are undergoing individual training are fed three times a day and when they complete training and are deployed at their operational base, foods are provided that they can purchase from or cook on their own.
The U.S envoy explained that those who are deployed at their operational base but are undergoing advanced (unit) training had raised the issue that as the advanced training increases there is little or no time left for them to prepare their food upon return to base.
To this issue, the Ambassador said "We heard their concerns. And these concerns fall into the area of issues that have come up and that we are looking to see how we can take care of the problem".
He indicated that it was very important that the troops are not distracted from their training and that the basic priority at this point is to see the troops fully trained and operational.
Regarding allegations against the contractors (DynCorps), Booth said it was not that the contractors didn't do something that they were supposed to do. He said it was simply an issue that has come because circumstances changed...
But he assured that the program was a fair program beginning with a recruiting and vetting process with more than 14,000 candidates out of whom 1,100 have completed basic and individual training with 500 more expected for training next May.
The U.S. Ambassador maintained that the long-term sustenance of the military program beginning with when the soldiers are deployed at their operational bases is a question for the Liberian government.
He recalled that it was the Liberian government that came up with the size of a 2000-man army, apparently in line with national budgetary projections that would adequately cater for a smaller army than a larger army.
Background: Last week the soldiers complained that they were neglected, while Defense Ministry authorities accused contractors of DynCorps training the army of not involving them into the decision-making process regarding renovation of housing units for the soldiers.
Defense Minister Brownie Samukai was quoted this week as saying that the Ministry will not go along to make a determination for the next class of recruits unless "we resolve the issue as to proper accommodation for those who will be coming because it is a major constrain".
Samukai observed that the military units at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Barracks lack Kitchen and cooking facilities, making it a "very tough environment to live in".
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