11 November 2008
A Liberian criminal justice practitioner, Dr. William Barnes, has urged the government of Liberia to establish a National Security and Intelligence Advisory Board.
He said the body could meet regularly to discuss national security matters that intersect with education, capacity building and technological advancement.
Dr. Barnes, in a dispatch from his residence in the United States of America said the measures are critical in surmounting the multiplicities of insecurities, threats, disease, poverty, arm robberies, terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption.
According to the dispatch, Dr. Barnes said the measures will redefine national security not only as the protection of Liberia but also the protection of all people, including citizens and non-citizens.
"While we, as Liberians may not concur on a wide range of political issues, it becomes an unquestionable fact that the safety of Liberia certainly deserves everyone's involvement" Dr. Barnes said when he addressed the Pittsburgh chapter of the US Association of Law Enforcement Scholars.
The US trained criminal justice scholar is optimistic that the creation of a National Security and Intelligence Advisory Board in Liberia will not only pave the way in developing a clear view of threats Liberia faces, and a clear understanding of how to defeat them, but will provide a forum for open dialogue among inter-governmental law enforcement agencies including other partners such as UNMIL, INTERPOL among others.
Dr. Barnes was also full of praise for Liberia's national security advisor Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh whom he considers as a global icon and noteworthy public servant with great visions and aspirations for Liberia especially in strengthening the nation's security system.
He recommededed Dr. Fahnbulleh as upcoming guest speaker of the proposed 'International Law Enforcement and Intelligence Forum' at the Point Park University in Pittsburgh PA USA. Dr. Barnes also used the occasion to solicit training and support for Liberia criminal justice system.
In a related development, Dr. Barnes who is the founder and CEO of the New Kru Town based American Institute of Technical and Professional Education has called on liberians to support the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf particularly in achieving lasting peace and combating poverty and crimes.
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what national security and intelligence advisory board Dr barnes is suggesting? Dr brown's idea is Practically good, but not good for liberia. Such board will be effective in a country where there are transparency, check and balance between the branches of gov't and above all curruption. I am unconvinced if such board is created participants (members) of the board will plan Unscrupulous board meetings just to collect. it will be no difference from the LEC, LPRC and the rest. as a criminal justice practitioner, i would support such board but under one condition, and that is, if the advisory board is independent and serve as a watchdog.
Inspiring inquiry, Mr. King! I was fortunate to have interacted with Dr. Barnes on several occassions, and as such, I can provide a clear-cut answer to your inquiry, although I would think we should be addressing the subject, as opposed to attacking/discussing an individual. Dr. Barnes is a native of Liberia and member of the American National Criminal Justice Honor Society (Alpha Phi Sigma) with tremendous contributions to human rights, criminal justice research, including publications, case studies, etc.
I suggest that you revisit the article, given the fact that the article didn't mention anything about him being employed with any criminal justice agency in Liberia, although he had served the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization from 1995-98.
However, for personal/security reasons, I will refrain from delving more into his professional or current employment. In conclusion, the reporter was right when he wrote, "A Liberian Criminal Justice Practitioner."
As Liberians, I think the most accurate or best thing to do is to address the issues, as opposed to deviating from those things that are critical to us. Remember, you too could also be attacked for poor sentence construction when you wrote, "...but first I would liked to know..." In this case, note that the word, LIKED was wrongly used.
Inspiring inquiry, Mr. King! I was fortunate to have interacted with Dr. Barnes on several occassions, and as such, I can provide a clear-cut answer to your inquiry, although I would think we should be addressing the subject, as opposed to attacking/discussing an individual. Dr. Barnes is a native of Liberia and member of the American National Criminal Justice Honor Society (Alpha Phi Sigma) with tremendous contributions to human rights, criminal justice research, including publications, case studies, etc.
I suggest that you revisit the article, given the fact that the article didn't mention anything about him being employed with any criminal justice agency in Liberia, although he had served the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization from 1995-98.
However, for personal/security reasons, I will refrain from delving more into his professional or current employment. In conclusion, the reporter was right when he wrote, "A Liberian Criminal Justice Practitioner."
As Liberians, I think the most accurate or best thing to do is to address the issues, as opposed to deviating from those things that are critical to us. Remember, you too could also be attacked for poor sentence construction when you wrote, "...but first I would liked to know..." In this case, note that the word, LIKED was wrongly used.
Greetings:
I would like very much to comment on this article, but first I would liked to know more about the author of the article. Which organization is he with in the United States and where did he work in the Liberian Criminal Justice System and when. These are the sort of information that should be provided by the newspaper, when a person with such a title writes and makes recommendations.
Inspiring inquiry! I was fortunate to have interacted with Dr. Barnes on several occassions, and as such, I can provide a clear-cut answer to your inquiry, although I would think we should be addressing the subject, as opposed to attacking/discussing an individual. Dr. Barnes is a native of Liberia and member of the American National Criminal Justice Honor Society (Alpha Phi Sigma) with tremendous contributions to human rights, criminal justice research, including publications, case studies, etc.
I suggest that you revisit the article, given the fact that the article didn't mention anything about him being employed with any criminal justice agency in Liberia, although he had served the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization from 1995-98.
However, for personal/security reasons, I will refrain from delving more into his professional or current employment. In conclusion, the reporter was right when he wrote, "A Liberian Criminal Justice Practitioner."
As Liberians, I think the most accurate or best thing to do is to address the issues, as opposed to deviating from those things that are critical to us. Remember, you too could also be attacked for poor sentence construction when you wrote, "...but first I would liked to know..." In this case, note that the word, LIKED was wrongly used.
In lieu of instituting a National Security and Intelligence Advisory Board, we already have the Join National Security that is encompassed of every sector of the national security,except the private security industry. it has the same responsibilities that DR. Barnes mentioned. Besides the above, we should be concentrating of esblishing a Department of Criminal Justice under Liberia College at the University of Liberia that will be tantamount to manpower development in Law Enforcement, Justice Administration, Correction and Probation. Having said that, we can't continue to look at the international community to provide advance training for our men and women in the national security sectors, but to appeal to them to equip the aforesaid department with modern technologies that will enable them to fight crime(s) effectively and efficiently.
Dr. Barnes' recommmendation is just another means to unnecessarily create an ever increasing large security net work in Liberia that has no place to function. My quesation to Dr. Barnes is how long has he been out of Liberia or if he is really informed about the number of security organizations in the country that overlaping functions? What Liberia needs now is a well trained, functional,committed but small security institution. Not the proliferation of security organizations just to give somebody piece of the pie, job.