Gbarnga — When Liberians elected President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in a tightly-fought presidential race in 2005, they did so out of hope for a brighter Liberia. In the President's Special July 26 Message, she acknowledged the promises for the morrows, outlined what has been achieved and what is yet to be achieved. But what has she to say about the 30-year ban hovering overhead? The Analyst Staff Writer has been finding out from the President's "special message".

No Rest Until

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has reiterated her administration's determination to revive the Liberian nation, heal the wound of victims, and provide opportunities for the jobless and children of Liberia.

She said her administration will continue to exert every ounce of energy it has and knock on doors of opportunities until these promises were significantly achieved.

The President's renewed avowal was contained in a special July 26 message she delivered yesterday to the nation from the central highland city of Gbarnga in Bong County.

Addressing, amongst many other dignitaries, an array of government officials, the diplomatic corps, the clergy, NGO heads, and traditional leaders, President Sirleaf said her administration's seriousness in reconstructing Liberia could be seen by the gains made in a relatively short period of time in the economic and development sectors.

"When on January 16, 2006 I spoke to the nation, I recognized that the vote for me was a vote for change," she said.

She said it was not only that: "It was a vote for peace, security and stability, a vote for individual and national prosperity, a vote for healing and leadership. I expressed humility in the enormity of the challenges that lay ahead – to heal our nation's wounds, redefine and strengthen its purpose, make democracy a living and effective experiment, promote economic growth, create jobs, revitalize our health and education facilities and services, and quicken the pace of social progress and individual prosperity in our country."

She then noted that it is to make the children smile again that was driving her administration's domestic agendas and foreign policy.

"I know that there is much work to be done to bring the benefits of this work to all Liberians and my Administration will not rest until the gains of peace are felt by all.   I strongly believe that Liberians, through their vote, have an inherent right to determine the direction of the nation, just as I believe that they each, in their own way, has the wisdom to know truth and the desire to seek reconciliation," she said.

According to her even though the gains were modest, leaving a longer stretch of the road leading to national fulfillment, the groundwork has been laid for the way forward.

Amongst her administration's success stories, she said, is the numerical strength of the nation's armed forces that rose from zero just two years ago to 2,000 new soldiers.

She said the nation's economic growth rate currently stands at six percent as it stands at the threshold of gaining relief from the 4.9 millions US dollar debt burden it inherited from decades of bad government and poor economic performances.

"We are close to the end of the program that will bring us relief from the US$4.9 billion external debt which we inherited. Our Central Bank international reserves have gone from US$5 million to US$50 million," the Liberian leader said.

She said when the improvement in the financial sector combines with the removal of UN sanctions on diamonds and forestry and Liberia's membership in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), there was no question that the nation was inching slowly towards recovery.

In the education sector, the Liberia leader told the Liberia people that there was a big improvement with enrollment, mainly amongst females, jumping up to 40 percent. She did not say what the base from which it jumped was.

But she pointed, as proof of commitment and delivery, to the renovation of the University of Liberia facilities with the assistance of Liberia's partners, the renovation and renaming of the Tubman Technical College in Harper, Maryland County to Tubman University, and the construction of a technical college in Sinje.

"Plans for other county colleges are well advanced in planning," she said, adding that power and pipe-borne water have been restored to Monrovia and other cities across the country.

Added together, she said, her administration has constructed or renovated more than 215 schools, 30 hospitals and clinics, several county administration buildings, court houses and security facilities throughout the country.

"The Telewoyan Hospital in Voinjama is now renovated and in full operation while a US$10 million renovation of the Tappita Hospital is underway. The majority of our schools throughout the country will have books with a national orientation when they open in September. For the first time in two decades, six year olds will start school knowing only an environment of peace," she said.

She said the nation's revenue generation has improved greatly, increasing income from US$80 million to more than US$347 million, pensions from LD$50 to LD$1000, civil servants salaries from US$15 to US$80 with a floor of US$100 for security, teachers and health care workers.

But she said Liberian people needed to redouble their efforts in supporting the government's reconstruction program by rising to the moment, acting individually and collectively to take charge of what government was prepared to provide.

"Fellow citizens, a nation rises to its potential when its people are prepared to seize the opportunity, to capture the moment, to accentuate the positive. A nation rises to its potential when its people are proud of their achievements, are prepared to extol their values, are ready to rise above self interest in demonstration of nationalism and patriotism," she noted without further comment.

According to her American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., South Africa's freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, and US President Barack Obama became lights of the world and hope for people everywhere because they captured the moments in their various times, circumstances, and places.

Cat out of the Bag

Regarding the way forward on the determinations and recommendations of the final report of the TRC, President Sirleaf said she preferred to proceed cautiously for fear of preempting the determination of the National Legislature.

She however commended the efforts of the Commission but let the cat out of the bag regarding where her administration stands when she stated categorically that support for the implementation of the report by government hinges on the degree to which the report harmonized with the TRC mandate.

"Where the report lives up to its mission and mandate, the Liberian people have my steadfast commitment to work with all branches of government, the Independent Human Rights Commission, the religious community, civil society and the media to actualize its recommendations," said the Liberian leader.

President Sirleaf, along with several political heavy-weights, stands accused of supporting war efforts in Liberia and is facing a 30-year ban from political activities when her current tenure ends in 20011.

But how does she see the political banishment? "This is as much as I can say to you as I am named in the report for sanction and I have been advised that it would be legally imprudent for me to give a more extensive comment on the report. Also, my comments could be misinterpreted as an attempt to influence what ever action the National Legislature might take on the report, and I do not intend to do so. I believe in the wisdom of the Liberian people and am convinced that they will make a proper judgment on the TRC's Final Report."

It is not clear whether the President's position represents her administration's policy on the report, but she once again conceded her role in the Liberian conflict and noted that it was intended to restore democracy to a nation that was fast slipping into anarchy under what she called the brutality of a dictator.

"Sometimes, the circumstances were opaque, the distinctions between evil and good were not so clear—this is the nature of conflict and war," she said, noting that that was why when she realized Taylor did not have the democratic credential to lead Liberia out of chaos, she became his most open and vocal critic.

She said it was her concession to misjudging Taylor and standing against evil and dictatorship that softened the hearts of the Liberian people to give her the mantle of power on January 16, 2006.

"I have talked about this openly over the past twelve years and expressed remorse to the Liberian people for my misjudgment. In turn, the Liberian people rendered their judgment. In 2005, I was elected President of the Republic of Liberia. My mandate was to return hope to the country and to make the children smile again," she said.