How do we Develop How do we Develop Liberia? Liberia? Let’s Reflect Let’s Reflect andand...... Act. Act.

The difference between The difference between poor countries and the poor countries and the

rich ones is not the age rich ones is not the age of the country.of the country.

This can be shown by This can be shown by countries like countries like Egypt, India and Egypt, India and

Afghanistan that are Afghanistan that are more than 3,000 more than 3,000 years old and are years old and are

still poor.still poor.

On the other hand, On the other hand, countries like Canada, countries like Canada,

South Korea, Australia & South Korea, Australia & New Zealand, that 60 years New Zealand, that 60 years ago were just starting to ago were just starting to scratch-the-surface , scratch-the-surface , today are developed today are developed

countries and are rich.countries and are rich.

The difference between The difference between poor & rich countries is poor & rich countries is

not because of their not because of their available natural available natural

resources.resources.

Japan has a limited territory, Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous, inadequate for 80% mountainous, inadequate for agriculture & cattle raising, agriculture & cattle raising, but it is the second largest but it is the second largest

world economy. It has almost no world economy. It has almost no natural resource. But this natural resource. But this country is like an immense country is like an immense

floating factory, importing raw floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world material from the whole world

and exporting high value and exporting high value agricultural & manufactured agricultural & manufactured

products.products.

Another example is Switzerland, which Another example is Switzerland, which does not even plant cocoa but produces does not even plant cocoa but produces the best chocolates in the world. In the best chocolates in the world. In

its little territory they raise animals its little territory they raise animals and plant the soil only during 4 months and plant the soil only during 4 months

a year. Not enough, but they still a year. Not enough, but they still produce dairy & agricultural products produce dairy & agricultural products

of the best quality. It is a small of the best quality. It is a small country that transmits an image of country that transmits an image of security, order, precision and good security, order, precision and good labor, which has made it one of the labor, which has made it one of the world’s strongest, safest, & richest world’s strongest, safest, & richest

countries.countries.

Professionals and Professionals and Executives from rich and Executives from rich and

poor countries who poor countries who communicate with their communicate with their counterparts show that counterparts show that there is no significant there is no significant intellectual or knowledge intellectual or knowledge

differencedifference..

Race or skin color are also Race or skin color are also not important: immigrants and not important: immigrants and

workers labeled “lazy”workers labeled “lazy”in their countries of origin in their countries of origin are very productive, value are very productive, value work, and enjoy economic work, and enjoy economic power in rich European, power in rich European,

American and Asian countries.American and Asian countries.

What then is the What then is the difference?difference?

The difference is our The difference is our attitude, cultural attitude, cultural beliefs and our beliefs and our

patronage system, framed patronage system, framed a long time ago by years a long time ago by years

of doing it the of doing it the

““Liberian WayLiberian Way”.”.

On analyzing the On analyzing the behavior of the people behavior of the people in rich & developed in rich & developed

countries, we find that countries, we find that the great majority the great majority

follow the following follow the following principles in their principles in their

lives:lives:

1.1. Ethics, as a basic principle – Ethics, as a basic principle – high high moral value.moral value.

2. Integrity - good value of self.(Self-2. Integrity - good value of self.(Self-esteem).esteem).

3. Responsibility - taking ownership, 3. Responsibility - taking ownership, being accountable.being accountable.

4. Respect for laws & the rules of 4. Respect for laws & the rules of law; law; respect authority; disciplined; respect authority; disciplined; - - graranteed punishment/all crimes, graranteed punishment/all crimes, no no exceptions. No slap on hand.exceptions. No slap on hand.

5. Respect for the rights of 5. Respect for the rights of others(citizens).others(citizens).

6. Work attitude. Striving to - 6. Work attitude. Striving to - always always do a good job; doing it do a good job; doing it right the first time. Do more right the first time. Do more with the little you have.with the little you have.

7. Belief that Savings & 7. Belief that Savings & Investments go hand in hand.Investments go hand in hand.

8. Will-power and the power of 8. Will-power and the power of action. Do not procrastinate.action. Do not procrastinate.

9. Punctuality – always be on time – 9. Punctuality – always be on time – if you’re not there, you cannot if you’re not there, you cannot do the work.do the work.

10.Belief in putting Country 10.Belief in putting Country FIRSTFIRST over tribe, clan or ethnic over tribe, clan or ethnic

background.background.

11.Belief that if anyone can do 11.Belief that if anyone can do it, it,

youyou can do it better…all can do it better…all one one needs is education and needs is education and exposure.exposure.

12. Working together cooperatively, 12. Working together cooperatively, and not against each other, FOR and not against each other, FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF LIBERIA.THE GREATER GOOD OF LIBERIA.

In poor countries, In poor countries, only a minority only a minority

follow these basic follow these basic principles in principles in

their daily life.their daily life.

We are poor NOT We are poor NOT because we lack because we lack

natural resources, or natural resources, or because nature was because nature was

cruel to us.cruel to us.

We are poor because we We are poor because we lack “good” attitude. We lack “good” attitude. We are not committed to are not committed to

doing a job thoroughly, doing a job thoroughly, or to a high standard. or to a high standard. We are satisfied with We are satisfied with

just mediocre or “half-just mediocre or “half-baked” work.baked” work.

We lack the will and We lack the will and desire to comply with, desire to comply with, and teach each other and teach each other

these basic functional these basic functional principles.principles.

We know it is We know it is WRONG, but we do it WRONG, but we do it

anyway. We are anyway. We are extremely extremely

INDISCIPLAINEDINDISCIPLAINED. . We know that SOMEHOW, we We know that SOMEHOW, we

WILL WILL GET AWAY GET AWAY with with

itit. .

WILL POWER: If WILL POWER: If it is RIGHT for it is RIGHT for LIBERIA, DO IT. LIBERIA, DO IT.

Don’t worry Don’t worry about the about the “NOISE”.“NOISE”.

WILL POWER to make it RIGHT WILL POWER to make it RIGHT for LIBERIA:for LIBERIA:

-Political Will.Political Will.-Religious Will.Religious Will.-Managerial Will.Managerial Will.

-Administrative Will.Administrative Will.-Productive Will.Productive Will.-Socio-Cultural, Socio-Cultural,

traditional,PERSONAL traditional,PERSONAL Will.Will.

We LIBERIANS, must NOW strive to We LIBERIANS, must NOW strive to un-educate ourselves and each un-educate ourselves and each

other of those negative other of those negative attitudes and beliefs that hold attitudes and beliefs that hold us hostage to UNDER-DEVELOPMENT. us hostage to UNDER-DEVELOPMENT.

Let us ALL start an all Let us ALL start an all inclusive and comprehensive inclusive and comprehensive

ETHICS & ATTITUDE AWARENESS & ETHICS & ATTITUDE AWARENESS & WORK Adjustment CAMPAIGN, all WORK Adjustment CAMPAIGN, all

over the Country. over the Country.

We MUST start first with We MUST start first with our FAMILIES, then our FAMILIES, then FRIENDS, in all the FRIENDS, in all the

SCHOOLS (2-year course), SCHOOLS (2-year course), in the CHURCHES and in the CHURCHES and

MOSQUES, in the WORK-MOSQUES, in the WORK-PLACES, especially in THE PLACES, especially in THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES, on the GOVERNMENT OFFICES, on the

sports fields, and ALL sports fields, and ALL over the Land. over the Land.

We MUST immediately start We MUST immediately start required yearly seminars on required yearly seminars on

ethics, integrity, job attitude ethics, integrity, job attitude (DOING – IT - RIGHT, the first (DOING – IT - RIGHT, the first time) punctuality, corruption, time) punctuality, corruption, dishornesty, sexual harassment, dishornesty, sexual harassment, gender rights, rule of, and gender rights, rule of, and

respect for law and order, civic respect for law and order, civic responsibility – putting Liberia responsibility – putting Liberia “ FIRST”, in all work places, “ FIRST”, in all work places, especially in Government. especially in Government.

Courses on Civics, National Courses on Civics, National Responsibility, Patriotism Responsibility, Patriotism – Liberia “FIRST”, and – Liberia “FIRST”, and keeping the environment keeping the environment “clean”, should be a two-“clean”, should be a two-year required course in all year required course in all

elementary and high elementary and high schools, & universities. schools, & universities.

This should be a perquisite This should be a perquisite for graduation. for graduation.

The Civil Service Agency The Civil Service Agency (CSA)should make mandatory (CSA)should make mandatory for all civil servants, in for all civil servants, in addition to the requisite addition to the requisite

minimal functional minimal functional exams,cirtificated exams,cirtificated

training /seminars on training /seminars on ETHICS & ATTITUDE ETHICS & ATTITUDE AWARENESS & WORK AWARENESS & WORK

Adjustment.Adjustment.

If you truly love and , If you truly love and , and want to develop and want to develop

LIBERIA into a rich and LIBERIA into a rich and prosperous country, let prosperous country, let us REFLECT NOW, on our us REFLECT NOW, on our short-comings. Let’s short-comings. Let’s

ACT-NOW, CHANGE-NOW, so ACT-NOW, CHANGE-NOW, so that we can SAY…that we can SAY…

““We LIBERIANS, We We LIBERIANS, We are the BEST in are the BEST in

the whole the whole UNIVERSE”. God UNIVERSE”. God Bless Liberia!Bless Liberia!

We are ready & Yes, We Can…….A. T. Summerville, We are ready & Yes, We Can…….A. T. Summerville, Jr. , May 1, 2011. Monrovia. Jr. , May 1, 2011. Monrovia.