Folks, The chairman has spoken to the Liberians and the world.I hope and wish the Liberians 
all the best of luck this time for a better leadership through the transitional period and future
governments to come.May the almighty bless Africa.


Fye Niamorkono.


> Induction Address By His Excellency C. Gyude Bryant, Chairman, National 
> Transitional Government Of Liberia
> 
> Capitol Building
> Monrovia, Liberia
> Wednesday, October 14, 2003
> 
> 
> 
> The Inquirer
> Monrovia, Liberia
> 
> 
> Distributed by
> 
> The Perspective
> Atlanta, Georgia
> 
> Posted October 17, 2003
> 
> 
> 
> His Excellency Joachim Chissano, President of the Republic of Mozambique & 
> Chairman of the African Union; His Excellency John A. Kufour, President of 
> the Republic of Ghana and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African 
> States (ECOWAS); His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal 
> Republic of Nigeria; His Excellency Moses Z. Blah, Former President of the 
> Republic of Liberia; His Excellency Jacques Klein, Special Representative of 
> the Secretary General of the United Nations to Liberia; Heads of Ad Hoc 
> Missions Accredited to these Ceremonies; Mr. Speaker and Members o f the 
> National Transitional Legislative Assembly; Her Honor, the Chief Justice and 
> Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Members of the Cabinet; 
> His Excellency the Doyen & Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Eminent 
> Personalities, Local and Foreign Prelates and Members of the Clergy, The 
> National Muslim Council of Liberia; Current and Former Officials of 
> Government; Tribal Chiefs and Traditional Leaders; Distinguished Ladies and 
> Gentlemen; Fellow Citizens; Friends:
> 
> We gather here today to celebrate the beginning of the end of 24 years of 
> civil conflict in our country.
> 
> For the third time in the past 23 years, we have been constrained to set 
> aside our organic law and pursue a change of national leadership through 
> extra-constitutional means; each time, hoping that the change would be for 
> the better. But in the first and second instances, we went from bad to 
> worse, reaping only a harvest of despair.
> 
> This third time around, we are determined to move together in concert to 
> arrest further polarization of our nation and deterioration of our social 
> fabric.
> 
> 
> We are here, therefore, to lay a solid foundation for many transitions:
> 
> A transition from the denigrating politics of patronage and tribalism, to 
> the empowering politics of diversity and inclusiveness;
> 
> A transition from recurrent civil conflicts and divisiveness to 
> reconciliation and national unity;
> 
> A transition from the harmful vices of lies, deceit, sycophancy, treachery, 
> intolerance and indiscipline, to the noble virtues of truthfulness, honesty, 
> adulation, fairness, kindness and discipline;
> 
> A transition from secrecy, inordinate greed and corruption, to openness, 
> modesty, transparency and accountability in national governance;
> 
> A transition from the practice of pursuing personal interest in government 
> at the expense of the people, to a new attitude of promoting and seeking the 
> general welfare of all of our people;
> 
> A transition from a culture of lawlessness and impunity, to rule of law, 
> respect for human rights, and the equitable dispensation of social justice;
> 
> A transition from a centralized, Monrovia-centered government, to a 
> decentralized government wherein the people are empowered to assume 
> responsibility for the transformation of their communities;
> 
> A transition from opportunism for a few members of the ruling elite, to 
> equal access to opportunities for all of our people; and
> 
> A transition from extensive underdevelopment, to a better quality of life 
> for all of our people.
> OUR MISSION:
> Our country has become a failed state! The Sweet Land of Liberty, which was 
> once considered the beacon of hope of Africa, has become another glaring 
> example of a nation-state in decay.
> Ours is, therefore, a rescue mission: to take our country back from the 
> brink of self-destruction; to take our country back from the trenches of 
> despair and hopelessness; to redirect our nation and redeem the pledge of 
> our forebears to: "establish justice, insure domestic peace, and promote the 
> common good".
> 
> The Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Accra, Ghana, on August 18, 2003 
> provides the basis for moving our country forward. We shall scrupulously and 
> meticulously implement its provisions.
> 
> Fellow citizens, ladies and gentlemen, today we pledge before God and man, 
> that Liberians and members of the international community will see in us the 
> finest examples of commitment and diligence in the discharge of our 
> responsibilities under the Agreement.
> 
> POLICY FRAMEWORK
> GOOD GOVERNANCE:
> Historically, the core problem that Liberians have had has arisen out of 
> their inability to effectively perform the fundamental task of governance. 
> This is primarily because, for a very long time, various administrations 
> have paid lip service to the Constitution of the Republic. This led to the 
> civil war. Today, despite our abundant human and natural resources and long 
> history as a sovereign nation, Liberia has been classified among the poorest 
> countries of the world. It is all about not obeying the Constitution. Let me 
> declare, here and now, that I hold sacred the oath I have just taken, to 
> "uphold, protect and defend the Constitution" and the Comprehensive Peace 
> Agreement.
> 
> Our Government will take the Constitution seriously and be governed by it in 
> all our policies and actions; and good governance shall be the guide for our 
> Administration. Additionally, in obedience to the Constitution, this 
> Government will encourage the exercise of freedom of speech and of the 
> press, which constitutes one of the basic tenets of good governance.
> 
> It is only when the people are free to speak, write and print that they can 
> help keep the government accountable and transparent. I also pledge that our 
> Government will encourage an independent and unfettered Judiciary, where 
> justice will be administered freely, fairly and impartially.
> 
> This Government will also embrace the Good Governance Program of Liberia, 
> which has been developed with the assistance of the UNDP. We shall also make 
> the Governance Reform Commission of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement a 
> fully functioning and effective mechanism to undertake further research and 
> to recommend activities to induce adherence to the tenets of good 
> governance.
> 
> GOOD NEIGHBORLINESS:
> My fellow Liberians, it is high time that we as a people be true and honest 
> neighbors. Under our leadership, Liberia shall be a nation of peace: at 
> peace with herself; at peace with her neighbors; and at peace with the 
> international community. The focus of our foreign policy shall be good 
> neighborliness and peaceful co-existence. We shall restore a harmonious 
> relationship with our neighbors in the Mano River Union, La Cote d'Ivoire, 
> and the wider neighborhood that comprises the West African Sub-Region. In 
> addition, no group of any kind shall use Liberia for either terrorism, or 
> destabilization of another country.
> 
> Toward these ends, we reach out to President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierra 
> Leone; President Lansannah Coteh of Guinea; and President Laurent Gbagbo of 
> La Cote d'Ivoire.
> 
> PEACE BUILDING AND RECONCILIATION:
> Continued conflicts have hurt and destroyed our society for too long. We 
> need to exert new and meaningful efforts to achieve genuine peace and 
> reconciliation.
> 
> Fellow citizens, national healing and renewal shall be the primary 
> objectives of our reconciliation efforts. Our approach to national 
> reconciliation shall be simple: Liberians will be urged to forgive one 
> another, to be reconciled with one another, and to join others in the search 
> for closer national affinity.
> Peace and reconciliation will require all of us to give a little. We are not 
> asking anyone to forget. We cannot forget because if we do so, we will not 
> have learned any lessons from the past 23 years of attempting to solve our 
> problems through violence. But what we are asking is for each of us to look 
> into the mirror, see the enemy in us, and show some willingness to forgive 
> brother or sister.
> To build the peace, all arms must be collected and decommissioned; all 
> fighting units must be dissolved; all control and command structures must be 
> disbanded; and all fighting men and women must be retired and rehabilitated. 
> The entire country must be combed and rid of arms.
> 
> In addition, we must reintegrate all combatants into normal life in society 
> and help them acquire a stake in Liberia's future - a stake so significant, 
> that never again shall war ever be considered an option for them. 
> Rehabilitation programs, however, should take into account the needs of not 
> only ex-combatants, but all members of the community.
> 
> To build the peace, we must also reintegrate into the mainstream of society, 
> all Liberians who have been dislocated either as refugees in foreign 
> countries, or as internally displaced people. They, too, should be assisted 
> in re-establishing their lives and provided with opportunities to acquire a 
> stake in Liberia's tomorrow.
> 
> To build the peace, there must be justice - justice for all, irrespective of 
> origin, religion or other persuasions - justice based on the rule of law and 
> respect for the fundamental rights of the individual as declared in our 
> Constitution and international instruments. Accordingly, security sector 
> reforms shall be undertaken; and these reforms shall accentuate training, 
> re-adjusting attitudes and orientations, improving community relations, 
> inculcating loyalty to the state, and respect for human rights and the rule 
> of law.
> 
> Today, we defiantly draw a line in the sand between good and evil. We 
> challenge those who believe that this country cannot and will not redeem its 
> pledge of justice for all, to test our character and our resolve.
> 
> THE ECONOMY AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES
> Our country has been designated the poorest of the world. But it is common 
> knowledge that this same Liberia once had a vibrant economy, which matched 
> the economies of Southeast Asia. Today, the economies of Southeast Asian 
> countries are so developed, they are referred to as the "Emerging Markets," 
> while Liberia sinks deeper into poverty as a result of gross mismanagement, 
> massive corruption and continued conflict. This trend must be reversed!
> 
> To revive the economy and restore essential services, the Government will 
> establish an economic stimulus program that will put our people back to 
> work. Our economic stimulus program will have a growth orientation that 
> focuses on employment generation and poverty alleviation through productive 
> resettlement. Resources will be directed at reducing the unacceptable high 
> indices of underdevelopment which our country is experiencing.
> 
> We are under no illusions: we know that the tasks to restore essential 
> services are awesome. We are not certain that all services will be 
> completely restored before the expiry of our 28-month term of office. What 
> we are certain about is that the process of restoration of services and 
> overall reconstruction will commence now.
> 
> FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
> Remembering that rigged elections have been a source of conflict in Liberia, 
> the Peace Agreement calls for collaboration with the international 
> community, particularly the United Nations, in the conduct of the next 
> elections. We welcome this provision.
> 
> MESSAGE TO THE LEADERS OF THE WARRING PARTIES
> The war is over!
> Never Again!
> 
> Those grievances that motivated you to take up arms against your own people 
> and government are now on the political table. You have been brought into 
> the government in positions of your choosing. Let us now work together to 
> seek an amicable resolution of the grievances. Let us now work together to 
> move our country forward into an era of sustainable peace and human 
> development.
> As we together seek to correct the ills of the past, the eyes of our people 
> and the world will be upon us. Let us, therefore, govern with every ounce of 
> thoughtfulness for our people and diligence in public service. Ours is a 
> trust bestowed upon us by providence. Let us not betray this trust.
> 
> Our collective responsibility is to ensure that we merge our various 
> factions and parties into a coordinated, functional, and credible 
> government.
> 
> What we are contemplating is nothing short of a radical re-ordering of how 
> we think, how we live and how we interact with one another. We cannot 
> accomplish what we need to accomplish by returning to business as usual.
> 
> To the Combatants
> 
> The war is over!
> 
> Never again!
> 
> Many of you are young. Many of you have been on the periphery of our 
> society. Life has been meaningless, for there appears to be no 
> opportunities. Most of you have been disadvantaged by the lack of education 
> and training. Others among you have been abused. All of you have lost your 
> childhood and even adolescence. This government, with the assistance of the 
> international community, will seek to address, in a holistic and coherent 
> manner, the wide range of problems associated with former combatants. Your 
> effective reintegration into local communities shall be accelerated. Among 
> the problems to be addressed, top priority will be given to education, 
> health-care and food security. We shall seek the help of the international 
> community in addressing these problems.
> 
> In the process of restoring Liberia, our institutions of higher learning 
> will be crucial. We shall work hard to revive and support the University of 
> Liberia and all other institutions of higher learning.
> To the Liberian People
> 
> I know that too many of you have been hurt either by actions of combatants, 
> your fellow citizens, or by actions of your own government. Under these 
> circumstances, it is hard to ask you to forgive, and to give us your trust. 
> But we have no option, except to ask that you trust us and work with us as 
> we commence the task of moving Liberia forward.
> 
> If no government before ours has served you well, this Government will!
> 
> Let me caution you, however, that our problems are enormous and our current 
> national capacity is low.
> 
> Be that as it may, our Government will do its utmost for you.
> 
> Over the months since we were selected to head the Transitional Government, 
> we have received tremendous goodwill for our country. The international 
> community is poised, ready and willing to help us. But there are two 
> conditions: First, we must help ourselves; and second, we must subscribe to 
> and implement the norms of decency, civility and good governance. Let me now 
> assure you, fellow Liberians, that we shall do what is appropriate to 
> attract external assistance to our country so that the quality of life of 
> the Liberian people will be changed permanently for the better.
> 
> Fellow Citizens, the harm of our country was done not only by those in arms. 
> Many of us took advantage of the situation to enjoy what we erroneously 
> believed to be the spoils of war. We looted the offices of both government 
> and private businesses. We looted civil society institutions and we looted 
> the homes and shops of our neighbors.
> 
> What is even more disgusting is that we have the audacity to sell those from 
> whom we looted, their own properties. But, if you believe in the new Liberia 
> we are seeking to build, we appeal to you to join us in making our country 
> free of looting. We shall endeavor to create the conditions that will 
> empower each able-bodied citizen to reap a fair share of his labor, from the 
> sweat of his own brow, rather than to take, seize or loot from others that 
> which is lawfully theirs. Let us remember that one of the hallmarks of our 
> free enterprise system is respect for private property.
> 
> A key demand of the Liberian people and the international community is the 
> eradication of corruption. Corruption, particularly in government, is a 
> cancer that has been eating at the heart of our nation for a very long time. 
> It must be checked.
> 
> My Fellow Citizens, we must work diligently and passionately to eradicate 
> corruption from our personal and national lives. We shall not pay lip 
> service to eliminating corruption. We shall attack it from the core of its 
> foundation and from every angle, not only because its eradication is a 
> benchmark set by the international community for assistance to us; but also 
> because we are aware that corruption is inimical to the sustainable 
> development of our country. We shall attack corruption because it is the 
> right thing to do. There will be zero tolerance for corruption in this 
> Administration.
> My Fellow Citizens, within the immediate future, you will begin to feel the 
> impact of our commitment, and experience a difference through the policies 
> we adopt.
> 
> During the months since our selection, we studied various sectors of the 
> economy and we determined, as you probably know already, that the prices you 
> pay for a 100-pound bag of rice, a gallon of gasoline, a gallon of kerosene, 
> and a gallon of diesel fuel are unnecessarily too high. These, among other 
> things, negatively impact the quality of your lives. This exorbitant cost of 
> living is unacceptable and shall be reduced.
> 
> Accordingly, without interfering with our free market system, which we 
> cherish, the Government will initiate policies to ensure that effective 
> November 1, 2003, this unreasonable hardship on our people is reduced. Among 
> other things: the price of rice will go down; the price of gasoline will go 
> down; the price of fuel oil will go down; and the price of kerosene will 
> also go down.
> 
> As a consequence of the reductions of the cost of petroleum products, the 
> cost of transportation will be reduced accordingly, and the public will be 
> duly informed.
> 
> We are aware that one of the most important elements in the improvement of 
> the quality of life of any people is their active and sustained involvement 
> in the business and commercial life of their country. Unfortunately, for too 
> long the business and commercial life of the Liberian nation has been 
> dominated by foreigners.
> 
> While we welcome the continued participation of foreigners in the economic 
> sector, this government, will as a matter of urgent priority, exert every 
> effort to encourage Liberians to go into business, to stay there and to 
> develop and expand their enterprises. Liberians must be encouraged to assume 
> the responsibility for building Liberia. No one else can do it better than 
> ourselves.
> 
> The effect of the civil conflict on the lives of all of us is devastating. 
> One of the sources of relief is the barrels and cartons of humanitarian 
> goods and personal effects sent by non-resident Liberians to their families 
> and friends here at home. Levies have been recently imposed on the 
> importation of these barrels and cartons, thereby adding unnecessary 
> hardship on our people. Effective immediately, there shall be no levies on 
> barrels and cartons containing personal effects and relief supplies sent to 
> Liberians from abroad.
> 
> The Comprehensive Peace Agreement decries monopolies in our economy; and in 
> implementing those provisions of the Agreement, there shall be no monopolies 
> on rice, petroleum and other products. The market will be free, open and 
> competitive.
> 
> Our Constitution guarantees the free movement of our people; the 
> Comprehensive Peace Agreement accentuates this principle as evidence of a 
> free people. Accordingly, the requirement for the exit visa is hereby 
> abolished.
> 
> To the United States of America
> Liberia remains the only country on the African continent with special 
> historical ties with the United States of America. For more than 150 years, 
> Liberia has remained a faithful and trusted ally of the United States. In 
> World War II, Liberian territory was used by the United States Armed Forces 
> as a supply center for the Allied campaign in North Africa. Liberia made the 
> United States self-sufficient in rubber - a commodity that was critical to 
> America's industrialization.
> 
> During the Cold War, Liberia housed the largest United States intelligence 
> and navigation information network in Africa.
> 
> Despite intermittent difficulties, Liberia - U.S. relations have withstood 
> the test of time. As we begin this new era of national renewal, we invite 
> the United States Government to engage us in a renewed and strengthened 
> friendship as we face the formidable task of national transformation. We 
> welcome recent signals from Washington assuring us of continued long-term 
> support of the United States in assisting Liberia make this sustainable 
> transformation.
> 
> We express special thanks to President George W. Bush for his recent 
> personal involvement in changing the course of events in Liberia for the 
> better.
> To the Leaders and Peoples of ECOWAS
> 
> The people of Liberia will always be grateful to the Heads of State and 
> Government and the peoples of the West African Sub-Region for their concern 
> shown to Liberia and its people.
> 
> We appreciate the sacrifices that the peoples of the sub-region have made 
> and continue to make over these long and difficult years to preserve the 
> sovereignty and integrity of Liberia.
> 
> When we needed a friend to lean on, you, our brothers and sisters, came to 
> our rescue, giving up your sons and daughters to die so that Liberians might 
> live and our country survive. When our people, in desperation and pain, 
> sought refuge from hostilities, you provided shelter for us.
> We are convinced that the members of ECOWAS, led by our big brother, the 
> Federal Republic of Nigeria, are truly performing the role, and living up to 
> the challenge conferred upon them by history and Providence.
> 
> President Obasanjo, to you and the great people of Nigeria, we, the people 
> of Liberia, extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
> 
> We also pay a special tribute to His Excellency John A. Kufour, President of 
> the Republic of Ghana, and Current Chair of ECOWAS, for providing leadership 
> to the Organization in addressing the Liberian crisis, as well as for the 
> warm African hospitality extended in hosting the recently concluded Liberian 
> Peace Talks.
> 
> No doubt, blood and tears have further sealed the fraternal bonds between 
> the people of Liberia and those of the Sub-region. Behold, from henceforth, 
> our children will remember and call you blessed!
> 
> Special Acknowledgment
> For their personal contribution to peace and stability in Liberia, special 
> acknowledgment also goes from the National Transitional Government of 
> Liberia to the following dignitaries:
> 
> UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
> President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa;
> President Joachim Chissano of Mozambique;
> President Aboulaye Wade of the Republic of Senegal
> King Mohammed VI of Morocco
> The Members of the European Union
> Former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar,
> His Excellency Nana Akuffo-Addo, Foreign Minister of Ghana
> Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS.
> Members of the International Contact Group on Liberia
> The Wider International Community
> 
> Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Liberia's fundamental problem is 
> prolonged years of underdevelopment, which has now resulted in continued 
> conflicts. Liberia, therefore craves the indulgence of the international 
> community to understand the underlying causes of her problems as well as the 
> enormity and complexity of these problems.
> 
> Beyond the resolution of our conflict and the provision of humanitarian 
> assistance, we make an urgent appeal to you to assist Liberia in reforming 
> her economic and political structures and institutions, which are 
> indispensable to sustainable human development.
> 
> Without this assistance, Liberia will not meaningfully attend to her 
> underdevelopment; and without attending to her underdevelopment in a 
> meaningful way, Liberia stands to be a zero-sum game in which more political 
> instability will induce more underdevelopment.
> 
> We seek true partnership with the international community, not just symbolic 
> partnership. We seek a partnership which will allow us to take ownership of 
> the development of our country. We seek a partnership that accommodates the 
> use of national skills and talents; a partnership geared towards building 
> institutions and setting in motion processes for the renewal of Liberia as a 
> vibrant and well-managed state.
> 
> Finally, Fellow Citizens, Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, 
> Friends, Liberia is today a country in conflict. But even in the midst of 
> the consuming chaos, I am convinced that with your cooperation, Liberia will 
> become a peaceful, stable and prosperous nation and regain its pristine 
> place among the comity of nations.
> 
> Let us reaffirm faith in our future and rebuild confidence in our confidence 
> in our capacity to achieve a better quality of life for all our people.
> 
> I have faith that God will grant us His grace to achieve these goals because 
> they are just and good for all our people.
> 
> So as we leave these ceremonies, let us now start this new beginning with a 
> greater degree of harmony, accord, faith, and the determination to succeed.
> 
> May God, the Almighty, Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, 
> grant us His Peace and Bless Liberia!
> 
> I thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> Bro. Germaine G. Verdier
> Chairman
> http://www.vhi-sweden.org
> 
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