Saturday 19 April 2014

Declaration of Intent for House of Representatives

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FOR THE DECLARATION OF INTENT TO CONTEST AS REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT #4, SINKOR, MONROVIA, MONTSERRADO COUNTY, REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
BY
MR. THOMAS KAYDOR, JR.

FRIDAY, 21 January 2011

Ladies and gentlemen of the press; officials, members and well-wishers of the Thomas Kaydor Movement for Change (TKMC for short); Residents of District 4, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia; Fellow Liberians:

According to one of our prolific journalists in Liberia, Veronica Kpan, “rumors are carried by enemies; spread by ignorant people; and accepted by fools”. It is on the basis of this axiom that we have invited you here today to categorically and publicly inform, indicate, avow, express, state and declare that we-Thomas Kaydor, Jr., a resident of Central Matadi Estate, with family and supporters-will participate in the forth coming 2011 general and presidential elections in Liberia as a candidate for the Position of Representative in District 4, Sinkor, Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia.
We are making this public declaration to dispel all rumors that we have decided to quit our ambition to contest as representative due to our current assignment with the UN System in Ethiopia as Common Services Advisor. We were serving as UN Coordination Analyst in the Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Resident Coordinator of UN Liberia, and Resident Representative of UNDP Liberia when we and our people decided that we join the race. As a UN staff, may I clearly state the we are allowed to become members of political institutions; but should we as staff resolve to actively participate in politics including contesting for elective positions, we must remove ourselves from the international civil service so that we do not compromise the internationally acclaimed neutrality of the UN System. Let us therefore say here that when the time for nomination and or selection of candidates comes, we will officially bid farewell to the UN System to make our debut for an elective post in Liberia. May I equally emphasize that the UN system espouses democracy, good governance, honesty, integrity, human rights, etc. Hence, it would be pleased to see one of its enviable products and trainees contest and win elections in Liberia to change the lackadaisical attitude exhibited by legislators over the years.

Should we win as Representative, and optimistically we will, we will endeavor to serve our constituents with humility, fortitude, openness, transparency, accountability, honesty, integrity, and above all ensure that our services are provided in an equitable, results-focused, and right-based manner. On the contrary, should we not win the race, being that elective positions are for competitive processes; we will openly congratulate the winner and support him/her in the effort to lead the District as Representative.

Are there any reasons why we would like to participation in the forth coming elections? Yes, there are many reasons. One major reason we like to participate in the elections is to ensure that the incoming legislature is effective, efficient and independent ensuring the necessary checks and balances enshrined in the constitution of Liberia. This will allow us to make pro-poor policies and laws for the growth and development of our Country, Liberia. In this vein, we would like to announce that we will partner with likeminded candidates for representation in order to ensure that we have such a credible team in our National Legislature. We therefore would like to urge voters to vote not only on party lines, but also on the basis of candidates’ past and present records as well as their qualification and capability to represent the people. Past and present Legislatures have been very weak, passive and subservient to the Executive Branch of Government. They have therefore compromised the interest of the people who elected them. Let us find out some key factors that have aborted the effective and efficient law making process in Liberia, which we wish to transform. The responsible factors can be summarized by what I call ‘PIGS INC’. The P=Poverty, I=illiteracy, G=greed, S=selfishness, I=ignorance, N=Non-Nationalism and C=corruption.

Poverty: When people are poor, they are depressed and hungry. They more often than not become dependent on those who have. Their decisions get shifted by the powerful. The haves normally control the decision of the haves not. Hence when poor people become legislators, their decisions are normally dictated by those who are rich. In the context of Liberia, the President is rich because he or she controls the financial and economic resources of the state. Many cabinet ministers and heads of autonomous agencies in the Executive also easily become rich because they control more economic resources. Due to this economic imbalance between the Executive and Legislature, poor law makers would dance to the dictates of the Executive. In extreme cases some poor people uphold their integrity and become radical. This uprightness many a time leads to their marginalization in society. Thus they continue in the poverty-stricken radicalism. This life style, many poor people would not prefer. They would prefer to exit poverty by any irrational means.

Illiteracy: More often than not, illiterate people are manipulated by western educated individuals. This does not necessarily mean that illiterate people are not educated, but the power of the pen tends to blind them to classical and contemporary realities. A resolution, bill, or letter could be written for an illiterate man against his or her interest; yet he or she could sign by just placing the ink from the thump print. The secretary to an illiterate government official or law maker could send emails that will indict his or her boss. It is therefore more dangerous to elect an illiterate person to the National Legislature where laws to govern the country are being enacted. Such persons could be lured into making bad laws without knowing. This will lead the Nation-State to catastrophic consequences. Imagine an illiterate law maker representing Liberia at the AU or ECOWAS parliament or Universal Parliamentary Union!

Greed and Selfishness: In life, there are those with an inherent tendency of greed and selfishness. Such people believe they must always succeed at the detriment of others. They build themselves castles and live in comfort. They neither care about the suffering of others nor think how their neighbors survive. They only give when they need to get from you. Greedy and selfish individuals do not advocate for change, fair play, justice and equity. They only do so when their personal interest is threatened. It is therefore obvious that electing greedy and selfish legislators will lead to abandonment of constituents’ interest, rob the people of effective representation and deny them their due share in national development priorities. Greedy and selfish legislators team up with the corrupt Executive and Judiciary to suppress implementation of the good laws on the book. They fail to hold others accountable once their needs and wants are met. Such law makers compromise national interest by receiving bribes to pass bogus laws and contracts. Greed and selfishness is entrenched in their daily life style.

Ignorance and Inexperience: Ignorance and inexperience are twins. They are not bordered on poverty, greed, selfishness and corruption. The fact that one cannot read or write does not make him or her ignorant, inexperience, greedy, selfish, illiterate and corrupt. These twins are therefore unique in a context. What a person does not know and has never experienced, he or she does not know at all. Experience is the best teacher of every being. Hence those to become lawmakers must have extensive knowledge about the social, political, economic, international and even religious adequacies and inadequacies of the state. They must understand the dynamics of advocacy, good governance, peace and unity, human rights, results-based planning, implementation and monitoring, rule of law, negotiation, team work, lobbying, parliamentary procedures, public speaking and community mobilization and development.

Would be legislators must and need to understand the dynamics of the international political system which virtually dictates the internal politics of weaker states in the global state of nature. This will enable them articulate and promulgate national laws to protect not only the territorial integrity of the state, but also its national interest (the wellbeing of the people and security of the state). Individuals ignorant of these issues are without knowledge of what constitutes a political system. Hence thy must not be elected to legislative positions. They should not be given political power because they will corrupt the system, become a liability on it, and ruin the essence of democracy. It is also obvious that ignorant and inexperienced people will lack vision.

Corruption: Corruption is a cousin to greed and selfishness. Only greedy and selfish people think they should always achieve at others’ detriment. Since resources are limited amidst unlimited human needs and wants, greedy and selfish individuals corrupt the available limited resources to gain wealth and personal satisfaction. This results to exploitation of the already poor, the unequal distribution of power, wealth and resources, as well as the sustenance of the cycle of poor majority versus the rich minority. As earlier indicated under poverty, the act of greedy and selfish politicians corrupting national resources renders the poor powerless. Corruption makes the poor subservient to the rich. The rich recycle their ill gotten wealth to wield power from the very poor citizens they made indigent. This trend continues as an unbroken cycle in many societies. The act of wealthy, corrupt, selfish and greedy politicians using economic power to win elections is common place in poor and illiterate societies including Liberia. They win elections because poor people tie political decisions to economic motives. Poor and illiterate voters normally do not vote on the basis of rational decision, but rather on what they can get for themselves in the interim. It is therefore advisable to enlighten voters that those who spend huge sums of money during elections should not be voted for. They do not necessarily care about the poor, but they use the stolen wealth as a bit to get power and further entrench poverty. Corruption, greed, and selfishness undermine national progress and development because they disallow equitable distribution of wealth, power and opportunities.

Additionally, corruption is unlimited to just financial and economic resources. There are moral and social corruptions. For instance a rich man living within a poverty stricken community may socially and morally be corrupt should they use their economic resources to engage in sexual exploitation and abuse of young boys and girls. They could also use their resources to take away benefits and opportunities belonging to communities. These benefits may include land, etc. Still, other morally corrupt acts constitute the killing of others to attain wealth and power.

Nationalism and Patriotism: Nationalism is synonymous to patriotism. When one is nationalistic or patriotic, s/he will not engage in acts that will undermine the national interest of a state. This means, nationalistic individuals stand up for the wellbeing of the people and the security of their countries. A patriotic citizen will not exploit the state due to selfish motives and greed. As has been pointed out, greed, selfishness and corruption will rob the country of needed resources thereby leading to poverty, ignorance, disease, underdevelopment, illiteracy etc. In short, those to be elected must have proven records of standing up for social-political and economic justice, freedom and people’s rights, truth, fair play, transparency and accountability. They must have impeachable human rights records. They must have had no links with extortion of resources from government ministries, agencies and functionaries. Those to be elected must not have used their connections with corrupt, dictatorial and autocratic regimes to amass wealth. Equally those from the private sector must not have corrupted resources intended for national growth and development. Nationalists, where ever they are, will always stand against injustices, greed, corruption, selfishness, poverty, illiteracy, etc.

Now that we have accounted for the problems of past and present legislators, let us provide you our brief legislative agenda should we be elected as Representative.

People Centered Representation: We commit to creating easy access to constituents through the establishment of an effective and efficient office to be run by the office staff. The office will open Monday through Friday daily. Office staff will work at the District office full time. All Communities within the District will be divided into blocks based on existing typologies of communities now in the confines of the constituency. Each block will democratically elect a leadership; the Chair and Secretary for each block will become automatic members of the District Development Committee (DDC). The DDC will in turn elect its standing leadership. The tenure of the Community Leaderships as well as the DDCs will be determined by the locals. The DDC will consolidate the needs, views and aspirations of the people of the district. They will decide what to do and what not based on the interests of the people they represent. Decisions taken by the DDC will form part of the Representative’s Legislative Agenda as well as Annual Work Plan (AWP) for his office. The Office will integrate businesses within the District into development planning and decision making based on Corporate Social Responsibility. You may ask, what have we done thus far since we wish to make such change? The answer is that you now sit in our Political Office in the District.

Youth Development and Empowerment: The youth in the entire district will be supported and empowered to conduct a democratic election for District Youth Leadership. The Chair and Secretary of the Youth will become members of the DDC. The youth will be supported to organize a District Volunteer Movement (DVM) to engage in community development initiatives. The Representative will lead resource mobilization for all volunteers’ activities of the DVM. Keen attention will be given to sporting, recreation and sanitation activities for the youth. Sports and recreation will be the glue of promoting district unity. The DMV initiative will be a conduit for job creation for the young people in the District. You may ask, what have we done thus far since we wish to make such change? The answer is that we have been involved with all the activities of the young people including sports, recreation, etc. In many instances, we have provided strategic guidance and recommendations for employment of some of our colleagues in the district.

Education: We will support and advocate for the implementation of the Free and Compulsory Primary Education Policy of government. Public schools may be built or existing ones could be expanded to accommodate the growing number of kids in the constituency. These public schools will alleviate the burden of fess and tuition being charged by private schools. We will advocate for increased financial support to private schools. This will allow government to institute regulatory policies for private schools in terms of levying fees and tuition. We will also provide scholarships to vocational, technical, and academic schools students based on need and merit. Basic political and civic education retreats, workshops, symposia and seminars will be conducted quarterly to enhance the people’s participation in the politics of the District and State. You may again ask, what have we done in this direction? And your answer is that we have been providing scholarships to University students for the past four semesters sometimes paying up to three hundred fifty thousand Liberian Dollars (LD$350,000.00) per semester. So you may calculate the total spent thus far during the period of the 4 semesters. The records are there with the University of Liberia and the Scholarship Coordinating Team led by astute Comrade Joseph Akoi.

Attractive National Minimum Wage: The Legislator will lobby his colleagues to ensure enactment of a law putting the national minimum wage at least at US $200.00 or its equivalent in Liberian Dollars. This will increase annually based on economic progression of the state. For this, we have had little jurisdiction to change anything as increment of salaries lies squarely in the parameters of the national government.

Women Economic empowerment: As legislator, we will enhance the macro-loan initiative for market women in order to allow them increase their capital for their businesses. Women will have equal voice as their men counterparts in deciding development priorities for the District. We will also promote access to micro loan schemes for marketers through partnership with local banks. You may as well ask, what have we done in terms of women empowerment and gender equality? And you corresponding answer will be that we have provided a little over two hundred thousand Liberian Dollars (LD $200,000.00) to support organized women groups in our local communities at not profit. The records are there; you may conduct a verification survey.

Infrastructure and Basic Social Services: We will support increased budgetary allocation to infrastructural development (especially, safe drinking water, roads, bridges, etc.) in the district yea the entire country. We will promote policies leading to a Liberian agrarian revolution and encourage investment in the agricultural sector (this links with access to counties and local communities-roads and bridges). We will equally support increased subsidy and support to the health delivery system within the District and the State as a whole. We will support enhanced access to safe drinking water within the district; and will also support building of public latrines in slum communities in where most homes lack such facilities in the District. If you were to ask again, have we done anything substantive in this direction? Your best answer would be yes. We have tried to construct hand pumps and support basic social service delivery projects in our district. We have yet to reach all the communities, but hopefully we will reach those ones in urgent need as far as our hard earned available resources are concerned. You will agree with me that the question of infrastructure and basic social services is cardinal to national growth and development. Hence, we will strongly advocate that substantive national resources are allocated to this sector in the national budget.

International Dimension: We will lobby other legislators and parliamentarians of foreign states for legislative support to the District Office in particular and the Legislature in general. We will woo investors to invest in appropriate business ventures in the district and the State as a whole. And he will support legislations for a friendly business environment in Liberia, but with emphasis on national interest. We will seek partnership for legislative staff exchange programme to increase knowledge management and enhance capacities of our Office Staff in particular and legislative staff at the capitol in general. We will build intense partnership with the United Nations (UN) System; European Union (EU); African Union (AU); Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS); Mano River Union (MRU) and diplomatic missions in Liberia and out of Liberia to seek development assistance for the District yea the state. We presently have existing strong ties with these international organizations and regional bodies.

May we say bravo to the leadership and members of the Movement for Change led by progressive Comrade Whroway Bryant for their hard work. They have made us to achieve all that we can boast of today. We cannot pay them, but history will judge them kindly. Least I forget, you may wish to ask! Will you contest as an independent candidate or contest on a party ticket? I am pleased to announce that Mr. Thomas Kaydor, Jr. will contest on a party or coalition ticket. As parties are still regrouping to form mergers or coalition, we would like to commission the leadership of the Movement for Change to put in place the appropriate mechanism that will allow us run on a party or coalition slate to ensure that we have the required votes to make us win the elections. We have always said that the Movement will determine which political institution we should lend support to. We maintain this because those who have been and are still supporting us come from diverse political backgrounds. We like to state clearly that parties are instruments and conduits to getting state power. As you have seen over the years, people are elected on parties’ slots, but resign from those parties and join others. We therefore conclude that the kind and type of parties to contest on does not really matter. What matters most is to remain consistent with our progressive agenda and ensure that the people’s interest remains our fundamental concern. Liberia is above parties and coalitions.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press; officials, members and well-wishers of the TKMC; Residents of District 4, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia; Fellow Liberians, we once again assure you of our commitment to the electoral process. We encourage other potential constituents to enter the race so that it becomes competitive. We will contest come 2011 and we look forward to being part of the national reform process to be initiated by the 53rd Legislature of the Republic of Liberia. We thank you very much for coming. We wish you and families a prosperous and happy New Year. NO TIME! LIBERIA FIRST!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Thomas Kaydor, Jr. (traditionally known in Grebo as Kaydor Saidy Bah) currently serves as Common Services Advisor in UN Ethiopia. He obtained a Diploma in International Programme on Management and Development of NGOs, Galilee International Management Institute, Formerly Galilee College, Israel; Certificate-Human Rights Based Approach & Results Based Management in Development Programming, UN System Staff College, Turin, Italy; M.A (Summa Cum Laude) International Relations-Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Graduate School of International Studies, University of Liberia; B.A (Magna Cum Laude) Comparative Government and Politics, University of Liberia; Certificates-Basic Psychosocial Skills (TOT), and Training for Transformation, (TOT)-Mother Pattern College of Health Sciences; and Certificate and Diploma-St. Francis High School, Maryland County, Liberia.

He holds several professional certificates including ABC E-Certificate- Professional Writing Skills for Business and Administration, Alan Borman Communications, UK; Training in UN General Service Staff/Headquarters Salary Survey and UN Human Resource Management, Congo Brazzaville; Atlas (UNDP Financial Management Studies), Prince II Written and Online Examinations, Programme Management; Advanced and Basic Security in the Field; Gender Journey, Thinking Outside the Box; UN Prevention of Harassment & Sexual Harassment & Abuse of Authority in Work Place; Peace Building & Programme Management (TOT), RECEIVE Inc., and Computer Operation and networking, CHEALE Vocational Institute, Liberia.

He respectively served as the first National Coordination Officer and UN Coordination Analyst (ICS9), Integrated Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC/RR-Liberia for the past three years; ensuring effective Country Office Support to the UN System/UN Country Team (UNCT), OMT and IAPT thereby increasing trust and confidence in Resident Coordinator System; cutting transaction costs and promoting UN reform through Joint Programme formulation and Implementation, supporting Delivering as One (DaO) initiative in Liberia; promoting assessment, planning and implementation of Common Services and Harmonized Business Practices. He also served as Chief of Office Staff-Office of the Chair on Executive, House of Representatives, Republic of Liberia; Field Supervisor USAID/LCIP Social Reintegration Programme, Liberia; Psychosocial Officer, World Vision International ; Editor-in-Chief- Observation newspaper, Liberia; Registrar, Trinity Lutheran High School; and Teaching/Research Assistant at the University of Liberia, AMEU and AMEZU Universities in Liberia. He is married to Mrs. Helen Garbo-Kaydor with five children (Alfred, Julius, Raymond, Thomaslen and Jordan), and several dependents.





Tuesday 15 April 2014

Government funding for NGOs?


                   Government Funding for NGOs?

 Tom Kaydor/15 April 2014

This post is in response to a blog post on government's funding for NGOs in Australia and other Western countries.

It is quite fascinating to read about government’s support to NGOs.  Fascinating because in developing countries, NGOs raise their own finances to fund development programmes, which in my view support government’s development priorities.  Without doubt, a troika approach to development involving the government, donors/NGOs, and the local communities (Haynes 2008) is fundamental if development must succeed in developing countries. And government’s support to NGOs in developing countries could further advance development interventions in a multifaceted way.

However, without questioning the systems in place to facilitate transparent and accountable utilization of government’s financial support to NGOs in Australia and other countries, there seems to be genuine reasons why NGOs in developing countries are not supported by government’s funding. First, the governments “do not have adequate resources for their own priorities”, and are therefore complaining about budgetary shortfalls, thus looking up to donors to support development process, sometimes through direct budget support. Second, the rules governing the establishment and operation of NGOs are weak, thereby making it difficult, if not impossible, to hold NGOs accountable. Third, NGOs in developing countries view themselves as pressure groups that should hold government accountable, advocate against societal ills and promote democracy and human rights. By so doing, governments perceive NGOs as spies and agents of the West, which uses democracy, accountability, transparency, human rights, et al. as preconditions for aid.  As a result of mistrust in governments, donors and aid agencies tend to trust NGOs than governments with funding to directly implement development programmes in developing countries.

I think the scenario above undermines development efforts in developing countries as suggested by Haynes (2008). It would be preferable where NGOs to be accountable to governments, and that donor funding provided to NGOs in developing countries should be based on national priorities for which national governments have got no funding. Combined and well coordinated effort can increase development outcomes and national levels.

One may ask, who sets the national priorities? The simple answer is government. However, it is my view that NGOs must partner with government to identify national priorities and determine gaps for which aid can be sought for development interventions. Government is obliged to ensure the useful participation of NGOs, local communities and partners in development planning and implementation processes. I am making this point because some of the funds provided to NGOs in developing countries tend to target sectors which other donors are simultaneously funding, hence the issue of multiple support to single development priorities. This sometimes leads to corruption of donor funds, and leaves some urgent development priorities unfunded. Equally, NGOs tend to behave like opposition politicians and more often than not produce politicians in developing countries. How these new elites enhance governance and promote development is another question begging answers. Nevertheless, the role and interventions of NGOs have made significant impact in developing countries. Without the intervention of NGOs, it is unclear what developing countries would be like up to present.

Is it good at all for government to support NGOs? Indeed yes, this is a lesson to be learned and a best practice for developing countries.  Good if such lesson were shared, especially guidelines by which funding to NGOs are determined, et al. Case studies on such practices could even proof more strategic for replication in developing countries.

In view of the above, lessons on how governments support NGOs would be good to share. The rules and regulations governing NGOs and their modus operandi are also desirous.