Voice of Liberia

J. Yanqui Zaza | February 4, 2010

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her friends seem to believe that they can fool all of the people all the time. For instance, Sirleaf herself has yet to explain issues surrounding the $1million check at Central Bank. Mr. Estrada Bernard, a brother in-law has not explained how he earned the $600,000.00 payment from CellCom. Mr. Harry Greaves, Jr. has denied his involvement in corruption at LPRC. Dr. Lawrence Bropleh, former Minister of Information and Cultural Affairs, continues to disclaim his signature, insisting that someone forged it. And the list goes on.

Now Ms. Clavendar Bright Parker, a friend and business partner of President Sirleaf,   has attempted to refute her ownership in International Bank. Unfortunately, her explanation has raised questions about her sincerity and honesty. Is it really true that members of the True Whig Party were honest, and they earned their properties through honest efforts, as she stated? Also, is it also true that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government is providing equal opportunity to all Liberians, such that excessive salaries are paid to all competent recruits, and lucrative job offers are awarded to any qualified applicants without prejudice? Parker’s assertions are disingenuous at best, and her explanations are unsupportive.

Let us look at the National Port authority to test the fairness issue in hiring. I did review the prospective names of applicants reported in newspapers and websites, and I did not see the name, Ms. Matilda Wokie Parker, the current managing director. More so, how did Ms. Matilda Parker gain her executive experience for such a herculean task since she just received her MBA in 2008 from the University of Texas? Certainly, if NPA’s principal functionalities were computerized, I would be less concerned since she got her BSC in Computer Information System in 1993 from Strayer University. Interestingly, Ms. Matilda Wokie Parker listed Binyah Kesslley, NPA Board Chairman as one of the three persons for employment reference. So, was she employed for unknown activities, other business transactions, or presidential campaign related transactions?  

What’s about excessive salaries? Ms. Matilda Parker is one of the privileged few who is receiving excessive salaries. In fact even before she returned to her country, NPA transmitted US $10,000.00 to her as relocation funds. Further, the Port paid $6,090.34 for her plane tickets. President Sirleaf is awarding excessive salaries at the same time her government is laying off thousands of $70.00 per month salary earners in fulfillment of the downsizing theory. To add salt to injury, President Sirleaf awarded double benefits to Monrovia-landlords. Her Minister of Finance abated real estate taxes and paid arrears in rent to Monrovia-landlords, including the payment of $250,000.00 to a landlord. (See 2006/2007 Liberian Budgets).

With such a scenario, our faithful Christian lady, Clavendar Bright Parker, stated that President Sirleaf is not increasing the wealth of Monrovia-landlords and their relatives. If Ms. Bright Parker does not see partiality and favoritism in Sirleaf government, it is fair to conclude that she is unable to accept the facts that members of the True Whig Party siphoned government resources to their personal pockets. Firestone Company (established since 1929) and LAMCO (established since the 50s) got very rich from Liberia’s resources by giving bribes to members of TWP in exchange for favors. If Ms. Clavendar Parker cannot admit that it was because economic disparities along with inequities that bred the 1980 coup, should anyone trust other assertions, especially so since she is trying to put forward a damage- controlled story?

For hard evidence, let us look at the International Bank (IB) as a test case. Sorry Ms. Parker, you guys thought that no one could trace any print leading to your ownership in International Bank Limited, by way of your interest in Pan African Group, previously known as Modern Africa Fund. Additionally, you guys might have assumed that a researcher would not review layers of corporate arrangements, but just focus on documents such as article of incorporation, dividend payment document, etc.

What is Pan African Capital Group? It is one of the shareholders of IB? Its website indicates that Pan African Capital Group, LLC (PACG) is more than just an ordinary investors of IB. Here are postings which indicate that IB is not an ordinary investor:

"Liberia's commercial debt payment was finalized on April 16, 2009.  Negotiations with the holders of the Republic of Liberia's $1.2 billion in commercial debt were successfully concluded, resulting in a payment of $38 million, or 3 cents on the dollar for nearly all of the outstanding commercial loans.  For the full story please click here for the PACG Outlook Note, which summarizes the current and future debt payments and explores the implications of this event for Liberia and how the country can build upon this momentum."  

 "The Liberia Review. 'A New Day,' the Liberian Financial Sector and Investment Review for June 2008 was released by International Bank (Liberia) Limited.  The Review provides donors, foundations, multi-lateral organizations, and private investors' valuable insights into the current economic, social, and political climate, while looking towards the future of the Liberian financial sector and investment possibilities of today and tomorrow.  Click here to read the Review."  

PACG Principals have been instrumental in promoting credit ratings for African countries from the major credit rating agencies. PACG works with its own portfolio companies as well as others to enhance value of its own and its partners’ investments.

Did PACG perform negotiating functions as implied in the first posting? Were Liberia’s economic projections determined by International Bank as indicated in the second posting? If true, has Liberia hired PACG and, or International Bank as a consultant? Or are PACG and International Bank performing services for Liberia at no cost? And why did IB and PACG perform services for Liberia at no cost?

For the moment let us put aside the questions about why PCAG and International Bank did perform services that should be carried out by personnel of government ministries and institutions such as Ministry Finance, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the National Bank of Liberia. It is important, but it can wait for another day.  

By the way, what is the relationship between PACG and International Bank? PACG owns interest in International Bank and other portfolio such as Liquid Holding Limited (Rosebank) located in Johannesburg, South Africa, and a cellular telephone operator called Cora de Comstar based in the Ivory Coast. (www.afrika.no/noop/page.php). Who owns Pan African Capital Group, formerly called Modern Africa Fund? A Press Release dated July 27, 2002, stated that, “…Measuagoon, in collaboration with Stephen cashin family and the Bethel Outreach Church, Ghana, dedicated a twelve-hole sanitation facility at the Liberian Refugee Budumbura…the event was blessed with presence of Mrs. Bright-Parker, also Mr. Lucas and other members of the Board of the Modern Africa Fund Managers including Mr. Steve cashin and Mrs. Sirleaf…” (http://www.theperspective.org/).  In short, since Clavendar Parker owns interest in PACG, she automatically has interest in International Bank; Liquid Holding Limited; Cellular telephone company based in the Ivory Coast; including all other businesses that PACG and IB invest into. Interestingly, Steve Cashin’s association was not limited to business activities. For example, on September 21, 2004, Steve Cashin was one of the participants at the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation Forum on Liberia. Also, among prominent personalities that appeared in the “THE FILM: IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA,” Steve Cashin was included.

Why Cashin is everywhere? Cashin has interest in the resources of Liberia as indicated by a report under the topic “Africa Agenda,” which appeared in the advertising supplement of the Washington Post. (http://www.metro-press.com/aoa9/aoa9). The writer stated that, “despite the downturn, the rate of return on foreign investment is higher in the African continent than it is anywhere else in the developing world.” And, Steve Cashin said that, “The continent has approximately 60 percent of the world’s diamonds, 40 percent of its phosphate, 30 percent of its cobalt and 10 to 15 percent of the world’s proven oil and gas.” He added that, “there is a lot of new market opportunity in Africa, and to get anything in motion, we need to match the right people together.” So, in Liberia, Steve Cashin has identified Clavendar Parker, President Sirleaf, etc as the right business partners.

As a side issue, I will briefly touch on your misinformation that I was corrupt. Ms. Parker, an audit was conducted of the Bureau, and there is no report of misappropriation of funds on the part of any employee, including me. The audit was conducted at a time when General Quiwonkpa (i.e., Bureau’s chairman and whose signature was required on all documents such as checks) and President Doe were at loggerheads. Obviously, any misuse of any properties would have been reported. More so, the government financed my education, which is a higher form of a commendation. In fact, on behalf of one of the reacquired properties, I,along with other representatives did receive a performance Award in Nairobi, Kenya.

Lastly, Ms. Parker you know that I am aware that the US officials made the decision to return all ill-gotten wealth over to remnants of the TWP. Why? The reason was to appease you guys since you guys blamed them (US officials) for the events of April 12, 1980 coup.