Posted on

Abolishing “Constitutional Racism” and Single Citizenship in Liberia, By Ernest S. Maximore

What Value System Being Diluted?

Article 27(b) of the Liberia Constitution read thus: “In order to preserve, foster and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values and character, only persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent shall qualify by birth or by naturalization to be citizens of Liberia.”

In a layman, plain, simple and strict interpretation, when you are not a Negro or Negro decent, you cannot or will not be able to help and/or preserve, foster and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values and character. Liberian Government is simply saying to hell  to any other races and the rapid global and mutual cultural transmission and osmosis! They do not have any cultural goodies that worth emulation and enabling Liberia attaining any of those valuable distinctiveness. Liberia is independent and its sovereignty and cultural values should not be ruined, degenerated and infused by the immoderation and unrestrained lifestyle and other unwarranted foreign manipulations, control and dominance that come with multi-race.

Those could be fear factors Liberian constitutional writers probably had, but are those fears reasonable in this day and age to the extent of constitutionally alienating another race? Where is the moral ground to condemn Hitler, who physically alienated, dehumanized and nearly eliminated the Jews from the surface of the earth? Oh, this comparison is unmatched-probably so, this is constitutional   alienation, but is this not indirectly humiliating the entire white race? Be the judge.

Are there measurable or visible Liberian cultural value, customs, lifestyle, social and economic traditions that are inseparable from the Western lifestyle, particularly the United States of America? All the original founders, presidents and elites of Liberia boast of being from America.

Putting it truly, Liberia is a copycat, “step son”, “grand son” of Uncle Sam, America. Everything from political and apolitical is almost-nearly practically carbon copy from America, although misguidedly implemented.

From Liberia’s Pledge of Allegiance (only the name “Liberia” is different),three-color Liberian flag-red, white and blue, with Stars and Stripes, to holiday celebration, including Christmas, Easter, New Year, and Thanksgiving, are all copycats of the United States of America customs and value system. American fashion, style, design, haircuts, voice and accent mimicking are also inclusive and domineering in Liberia.

One wonders, what else is there in Liberia to “preserve” and uphold from non-Negro? Even what is thought to be a unique Liberian custom “snapshape” handshake originated from the United States of America. Alan Hufman describes this handshake in his book, “Mississippi in Africa; The Saga of Prospects Hill Plantation and their Legacy in Liberia Today” as a “combination of every other handshake in the world, with a twist, the traditional grasp, then something like a soul-shake with a finger snap off of the other man’s index finger at the end.”

The Irony of the Already Implicit Reality

Here are the ironies. In the book, “Liberia-America Footprint in Africa, Making the Cultural, Social and Political Connection,” Jesse Mongrue writes that ten Liberian presidents were born in the [“white men”] country, United States of America, one was born in Barbados, the Caribbean, and another born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, making it the total of 12 Liberian presidents born outside of Liberia. This further exposes the contradiction  of Liberia all “Negro” citizenship status. Continue reading “Abolishing “Constitutional Racism” and Single Citizenship in Liberia, By Ernest S. Maximore”

Share
Posted on

Making It Slowly but Surely

Success is a marathon, not a sprint. But many of today’s youth do not know this, or they know but not make it a maxim in running their life race. If we take things easy, and act as purposely and positively as we can, success will surely come our way.

There are rules for success, and one of them is: ‘Never rush’. If you look around you, you will discover that those who have made it to the top are not only those who inherit wealth, fame or name. Yes, wealth, fame, and popular name can open door of opportunities for some folks, but the lack of them, ab initio, does not lock such doors and windows of opportunities either.

If you want to make it in life, as we all make efforts to achieve greater potentials and accumulate better aspirations of life, the rule , ‘never rush’, applies. What do you want to make in life: intellectual progress or social mobility? The best and possibly easiest way to make it in life is to make it slowly but surely.

With this recommendation, I am not saying we should be lackadaisical about life, or that we should sleep off all the twenty-fours and expect miracles to come, what I am saying is that we should organise ourselves, and see our dreams come true one by one.

Remember the scriptural axiom that the battle is neither for the strong nor the race for the swift, but that time and chance happen to them all. In the year 2006, I gave a speech at the orientation event organised by the Student Leadership Development Programme, SLDP, at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The coordinator of that novel student programme, who read my modest citation on that day, is today the Chief Economic Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am talking about

Prof (Mrs) Precious Kassey Garba, a woman of substance; respectful, respected, and respectable scholar and teacher.

Prof. Garba always told us to believe in ourselves, and that no matter how big a challenge could be, determination can melt it. At the event mentioned above, I spoke about why and how the youth can take their destiny in their own hands. I said  the youth should always plan their time and time their plan. I said the youth should always choose their friends and make library one of their friends. I reminded the youth about what Prof Adedoyin Soyibo used to tell us, that when you add value to yourself, the distance from your success is reduced by miles. We can make it slowly but surely. Nothing is worth-worrying or worth-rushing about in life.

The biggest god most people worship is money. Money is good but money is not god. How you get is more important. Remember Napoleon Hill, who wrote in Think and Grow Rich that ‘Quick riches are more dangerous than poverty’. What we need most of the time is organised planning, faith, hope, and action, and slowly but surely we shall make it.

Share
Posted on

Africa has potential to solve own problems, Canadian Researchers say

Amy Husser, Postmedia News

A young girl receives a vaccine on November 23, 2009 in Monrovia, Liberia in a file photo. Photograph by: Glenna Gordon, AFP/Getty Images
A young girl receives a vaccine on November 23, 2009 in Monrovia, Liberia in a file photo. Photograph by: Glenna Gordon, AFP/Getty Images

In spite of a global perception as being “dependent, pestilence-ridden and suffering,” Africa has the ingenuity and conviction to solve its own health problems, Canadian researchers say in a sweeping new look at the continent.

A team of researchers conducted hundreds of interviews in nearly 100 locations across sub-Saharan Africa to offer a “unique microscope” on neglected health problems for Afica.

The “landmark collection” of papers — published Sunday in the U.K.-based BioMed Central — outlines 25 innovative health technologies they say deserve more attention.

The researchers paint Africa as a hub of innovation, being held back only by finances and cultural biases, resulting in a lack of access to global markets.

“The bottom line is there’s a lot more ideas and talent in Africa . . . than there are products on the market helping people improve their health,” says Peter Singer, director of the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, which conducted the research.

“In the long term, the sustainable solutions to Africa’s health problems rest with the home team.”

According to lead researcher Ken Simiyu, the 25 technologies are considered “stagnant” because they languish in African health institutes instead of being converted into a viable product or service for local markets.

Examples include a portable medical-waste incinerator created in Kenya that can cut down on byproducts produced during mass vaccinations in rural areas, or a Ghana-developed diagnostic test for schistosoma, a parasitic disease that affects as much as 50 per cent of the population in some areas of Africa.

And in Kenya, scientists have isolated human odours that effectively repel mosquitos; an adapted insecticide could cut down on malaria, which kills nearly one million people — mostly African children — annually.

“What is holding them back is they have not been able to get a commercial partner who can transform these chemical entities . . . into a product that is really deliverable to the market,” said Simiyu.

[ad#Adsense-200by200sq]

Share
Posted on

Surviving as an International Student Pt II: Being Money-Wise

While Studying in the United States
Students who study abroad often regard it as the experience of a lifetime. It’s a time when you can learn almost as much outside the classroom as within it. It can also be a time of extra expenses. But by creating a sensible budget and sticking with it, you can easily manage the financial side of studying abroad.
Covering the Direct Costs of Education

When looking at the cost of studying in the United States, it’s important to distinguish between Direct Costs—tuition, room and board, and any special fees—and indirect costs, which are more flexible, and cover just about everything else. Taking care of the direct costs should be your top priority. Funds for these could come from private or family sources, scholarships or loans.

 

Although it may seem obvious, it’s important to remember that the best types of college funds are scholarships and grants because they do not have to be paid back. Be sure you apply for every scholarship for which you feel you are qualified.

After you have exhausted funds that do not need to be repaid, you may want to consider student loans to cover your remaining direct costs. As an international student, you will not be eligible for low-cost loans sponsored by the U.S. government. However, a wide variety of lenders, including Sallie Mae®, offer private, credit-based student loans that may be available to you.

 

Once you have your direct costs under control, make a budget for indirect costs, which are essentially living costs while you are in school. Because there are strict limitations on off-campus employment for international students, you will need to show that you have enough funds to cover the entire academic year when you apply for your student visa.
Managing the Indirect Costs

Housing. After you have been admitted, your institution’s housing office will contact you with information on the availability of on- and off-campus housing. If you decide to live off campus, you’ll want to arrive several weeks ahead of the start of classes to begin searching for a place to live and get settled.

 

Depending on the type of housing you need and the location of your college or university, the cost of off-campus housing can vary considerably. In general, housing in large urban areas and on the West and East coasts is the most expensive. In addition to rent, you should also budget for furniture and other household essentials because most rentals in the United States are not furnished.

 

Saving tip: Consider getting a roommate to split the cost of rent.
Transportation. If you will be using a car while you are in school, you should budget for operating expenses such as fuel, parking fees, and routine maintenance that will be incurred commuting to and from your institution. Carpooling can help reduce these expenses. But also look into the availability of public transportation—it may be more economical than having a car, particularly in urban areas. As an international student, you might also want to budget for airfare home during holidays and other academic breaks.
Saving tip: Many universities offer a free or low-cost shuttle bus service both on-campus and for the areas surrounding the school. Take advantage of it when you can.
Meals. If you’re an undergraduate, your college or university probably has a meal plan, and you should definitely use it. The food may not match home cooking, but it’s convenient, nourishing, and could be the most economical way to eat while you’re enrolled. If you have a family, meals may occupy a larger portion of your budget. If money is tight, try to eat as many meals at home as possible rather than at restaurants.

Savings tip: Use generic products instead of name brands; clip coupons; and pack a lunch rather than eating out.

 

Entertainment. A big part of studying abroad is what you do outside the classroom. Be sure and budget some money for movies, snacks, concerts, short trips to visit friends, and other activities. A well-rounded student is one who effectively balances study and play.

 

Saving tip: Your student activity fee may entitle you to attend concerts, lectures, movies, and sporting events at a discount. Take advantage of these on-campus events.

Textbooks and school supplies. The best way to keep textbook costs low is to buy used ones. Most campuses have stores on campus or close to campus that sell used books, and you can also check campus bulletin boards for ads offering texts for sale. Be sure that the edition of the book you are buying matches the one that is required for the course.

Miscellaneous costs

The international student advisor at your institution can help you with miscellaneous expenses such as health insurance (usually available at a low cost from your college or university) and visa processing fees. In addition, it’s a good idea to budget for items such as utilities (if they are not covered by your rent), a mobile phone, clothing, Internet service, and even a small, general emergency fund.

Managing credit cards

Even if you have the best intentions, a credit card—used freely—can ruin even the most carefully planned budget. Use your credit cards sparingly and only for items you really need. Try to pay the full balance off each month. And make sure you know what the interest rates and fees are. Sometimes just knowing how much extra you’ll be paying if you make a late payment or carry a balance from month to month can provide the incentive for fiscal discipline.

 

This is an exciting time in your life. Make sound financial management a priority so that you can fully enjoy the uniquely rich learning experience of study abroad.

Read Part 1 of this series

 

 (The International Student Guide to the USA)

Share
Posted on

Surviving as an International Student, Part 1

International student survival

Patrick Coomer

Pursuing your education in a foreign land poses a mix of positive and negative feel. On a good note studying abroad will open up a lot of new opportunities. You will need to meet new friends and experience diverse cultures. However, timid students may consider this idea unenthusiastically. Certain types see this point as something awkward, lonely and tangled. Whatever the case, international students will naturally feel the pressure and anxiety of living their student lives away from their families and usual lifestyles. Nevertheless, here are the ultimate tips that will equip you in surviving international school amidst the lack of monotony.

  1. There are many things you have to get used to when you live in another country. With this experience, you will find out that there is something more to what you used to see back in your hometown. One adjustment that must be made is the change in weather conditions. If you were raised in a tropical country and is migrating to a chilly land, might as well prepare for it. Gear up with winter tools and proper acceptance of the change. Also, you have to take into consideration the new work culture you need to live by. Understand that different people have different attitudes in fulfilling their tasks. Adapt to the local customs but stay focused on your true values.
  2. To help you function well in this new environment, you have to in shape holistically. This means that you are well-nourished physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. Even if you are drowning from school works and deadlines, you still have to attend to your other necessities. The key to achieving all that’s needed to be done is balance. You can excel in school and still join an interest club of your choice; deadlines could be met without sacrificing a 30 minute meal time. Maximize your time and energy wisely. You can make it happen.
  3. You are what you think. Even if you are faced with a troublesome situation, look up and smile! Sulking in one corner will further enhance your negative feeling. Rise above the situation and be positive. Problems must be faced with solutions, not by crying or cursing. A kind nature will always maintain you wavering. Keep your attitude to its amiable quality and see your luck dash through and through.
  4. not by crying or cursing. A kind nature will always maintain you wavering. Keep your attitude to its amiable quality and see your luck dash through and through.
  5. Your work will never be productive if influenced by a deep sense of hatred. If you have personal issues, resolve them first before working on your term paper. You will see that thought and ideas will easily come to you if you are worry-free. To help you gain that relaxed state, seek help. You could go to a trusted friend and ask for advice. If you feel like, you need a professional, go to your infirmary doctor or subject supervisor involved. Sometimes, all you need is a listening ear to ease the issues.
  6. Before you start with anything drastic, know how your school system works first. It will only be a waste to spend too much time on preliminary quizzes if it only amounts to 5% of your whole final grade. Know the distribution of grades, methods of computations, requirements, student rights, etc. It pays to be informed.
  7. Be a planner. Have yourself a daily or weekly calendar where you can jot down all your schedules. Organize your tasks and set time tables. It doesn’t matter if you accomplish little as long as you are following your time frames. Before you know it, your planner will be filled with check marks.
  8. As a promising professional-to-be, you have to keep in track at all times. Set short and long-term goals. Make them realistic, specified and time bound. Be clear with the following things:

    a. Aspired career after graduating

    b. Ways on achieving the specified aspiration

    c. Your education’s role in helping you reach your goal

    d. Other actions to take

    e. Impediments to reach your goals and how to manage them

 

Share
Posted on

Ghana’s Economy 75% Bigger Than Previously Estimated

cedis notes
By Moses Mozart Dzawu
Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) — Ghana’s economy is 75 percent bigger than previously calculated, the country’s Statistical Service said, slashing the relative size of the fiscal deficit and the current-account shortfall.
The West African nation’s gross domestic product this year is 44.8 billion cedis ($31.2 billion), compared with the previous estimate of 25.6 billion cedis, Grace Bediako, head of the Accra-based agency, told reporters today.
“The revisions will be a huge positive for the relative risk matrix” of Ghana, Stephen Bailey-Smith, an analyst at Standard Bank Plc in London, said in a note to clients. The changes “should foster a rating upgrade.”
Standard & Poor’s cut Ghana’s credit rating to B, five steps below investment grade, on Aug. 27, citing concern about the large fiscal deficit and a lack of clarity on oil-industry laws. The government posted shortfalls equivalent to 14.5 percent of GDP in 2008 and 9.7 percent in 2009. The International Monetary Fund said on Oct. 1 that the shortfall may exceed the 8 percent target this year. Those figures are now significantly smaller.
The statistics service also raised its growth forecast for this year to 6.6 percent from 5.9 percent, and revised up its calculations for the previous three years. GDP expanded 4.7 percent in 2009, 8.4 percent in 2008 and 6.5 percent in 2007, compared with previous estimates of 4.1 percent, 7.2 percent and 5.7 percent.
Economic growth slowed in 2009 after the government embarked on an austerity program to bring down the budget deficit. Ghana posted a current account deficit of about 7.9 percent of GDP last year, according to the previous data.
Eurobond
Ghana’s 8.5 percent fixed-rate Eurobond due October 2017 was bid for as much as $115.50 at 5:14 p.m. in London, with a yield of 5.746 percent, according to data compiled by Standard Bank London. The bid price is 0.5 percent higher than yesterday’s close of $114.87, while the yield is 10 basis points lower.
Today’s announcement “confirms that over the last five years Ghana has performed better than most of its peers,” Wayne Mitchell, the country representative for the IMF, said in an interview today.
The revision won’t affect IMF support for the country, since “assistance is determined by need and not economy size,” Mitchell said.
Deputy Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Seth Terkper, said on Oct. 20 that Ghana may lose access to cheap loans if the new data show the country is wealthier than thought.
New Activities
The size of the economy was revised up after new economic activities were added, methodology was improved and the base year was shifted to 2006 from 1993, Bediako said.
“The new data series includes activities of the oil sector, forest plantations and information and communication, which were not included in previous estimates,” she said.
The new GDP places Ghana among middle-income countries, as defined as those with a per capita income of more than $976 a year, Bediako said. Ghana’s is now $1,318.36.
The statistics aren’t all good news, said Sampson Akligoh, an analyst at Accra-based Databank Financial Services.
“If GDP is 44 billion cedis and tax revenue is less than 7 billion cedis, it tells you tax collection is not enough,” he said in an interview today.
Ghana’s economic growth may average about 8 percent in the next three to five years, as oil production starts from the West African nation’s Jubilee oil field December, Kofi Wampah, deputy central bank governor said Oct. 7.
Wampah said the economy may expand 10 percent to 15 percent next year, slower than Finance Ministry’s prediction of 20 percent.
–Editors: Philip Sanders, Ana Monteiro
To contact reporter on this story: Moses Dzawu in Accra at mdzawu@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.
Share
Posted on

African intellectuals building other nations

(Reuters)
African graduate leaving the continent for greener pastures
 
Africa's contribution to the global body of scientific research is very small and does little to benefit its own populations, according to a report from Thomson Reuters released on Monday.
 
Like India and China, Africa suffers from a "hemorrhage of talent," the report said, with many of its best brains leaving to study abroad and failing to return.
 "The African diaspora provides powerful intellectual input to the research achievements of other countries, but returns less benefit to the countries of birth,"  Jonathan Adams, director of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters, said in a statement as the report was published.
More information about the report is available here
Adams and colleagues, who use a Thomson Reuters database to track scientific publications, found that three nations dominate Africa's research output — with South Africa leading by a long way, ahead of Egypt in second place and then Nigeria.
 
"Africa's overall volume of activity remains small, much smaller than is desirable if the potential contribution of its researchers is to be realized for the benefit of its populations," said Adams.
 
The report found that part of the problem was down to a "chronic lack of investment in facilities for research and teaching" — a deficit the authors said must be remedied.
 
Adams said the reason behind this was not simply money: "The resources available in some African countries are substantial, but they are not being invested in the research base."
In fields of research relevant to natural resources, however, the study found a relatively high representation of African research as a share of world publications.
 
South Africa's 1.55 percent share of research in plant and animal science is the continent's biggest share in any field, it said, with this output surpassing Russia's 1.17 percent but well behind China's 5.42 percent share in the same field.
The report pointed to a few examples of countries which, despite low output, produced much higher quality research than larger neighbors.
 
Malawi, for example, with one-tenth the annual research output of Nigeria, produces research of a quality that exceeds the world average benchmark while Nigeria hovers at around half that impact level, the report said.
 
"The challenges that the continent faces are enormous and indigenous research could help provide both effective and focused responses," it added.
The study is part of a series showing the changing landscape and dynamics of scientific research around the world.
 
Previous studies found that China had more than doubled its output of scientific papers to rank second only to the United States in terms of volume, while Russia's influence in science and scientific industries was rapidly shrinking.
(Editing by Michael Roddy)
 
Share