Liberia Election: Head-Start For Ex-Governor Jones

Sweet Liberia, with a land area of 111,369sq km and populated by some 3.57million citizens inches closer to National Elections next year with one of the cleverest-heads-on-human shoulders, ex-Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Joseph Mills Jones in pole position.

Indeed a lethal combination of war and famine dating from the 1980s have ensured that, instability of the deepest dye has so rocked the national economy that it has been on a downward skid for so long a time. However, a decade-long handling of the governorship duty by Dr. Mills Jones, further punctuated by a rigorous attempt at improving lives of people down the social ladder, has re-set the ball bouncing back on a promising keel.

A round of applause for dutifully keeping the Liberian dollar in check from the sharpened fangs of inflation would have been a nice reward for his troubles. Instead, Dr. Mills Jones has come under a barrage of criticisms which recently ended up at the Supreme Court.

The charge, so hot on the prosecutor's CHARGE SHEET was that the ex-Central Bank governor was exploiting financial programmes and engineering them in such a manner that, he was enjoying a head-start even before the starter's gun went off.

Thank the mercies of heaven the charge was neutralized with the application of native intelligence by the venerable justices who held that, "WHOEVER CLIMBS A GOOD TREE DESERVES A SUPPORTING PUSH," which saw the ex-governor walk away with a split 3-2 majority decision.

In the end what appeared to be an attempt to paint a sorry picture of Dr. Mills Jones has however become one of his sources of strength, thanks to the good justices. Ever since then his mantra, "GIVE ME THE CHANCE TO LEAD AND I WILL BE YOUR SERVANT" has so warmed the cockles of the hearts of most citizens that, many figure only a flawed election election could skip him in favour of someone else.

AS MR. FIX IT
Dr. Mills Jones' foresight and ability to develop a pattern to spread loan and relief programmes from the bottom-up of society, have endeared him to many a would-be voter. If today success graces the programme, there is no gainsaying the fact that fate and destiny must have conspired rather positively to make the ex-governor look good in the eyes of the populace. Many tend to forget that had he failed the test of duty, his imprint would have left an indelibly negative mark as he stared at the barrel of the political gun.

Dr. Mills Jones' belief that economic empowerment for the individual has far-fetched implications for ensuring a stable macro economy which, in turn, enhances better income distribution has been a phenomenal consideration indeed.

EDUCATION, HEALTH, BUSINESS & FINANCE
Under a Dr. Mills Jones government, Liberia will most certainly prosecute a compulsory basic education scheme where funds would be sought for from donor countries to see the vision through. Additionally, teachers or trainers would see their long-held dream of catching up on emerging and changing trends in specific areas addressed. The ex-governor says his vision on education stretches to include research which invariably, holds the key to sustained improvement in the quality of the labour market and ensures economic acceleration.

There is also the golden dream about the application of the quadruple fiscal, monetary, trade and investment policies to reinforce each other so that, the net impact will advance indigenous Liberian participation. This should ensure greater ownership across the many facets of the economy.

Under a Dr. Mills Jones presidency, Liberians would become prime actors in the growth of the national economy where health, education and agriculture would receive massive boosts never before experienced in the annals of the country's history.

Health Care would most certainly be woven into community development where preventive care will be the centrepiece or fulcrum. This hinges on the fact that no nation attained development status when the health of its labour force looked a jaded representation of what it ideally ought to be.

Issues of irrigation, fertilizer and badly needed agriculture implements and loans would all be significant areas of interest and attention. Under the ex-governor's stewardship as president, food production would be so key that it would extend to areas of security or self sufficiency in order to save a considerable chunk of the much sought-after foreign exchange to take care of hitherto deprived areas.

In that direction therefore, agriculture extension services will be improved considerably with yield increases pursued rigorously, while improvements in storage and food processing facilities will be enhance under a well thought out programme. In a nutshell therefore, among his breed of presidential materials none of them has endeavoured to put out a cleverly expatiated list of programmes in the most passionate sense other than governor Jones. This, no doubt, has culminated in his attracting the young and old intelligentsia as well as those on the fringes of life.

PERSONAL DETAILS
The history books say Governor Mills Jones was born in Sinoe County-Liberia to Joseph Humphrey Jones and his wife, Catherine Cooper Jones. Old Jones had been a small-time business man with his better half a teacher. Primary education saw little Joseph enroll at Saint Joseph Catholic School in Greenville, while Bishop Ferguson High School in Maryland County offered him High School education. In both cases young Joseph Jones graduated at the top of his class.

He went on to attain a bachelor's degree from Outtington College way ahead of the prescribed four years allowed for study. Much harder work saw him cap it all up with a Master's and Doctorate degrees in Economics from the American University, Washington D.C.

Now, virtually a hot cake, Dr. Mills Jones was pressurized to return to Liberia within three days of graduation to assume the position of Assistant Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (ECONOMICS). Subsequently, much harder work frog-leaped him to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs as Chief Economist and Special Aide to the substantive Minister.

Dr. Jones next sought to seek international flavour to his impressive resume' and finally won the bid to work in senior positions in both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The ex-governor was also appointed Alternative Executive Director of the World Bank for Africa Group (1), which consists of some 22 countries. Over and around time, he has been a member of the privileged team that managed the relief process for heavily indebted poor countries with the IMF.

Dr. Jones' style is one of a hands-on-the-plough approach where the focus is on less talk, but concentrated action. With the geography of Liberia's 15 counties virtually in the palm of his hands, the ex-governor is raring to go, now that the electorate have fixed their gaze on his candidature.

News from the countryside has it that even those who had initially held his feet to the fire are falling in line and accessing his politics of inclusiveness. All told, Dr. Mills Jones is not the kind to pick the rose flowers and run away from the thorns. His inner urge to serve humanity encompasses soaking the hell African politics brings along, for on the other side of the equation rests both the icing and the cake.