PHOTO: Pres. Weah addressing the conference on Thursday
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
MINISTERIAL COMPLEX, Monrovia- President George Manneh Weah has urged judicial actors attending the ongoing 4th National Judicial Conference near Monrovia to kick out any problem that is hindering the business Climate in Liberia.
President Weah made the assertion at Ministerial Complex in Monrovia’s Congo Town suburb today, Thursday, June 10, 2021 (Day-4) of the conference, encouraged the conference participants to work together with the government to re-brand Liberia.
This, he said, can be done through impressive reforms and actions affecting the business climate, adding that he has no doubt that this Conference will contribute meaningfully toward this end.
“If the law is the problem, then let us reform the law. If processes and systems are the problem, let us change those processes. If the lack of funding is a problem, let us find ways to provide more resources. If certain people are the problem because, for selfish motives, they stand in the way of fair and transparent processes, then let us kick those people out of our systems to improve our investment and business climate,” the Liberian leader said.
President Weah further told the 4th National Judicial Conference follows upon the National Judicial Conferences of 1973, 1976 and 2010.
He said these Conferences are important to assess the state of the nation’s judiciary, and to examine how the justice system and the rule of law are impacting our national polity. It is my understanding that you have dealt with a range of such legal issues over the last three days.
Cross section of participants at the conference
The Liberian leader, who took office in January 2018, registered his regret for being absent from the official Opening Ceremonies of this Conference, due to his engagement on a County tour in Lofa County.
“However, I am glad to be able to join you here today for this particular segment of the Conference that concerns the interaction of the judiciary and the business and investment climate.”
Judiciary at the center of society
As the branch of government constitutionally empowered to interpret the Constitution and the body of statutes enacted by the National Legislature, President Weah said that the Judiciary sits at the center of our society.
“The law is what the Judiciary says it is, through its court system that goes all the way to our venerable Supreme Court, which ultimately has the final say.”
President Weah continued: “We read the Constitution and read different statutes, we read plain language written by national stakeholders, policymakers or legislators. When we read the opinion and judgements of judges and Justices, we read the law. So the law is not what is written in our Constitution nor what is written in different pieces of legislation; the law is what the learned judges and justices assembled here today say it is at any given point in time.”
The Liberian leader stated that through Liberia’s justice system, citizens, corporations and other institutions are searching for the knowledge and understanding of what the law is, as they file lawsuits and seek appeals for final judgement at the level of the Supreme Court.
According to President Weah, government holds the key to people and institutions’ perception and sense of justice in Liberia and that branch is the Judiciary branch of Government.
“Your Honor Mr. Chief Justice, Associate Justices and learned counselors and lawyers, the powers you hold in our democracy and over our people are awesome. I am very impressed that you have chosen to assess the impact of this power on our national polity and economy through this Judiciary Conference. It is also commendable that, on this Fourth day of the conference, you have also chosen to specifically assess how this power may be impacting businesses, corporations and investors.”
The business and investment climate in Liberia has been a subject of great importance in recent years, the President pointed out and he said the government’s drive to provide jobs for Liberians and to grow the country’s economy by increasing the flow of both domestic and private investments are all dependent on the structure of the business climate.
President Weah disclosed that he has been informed that Liberia ranks 175 out of 190 countries, and that neighboring Sierra Leone ranks 163 out of 190 and that Cote d’Ivoire, our other neighbor, ranks 118 out of 190 countries.
This indicates that his his CDC government and the country have some serious work
President Weah also indicated that the Executive stands in partnership with you as we seek to overhaul business processes and simplify them.
High-level Cabinet Committee to be set up on investment & business climate
Meanwhile, President Weah has announced that he will shortly appoint a high-level Cabinet sub-committee on the investment and business climate.,
It will be chaired by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and will include the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the National Investment Commission, the Liberia Business Registry, the Liberia Electricity Corporation and other agencies as may be necessary.
The Liberian Chief Executive said that this cabinet sub-committee will be tasked to present a roadmap after this Judiciary Conference that will track the recommended actions and changes needed for improvement.
The Committee will also be required to present a report in six months to show credible progress on the business climate in a range of areas.
“Mr. Chief Justice, you will agree with me that if we make it difficult for businesses to register, to get electricity, or to pay their taxes, we affect the economy. If businesses cannot get timely legal redress from the courts, or if contracts cannot be effectively or fairly enforced, we affect the investment climate. Let me leave you with the words of the legendary Nelson Mandela, the Madiba,” he furthered..
“When people are determined they can overcome anything.”
President Weah concluded by saying: “We stand here today to declare the collective determination of my Government to improve and re-brand our business climate. No bar will be too high to climb.”