The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted May 6, 2004

The Chairman of the National Elections Commission, Cllr. Frances Johnson-Morris has called on employees of the Commission who are either members or sympathizers of political parties to resign from such parties immediately or reconsider themselves as committing electoral offense.

She said the election laws of Liberia consider its employees as neutral people and not people who have interest in political party.

According to a NEC release, Cllr. Morris made the statement Monday when she had an acquaintance meeting with the employees of the Commission.

She said her administration is committed to ensuring that the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) is implemented to the letters.

Cllr. Morris said in carrying out the mandates of the entity, the Commission is to shortly undertake electoral reforms that will bring about changes in the election laws and guidelines.

She said the reform exercise will include the re-organization of the Commission that will maintain qualified staff with integrity, honesty and credible in conducting free, fair and transparent elections.

Cllr. Morris said as part of the Commission’s reorganization process, she intends to suggest to her colleagues to down-size the workforce of the Commission by 50% to reflect gender balance both at the headquarters and local offices.

She, however, called on employees not to consider this action as a witch-hunt but rather intended to maintain efficient and credible staff, capable of performing the task ahead of the Commission.

Meanwhile, the National Elections Commission has received a consignment of materials valued over several thousand United States Dollars.

The consignment that includes photocopiers, computers, executive desks, chairs, air conditioners and stationery, among others, was presented to the commission by Creative Associates International, Inc. as a grant.

Presenting the equipment on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Commission in Sinkor, the Project Officer, Mr. John Gattorn said the gesture was his organization’s way of assisting the National Elections Commission in her capacity building process of it’s commissioner and relevant staff in ensuring the conduct of free, fair, transparent and credible elections of Liberia.

Receiving the materials on behalf of the commission, the Executive Director, Mr. James Gilayeneh thanked Creative Associates Internationals, Inc. for identifying with the Commission in her capacity building process.

He said since the re-constitution of the Commission in February 2004, this was the first assistance to the Commission.

He described most of the equipment and furnishings inherited from it’s predecessors as being outdated and needed to be replaced.

Cllr. Gilayeneh, then appealed for urgent, logistical and material assistance to enhance the performance of the Commission.

In another development, the NEC says the News newspaper’s May 4, 2004 edition back-page story entitled “ECOM Boss Criticizes CPA”is a misquotation of the story of the Chairman, Cllr. Frances Johnson-Morris.

The Commission said its boss did not say that the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) is fraudulent, rather, the Chairman said that the CPA is ambiguous in many respects.

The Commission is therefore calling on the News Newspaper to write an erratum to rectify this error.