The Editor,

OMG, I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I saw your headline: “CDC’s Solo a Harvard Grad, Accepted at Cornell, Party Clarifies Credential” Do you want me to believe that an empty suit like Solo is an Ivy Leaguer? Come on now, you gotta be kidding me!!!

In July 2012, the UN Secretary General appointed 26 Eminent Persons as members of the High-level Panel which including representatives of governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and youth, with the appropriate geographical and gender balance. Panelists are members in their personal capacity including the President of the Republic of Liberia; President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who is over 70 years of old is one of the Co Chairs. “The UN High-Level Panel of eminent persons” was charged with the responsibility to have conducted its work on the basis of a rigorous analysis of credible shared evidence.

Many Liberians are disappointed in the way sports have been handled in Liberia. Our first and second division teams as well as school sports programs are very weak and poorly managed. There are no sports programs for our youth. Kids in our elementary and middle schools do not have the opportunity to exhibit their talents or skills we lack an established and successful sports program.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the various sports associations needs to develop a program for our youth. Our sports program needs to be built on a sustainable foundation by developing sports program from the youth (grassroots) level and up to the college level. As mentioned earlier, Liberia has no youth sports program for our kids, the high school sports program is poor and no competitive college sports program.

Here are few ideas on improving our sports programs:

1. The government with the participation of parents and local businesses need to provide facilities in every community where our kids and youth can use to develop and showcase their skills. Facilities such as soccer/football fields, basketball courts/gyms, tracks for track & field events, swimming pools and tennis courts, etc are required. These facilities should be managed by a park & recreation team from the local communities. Members of the park & recreation team are to be employed by the Ministry of Youth & Sports, but they must be residents of the local community.

2. The Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the various sports associations and parents are to provide and train youth coaches. Parents may volunteer, but they must also be trained. 

3. The Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Ministry of Education must have a continuous sports (soccer/football, basketball, volleyball, track & field, kickball, swimming, tennis, etc) program for our schools throughout the year. We have a favorable climate to have ongoing events throughout the year.

4. In order to make these events challenging and competitive, none of the participants in these events are to participate in any first or second division sporting events. At the beginning of their last year in high school, colleges, first and second division teams can begin to scout these kids if they are interested and at the end of their high school, they may be drafted by first and second division teams or recruited by colleges. 

5. At the end of each annual sporting program, these kids should be recognized and honored and presented with medals, certificates and trophies as encouragement for their participation. Records must also be kept.

6. Parents must be supportive by attending most of their children’s games. As parents we need to guide and encourage our children. 

7. Lastly, education must be an integral part of these programs. In order to participate in these programs after five years of age, one must be in school and have near perfect attendance record. Schools must also provide support to the sports program. 
Let it be known that this is not a short term goal to be achieved overnight. This is a program that might take over five years to fully take-off, but with proper planning and the participation of the parents, the government, schools, colleges as well as our business partners, this program is achievable. 
It will be tough, it will be hard, and it will even require extra work, but I do believe we can build great sports programs that can be successful, thus providing Liberia with winning national teams in all sports.

OLDMAN NAGBE

WESTPOINT
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The Editor,

What is the definition  of  time ? According to the Merriam Webster dictionary time is defined as the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues : DURATION or  b: a non spatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future. Time is very important in the work force of any country especially under develop country like Liberia.

According to the Journal of the American medical association lost productive time in the American work force due to Common pain conditions appear to have an adverse effect on work, but no comprehensive estimates exist on the amount of productive time lost in the US workforce due to pain. A survey  conducted by  the Journal of the American medical association using data from the American productivity  audit.

A telephone survey that uses the work and health interview of working adults between August 1,2001 to July 30,2002 with random sample of 28,902 working adults in the United States. The outcome of the survey indicates  lost productive time due to common pain conditions (arthritis, back, headache, and other musculoskeletal) expressed in hours per worker per week and calculated in US dollars. "Results Thirteen percent of the total workforce experienced a loss in productive time during a 2-week period due to a common pain condition. Headache was the most common (5.4%) pain condition resulting in lost productive time. It was followed by back pain (3.2%), arthritis pain (2.0%), and other musculoskeletal pain (2.0%). Workers who experienced lost productive time from a pain condition lost a mean (SE) of 4.6 (0.09) h/wk. Workers who had a headache had a mean (SE) loss in productive time of 3.5 (0.1) h/wk. Workers who reported arthritis or back pain had mean (SE) lost productive times of 5.2 (0.25) h/wk. Other common pain conditions resulted in a mean (SE) loss in productive time of 5.5 (0.22) h/wk. Lost productive time from common pain conditions among active workers costs an estimated $61.2 billion per year. The majority (76.6%) of the lost productive time was explained by reduced performance while at work and not work absence."

The survey concluded Pain is an inordinately common and disabling condition in the US workforce. Most of the pain-related lost productive time occurs while employees are at work and is in the form of reduced performance. But this is not in the case of my dear country mama Liberia work force. Time in Liberia work force is not wasteful due to common pain conditions such as headache, back pain ,arthritis or musculoskeletal pain. Time in  Liberia work force is wasteful and unproductive due to frequent travel by Liberian government officials to the United States and other countries around the world on social activities rather than government functions. In less than one week I have seen about six high ranking government officials including ministers and deputies ministers masquerading in Minnesota the United States rather than working in Liberia.

Some of them spend up to two months of unproductive time  in the United States and still get pay by tax payers. I am not excluding  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, she is traveling all around the world and uses a lot of wasteful and unproductive time. Yielding no result for the Liberian people and been paid by tax payers. I  marvel if developed country like the United States lost productive time from common pain conditions among active workers can costs an estimated $61.2 billion per year. What will it cost Liberia in term of lost productive time?

A country where six high ranking ministers and deputies can leave the country the same time. The Last time I read one of Liberia daily newspapers Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was quoted as saying she will not allow the frequent travel of government officials out of Liberia until they can meet their one year achievements  goal. 

The author of this article Dashward A. Wumah live in Minnesota, United States. Can be contacted at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or cell: 763-400-6828