Forum Dairy 2004
-Thinkers and Their Deeds
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
In the face of national disappointment given the marked degree of transitional odds including rampant care-free attitude and self-seeking nature on the part of senior transitional officials steering the ship of state, there were men and women whose vision and thinking were raised to neutralize social, political and economic incompatibility aimed at setting the pace for nationalism and patriotism.
Although not the direct bearers of state gavel, these men and women stood and continue to dauntlessly stand in defense of the expectation and aspirations of the people one way or the other.
The Dairy of Our Award Committee recognizes the deeds of these people and as such, the committee has categorized them as Thinkers of the Year 2004 and has therefore in the public manner synchronized them as White Flower Winners of the Year.
Woman of Unfading Vision:
We selected Mrs. Ellen Johnson -Sirleaf as woman of unfading vision given
her skill and craft in the art of governance which represents the theory
of political liberalization and transparency in government.
The Good Governance Reform Commission she heads certainly contains fresh solutions of national direction as far as state running is concerned, Mrs. Sirleaf’s GRC certainly represents a political nursery where state success, morality, dignity and peaceful co-existence could see their practical reality - we think it is about time and season we as state and people submit to redemptive vision because it is often said Biblically that a nation without vision stands to possibly perish.
Patriotic Engineer of the Year:
We voted Mr. John Boimah as Patriotic Engineer of the Year given his reconstruction
vision and unabridged efforts including the recruitment of professional
engineers of all ranges aimed at rehabilitating the Walter F. Walker hydro
in White Plains, Mount Coffee, outside Monrovia.
Through his giant move and uncompromising corner-to-corner push to win the rehabilitation contract, one could see through his mind and eyes the type of Monrovia marked by looming current like that during prewar years. We proclaim him as patriotic engineer of the year given his unalterable patriotic thinking and deeds in craving to bring to reality the foremost dream and desire of the Liberian people for light. We pray that he succeeds in this direction.
Journalist of the Year:
After years of its existence, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) passed its
gavel of authority over to a female journalist to serve as president following
competitive elections recently where she turned victorious.
Mrs. Elizabeth Hoff is therefore being proudly measured with the meter of dignity by colleagues of the media both at home and abroad for breaking the long running tide of male domination and thereby erasing the belief that women were yet far away from PUL leadership. Thus we present her the Journalist of the Year Award.
Minister of the Year:
The little white building housing the offices of the Ministry of Lands Mines
& Energy located at Buzzi Quarter, Monrovia glitters proudly thereby
emitting the ray of administrative responsibility. Not only does that portray
the dignity of a true layout as far as the transitional period is concerned,
it teaches administrative maturity and attracts investment. That is why
we selected Mr. Jonathan Mason as Minster of the Year for such a patriotic
representation and a mark of public responsibility.
Journalists’ Friend of the Year:
The proprietor of the Adama Ateyee Center on Carey & Gurley Streets,
Mr.Mohamed Adama Diallo, finds pleasure in hosting journalists under whatever
condition, rain or shine.
His love for journalists is practically written on the surface while more
importantly his shop has witnessed growth of media intellectualism arising
from media-related debates on national and international issues of our time.
Against this background, we selected Mr. Diallo as Journalists’ Friend
of the Year.
