By Linus Flomo
The Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) unveiled its first-ever five-year strategic plan, a bold initiative aimed at shaping the future of the nation’s most populous municipality.
The program, which took place in the ballroom of the Paynesville City Corporation building on Friday, November 15, was kicked off by Mayor Robert Bestman who emphasized that creating a strategic plan for the city was his top priority upon taking office.
He explained that Paynesville, which has never had a long-term development plan since its founding in 1865, had been governed by short-term operational budgets and event-specific plans.
He called the introduction of the five-year strategy a crucial step toward addressing the city’s challenges and ensuring its future growth.
“This strategic plan will enable us to provide excellent city services, trusted stewardship, and foster inclusive community partnerships,” said Mayor Bestman.
“For the first time, we are laying out long-term goals for the management and governance of Paynesville, ensuring that we are not merely reacting to short-term challenges but proactively planning for the future.”
The strategic plan is designed to focus on five key areas: strengthening community engagement, building a sustainable city, growing the economy, ensuring safety for all residents, and enhancing leadership in public services.
Mayor Bestman outlined his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, capacity building, sanitation, recreation, and empowerment of women and youth as core components of the plan.
“None of this can succeed without a long-term plan, which is why we have worked so hard to craft a thoughtful and comprehensive roadmap for Paynesville’s future,” he stated. “I am excited to present this plan, which represents a collective effort to transform Paynesville into a city that works for everyone.”
In a historic moment, Mayor Bestman became the first Paynesville mayor to define a clear vision, mission, and set off core values for the city.
He thanked all those who contributed to the development of the plan, including the members of the PCC Strategic Plan Committee and the Liberian-owned consulting firm, Certified Global Consultants (CGC), which provided expert guidance.
“Now that we have a plan, we are ready to put it into action,” he said. “The next step is translating these goals into tangible results, and that will guide our resourcing decisions as we develop the five-year budget.”
The mayor also invited the people of Paynesville to be active participants in the implementation of the plan, stressing that the success of the initiative depends on the involvement of all residents, not just the City Council. “This is not just for the city government, but for the people of Paynesville,” Mayor Bestman said. “We need everyone to be a part of this process, because together, we can build a brighter future.”
Community leaders expressed strong support for the strategic plan, with Godfrey Johnson, a prominent Paynesville community leader, praising the city government for its efforts. Johnson, who also heads the Paynesville Community Leaders Forum, noted that the initiative is consistent with Mayor Bestman’s past work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where he promoted similar community-focused projects.
Johnson urged the mayor and his team to focus on the theoretical aspects of the plan, saying that a clear framework for implementation would be key to its success.
“We are encouraged by the progress, but we need the theoretical structure to guide us through the next steps,” Johnson said. “We look forward to seeing the plan come to life.”
George Sackie, a representative of the business community from Eagle Electrical, echoed Johnson’s call for action, emphasizing that while the plan’s vision is promising, the real test will be in its execution.
“Liberians are good at creating beautiful plans on paper, but we often fall short when it comes to putting them into practice,” Sackie said.
He expressed optimism about the fact that the strategic plan is locally driven, rather than being outsourced to foreign consultants, a trend that has historically been common in Liberia.
Sackie also acknowledged the role of the Liberian consultancy firm, Certified Global Consultants, in developing the plan and urged the city government to keep business interests in mind, particularly with regard to taxation policies.
“We support the vision, but we ask that you do not increase taxes for businesses, as we want to see this plan succeed, but we also need a conducive environment to operate,” Sackie added.
Joelle Gordon, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Abundant Rain Liberia, a key international partner, expressed her excitement about collaborating with the city government on the creation of Paynesville’s first rain station and recycling facility.
The facility, to be built in the Go Bye Chop community, will provide a space for residents to deposit plastic and glass waste, which will be recycled into usable products.
In exchange, the community will benefit from clean drinking water and improved sanitation facilities.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Paynesville City Corporation on this groundbreaking initiative,” Gordon said. “This project will not only address the waste management crisis but will also provide safe water and sanitation services to the community free of charge.”
Gordon also highlighted the broader impact of the project, which is expected to collect up to 100 tons of plastic and glass waste annually, thus helping to reduce pollution and improve public health in Paynesville.
As the event drew to a close, Mayor Bestman once again thanked everyone in attendance for their participation and reiterated that the success of the plan depends on continued collaboration.
He urged the over 670,000 residents of Paynesville to take ownership of the process and work together to achieve the goals set out in the strategic plan.
“This is a plan for the people of Paynesville, and we want every resident to be part of the journey,” he said. “We are confident that with your support, Paynesville will flourish and become a model city for Liberia and beyond.”
