By Precious D. Freeman
Foreign Minister, Dee- Maxwell Saah Kemayah, has hailed President George Weah for the confidence reposed in him to serve the Liberian people over the last three years.
“Thanks for believing in me even in the days and years of falsehood, lies, and political plots against me. My family and I remain grateful,” he said.
He indicated that President Weah, over the years, has shown that he is a true leader with humanity, who believes in potential people like him, and that he, Kemaya, has demonstrated that over the last three years.
Speaking at the dedicatory program of the refurbished Foreign Ministry Building, Minister Kemayah said the reform, which he termed as unwavering and uncompromising, has made a significant impact at the Ministry.
In what was considered as a farewell speech, Amb. Kemayah told the diplomatic gathering that he ran the Ministry in close consultations with his senior management team.
“Even though we took decisions as a team, but when the execution aspect comes, it appears like you alone take the decision, but I am unmoved, especially with my enviable reform process,” he noted.
“In Liberia, those who start to do the right thing are the ones seen as the bad ones,” he added.
Kemaya bragged that he worked along with his able team at the Ministry to close cartels and curb other bad practices at the Ministry under his reform agenda.
Speaking about the revised passport regulations, he stated that it was done in line with best practices and in a standardized manner and form.
The Foreign Minister stressed that while citizens in other countries paid for diplomatic passports, his revised regulations changed the sale of passports and institutionalized it, saying, “Under the new revised passport regulation, all ordinary and diplomatic Liberian passports are valid for six years.
The new revised regulations also indicate that foreign mission staffs will serve for two terms, after which they would return to the Ministry and serve before going in the field.
“In the manual, you can only serve a maximum of three years at a post; in the new manual, when you are recalled, you have to come home to office,” he noted.
“I have no regrets for the reform that we executed, and I am exiting the stage as a very happy man after about three years,” he said.
He stated that the renovation of the Foreign Ministry will see three elevators, which, he added, will help sustain power for over 45 minutes after any loss of electricity.
“The elevators were customized and packaged in Italy,” Amb. Kemayah further informed the gathering.
“As I take responsibility for the delay in the installation of the elevators, I, however, did so as per instructions, and in order to ensure that the standard is met, which is now a reality,” he said.
He expressed happiness for the renovation work at the Foreign Ministry, saying, “I have done my work and set the stage for my predecessor.”
Meanwhile, the current renovation work now sees a new and modern Ministry with six well-furnished floors, with decorations including the painting of the exterior components of the building, among others.
The Chief Executive Officer of the local construction company MDMC, that is undertaking the project, John Uboti, said finishing touches are ongoing in other areas, such as the installation of the elevator, as well as the remaining components of the building, which are expected to be completed in a few weeks.
