GOVERNANCE & RULE OF LAW

A CPP government will institute the requisite political and governmental reforms with the goal of making all Liberians, including members of opposing political parties, genuine stakeholders in national governance. Implementing the necessary reforms returns power to the people so that they have a direct say in choosing their local leaders, building institutions, including a reform ed judicial system that fosters transparency and mitigates against corruption and supports the rule of law.

Our government and its officials will be held to account. We will leverage innovative technologies that automate some government processes, creating efficiency, transparency and cutting waste. By tackling corruption and ending wasteful spending, Liberia will realize a more efficient and effective government - one that works for all Liberians.

To address corruption, the CPP will create a special anti-corruption court, support and appropriately resource existing judicial institutions; and establish the enforcement mechanisms to hold corrupt officials accountable. We will identify the positions where individuals are most likely to engage in corruption and publicize them so that identifying corruption is a public engagement. We will also ensure that there is a balanced distribution of government spending, especially in terms of officials' compensation. We will reduce the compensation and benefits received by high-level government officials and increase those of lower-level officials and civil servants.

Liberians, given our recent past, are rightly skeptical and even cynical about those who purport to want to change their lives for the better. We, therefore, do more than articulate our plans and vision for Liberia. We set forth, in as detailed a fashion as possible, how we intend to pursue and achieve our stated policy objectives with the goal of profoundly touching and improving the lives of every Liberian.

Our priorities include:

*          Increase transparency and accountability through strengthening existing integrity institutions

*          Balanced distribution of government spending: reduce compensation & benefits of high-level government officials & increase those of civil servants, including police, teachers, nurses and others

*          Eliminating wasteful spending

*          Establish independence of controlling, procuring and auditing functions within government agencies

*          Reform the judiciary system to ensure the efficient and effective administration of justice and to protect the rights of every Liberian

*          Utilize technology to automate government processes to be more efficient, transparent and cut waste

NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN POLICY

Sustaining the peace and ensuring the security of the Liberian people is the top priority of the CPP. A CPP government will commit to modernizing our security forces, improving relations with our West African neighbors, and expanding our economic and diplomatic relationships across the world.

The first step in keeping the peace in Liberia is economic development and job creation. The unemployed, underemployed and unemployable youth represent a simmering threat to the consolidated peace and stability Liberia has enjoyed over last 18 years. The CPP government will consider youth employment to be a matter of national security.

In terms of foreign policy, a CPP government will look to move Liberia away from a dependence on foreign aid and toward self-sufficiency. Liberia's development partners can now serve as sources of foreign direct investment, as our relationships can evolve from aid to trade.

In the West African region, a CPP government will look to expand regional economic integration and increase access to markets for Liberian good. We will seek to lower the trade barriers to other ECOWAS nations and increase freedom of movement amongst our citizens.

Our priorities include:

*          Recalibrate our Foreign Policy with a view towards the economy and attracting investors; our embassies will become economic centers to increase foreign direct investments

*          Strengthen border security and enhance the capacity of our military, police and other security personnel

*          Address youth unemployment as a matter of national security

*          Improve regional economic integration, expand access to markets for Liberian goods and increase freedom of movement for Liberian citizens

*          Move away from dependence on foreign aid and toward self-sufficiency, as relationships with development partners evolve from aid to trade