Bryant makes change
2004-03-09 20:09
Monrovia - Observers have described it as an unprecedented event in Liberian political history: Transitional government chairperson Gyude Bryant has returned more than $23 000 to the finance ministry, which was excess to his requirements on his recent trip to the African Union summit in Libya.
In a closed-door meeting with Finance Minister Luseni Kamara, Bryant pointed out that "foreign travel officials at the finance ministry inflated the amount for tickets by more than $100 000", according to an information ministry press statement on Tuesday.
He warned against such financial discrepancy and ordered finance ministry officials to "clean the ministry of corruption".
He expressed concern about the "number of leaks of official documents to the press".
"How do my letters to my cabinet ministers get into the press?" Bryant enquired.
Bryant's concerns follow series of publications in the local media about corrupt practices in government, including letters by the chairperson ordering payments of huge sums of money to his advisers and for luxury vehicles.
The move by Chairperson Bryant who declared "zero tolerance for corruption" in his inaugural speech, has been described as his first step to fight corruption which is endemic in Liberian society.
The international community has stressed transparency in handling the more than $520m raised at last month's conference for the rebuilding of post war Liberia in New York. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA