2007 ANNUAL REPORT of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CAPE MOUNTAINIANS IN THE AMERICA, INC. NACA

Submitted to the FOURTH NATIONAL CONVENTION Sitting at Silver Spring, Maryland, USA October 6, 2007 by Abraham G. Massaley, National President

Today, I stand before you to report that the National Association of Cape Mountainians in the Americas, Inc. (NACA) is strong. Thanks to the leadership of so many of you who have stepped forward to give the best of yourselves to our county and its people. The gains we continue to make in NACA stand as an embodiment of hope for our people back home.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very impressed with the gathering of so many Cape Mount citizens who have traveled from different parts of the United States and Liberia to attend this year’s convention. I am very humble by the determination, the zeal and the momentum I see in all of you to do something for Cape Mount. Let me join President Jah Fahnbulleh of the Metro Chapter in welcoming you to the Fourth National Convention of NACA. Your presence here today is a further manifestation of your concern for Grand Cape Mount County and your interest in seeking solutions to some of the problems that are affecting the quality of life in the county as our people re-build their lives from the ashes of war. The challenges before us are enormous but dauntless, and with a united purpose, we as an organization will succeed in playing a key role in the recovery effort. By the same token, let me extend grateful appreciation to President Jah Fahnbulleh, officers and members of the Metro Chapter for the warn hospitality they have accorded us in this great state of Maryland. Above all, I am thankful to God for His blessings, which have made this gathering a success.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Metro Chapter has done what no chapter has done in NACA. Thanks to the vision of the entire leadership corps including President Jah Fahnbulleh, Vice President D. Sonii King, Jr., Secretary General Edward Kawah, Treasurer Hawah Kpakah, elders Willie A. Givens, Sr. and I Rimisa Williams Sr. and a host of other citizens. In June of this year, the Metro Chapter President assured me that his chapter would work to sponsor this convention without requesting funding from the National Administration. I had no idea how the Metro Chapter would fund a $6,000.00 convention budget. Today, I am proud to report that members of the Metro Chapter raised $6,000.00 in cash to underwrite the cost of this convention. I am enormously grateful to the chapter for this demonstration of leadership. Indeed, Metro has set a new record in NACA.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the last three years we have seen our Association being rapidly transformed into a viable entity. It was the vision of one man that inspired the re-birth of our Association. In 2003, Mr. Armah Massaquoi placed a call to me and some other Cape Mount citizens to discuss about the formation of a Cape Mount organization in the United States. His unwavering commitment and persistence led to efforts to revitalize NACA. NACA was established in 1985 but was inactive for nearly a decade.

When we took over the leadership in 2004, there was nowhere to start. The organization had no chapters, no bank account, no membership roster and almost no foundation to build upon. The problem was even compounded by the fact that the attributes associated with failure such as mistrust, disillusionment, blame casting and the attitude of wait and see had significantly taken its toll on NACA.

To get things started, I had to prevail on the elected leadership to donate $200.00 each in order to open a bank account so as to jumpstart the organization. The current Secretary General, Mr. Abu Zoeduah, the former National Treasurer, Mrs. Mabasi Paasewe Totimeh and I contributed $600.00 to open two bank accounts for the organization. Three years after, we are meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland under the same spirit of voluntarism and love for county and country. This is the fourth national convention of NACA! Since, 2003, many good intentioned Cape Mountainians have stepped forward to contribute their quotas to our county through NACA. Some of these people continue to go beyond the call to duty. To them, I owe enormous gratitude.

Patience and persistent efforts are two ingredients needed to move an organization forward. It even requires more than patience when you are faced with a failed organization. About five years ago, it was almost inconceivable to see a gathering of so many Cape Mount citizens from so many states and Liberia meeting in convention to discuss about the wellbeing of their county. But take a look around and see some of the people you have not seen in years. To me, this is a great accomplishment. Four years ago, more than half of the people in this hall did not even know that there was an association of Cape Mount citizens in the United States. Today, very few Cape Mount citizens in the United States would say that they have no knowledge about NACA. Certainly, this gathering attests to the gains we are making in NACA.

Constitution of the Board of Directors

Indeed, one of our greatest achievements in 2006 was the constitution of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Cape Mountainians in the Americas, Inc. The Board is one of three institutions established by our new constitution. Let me seize this moment to recognize Chairman Kandakai Sherman and other Board members here. Let me also use this occasion to re-assure the Board of my unflinching support as we all work to make NACA stronger.

NACA Financial Standing

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to report that NACA financial standing is strong. Our total income this year stands at more than $31,000.00. After expenditures on projects in Liberia and programs here, we are beginning the new fiscal year with a net asset of more than $7,000.00. Details of our financial transactions reflecting all sources of income and expenditure are attached to this report. We have receipts for all transactions, which are available upon demand. I applaud Cape Mount citizens and friends who continue to give cheerfully to the cause of our county.

The Cape Mount Development Foundation

I am pleased to announce that we have begun to re-structure the Cape Mount Development Foundation (CMDF) so that it can achieve its mandate. We established the foundation last year in Liberia to implement projects in Liberia for the Foundation and to serve as a viable link between the citizens residing in the Diaspora and back home. I must be the first to admit that all has not gone according to our expectations, and this is why we are overhauling the foundation. Our desire is to see the foundation as an endowment for community development, a partner for community rehabilitation, reconstruction, and restoration and a clearing house for international information, linkages, and networking for investment opportunities as well as a catalyst for community transformation and empowerment through education and economic incentives. Under the new mandate, the Foundation Board will largely be responsible to appoint the Executive Director who will report to the Foundation Board and to NACA. The Board will now have a membership of five who will be appointed by the President of NACA in consultation with the Executive Committee. Membership on the board will be voluntary and by formal written response to request for service. The Board will reflect a broad base representation to include representatives of the various geographical regions of our county as much as possible and will include competent, energetic and willing individuals who will truly want to serve. Our goal is to ensure that the Foundation becomes a viable entity to sustain itself.

Shipment of Container of Medical and Education Supplies for Grand Cape Mount County

In January of this year, NACA shipped a container of medical and educational supplies to Liberia for the people of Grand Cape Mount County. The consignment included 14 hospital beds for St. Timothy hospital in Robertsport, several boxes of assorted medical supplies and 23 boxes of educational supplies for schools throughout our county. The Liberia Children Educational Fund (LICEF) headed by Dr. H. Momo Fahnbulleh was helpful on this project. Most of the medical items were donated to NACA through the initiative of some of our citizens. All of the school supplies were purchased by NACA. In this public manner, I wish to extend my appreciation to Mr. I Rimisa Williams Jr. through whom we were able to obtain all of the hospital beds and other medical items. I also extend gratitude to Mr. Willie A. Givens, Jr. who paid most of the storage fee for nearly a year, and played the leading role on the container project. I commend our outgoing Queen Musu Fahnbulleh who made a generous financial contribution to this project. Let me also applaud the President of the Metro Chapter, Mr. Jah Fahbulleh who took time off his work to transport some of the items to the storage facility and to help load the container. I also commend the Reverend James Yarsiah and the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Charlestown, South Carolina for the donation of several boxes of assorted medical supplies.

The 2007 Reconstruction Conference in Rhode Island

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to report that the Reconstruction Conference in Rhode Island was a success. I must admit that while the attendance in Warwick was not as large as the one in College Park, Maryland, NACA was able to raise nearly $10,000 at the Rhode Island conference. I want to use this medium to extend my gratitude to Chief Bai Dordor Karneh, President of the New England Chapter, Mr. Suliman V. Kamara, Vice President and General Coordinator of the 2007 Reconstruction Conference and Mr. Willie A. Givens, Jr. for their time, efforts and resources. I also thank all members of the New England Chapter for their support which made that conference a success. The Rhode Island conference reinforced my personal conviction that while numbers matter it really requires the commitment of the determined few to make things happen. In Rhode Island, no one thought that we could have generated the money raised but we did! My appreciation goes to the special contributors including Messrs Willie A. Givens, Jr. and Armah Massaquoi who gave more than what it was required of them to support the bridge project on the Mano River Road. I am also indebted to the Mano River Association in the Americas headed by Mr. Jayah Kamara for contributing $1,500.00 to this project.

At the 2005 convention, we proposed to this body to establish a Reconstruction Fund and for NACA to organize an annual reconstruction conference for the county. The 2005 convention unanimously endorsed our proposal and levied a reconstruction fee of $100.00 on every Cape Mountainian residing in the United States. We applaud fellow Cape Mountainians who continue to pay this yearly fee. We also appeal to other Cape Mountain citizens for their support in this endeavor.

The St. Timothy Hospital Project in Robertsport

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to report that St. Timothy hospital is now providing inpatient services to our people in Robertsport and its environs. The county has a chief medical officer, Dr. Raymond Foday Kromah who is in charge of the hospital. A new hospital administrator has also been assigned. New staff including nurses have come onboard who reside at the nurse’s quarter. Most of these nurses recently took up residency in Robertsport from other parts of the country mainly Monrovia. Dr. Kromah met with some NACA leaders in June of this year during his visit to the United States. We have started discussion for an annual visit to the county by medical practitioners from the United States. The chair of the Reconstruction Committee, Mr. Willie A. Givens Jr. has taken the lead in this endeavor. Dr. Kromah was grateful that Cape Mount citizens in the United States took on the challenge to restore hope to our people by re-opening the hospital doors. He said our intervention significantly helped in his transition at St. Timothy because there was already a structure in place when he took over. Countless citizens in Cape Mount have also continued to praise NACA for going to Robertsport at the time when the health needs were desperate.

In 2005, NACA partially renovated the St. Timothy hospital and re-opened the outpatient unit to provide medical services. By our intervention, NACA was able to get the attention of the then interim government of Liberia, which got international assistance to renovate the entire hospital. We resumed our sponsorship to the hospital after the renovation work and continued to support its operation until last year when other sources of funding were identified for the hospital. The hospital currently serves about 50 patients daily, according to reports we have received. When we funded the hospital, NACA provided free drugs and supplies to the outpatient unit. We also paid salaries for the hospital staff and provided fuel for the hospital electric generator. NACA seized active support to St. Timothy in December 2006.

Donation of Sporting Gears to the county

Fellow Cape Mountainians, in November 2006, we received an urgent request from the Superintendent, Hon Catherine Khasu for NACA to provide sporting gears to enable the county participate in the 2006 National County Meet. As a show of support to our superintendent and to ensure our county’s participation, NACA donated two sets of jersey, 16 football boots and two sets of hose to the soccer team as well as two sets of jersey, two sets of hose and 15 sets of sneakers to the kickball team. We also gave ten bags of rice and two large county flags. Although the county was eliminated from the competitions, our donation once again demonstrated our support to the county under the leadership of Superintendent Khasu and our desire to support sports, recreational activities and athleticism among the youths of our county.

Application for Tax Exempt Status

Ladies and gentlemen, we have filed application with the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax exempt status for NACA. Currently, our application is being reviewed by the IRS. All requested documentations have been submitted. We remain hopeful that the IRS will grant us this status so that we can seek the outside help we need to adequately support NACA projects in Liberia.

NACA Awards for 2007

Last year, we established several award categories to honor individuals and groups that render outstanding contributions and selfless services to our county and NACA. Personally, I believe that those among us who go beyond the call of duty must be publicly recognized as a mark of gratitude and to encourage others to give their best in service to our county. It is consistent with this believe that I announce today the establishment of the NACA PERSON OF THE YEAR Award. This award will be presented each year to a member of a NACA Chapter for his/her outstanding contributions aimed at strengthening that local Chapter so that NACA can be further strengthened to support our county’s development. This year’s award will be given in memory to the honor of Muriel S. Diggs in grateful recognition of the outstanding role she played in the NACA Metro Chapter (Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC). Muriel hosted several meetings and fundraisers for the chapter and was constantly on the phone contacting fellow Cape Mountaininians to contribute to the work of NACA. What most of us did not even know was that Muriel was battling with a terminal illness when she was actively galvanizing help for her people in Grand Cape Mount County. We are told that during some of those chapter events, Muriel would be in pain but would not quit. Many members of the Metro Chapter including the leadership have said that Muriel was the cornerstone of the chapter who went beyond the call to duty to enlist many Cape Mount citizens for NACA. Many have also spoken positively of her personal and caring relationship, her love and humility. In deed, her celebration of life in Maryland this year was a testimony to the many lives she touched. Truly, our county and NACA have lost one of our finest daughters. It is in appreciation of her dedicated services and demonstrated love for county and country that we honor her today.

Mr. Willie A. Givens is the recipient of the 2007 NACA Leadership Award. This award is presented to leader(s) of NACA and NACA chapters who demonstrate excellence in service to the cause of Grand Cape Mount County and NACA. Willie was unanimously selected in recognition of his excellent leadership skills, which he has brought to NACA, his strong sense of voluntary service and his undaunted community spirit. Willie first volunteered to serve NACA during the 2005 convention in Philadelphia when he clearly saw the need for volunteers on the secretarial of the convention resolution committee. Subsequently, he was asked to serve as Chair of the NACA Reconstruction Committee in which capacity he continues to perform beyond expectations.

Mr. Givens is also the recipient of this year’s NACA Philanthropic Award. This award is presented to institutions or individuals who make significant financial and or moral contributions to NACA through their active involvement and or financial support, and to the cause of Grand Cape Mount County. Willie is the highest financial contributor to NACA in 2007. In total, Willie gave more than $2,000 in cash to NACA in this reporting period. His material and moral support to the organization has also been unparallel. He was the pillar behind the 2007 NACA container project. He remains a reliable partner in our efforts to undertake projects that would improve the quality of life in our county of origin. Mr. Givens continues to donate too many hours to the work of NACA for which we are enormously grateful.

There are four recipients of this year’s NACA Service Award. This award is presented to individuals who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people of Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia. The recipients are Chief Bai Dordor Karneh, President of the New England Chapter, Hon. Samuel K. Massaley, I Chairman of the Cape Mount Development Foundation, Mr. Boima K. Metzger, member of the Board of Directors of the Cape Mount Development Foundation and Mr. David F. Massaquoi, former staff at the St. Timothy Hospital in Robertsport. Chief Karneh was unanimously selected for this award in recognition of the enormous contributions he continues to make to NACA and to the people of Grand Cape Mount County. Chief Karneh has actively participated in NACA since 2003 when the Association was revitalized. He attended the first National Leadership Conference in Trenton, New Jersey on October 30, 2004 during which he was requested to lead the formation of a NACA Chapter in the New England area (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont). Today, New England is one of our strongest chapters. Chief Karneh took a one- week vacation from work this year in the days leading to the Rhode Island Reconstruction Conference. He was seen transporting food, drinks and mobilizing fellow Cape Mount citizens for the conference. He and his wife Beatrice have attended every event in NACA since 2004. We applaud Chief Bai and Mrs. Karneh for their voluntary services to NACA. We urge Chief Bai to share this award with his Beatrice.

Hon Samuel K. Massaley, I was unanimously selected for the NACA Service Award in recognition of his invaluable services to the people of Grand Cape Mount County through the Cape Mount Development Foundation. NACA is impressed with his leadership, as Chairman of the Foundation Board of Directors, and his voluntary spirit. Hon Massaley has shown trusted leadership in the implementation of NACA projects in Liberia. His efforts on the St. Timothy Hospital project were outstanding.

Mr. Boima K. Metzger was unanimously selected in recognition of his selfless services to the people of Grand Cape Mount County through the Cape Mount Development Foundation. Mr. Metzger was instrumental in organizing the August 2005 mid-wifery program that trained 28 women from the four districts as midwives through NACA sponsorship. He played a key role in NACA efforts to re-open the outpatient unit at St. Timothy Hospital.

Mr. David F. Massaquoi was unanimously selected in recognition of his dedicated services to the people of Grand Cape Mount County while serving at St. Timothy Hospital. From every twist and turn, Mass, as he is affectionately called, would be seen dashing briskly from every department to ensure that the hospital is in full swing and operational. Also referred to by the locales as "doctor," Mr. Massaquoi’s presence was widely felt and appreciated throughout the county during the peak of the Liberian war after the resident doctor sought refuge in neighboring Sierra Leone. Mr. Massaquoi took upon himself, with assistance from the available medical and support staff, to keep the hospital doors open in the face of complete lawlessness. We commend Mr. Massaquoi for risking his own life to save the lives in Cape Mount when our country was engulfed in senseless killings.

The NACA Majah-Laing Award is presented to Mr. Suliman V. Kamara, Vice President of the New England Chapter. This award is presented to individuals who provide hospitality and friendship amongst Cape Mount citizens at home and abroad, which gestures help to strengthen NACA in providing services to Grand Cape Mount County. Mr. Kamara was unanimously selected for this award in recognition of the role he played in hosting the May 2007 Reconstruction Conference. As Coordinator of the 2007 Reconstruction Committee, he worked relentlessly and selflessly contributed his time and resources in planning and executing the Conference. Since 2003 when NACA was revitalized, Mr. Kamara has attended all NACA events. The NACA Delaware Valley Chapter is the recipient of this year’s NACA Chapter Contribution Award. This award is granted to the NACA chapter with the highest annual financial contribution. The President of the Chapter, Mr. Boima Pusah will receive the award on behalf of his chapter.

Special Recognition to Outgoing Queen Musu Fahnbulleh

Ladies and gentlemen, I want to in this public manner extend my profound gratitude to our outgoing Queen Musu Fahnbulleh for the remarkable contributions she made to NACA and Cape Mount during her reign. Queen Fahnbulleh is a true embodiment of a caring and loving Cape Mount woman. Her love for our county is unquestionable and her concern for the wellbeing of our people is overwhelming. Queen Fahnbulleh has been very active member with NACA and she continues to give cheerfully to the cause of our county. In 2006, Queen Fahnbulleh received the NACA Philanthropic Award as the highest financial contributor. Queen Fahnbulleh has always taken initiative to help on several NACA projects. She would always call to inquire about what project the administration was implementing for Cape Mount and what she can do to help. She gives to NACA without being asked. This year, she surprised me by depositing $1,000.00 into NACA account for the Cape Mount Development Foundation before calling to inform me about the donation. Queen Fahnbulleh is a very compassionate person and her generosity goes beyond Cape Mount. Until the recent crisis in Ivory Coast, Ms Fahnbulleh was the only source of support to a Liberian refugee family living in that country. She continues to support that family even after their return to Liberia. It would interest you to know that Queen Fahnbulleh has no relationship with this family and has not even met them. But she was moved to help upon hearing their story.

Another person I would like to commend is Mr. Edward Fahnbulleh. As a single individual, Mr. Fahnbulleh has done so many things for our people. He has been very active in the reconstruction efforts of his home town. He has also constructed a junior high school in Monrovia which is now fully functional. Let me also tell you about the story of another Cape Mount citizen. Ms Sando Sherman has also been very active in her home town of Bendoo. She has many projects going on in Bendu including an outreach health project. She has established a community farm for the town. Ms Sherman is in the process of organizing a charity in the United States for Bendoo. I want to applaud Ms Sherman for her interest in Cape Mount. Ms Sherman informed me that she works three jobs to meet her financial commitments to the Bendoo projects.

Transition in NACA

Ladies and gentlemen, it has truly been a privilege to serve you as president of NACA but it is time for us to begin the transition to a new leadership team. I am proud about our achievements in the last four years. Today, NACA has a new constitution that conforms to current realities. We have also organized eight NACA chapters in nearly 15 states. We have appointed NACA organizing committees in California, Ohio, Florida, Texas and Minnesota. We have enhanced communication among Cape Mount citizens residing in the United States. We have established a Website, a list serve and a newsletter. We now have nearly 500 Cape Mount citizens on our mailing list. We have done our best to create maximum awareness about NACA and its activities. For the fourth year, we have organized four national conventions in three major cities. We have organized one donor’s conference and two reconstruction conferences for Grand Cape Mount County.

Since we took over NACA, each year we have reported to you about our stewardship. Our annual reports have always included comprehensive financial reports. I am convinced that we are the only Liberian organization in the United States and perhaps anywhere in the world that posts its comprehensive annual financial report on the internet for all to see.

Back home, we have helped trained 28 women as midwives in our county. This training program was held in August 2005 in Teinnii, Tewor District solely under NACA sponsorship. The women were trained after hearing reports of complications at birth in our county partly due to the lack of adequate trained midwives. This was the first time in our county for women to come together from Tewor, Porkpa, Gola Konneh and Garwula as well as Robertsport to benefit from transfer of skills that they would use to help preserve lives in our county. We took the bold step to reopen the doors of St. Timothy Hospital at the time when the health situation was desperate in Robertsport and its surroundings. We have made several donations of medical, sporting and educational items to the county. NACA is becoming a household name in Cape Mount. Several Cape Mount citizens who have returned home recently have told me about their personal encounter when they were asked by their relatives whether they belong to NACA. With limited funding, we have succeeded to have an impact in the county.

Despite these gains, we still have a lot of work to do. But I am limited by our constitution to two terms, and I have an obligation to respect the dictates of our constitution. Therefore, come next September I will not be your president. Hence, it is about time for us to begin the transition to a new NACA leadership. Although some of our members have expressed reservations and concern about the impact my departure will have on the organization, I will do nothing to undermine our constitution. We worked so hard to produce this constitution. It is the law that we have chosen to govern our organization. Therefore, it behooves us to make it to work. I must admit that it is a difficult thing to negotiate oneself out of power but I must do so in the best interest of our community.

Unfortunately, one of our greatest challenges as Liberians has been our inability to properly manage change. Most of our national problems including the 14 years of war have been largely due to the way we have poorly managed change. Many Liberian organizations in the United States have gone into disarray because of their failure to manage change. This is why we must carefully begin to plan the transition in NACA, and I am fully committed to this process. We will shortly announce the appointment of the NACA Elections Commission to set the process into motion.

Those who are skeptical about NACA’s future after me have very good reasons. Change is not an easy process to embrace. Many people are always afraid about change and some would do everything to resist it. But I believe that change is a necessary phenomenon. However, I believe that change management is a critical factor in determining the future of any organization. The way we will manage the change in NACA will determine where it will go after me.

Let us begin to look among ourselves to see who are capable to lead NACA. I am announcing this transition today to give all of us sufficient notice to assemble individuals who are prepared, competent and willing to work for NACA. I mean people who will put in the time and not just talk the talk. The greatest honor this organization can bestow on me is to have a successor who will continue to build NACA. We must never again allow NACA to go into coma. This is why we must be very carefully in electing the new leadership.

I have truly worked with some of the finest sons and daughters from our county. I have every reason to believe that some of these officers can ably lead our organization. But I believe that they must work to earn your vote in a broadly competitive process that will produce the best results for NACA. The more the number of competent Cape Mountain citizens who will step forward for leadership the better it will be for NACA. So let the search begin today.

Let me thank the Vice President, Dr. H. Momo Fahnbulleh, Secretary General, Mr. Abu Zoeduah, National Treasurer, Mrs. Jebbeh Jangaba, the Chairpersons of the various standing Committees including Messrs Willie A. Givens, Jr., Armah Massaquou, Gardea Woodson and Mrs. Jumah Gray Brumskine for their support and cooperation. I will continue to rely on their support as be go through the change process in NACA.

Let me thank my wife, Victoria and children for their continued support. Unfortunately, they could not be here today because of our bereavement. Sometimes my wife would ask me whether it is only Cape Mount I care about so much. Certainly, I fully understand the frustration especially when the family needs my attention. Victoria has been very understanding and supportive and my children have been very encouraging. My kids have come to know more about Cape Mount in the last four years than any time in their lives. I usually tell my kids about the unpleasant condition under which I grew up in Cape Mount which condition has made me to develop a strong passion for my home county. Frankly, I do not believe that children anywhere should be deprived of the necessities of live that would enable them to grow up in a loving, caring and friendly environment to fulfill their mission in life. I experienced this condition after the death of my father in my early ages. I know how difficult it is to live under such terrible conditions. This is why I have an obligation to play my part to do whatever I can in making life a little better for those I have left behind. I also believe that NACA is a great medium through which we in the United States can collectively give back to our county.

Before I close this message, it is necessary for me to comment on an important matter in our organization. I strongly believe that any organization that is not transparent is doomed to fail. I also strongly believe that we must hold our leaders accountable. It was against this backdrop that I worked along with others to produce a constitution that guarantees a National Convention where NACA leaders will report to you about their stewardship and a Board of Directors that will serve as a check and balance as well as an audit commission to ensure financial transparency. I drafted the current NACA constitution. I included these major provisions in the constitution when I was serving as President. There were lots of concerns from individuals who believed that I was setting myself up for unnecessary confrontation that would destroy NACA. There were citizens who were totally opposed to the idea of a convention or a board because they felt that these institutions would be breeding grounds for confusion as is the case with several Liberian organizations in the United States. But I insisted that if NACA is to achieve its purpose, accountability through various organs of the organization such as the convention and the Board must be an indispensable arrangement.

It was based on this personal conviction that I submitted to the Board on June 4, 2007 the names of three of our distinguished members to serve on the Audit Commission. Unfortunately, to this day, I have not heard from the Board about our nomination. Our constitution calls for an audit commission that is charged with the responsibility to perform audit in NACA. I call on the Board to act so that we can have this commission constituted. Our 2007 financial report is ready. We have already circulated copies of all receipts relating to all financial transactions in NACA for the year in review to all members of the Executive Committee who deal with financial matters in the organization. In essence, we are fully ready for audit.

My friends, doing good is difficult. It takes lots of efforts, thoughts, patience and commitment to do good but evil usually requires less thought and less action. This is why it is easy to destroy than to build. No matter what some people will see nothing good that you do but I urge you to do good anyway. There will be times when you will be discouraged and frustrated in doing good deals for your communities but do good anyway. Good will always triumph over evil.

Unfortunately, some people spend too much time finding fault in others destroying valuable relationships in the process. Certainly, there is none among us that is perfect. Never will I pretend to be a saint. But if we never had good intentions for this organization, we would not be here today. Whatever I have done in NACA, I have done so with the best of intentions for my county. Even in the face of law, intention constitutes a major reason for guilt. No want wants to hear unpleasant things about their love ones and we all have families and friends that get really hurt when they hear ugly things about us. This is why I appeal to all of us to be careful about our actions and utterances against others. Our community is a small one. We have fought for too long in Liberia and years of fighting have only left our country a wasteland. We all have the ability to fight back especially when we are attacked but most times it will be the grass that suffers.

Fellow Cape Mountainians, we have a good organization that many other Liberians admire. Let us fight to preserve it. Let us fight to preserve unity among us. We will differ but we must handle our disagreements in a positive manner. I am not saying that we must condone wrong in NACA. However, we must not engage in a campaign to destroy others and in the process destroy this organization. I love this organization and I want to see it grow. Fellow Cape Mountainians, let us remain focus on the greater picture for NACA and Cape Mount. Let us learn the lessons from the failure of our nation state and the failure of so many Liberian organizations in this country. Let not our disagreements lead to impasse among us. Let us work for a vibrant NACA. Great men and women bring people together to achieve a meaningful purpose for their community. I urge you today to remain united in our purpose for NACA. I thank you.

Abraham G. Massaley
National President

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