The Representative of electoral district #2 in Margibi County, Ivar K. Jones has broken ground for the construction of what he termed as “District Two Development Council (DTDC) Office” value at sixty thousand United States dollars.
Rep. Jones making a special statement during the ceremony in Cotton Tree Lower Margibi County recently said the construction of the District Two Development Council office is in fulfillment of a campaign promise he made to the citizens during the 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections.
The Lawmaker disclosed that in his campaign message, he said if elected he will ensure that the Capitol building that hosts the offices of the National Legislature is decentralized and taken back to the district.
He said it was based upon this promise that the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the offices of the Lawmaker and his corps of officers was held in the district.
The District #2 Lawmaker said after he took over the mantle of authority from his predecessor and looking at where he stopped, he (Rep. Jones) decided to open a new page.
He stated that by this he was also able to introduce a District Development Council in the history of District #2 that will help to stir the affairs of the District and through that they called on all of the sectors including the marketers and the religious Communities among others thus constituting 17 committees to form part of the Council.
According to him, on March 3rd, 2018 an election was held and officers of the Council were elected and presented to him and through that, he gave his word to the Council calling on them to go back to their closet and ensure that the District has a constitution.
“And again for the first time in the history of District #2, Margibi County and I stand to be corrected within the seventy-three Districts of Liberia, District #2 Margibi County is the first District to have a constitution to govern the District Council” he added.
He said it took months and it was a challenge, but they are happy that the District has a debated and adopted Constitution that is the working tools for the leadership of the District.
The Lawmaker said he campaigned to his people in the District and beyond and said he came to the political landscape of the District based on one political ideology which is “ask not what your Country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country” and by that after his campaign and election as Representative of the District with the Constitution of the District Council he pledged and committed himself by giving back to his people fifty percent 50% of his salary to be used for direct District development.
He said the first project that was identified by the District is the District office of which the first payment was made and the second payment was made to ensure that the dream of the people of District #2 is realized.
Hon. Jones narrated that the land (2-lots) on which the project will be constructed was acquired from his own pocket and it is valued at US$4,000 while the cost of the project is put at US$60, 000.
“And we believe with the mindset to have the Capitol building decentralized by the offices of the Lawmaker of District #2 brought back to the District he can assure that together they are able to construct the District office.
The Margibi Lawmaker also said there are lots of incomplete projects in the district as such, his office has designed a new format of implementing projects in the district which means any contractor that will bid for a project will be responsible to pre-finance that project 100% after which the full payment will be made assuring the contractor who is implementing the DTDC office project that his money is secure.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jones in keeping with his commitment to the people of District #2 in terms of giving 50% of his salary to the District for development purposes remitted US$12,800 along with L$545,700.00 to the District Two Development Council.
For his part, the Chairman of the District Two Development Council; Rev. Joseph T. Charlie thanked Hon. Jones for living up to his commitment promising to use the money wisely for the benefit of citizens of the District.
He assured citizens of the District that every cent that is entrusted to him as head of the Council will be used wisely adding that the Council has a bank account that all of the money the Council has is in their account.
The contractor responsible for the construction of the project, Moses G. Suah has also assured residents of the District that the project will be done in the period of 120 days (4-months).
