Source:
theliberianjournal
By: Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Jul 27, 2010
Despite Liberia’s dire economic circumstances, the Unity Party had cause for a pompous display of pageantry to celebrate Liberia’s 163rd independence anniversary.
Considering the overwhelming poverty and widespread destitution impacting MAJORITY of Liberians one would have imagined this occasion and ALL other planned celebrations be observed in a low key manner. It could also be a day of sober reflection of where we are, how we got here, and the way forward.
The Unity Party’s zest for wasteful spending, that adds no value to our national life and or positively impact Liberians needs to stop!
- What is there to celebrate when 80% of your constituents are unemployed?
- What is there to celebrate when over 80% of your constituents live far below the poverty line?
- What is there to celebrate when MOST citizens have no access to portable running water?
- What is there to celebrate when the country is overcome by darkness - lack of electricity?
- What is there to celebrate when the STRATIFICATION of our social and political structures are being enhanced!
- What is there to celebrate when a significant number of your constituents are ILLETERATE?
- What is there to celebrate when the national economy is dependent and CONTROLLED by a FEW powerful elites?
- What is there to celebrate when the very government is overcome by CORRUPTION?
Until the Unity Party can give honest answers to these questions, her LACK of vision and ability to provide solutions to the myriad of problems facing Liberia will always be EXPOSED.
What actually do we celebrate on July 26th? Independence? From whom? Remember, the bulk of Liberians are still feeling the impact(s) of Matilda Newport’s cannon shot!
This strange form of celebration amidst overwhelming poverty is akin to the very “temporary relief” provided by illegal chemical substances - sadly, once their effects wane, REALITY sets in!
We will ALL be in a better position to jubilate and or CELEBRATE when the Unity Party government provides the needed leadership to pull Liberians out of the crippling grips of poverty and set Liberian on a course of sustainable growth and development.
Editor’s Note: Benjamin Kofa Fyneah can be reached at bfyneah@hotmail.com
Everyone is a genius
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein
Drawing the line in Liberia
Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause
They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.
If Liberia must move forward ...
If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah
What do I think should be done?
The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah
Solving problems in the absence of war talks
As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah
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