Open Letter: Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson Writes President Johnson-Sirleaf
The time has come to put an end to these shenanigans on part of a cabal of political Lilliputians. It is these misdeeds which compelled Transparency International to label our country as “one of the most corrupt countries in the world”. It is these misdeeds which Global Watch and the United States Department have noticed and derided our country in such strident tones.
Source: Front Page Africa
National Democratic Coalition
Vamoma House, Sinkor
Monrovia, Liberia
27 September, 2011
Ambassador (Prof) Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson
Presidential Candidate
Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
President of the Republic of Liberia
Monrovia
Your Excellency:
I write to you in your capacity as President of our Liberia who has sworn to ensure the peace and stability of our beloved country—a peace that can only be guaranteed when justice is assured to all our citizens irrespective of their political leanings. I write to you as the leader of a Coalition of political parties which has been grievously wronged by an agency of your Government—a wrong which we do not intend to suffer silently and which, therefore, must be corrected forthwith.
Several weeks ago, we made contact with officials of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) and intimated them of our intention to lease a helicopter to facilitate our travel within the country during this campaign period. We were given various forms relevant to the application for Temporary Air Service Permit (TASP) which were duly filled out by NAC Helicopter Operations of South Africa, the company from whom we have leased the helicopter.
On the basis of the contacts with LCAA both on our part and on part of NAC, we proceeded to conclude arrangements with the lessors of the helicopter, transferring to them an advance payment of United States Dollars One Hundred and Seventy Thousand. The helicopter then took off from South Africa and is scheduled to arrive in Liberia this weekend.
Today, however, we have just received a letter from the LCAA denying our request for the helicopter to come to Liberia on the ridiculous excuse that there is “insufficient time” to process our application. But, Madam President, as you yourself know, this is poppycock and sheer political chicanery. We know that permission has already been granted you to hire a helicopter for use during your campaign. My question is the familiar: What is good for the goose is it not good for the gander? What is good for the Unity Party is it not good for the NDC, the CDC, the NUDP, the Liberty Party, the LTP, et al?
We know that in recent weeks, all of us, including the international community; have been concerned about ensuring that the forthcoming elections are violence-free. But how can we ensure a violence-free election when on a regular basis elements of the ruling party perpetrate various acts of violence against the opposition, various acts of fraud—in short, various acts of illegalities.
Without stopping to detail these acts, it will be enough to note the most recent reports of the Liberian Democratic Institute, the United States Department of State, Transparency International, and the International Crisis Group.
The time has come to put an end to these shenanigans on part of a cabal of political Lilliputians. It is these misdeeds which compelled Transparency International to label our country as “one of the most corrupt countries in the world”. It is these misdeeds which Global Watch and the United States Department have noticed and derided our country in such strident tones. And it is misdeeds such as these which, in the first place, led our country into that 14 year fratricidal conflict—a death-trap which you, Madam President, are under oath to help us avoid.
I am therefore calling on your intervention, Madam President, to ensure that permission is granted the NDC for its leased helicopter to enter our country as per its scheduled ETA this week end. This is an opportunity for you to rise above narrow partisan considerations and exercise that virtue of statesmanship (no, stateswomanship) which is the hallmark of any distinguished leadership.
While looking forward to an expeditious resolution of this matter, please be assured, Your Excellency, of our determination to work for the enthronement of genuine peace in our country based on justice and fair play for all political parties, for each and every Liberian.
Yours very respectfully,
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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