Monday, October 25, 2010

River Gee Citizens Want Inclusion in Pres. Johnson-Sirleaf’s Cabinet

Kirkpatrick Weah

By: Kirkpatrick Weah

Source: The Liberian Journal
Special Report by River Gee County Diaspora Political Committee-USA (RG PolCom)

With its natural wealth and contribution in taxes, which help to fuel the Liberian economy, the citizens of River Gee County are crying out loud for equity.

“We are taxpayers without representation in President Sirleaf’s cabinet, despite our contribution to the development of the country and her promise to treat each county on a level playing field", Pres. Sirleaf's frustrated supporters tell RG PolCom.

Citizens of the county are warning that their votes should not be ignored. Just like Nimba, Bong, Lofa and other counties being treated to ministerial positions and attention, they too can vote a candidate to power. The cry continues. The voice in the wilderness of political exclusion on President Sirleaf’s cabinet is a conversation under every palm wine tree in the politically sensitive county in Southeast Liberia. The Unity Party is on the verge of loosing the county again, if attention is not given to its outcry by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's government.

Why the Exclusions?

Many political pundits are wondering if such exclusion is due to the fact that the president eyes are only tilted towards counties with huge votes or because she did not win the county during the 2005 election. The arrival at such conclusion may be a weak argument. But the facts underscored that five years of President Sirleaf’s leadership left River Gee with no representation in her cabinet.

Citizens of River Gee County, also called Geepos, have a parade of PhDs, Masters, etc. Yet they have benefited from no cabinet position in the Johnson-Sirleaf Administration. “Our votes can make anyone wins the Liberian presidency. We, too, need representation on President Sirleaf’s cabinet”, said a River Gee paramount chief, who spoke on conditions of anonymity.

Commany Wesseh Issue

Despite his own struggles, anger is raining on Ambassador Commany B. Wesseh, a confidante of the president. His undoubted proximity to the president gives him the opportunity to influence her actions, especially regarding development in the county and jobs for our children, like she does for other counties, noted Chief Sinyeneltue, campaigner for Amb. Wesseh, during the senatorial election involving both Wesseh and Williams.

Sen. Williams used as a weapon, Wesseh's proximity to the President and the lack of benefit that came with it. Wesseh's trajectory of over 30 years of advocacy for his people is now overshadowed by his failure to help produce top government jobs for his own people.

Why this may be true, Ambassador Wesseh cannot force the President to give cabinet position to anyone. However, the question remains whether Amb. Wesseh is informing the President that he is being made a sacrificial lamb for the exclusion of well-learned River Gee County from her cabinet?

RG Polcom-USA Vows

The River Gee County Political Committee (RG Polcom-USA) vows to bring pressure on the county legislative caucus to seek equity from the President for ministerial and other positions. We know that power concedes nothing without a demand. We shall demand for our part of the national cake, jobs. Five years of President Sirleaf's leadership created no meaningful development projects to create jobs in the county. The Poverty Reduction Strategy in the county is only on paper. It has had no impact in reality.


Conclusions

Too much attention is being given to counties with vote rich populations. Was this the destiny of our people that we fought for in the past? River Gee demands the place in private sectors, ministries, etc. We are left out of President Sirleaf’s government. Are our votes not as good as big, big jobs being given to other counties?

Least our view is misconstrued, the president is trying her best for a country that is coming out of 14 years of civil war. We congratulate the President for her tuition free program for students wishing to enter teacher’s college. Our county needs more teachers and attention, too.

Editor’s Note: Kirkpatrick Weah is the Chair of the River Gee County Political Committee (RG Polcom-USA).

News Headline

Inside Liberia with Bernard Gbayee Goah

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

Liberia's greatest problem!

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - 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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