By Samuel Doe
Source: allAfrica.com
The standard bearer of the Victory for Change political Party (VFC) Cllr. Marcus Jones has claimed that recent decision rendered by the Supreme Court to send down a ruling in favor of the simple majority proposition that was voted against during the just ended national referendum to the NEC for implementation in the pending election is a total violation of the Liberian constitution.
On Tuesday, September 20, 2011, the high court in the land ruled that the Simple Majority proposition in the August 23 National Referendum stands as proposed by the National Legislature, and then instructed the National Elections Commission(NEC) to implement the its verdict during the 2011 October polls.
However, the latest action by the court appears to have fallen on slippery grounds, as the political leader of the Victory For Change Party Marcus Jones laments, the Court’s decision, he said, is in total contravention of the Liberian constitution.
Speaking to the Analyst newspaper, the VFC’s Standard Bearer argued that it was wrong for the Supreme Court to interfere in the referendum result that he claimed represents the voices of the Liberian people.
“The Supreme Court is tempering with the results of the referendum which is in violation of article 76 Section (5) of the constitution which is treasonable”, the VFC standard said. Cllr. Jones narrated that the international community was carefully watching the 2011 elections in Liberia, and as such, he intoned, “one must be careful how to make decision that will represent the cross section of the Liberian people.”
“If for any reason there is a need for the National Elections Commission (NEC) or the Liberian people wanted to change any clause in the referendum, it should be done in the holding of another referendum that will be scheduled another time”, Cllr. Marcus Jones suggested, and described the High Court’s action as a recipe for confusion.
“I thing the Supreme Court is setting the stage for confusion which in my view should not happen. We should do all we can to protect our constitution”, the constitutional lawyer indicated.
Cllr. Marcus Jones, during the 2005 general elections took the NEC to court for grossly leaving out his name and not having party’s emblem printed on the ballot papers, something which led to the intervention of the regional body ECOWAS.
It is not clear what will be his next action, but many fear that any inflammatory deed against the court could lead to the disruption of the 2011 general elections, as there have been mountain calls in recent months for the head of the National Elections Commission Chairman James Fromayan to resign his post as the commission’s boss over allegation that he (Fromayan) is favoring the standard bearer of the Ruling Unity Party, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is seeking term in office
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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