By Jutonu Youwayteh Kollie, News and Current Affairs department of Prime Communications Network
Liberian Journalists including top media executives gathered early Sunday Morning, January 8, 2023 at the Forky Klon Jlateh Family Church for a Worship Service on the Robertsfield Highway at the invitation of President George Weah.
Following the Worship Service, the array of Liberian Journalists including outgoing officials of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) converged at President Weah’s Jamaica Resort where he held open discussions with them concerning the critical role they need to play during and after the 2023 October Elections.
The discussions concluded with an elaborate party where all sort of alcoholic and other strong beverages as well as soft drinks were served to these media gurus and their reporters.
Even though the discussions ended with the Liberian Leader urging the media to remain independent during the election, many see the dishing out of huge United States dollars ranging from 500 to 1,500 among Journalists as a form of not only bribery but a means of silencing the media ahead of these elections where members of the opposition community have already begun accusing the ruling establishment especially the National Elections Commission (NEC) of its inability to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election.
Questions still languishing in street corners are; “was the intent by the Liberian Leader to meet with these top media practitioners genuine or sincere? Was it appropriate to post these cross sections of Journalists on Social media as seen on the executive Mansion Facebook page”?
Is dishing out raw cash to Journalists a form of empowering the local media ahead of the critical election in October?
If the Liberian Leader is so desirous of empowering the Liberian media in its totality, he must use the Country’s National Budget to ensure the allocation of resources for Journalists and those desirous of becoming future Journalists rather than selecting few media workers at the detriment of others.
The action by the Executive Mansion to place raw cash in the pockets of Journalists including Talkshow hosts ahead of the Presidential and legislative election has raised eye-brows in the public…
Mr. President, though your intention might be good but the implementation might be questioned by your opponents and our international donor partners who are closely watching the process.
This has been a Special Commentary Title: What is President George Weah’s Intent to dish out huge Cash among Journalists with less than ten Months to Election? Written by the News and Current Affairs department of Prime Communications Network Incorporation on Benson Street.
