–Wonders ‘What Abraham Lincoln Would Have Said’?
IPNEWS: On March 15, 2022, the United States Ambassador speaking at a program to commemorate Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first President of Liberia birthday, delivered a heart-touching speech in which he wondered and asked himself, “What Would J.J. Roberts Have to Say about Liberia Today?”
The US Ambassador spoke on a wide range of issues including, corruption, uncleanliness of the city, democracy, and healthcare, among many others.
U.S. McCarthy stated: “As we celebrate the life of a great Liberian, born 213 years ago in the United States before emigrating to this land at 20 years old, I have been asking myself what Joseph Jenkins Roberts would say about Liberia today.
Sixty years after the arrival of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Liberia, 19 years after the end of the civil war crisis, and seven years after the eradication of Ebola, the taxpayers of the United States contribute to this country over $110 million per year of foreign assistance.
This includes over $79 million per year donated to the health sector. Approximately $9 million is specifically for purchasing medications and commodities for the Liberian people and improving the Ministry of Health’s effective distribution and warehousing of pharmaceuticals. Despite this extra support, we learn regularly about places like Kolahun in Lofa County and Sanniquellie in Nimba County, where clinics and hospitals must make do without even the most basic drugs.
Troublingly, Embassy investigations indicate that not only are some citizens diverting public medical resources and low-cost drugs for personal gain, but that babies, young children, and birthing mothers are dying needlessly as a result.
What would J.J. Roberts have to say about this?”
Commenting further oratorically the US Ambassador recalled his days as Peace Corps volunteer, saying, “As a Peace Corps volunteer, I was blessed to live for two years in villages (without electricity or running water) in West Africa. First thing every morning, each household would take advantage of the cool, early morning daylight to sweep inside and outside and dispose of debris. Villagers then coordinated with the local government to deliver waste daily to a designated landfill.
The state of cleanliness in the city of Monrovia, which is more developed and a far wealthier community, sadly does not compare.
Last month, I was surprised at the words of city leadership on Monrovia Day. A senior official lamented that unlike his previous three years in office, “no donor or external partner is funding the recurrent cost of solid waste collection and disposal,” implying that he was abandoned by the international community. Is there a more basic local government responsibility than the collection and proper disposal of garbage?
Would Liberia’s first president have imagined that, 175 years after independence, foreigners should be held responsible for the removal of garbage in his capital city?”
Commenting on democracy and the assistance that has been given, Ambassador McCarthy noted: “On February 25, we learned that a Rhode Island State Representative, Nathan W. Biah, Sr., is donating electronic voting equipment to the Liberian House. This is not the first of such equipment donated to help make Liberia’s top legislative body more transparent to its citizens.
I have been reliably informed that a previous e-voting system was installed in 2014 by the U.S. taxpayer-funded National Democratic Institute (NDI), but it was never used.”
On his part, President Weah said during his December 10 Summit for Democracy speech (https://www.state.gov/official-interventions-the-summit-for-democracy/): “Over the next year, we intend to introduce legislative transparency by making all votes public so that constituents can hold their lawmakers accountable for their actions, which is a fundamental element of any healthy democracy.” I hope the legislature embraces this latest opportunity to increase citizen awareness of the actions of their elected officials.
Would J.J. Roberts have believed that in modern Liberia, a constitutional republic where “all power is inherent in its people,” legislators would purposely neglect to use a tool created to educate citizens on how their democratically elected representatives vote?
According to Ambassador, “The United States of America has, no doubt, also failed to live up to some of the aspirations of our first president, but I believe George Washington would be pleased to know that the country he fought to establish would today be working to support democracy and fight corruption both at home and in places like Liberia.
The U.S. House of Representatives introduced Resolution 907 on February 4 of 2022, which encourages Liberia to redouble its efforts to counter corruption and advance the causes of human rights. It also urges Liberia to implement critical economic reforms necessary to accelerate sustainable economic growth and human capital development.
Finally, it calls on the U.S. Treasury and State Departments to continue to impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for undermining the rule of law and trust of the Liberian people through corruption, gross violations of human rights, and other acts that threaten the peace and security of Liberia.”
Days later, in her address at SKD Stadium on February 14, Special Assistant to the President of the United States Dana Banks stated that “corruption eats away at the democracy you have worked so hard to build. But ultimately, only the Liberian Government and the Liberian people can tackle corruption, fight for accountability and transparency, and move this country forward.”
As these statements indicate, the U.S. Government is sufficiently concerned about corruption in Liberia to sanction individuals. Corruption leads to citizen frustration and has had destabilizing effects on countries in the region. It poses significant risks to peace and democracy.
How would Liberia’s first statesman feel to know that his country’s top ally was compelled to sanction members of Liberia’s government just to preserve rule of law and the democracy he helped establish?
I wonder.” – Ambassador McCarthy stressed.
Speaker Chambers Talks Back at US Government
Exactly 10 months following US Ambassador famous “What would J.J. Roberts Have to Say,?” statement, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Bhofal Chambers has taken issues with the United States of America, calling for the deletion of what he terms as cosmetic engagement, if Africa, including Liberia that are considered rich are to realize their full potentials.
Speaking recently at the opening of the Sixth and final Session of the 54th Legislature, Dr. Chambers underscored the need for Africa to do more through a substantial approach.
He said the issue of cosmetic engagements should be deleted, as it is said that Africans are considered to be the richest in terms of natural endowment. “Our friends are here, many people believe Liberia is wealthy”.
According to the House Speaker, “But we are engaging others and the issues of Vulture Capitalist needs to also be deleted, it is about time that we Africans and Liberians do more on human links, partnerships, Africa has borne the burden for so long and Liberia is of no exception.”
“We need to work together as human beings, Africa is not been treated fairly and I think we need to do it better”.
The House Speaker noted that he does not know what Abraham Lincoln would have said, because in 1854 he spoke about Liberia as a Haven for people of himself who were anticipating and dreaming to be safe and free America.
“We cannot bear this any longer for those persons to remain repressed, suppressed and oppressed who had suffered a lot and we except more, neither do we expect less as Liberians will expect to live justly and fairly . We will live together and for the world to be a peaceful place for all.”
Commenting on the recent seizure of the cache of arms and ammunition at the Freeport of Monrovia and at a house in Brewerville, Speaker Chambers appealed to America to remain more focused as things that leave the shore of America are well examined and properly checked, apparently making reference to how arms and ammunitions left America in a container to arrive in Monrovia before they was detected.
“We hope that we will not be used by others to change violently. It is our responsibility that our security don’t let the people down as there will be no room for harm to come to any Liberian during the electioneering period this year,” Speaker Chambers averred.
