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DPPL backs U.S. Ambassador, urges Weah to fight corruption, implement economic reforms

By Jonathan Browne

The Democratic People’s Party of Liberia (DPPL) describes United States Ambassador Michael McCarthy’s recent statement against corruption in the Weah administration and the filthiness of Monrovia as a wakeup call to both the government and all Liberians to redouble efforts in fighting corruption, advancing cause of human rights and rule of law, cleaning Monrovia and other cities and desisting from acts that threaten Liberia’s peace and security.

The DPPL also notes that the U.S. Ambassador’s statement is a call to President Weah and his government to implement critical economic reforms necessary to accelerate sustainable economic growth and human capital development.

DPPL organizing chairman Rev. David Kiamu, in a statement issued here Monday, March 21, 2022 called on the Weah administration to take Ambassador McCarthy’s statement issued thru an OP-ED titled “What Would JJ Roberts Say?” during the 213th  birth anniversary of Liberia’s first President Joseph Jenkins  Roberts on March 15, 2022, in good faith because it is a caution to those within his government bent on undermining the rule of law and the trust of the Liberian people, including those who are corrupt to the core that their days are numbered.

“Those who are involved with acts that threaten the peace and security of this nation are known; they are being followed by the international community; just as they have been followed by citizens of Liberia, and that someday, maybe very soon, they will be made to pay for their actions!”, Rev. Kiamu says.

He maintains the Ambassador’s statement is realistic, honest, fair and is a caution to President George Weah to pay attention to what should be important to his government, saying “It is a very transparent assessment of how poorly this government is doing when it comes to the fight against corruption and violation of the rule of law and the abuse of human rights.”

He continues that revelation by the U.S Ambassador that some citizens divert public medical resources and low-cost drugs for personal gain, which results in deaths of babies, young children, and birthing mother is not only troubling, but extremely embarrassing, disgraceful, shameful and a demonstration that Liberians are losing the fight against corruption. “It is an indication that this government is doing very little to uproot corruption in public agencies.”

Rev. Kiamu says Ambassador McCarthy’s assessment that the state of cleanliness of Monrovia, which is more developed and a far wealthier community does not compare to villages in West Africa, is a serious caution to the George Weah-led government that according to him, has again scored a 0% grade point in the government‘s handling of waste, not only in Monrovia but in Liberia’s major cities like Kakata, Gbarnga, Ganta, Buchanan etc.

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“I am very certain, President J.J. Roberts would never have thought of Monrovia as a wealthy but dirty city. He would never have commended this government for leading a dirty, filthy Monrovia”, he adds.

The DPPL chair says frustration expressed by a government official on Monrovia Day and echoed by the Ambassador that “no donor or external partner is funding the current cost of solid waste management collection and disposal”, implying that said official was abandoned by the international community is a clear indication that some members of this government have very little or no understanding of the workings of the international community.

He says the international community should never be taken to be waste management officers for local governments which they come to help, and adds that even more disappointing, is the Ambassador’s revelation that Liberia’s top Legislative body has not demonstrated, or has no intention to demonstrate transparency in the way it makes decisions.

“Why would our representatives not use electronic voting equipment denoted to them to make their work easy and transparent? I like to thank Rhode Island Representative, Nathan W. Biah, Sr. and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for those precious gifts to our democratic process. I further urge the George Weah-led government to work hard to make true its promise to introduce legislative transparency which will make all legislative votes to be made public. Holding our law makers accountable is a fundamental element to show that our democracy is healthy and strong”, the DPPL statement concludes.

The U.S. Ambassador’s statement received sharp criticisms in several quarters particularly from supporters of the administration here, denigrating U.S. government support to Liberia over the years.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/op-ed-what-would-j-j-roberts-have-to-say-about-liberia-today/

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NewDawn

The New Dawn is Liberia’s Truly Independent Newspaper Published by Searchlight Communications Inc. Established on November 16, 2009, with its first hard copy publication on January 22, 2010. The office is located on UN Drive in Monrovia Liberia. The New Dawn is bilingual (both English & French).
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