Editorial: For whatever reasons, the hail of demeaning verbal attacks between two commissioners of the Governance Commission (GC) on Monday, 13 June in the public has seriously eroded public confidence in what supposed to be an integrity institution.
The GC is responsible to set benchmarks for the conduct of public officials and institutions, but its recent display of unruly exchanges in public glare, fighting for position clearly contradicts its mission.
Two senior commissioners of the institution took the airwave here early Monday, June 13, 2022, particularly on OK FM with claims and counter-claims over the position of Officer-In-Charge, throwing verbal jabs at each other.
GC Commissioners Elizabeth Dorkin and George W. Howe are both claiming legitimacy over the position of Officer-in-Charge, though the Commission announced in a recent press release that the Board of Commissioners has appointed Commissioner George W. Howe, Jr. as Officer-In-Charge and head of the Board with immediate effect, pending appointment of a new Chairperson by President George Manneh Weah.
When an institution of government that is charged with the duty of researching and writing public policies is engulfed by in-fighting over position, it leaves the public to wonder whether it still maintains focus on its key mandate or has degenerated into a place of mere contest for offices and positions.
What is even more disgusting is leaders of the GC bringing what is purely an administrative matter to the public via harsh expressions and innuendoes that fall below the belt. It is quite disappointing and unfortunate.
The uncouth behavior of Commissioner Howe and Dorkin clearly confirms that the days of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh and the late Professor Dr. Amos C. Sawyer at the GC are over. What is left at that institution now is mere frame of intellectualism. Critical minds seem to be scarce there, as was exhibited.
By their embarrassing action on Monday, what lessons were the two leaders sending out to both their undermen and the Liberian public in general? Why was it so difficult to have addressed the question of who is in charge in a senior staff meeting than getting on the radio to bring the once-revered entity to public disrepute?
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Both Commissioners Howe and Dorkin would have to answer these questions to demonstrate their leadership and redeem their character from complete disgrace. They should know that President George Weah appointed them to the Commission to do critical evaluation of the governance structure of the country and come up with reforms that conform with present-day realities, rather than being at each other’s throats for position.
It is but time that leaders of our nation shun narrowmindedness and embrace farsightedness to lift Liberia out of non-progression and placing the Motherland on the right trajectory. Infighting and petty jealousy have kept us down too long.
However, all hope is not lost. We still believe firmly that the GC can, and will do better. Therefore, we urge the current commissioners and entire leadership there to get their acts together and focus on the most important mission of building a better Liberia through policy reforms and guidance, instead of fighting over titles and offices.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/power-struggle-at-governance-commission-whos-in-charge/
