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Editorial

Honoring the Shared Responsibilities We Have

When the Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission or LACC spoke recently at the official launch of the project “Capacity Building and Sensitization Campaign against Money Laundering, Illicit Drugs and Terrorist Financing in Liberia”  in Monrovia, his prime focus was the battle against crimes. In consonance with the foregoing, Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr. emphasized shared equal responsibilities of all citizens and residents of Liberia as the best way out toward success against these crimes.

This, he noted, would ensure the protection of the nation’s stability and integrity in terms of supporting and assisting in the crackdown on criminal behaviors in various forms. Cllr. Verdier described such shared equal responsibilities as essential to the fight against crimes in society, which includes reporting to security authorities, strange movements of strange goods and cargoes, suspicious financial transactions and cooperating with security and other regulatory authorities about the commission of these crimes.

It is an agreeable fact that crimes may be on the high increase across Liberia as the result of the inability of citizens and residents of communities to cooperate with national authorities in exposing crimes and their perpetrators. In many instances in communities, neighborhoods and workplaces, perpetrators of crimes are either close relatives or friends of citizens and residents- a situation resulting to the difficulties in battling crimes.

The irony of such situation is that it is the same citizens and residents of communities and neighborhoods that shield crime scenes and perpetrators against whom these crimes are committed. It is unfortunate that many Liberians misconstrue government as a separate entity. It is us as a people that make up the government-what many understand as the government is the institution put in place to conduct/coordinate our activities.

In this view, Liberian citizens and residents must cooperate/collaborate with state authorities at all levels in combating crimes of all sorts to create a crime-free environment or minimize crimes. But to continue to shy away from the shared responsibilities we have, as expressed by Cllr. Verdier recently, is like   betraying ourselves into danger and shifting blames.

If we, as Liberians, must ensure the protection of the nation’s stability and integrity, it must also be by supporting and assisting in the crackdown on criminal behaviours by our state authorities in various forms. It is also hope that other anti-graft officials will follow the example of the LACC Chairperson by engaging in similar awareness and education among Liberians through media relations as a way of them to understand the shared responsibilities they have in their country’s governance process.

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