Maryland County Senator Dan Morais has described as ‘mad man,’ former Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Chairman Cllr. Jerome Verdier in reaction to the latter’s call for sanctions to be placed on Liberia and government officials here.Speaking to this paper via mobile phone recently in Monrovia, Senator Morais who presides over the Liberian Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations claims that Cllr. Verdier does not understand what he’s calling for.
The Maryland County lawmaker warns that the interest of the State cannot be tampered for people’s personal interests and personal gains.Recently, Cllr. Verdier who is a resident of the United States, called on the United Nations and the United States Government to place sanctions on Liberia for the alleged mismanagement of the country’s resources by President George Manneh Weah led – administration.
Cllr. Verdier suggests that the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government does not mean well for the country and its people, claiming that the best way in restricting some of the ‘mismanagements’ is to sanction President Weah and his officials and restrict the movement of government officials, among others.
But Mr. Morais, an executive member of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) which forms part of the tripartite arrangement that makes up the ruling establishment indicates that the current administration has done [nothing] that warrants sanctions.
He insists that Cllr. Verdier’s call speaks to his selfish interest and greed, narrating that the economic meltdown facing the country was not created by the Weah led – government.Instead, Senator Morais claims that the economic situation here is a global challenge nurtured with several factors that interplayed nearing the end of former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s administration.
“George Weah has [done] nothing to merit sanction. Verdier is just another selfish man. We were here when the United Nations placed Liberia under sanctions. We know what we went through, the consequences, the challenges and the aftermath are things that are still fresh in the minds of many Liberians,” he says.Mr. Morais notes that the economic challenge faced by the country must be concluded and wrapped up in order for the government and its people to open a new page which may create a unique style for smooth operation of the country and the economy.
Civil servants and officials of government have not taken pay for quite long, some counting four months or more, while some private institutions are heavily indebted to employees for months due to the poor performance of the economy.
Also, commercial banks here are unable to meet customers’ demands for withdrawal of huge sums of money from their respective accounts due low outflow and inflow of Liberian dollars.
The Weah administration has faced series of protests from government employees against pay cuts, poor working conditions, and delay in salaries payment, among others.By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
–Edited by Winston W. Parley
