Dozens of less fortunate and destitute Liberians receiving free hot meals prepared by Indian Consulate General to Liberia, Shri Upjit Singh Sachdeva are upset by what they term the continues taking away of food by vehicles from the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) when government stimulus food package is yet to reach into various communities.
Speaking to reporters recently at the Jeety Trading Corporation in Vai Town, Bushrod Island where the food is prepared, they disclosed the MCC and the CDC dispatch two double-cabin pick-ups daily for cooked food which is taken to unknown destinations.They complain that as a result of the situation, some of their colleagues are being denied food due to hoarding by the corporation.
Four less fortunate Liberians, who identify themselves as Patrick Swen, Joseph Mah, Comfort Toe and Nancy Samuel want both institutions to account for food being taken away as the initiative by the Indian Consulate General is intended to assist ordinary Liberians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hundreds of less fortunate people including, way-wards commonly referred to here as zogoes in various slum communities, including Logan Town, Slipway, Vai Town, West Point, Trance Town, Center Street, Randall Street beach, and King Gray beach 1&2, among others queue in their numbers daily to patiently await the hot meal.
According to them, the destination of the cooked food received by the MCC and the CDC is unknown, which raises questions about the CDC-led government sincerity to take food rations to residents under the State of Emergency and lockdown.
“The government people brings their vehicles at Mr. Jeety compound and cooked meal loaded are taken to undisclosed locations which is very frustrating and caused most of our colleagues not to receive their share of the cooked meal being distributed by the Jeety Trading Corporation (JTC)”, they lamented.
They termed the action as shameful and disgraceful, considering the fact that the two entities have the financial means to buy and cook food for themselves, so there was no reason they should continue to load their vehicles with meals intended for less fortunate people in society, who have no means of fishing for themselves.
They noted that it is highly shameful that the institutions would run to a foreign businessman who came to Liberia to do business but decided to intervene in the health crisis by feeding the less fortunate daily without any contribution from government that continues to promise food distribution that is yet to be provided.
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The angry and frustrated less fortunate Liberians are demanding explanations from the two institutions as to where and to whom cooked meal being received from Mr. Jeety is taken when government has an obligation to provide for her citizens, particularly amid a global crisis.
At a departure scene of the vehicles loaded with cooked food, the less fortunate Liberians booed City Police officers accompanying the hot meal from the premises of the corporation.
Meanwhile, when reporters contacted both MCC and CDC personnel at the loading point in Vai Town on where the foods were being taken, they declined to comment.
However, Indian Consulate General, Shri Upjit Singh Sachdeva, told journalists to go ahead and report whatsoever information they have about the ongoing hot meal distribution.
By Emmanuel Mondaye–Editing by Jonathan Browne
