Motorcyclists warned against violence

Authorities of the Liberia National Police or LNP and Liberia’s Peace Ambassador Rev. William Tolbert, III, have jointly cautioned motorcycle and tricycle operators here against violence, warning that such conduct continues to portray negative image about the country with attending economic implications.

At the opening of a two – day consultation among the Peace Ambassador’s Office, the LNP, Liberia Motorcycle Transport Union and the Commercial Motorcyclists Transport Union held at the Effort Baptist Church in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, Deputy Police Director for Operations Col. Prince Mulbah said motorcyclists should not resort to violence when accidents occur.

UN peacekeeping partners graced the program at which motorcyclist union heads and taskforce members responsible to regulate movement in collaboration with the police are receiving presentations.

Mr. Mulbah said it is bad to resort to violence and destroy properties each time there is a situation, urging motorcyclists to give the police chance to conduct investigation and establish who is at fault, rather than going amok.

He observed motorcyclists put themselves at serious predicament when they become violent, cautioning that if Liberia will become ungovernable “because of our conduct, we will have nowhere to go.”

The Deputy Police Chief said motorcyclists should respect police officers just as officers have shown respect and tolerance to motorcyclists since he took over, arguing that officers have on several occasions, become victims of motorcyclists’ actions without reacting.

Peace Ambassador Rev. William Tolbert said Liberia already has peace, but sustaining such peace will require “all of us” to work together and put aside actions that could undermine stability here.

Participants at the program expressed thanks to government and UN partners for organizing the forum. The chairman for Sinkor United Motorcycle Association Trokon G. Gray urged that the negative public perception against motorcyclists be erased, particularly suggesting that government is now beginning to recognize their importance, and pleaded for assistance to further their education, stressing that lot of motorcycle operators are high school graduates but lack financial capacity to enroll in college.

By Winston W. Parley-Editing by Jonathan Browne