OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR GEORGE WEAH

Senator, Montserrado County
Capitol Building, Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia

 Mr. Senator:

It is our honor and opportunity to present sincere greetings and compliments, and to extend congratulations for your success at the ballot-box and preferment as the elected Senator for the great, historic County of Montserrado. We wish, for you, God’s grace, guidance and wisdom, with good health, long life, prosperity, honesty and success in the performance of your noble, patriotic duties.

As expected of you, we note the banner, front-page headline, “Sen. Weah Concern About Mixed Reactions – To Schedule of Reopening Schools (Analyst, January 22, 2014)”. 

According to the newspaper:

1. “Montserrado County Senator . . . Weah has expressed concerns about the mixed reactions expressed by members of the public to the announcement of the reopening of schools by next February (2015) . . . said that he is worried over such announcement by the government to resume full academic activities early, considering the mixed reactions . . . urged national educational authorities to be circumspect and scrupulous in ensuring that schools reopen within an atmosphere that is save and not economically demanding on the already vulnerable, Liberian public . . .”. 

2. “Admonish the Executive Branch (of government) to reconsider its decision to resume regular and full academic activities by February (2015) as pronounced . . . the government needs to allow adequate preparations that will not strain ordinary Liberians but will, instead, allow all the economic potential to be able to send their children to school”.

3. “Has received many calls from parents and students, not only in Montserrado County, but from other parts of the country expressing how the scheduled was jamming jobless Liberians . . . that the government should not ignore the fact that many people were made jobless as a result of the deadly Ebola outbreak . . . many others were made parentless, while a number of others were left back to be widows and widowers. This state of affairs . . . has increased economic hardship amongst the people . . . should be reason for reconsideration of any harsh decision that would further distressed the people economically and socially”.

4. “Many of these parents say that the timing for the reopening of schools is abrupt and they are unprepared to underwrite the financial cost . . . there are, also, concerns about possible exposure of students to the Ebola virus . . .”, therefore, the “educational authorities to remain circumspect and scrupulous in addressing the issues of reopening schools”.

Indeed, the four-point issues raised are relevant and compelling; but, as Senator, you advanced no suggestions/recommendations, in terms of a concrete date with socio-economic and political reasons for the re-opening of schools, given the “Mixed Reactions” that you received from ”not only in Montserrado County, but from other parts of the country, expressing how the scheduled was jamming jobless Liberians . . .”.

The impact of the down-turn of the nation’s economy, occasioned by policy neglect, inaction and deterioration of the nation’s Terms of Trade, exacerbated by the Ebola Epidemic that threatens the very existence/survival of the nation and people, were the critical reasons, first, for Declaration of state of Emergency – closure of schools, entertainment centers, stop order on public gatherings and the request (of Legislature) for postponement of the just-ended, senatorial elections, in order to place undivided attention on containment of the Ebola virus   and, eventually, the eradication of the Ebola Epidemic and, second, address the crucial economic and health problems.

However, you were one of the prominent shakers/movers in support of holding the elections. The results: multiplication of infections, human suffering, destruction and deaths – “widows, widowers, parentless . . . (in your own words)” – in north-south, western and other parts of Liberia.

Apparently, Mr. Senator, your call for “circumspect and scrupulous” is, simply, “double-talk” from both sides of the mouth. That talk lacks credibility. For, some time not long ago, you were declared Peace Ambassador with specific responsibility for Reconciliation & Peaceful Co-Existence among the peoples of Liberia; you were, also, given, reportedly, US $5 million in budgetary support for the effort. Therefore, the Liberian people, not only the citizens of Montserrado County, but the overwhelming majority of the population, demands a full, comprehensive report.

During the 2005 general & presidential elections, you stood for President of Liberia and were accused of French citizenship by a combined group of concerned citizens – the Progressive Action for Change (PAC), Brains of Liberia (BOL) and Coalition of Political Parties Youth (CPPY) – in a complaint submitted to the NEC. The National Elections Commission, then headed by Counselor-at-Law, Madam Frances Johnson-Morris-Allison, treated these critical charges and counter-charges of national significance, apparently, “with kid gloves” and the issue died the usual, Liberian, natural death.

This time, you are accused of being a US citizen, with a US passport, by a senior member of your political party, according to New Dawn, December 18, 2014. As a dedicated, patriot, a Liberian Senator, you are aware, no doubt, of Article 30 of the Liberian Constitution which provides that only “citizens of Liberia . . . are eligible to become members of the Legislature”.  A definitive, unequivocal response to this issue of citizenship is necessary not only for truth and credibility, but also, most importantly, for the security (national security) of our small nation.

For example, our mentor, the major benefactor from which we borrowed, almost, all of our laws; on whose socio-economic and political organization/management systems ours are modeled and based; and perhaps the greatest educationally/technologically-developed nation on this planet, with all academic, intellectual and diplomatic skills/resources – the Great United States of America – is caught and entangled in the web of unpatriotic activities of individuals who are citizens of the United States and, simultaneously, citizens of foreign countries – dual citizens. These individuals have been and are placed in sensitive, strategic positions in, almost, all sectors of the US government; they dominate and control a major part of the US economy, political activities and influence US foreign and domestic policies.  Today, the USA is now involved in a frantic effort to extricate itself from getting entangled in another Iraq- or Afghanistan-type military adventure; this time to find a way out of possible nuclear confrontation with some developing/developed nations, due to disloyal acts by dual citizens who swore exclusive allegiance to two sovereign states at the same time.

In our case – the Liberian case of a small nation with overwhelming majority of whose body politic lives in “abject poverty, hunger and disease”, and now the Ebola Epidemic, the evidence of dual citizen domination and control of the nation’s political economy abounds. Liberians, we, must learn to benefit from the US experience.

Finally, during these days of ethnic/tribal bigotry and rivalry; political, socio-economic, religious (Boko Haran) violence; and international terrorism in which the US Dollar, British Pound, German Mark, French Franc, etc., have become the cutting edge in critical decision-making, it will be unreasonable, indeed dangerous, to entrust the life and future of our nation, and generations yet unborn, to an alien, “born-on-the-soil-Liberian”, who has renounced, denounced his Liberian citizenship by a pledge of exclusive allegiance to a foreign power.

Such an individual, no longer a Liberian citizen, may not be a member of the Nation’s Legislature.

ARE YOU OR ARE YOU NOT A CITIZEN OF A FOREIGN COUNTRY?

Faitfully,

Bai M. Gbala, Sr.