Open Letter To The Election Committee Of The Press Union Of Liberia

New Georgia Township
Monrovia, Liberia

November 14, 2019

The Chairman & Members
Election Committee
Press Union of Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia

Dear Mr. Chairman and Committee Members

I have been following with keen interest the disruption in the electoral process of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) due to a court case. I have also received a press statement from the leadership of the PUL, essentially announcing a conclusion of the case and a new date for the holding of the election.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, as one of longest-serving members of the Press Union of Liberia and former Chairman of the Press Club of the Union, I advise that whether or not the alleged court ruling is final, the holding of election on Saturday, November 16, is untimely and should, therefore, be reconsidered. The date, in my mind, is too close to the time the court case allegedly came to an end.

I suggest that in the interest of easing the tension and supporting a stronger PUL in which its members will continue to see one another as a family, you push the election ahead by at least two weeks until you have sat with all the parties to the disagreement, to iron out whatever differences there are.

I am of the conviction, Mr. Chairman and members of the PUL Election Committee, that insisting on holding the election on Saturday, November 16, will only exacerbate an already unfavourable climate. It is not too late to send a word out informing the membership of the PUL that a new date for the holding of the election will be announced within days. Once you have done so, you can now sit with the contestants to come out with a date that is suitable and acceptable to all.
I urge the committee to work independently so that its credibility that we so heavily rely on is not brought into question.

Thanks for your attention and good luck with your assignment.

Sincerely yours

Jonathan Paye-Layleh