Pro-temp Chie brands Amb. McCarty as opposition supporter

By Ethel A. Tweh

The President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate has blasted U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Mr. Michael A. McCarthy, saying Liberians do not tell Americans who to vote for.

In his attempt to react to Amb. McCarthy’s report about how the elite in Monrovia treats destitute citizens with neglect, Chie claimed that it has been alleged that the Ambassador is an opposition supporter.

The Grand Kru County Senator argued that Liberians don’t get up and tell Americans to vote for Trump or Biden, so Ambassador McCarty has no right to tell Liberians who to vote for.

It remains unclear where and when Mr. Chie heard Amb. McCarthy telling Liberians who to vote for.

However, Mr. McCarthy released a report last week and said the elite in Monrovia are treating destitute citizens in the leeward counties ‘with a neglect that borders on contempt.’

The U.S. Envoy said in a press statement that while hospitals went without, and service centers withered on the vine, Liberia’s 30 senators and 73 representatives spent sixty-five million U.S. dollars feathering their nests. 

It seems Mr. Chie is not happy about this report but did not state where the U.S. diplomat told Liberians who to vote for.

Notwithstanding, Chie explained that during Amb. McCarthy’s visit to Grand Kru County, Superintendent Doris Ylatun didn’t snub him.

Instead, Chie said the superintendent wasn’t available during the visit. He alleged that it was the Ambassador who snubbed the Superintendent because he allegedly entered the County ‘nicodemously.’ 

“It has been alleged that the Ambassador is an opposition supporter. How can you come to a County without informing the Superintendent?” Chie alleged further. 

“The only message the Superintendent got was that a group from the Embassy was coming to Grand Kru, and wanted to use Senator Bartekwa’s Guest House,” he continued.

He noted that there was no letter from the Ministry of Internal Affairs as customary that the Ambassador was going to the County.

“Do you know how many times our President goes to America without seeing Biden? Can you say Biden snubbed President Weah?” Chie continued.

He suggested that there is protocol in government. According to him, if the Ambassador wanted the Superintendent to be present, he should have communicated.

“But he did it intentionally. He didn’t want the Superintendent to be present because he came to our County to pick up falsehood,” Chief alleged.

He wondered how the Ambassador could say the Legislature appropriated US$65 Million for itself in the 2022 National budget. 

He added that if the Ambassador wanted the correct information, he would have visited projects of Senators and Representatives throughout the Country.

“This is just one example, a folder in my hand with many requests from our people. What do we do with our monies we get? We spend it on our people, we build clinics, we buy drugs for those clinics and hospitals, we build schools and pay teachers, we build Guest houses, bridges, among others,” said Chie. 

“Have you ever seen a wealthy Legislator in Liberia who has retired? Absolutely no! But he goes on spreading falsehood because this is an election year so that the opposition can be strengthened. But he lied!”

Chie questioned how the U.S. Envoy could allegedly be spreading falsehood about the government?

He claimed that this is why Washington has recalled Mr. McCarthy. 

“Because he is interfering with our politics, he is a foreigner and he must confine himself to his position,” noted Chie.