RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT WEAH’S THIRD MESSAGE OF THREE PREPOSITIONS: ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS

ccording to human history (Mills, 1859), (Rousseau,1913) and other historians and philosophers, there were no rules, regulations, laws, obligations or responsibilities during humankind’s existence in the State of Nature, but Might made Rights, although humankind was endowed with reason by nature to guide human action.

Citizen and Citizenship
It was during the Social State, an organized political community, that humankind developed rules, regulations and laws, obligations or responsibilities to guide, direct and regulate the socio-political activities of humankind, based primarily on human reason – with specific terms and conditions binding, both, on the community of the Social State and the citizen. The history of citizenship is defined by Rousseau’s Social Contract of changing relationship between the state and the citizen; but the major elements of the Contract remain immutable.

Laws are made with the proviso that they (the laws) may be amended or repealed in the event that the prevailing socio-political conditions which gave rise to the enactment of the laws are not, any loner, valid. Therefore, it becomes the reasonable responsibility of the political, ruling decision-makers to act consistent with the proviso, not constitutional amendments, based on Referendums which are planned and diligently-executed, extensive socio-political education of the masses and:

a) That the notion of “once a Liberian, always a Liberian” is a historic fallacy, not true because according to:

1) Born or birth in Liberia (Jus Soli, right of the soil) one may be born in country A and be naturalized citizen of country B.

2) And similarly, Liberian Blood (Jus Sanguinis, right of Liberian blood or ancestry), one whose parents are citizens of country C and, therefore, citizen of country C may be naturalized citizen of country D.

b) That this notion confuses Birth Rights (natural rights) with Citizenship Rights of the Social State;

c) That the state shall protect the political and civil rights of the citizen and the state gives and takes away for cause.

d) That the citizen shall be loyal and patriotic to the state while he/she reserves the right to the choice of citizenship of any foreign country but may not, simultaneously, be citizens of Liberia and a foreign country.

We applaud the President’s emphasis of priority, Public Policy Plans
Economists and national development experts define the development of national transport & communications of all-weather, safe & efficient/effective, modern highways & roads as the “Premier, Multiplier Effect” in national economic development. In other words, the experts prescribe the analogy of the Biblical teaching/advice, “seek ye, first, the development/implementation kingdom of modern, national transport & communications and all others shall be added unto you”.

Research information
Worldwide research and experience show that successful, all-weather, modern highways & roads built between points A & B attract citizens, businesses and investment promoters who locate along the new highways and roads. They buy land and build homes, motels, hotels, restaurants, shops, service stations and rest stops for motorists/travelers.

Modern transport/communications system of highways & roads facilitaties are not only convenient, efficient and safe modes of mass movement of people, but also facilitate the production, distribution and exchange of goods and services, national/international trade & commerce and, therefore, provides enormous opportunities for investment in people/freight transport equipment and employment of citizens.

Indeed, it is in this respect that transport/communication system constitutes the “Premier multiplier effect” in national economic development. Add to this the rapidly-developing, modern information technology, then one has the recipe for success that will drive Liberia into the 21st Century economy.

For, in order to locate and build schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, clinics, agro-industrial enterprises, utilities (telephone, internet facilities, electricity, water & sewer) and related, national development projects in remote villages, towns and cities of our developing nation, one must, first, get to those locations expeditiously by safe, efficient, effective, all-weather highways and roads.

Modern, twenty-first century system of transport/communications drives business which, in turn, drives the economy which, also in turn, drives the nation. To this approach, President Weah’s Speech was, and is, absolutely dedicated and committed.

References:

Mill, John Stuart: On Liberty, Yale University Press, London & New Haven, 1859

Rousseau, Jean Jacques: The Social Contract and Discourses, Guernsey Press Compny, Ltd., Great Britain, 1913.