Why A Visit to the UN, AU Et Al, ‘Honorable’?

Recently, the Government of Liberia hosted week-long celebrations to mark ten years of peace and stability in the country. The celebrations, which included a symposium featuring a few actors of the Liberian civil conflict and peace process, were climaxed by a formal program at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion graced by President Ellen Johnson-Sirlleaf, the Speaker and members of the Liberian Legislature, as well as the U.N, ECOWAS, A.U and EU Families, as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps, foreign dignitaries, among others.

The decision by the Liberian Government to celebrate ten years of peace and stability was in recognition of the roles of the international organizations mentioned in the foregoing, the women of Liberia and other partners in the process of restoring peace and sanity to a county torn apart by years of fratricidal civil wars. Toward the direction of expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty God and international community, Liberians across the country welcomed and appreciated the government’s decision, praising it for such move.

As if the recent undertaking by the government was not enough, another attempt is being made by members of the House of Representatives for a tour of the world to “show appreciation to the EU, U.N, ECOWAS, as well as A.U, among others” for their respective roles in bringing peace to Liberia. The House of Representatives had almost unanimously endorsed such idea after the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Order, Montserrado County District # 6 Representative Edwin M. Snowe had written a communication to Plenary expressing the need to do so.

One thing that is always puzzling about this 53rd Liberian Legislature is the distinction and separate posture it usually takes on issues of national concern –one of which is the decision to execute a separate activity in commemoration of ten years of peace in Liberia. One would even wonder as to why would Mr. Snowe and others choose to thrive on such divisive path when a holistic national program had already been held to commemorate the event-what do they want to prove and why? Are Snowe and others attempting to justify the millions of U.S dollars placed in the 2013/2014 National Budget for Special Legislatives projects?

Suggesting a separate program such as the one recommended by Snowe and supported by other members of the House of representatives may not be only unfair and selfish, but undermining to the vary national institution of which they are the first branch. This is why many Liberians at home and abroad, including those they claim to be representing on Capitol Hill, have completely lost confidence in them.

While we appreciate the efforts of a few members of the House of Representatives to disabuse the minds of Snowe and his likes about the House being an “elephant meat”, we also urged these patriots to continuously resist further attempts by Snowe and his likes to divert our money to their whims and caprices.