To go into the details of Mr Morlu speech will bore readers of this piece. What I found missing from Mr Morlu speech was concrete suggestions regarding the establishment of effective anti-corruption mechanisms - be them legislations, specific punishment(s) or otherwise.
The talk of widespread corruption within this government is becoming trite. Political appointments, Mr Morlu, you and I know are a fact of life - elections do have consequences ! The President, I believe is doing everything within her powers to wage an apparent losing battle against this canker - corruption. The most recent example been the superintendent of Grand Cape Mount County.
Liberians from all walks of life will have to look within to purge ourselves of this anomaly. While Mr Morlu is indeed a brilliant technocrat, it is becoming obvious that he is no orator.
The public would have been better served if Mr Morlu had admonished the PUL to place truth on the highest rung of its ladder and bring punitive actions to bear on its members who dabble in falsehood and sensationalism for profit.
Lastly, Mr Morlue your shirt was indeed brilliant - literally
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 82 )The horrors in Guinea is reminiscent of a lot of ignoble activities currently playing out across Africa. It is also no surprise that most African Leaders are silent while the harshest condemnations of this illegitimate and brutal regime are emanating from Europe and America.
The Organization of Africa Unity, ECOWAS and the MRU it seems are unable to lend any credible voice of criticism, stringent sanctions and/or outright intervention to this sick excuse of a government. My heartfelt sympathy and the hearts of ALL peace loving people the world over go out to the many dead and their surviving loved ones. You can take solace in the fact that your loved ones did NOT die in vain !
This apparent madman, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara , has lost all claims to national leadership. There is no way to justify the indiscriminate killing of your own people - especially so UNARMED, publicly humiliating your women and maiming scores of others.
Presiding over such monstrous atrocities, as witnessed by the world a few days ago, is enough reason for an arrest warrant to be issued for the arrest and prosecution of Captain Moussa Dadis Camara by the ICC. Indeed he and his henchmen have committed a serious crime against humanity.
I will humbly urge well meaning Africans, Guineans and friends of Africa to petition the ICC to bring this errant dictator and his principal henchmen to book.
This is indeed a new day in Africa and despots are NO more guaranteed impunity !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida |
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( 2.9 / 65 )Until the middle 70’s Liberia was relatively stable, as compared to other African countries and countries around the world, but the “Pax Liberia” soon became shaky with the advent of the so-called “educated indigenes”. These were mainly sons and daughters of indigenous Liberians who after acquiring some degree of education mixed with communistic ideologies felt that they were the rightful owners of the state, Liberia.
They tried as hard as they could to usurp all forms of governance using diverse tactics and finally succeeded on April 14th 1979 with what is now known in contemporary Liberian history as the rice riots. On that fateful day, the stage was set for the systematic self-destruction of the Liberian nation and people.
This is in no way a defense or approval of the True Whig Party government or its policies. Like slavery, those institutions were destined to fail because their foundational framework were flawed and plain wrong
I vividly remember quizzing a demonstrator, with a load of looted goods on his head, as to what was amiss on that fateful morning only to be told that the then President ( William R. Tolbert) had planned to sell the country to foreigners. Such an outrageous response sent chills down my young spine because I knew that the riots was caused by what was perceived as the heavy handed approach of the government in its desire to forcefully suppress any form of dissent or calls for all inclusiveness from the indigenous masses.
Lies and strange innuendoes were perfected to art form. They became the modus operandi of the “educated indigenes” - spreading sadistic deceptions so as to engender mass revolt in the populace, who being almost 95% illiterate accepted anything that was advocated by their educated sons and daughters. The rice riots came and went but the scars it left on our nation remained up till this day.
When the dust of the riots finally settled, the cream de la cream of the “educated indigenes” were arrested and charged with treasonable offenses. While they lingered in prison their fame spread like wild fire amongst the masses who saw them as saviors com liberators consequently popular discontent with the government grew to unimaginable levels.
The then President, William R. Tolbert, who was more or less a victim of a system created by his predecessor was at a loss as to the remedy of the situation. He was painted as an old guard and widely perceived as a continuation of an oppressive system that subjugated the masses to a few elites and gave the masses no real chance of sharing the benefits of a country they viewed as theirs. The president tried at length to achieve a compromise but the demands of the “educated indigenes” only grew to unacceptable proportions.
Matters came to a tragic head when on April 12th 1980 the Liberian nation was rude awaken by the sounds of sporadic gunfire and a trembling voice on the national radio declaring that the system of oppression has been overthrown. I viewed with mixed feelings the euphoria that gripped the nation in the few days after the initial coup announcement. Liberians, it seems were too ecstatic to see anything wrong with the senseless killings and maiming that accompanied the “revolution”.
Indeed the time of the people had come ! The “educated indigenes” had achieve their ultimate goal. They ran the country now - preparing and giving long and winding speeches, punishing and/or neutralizing old foes and in the very end, laying ALL the blames at the feet of a semi-literate unknown soldier.
In a few months time, the unknown soldier having tasted power and its accompanying perks grew too large for the “educated indigenes” to exert total control over him. He began exercising his own authority without the advise and consent of the “educated indigenes” . When this was realized they felt humiliated and quizzed themselves - how could this boy, although our brother but of a baser sort refuse to obey our whims and wiles?
At this juncture, some began to abandon ship. With this move came all forms of repercussions; the unknown soldier in his quest for absolute power and authority decided to entrench himself. . .to be continued
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 64 )After reading the above titled piece on the www.liberianjournal.com website I was bewildered and taken aback as to what the true intentions of the Global Witness are in its current campaign to scale back the legislation that was ratified by the Liberian Legislature in consonance with The Inter-Ministerial Concession Commission.
While I appreciate the numerous good faith efforts of the Global Witness organization, its latest Internet press release(s) aimed at discouraging President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf from signing this piece of ratified legislation exposed a lack of vision on its part and questions the very legitimacy of the Government of Liberia.
Below is a direct quote from the press release as published on the www.liberianjournal.com website: "If President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf signs these logging contracts, she is sending a worrying signal that the law can be ignored by the Government when it is convenient," said Natalie Ashworth, campaigner at Global Witness." Is the President happy endorsing contracts with companies which have already made it clear that they do not intend to play by the rules?" It seems Global Witness angst is directed at “Three firms linked to Malaysian timber giant Samling, a company notorious for destroying tropical forests and abusing local communities“.
For all intent and purposes, I believe Global Witness group followed this process from its onset. It would have been in the best interest of Liberians and the aims of the Global Witness if enough pressure was brought to bear upon all parties involved to ensure that the right things were done from the very onset.
This whole episode also refocus the limelight on our level of involvement with issues that affect our nation both contemporary and in the long-term - constituents holding their elected representatives accountable by way of information exchanges / town hall styled meetings.
Apparently, sitting on the sidelines or weak advocacy has lead us all to where we are right now with this deal. I gathered from the Global Witness's own website that The Inter-Ministerial Concession Commission in Liberia approved the contracts and the Legislature ratified them. A revocation by the president at this stage would send conflicting signals about the overall operation of the government itself.
Global Witness call also raises a hosts of questions; Are the Inter-Ministerial Concession Commission and the Legislature wrong ? Are these institutions plied with individuals that are not only unpatriotic but corrupt ? Liberians would be very grateful if the Global Witness group could furnish us with any concealed details regarding this legislation that are yet to be made public.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 90 )Common sense demands that Mr John S. Morlu, II conducts himself in a civil and responsible manner in the execution of his duties as the Auditor General of Liberia.
It is also universal knowledge that recent exposure of the Movement for the Defense of Down Trodden (MDDT) illegitimate funding was a welcome news for the GAC who saw the MDDT not only as an unnecessary distraction but a cancer that needed to be purged. While the exposure of the MDDT illicit dealings is welcome it a but a small battle in a much larger war against corruption and abuse of power in our society.
Smarting from this apparent victory, Mr Morlu should be very careful about his public pronouncements - some of which might bring indignity upon his office.
If recent reports that House Speaker Alex Tyler plans to commission an audit of the GAC are true, I believe the GAC should wait for the specified time of the mentioned audit and co-operate to make the audit exercise a success.
Such childish stance as calling for the audit to be done immediately is NO proof that the GAC or its operatives are immune of financial improprieties. Mr Morlue has done a lot to whip up negative public sentiments against his outfit.
I would humbly plead that Mr Morlue exercise maximum restraint and fully co-operate with any institution that is charged with the responsibility of auditing his outfit at the appointed time designated by His Honorable, the House Speaker.
In the meantime I would request that Mr Morlu and the GAC man up and project the high dignity and esteem of their agency !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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