The officially elected Political Leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) says the draft budget of US$785.5 before the Legislature comprises of high level of fraud and discrepancies.
In his acceptance speech when he and several others were elected at the PLP’s just ended convention held in Margibi County over the weekend, Dr. Daniel Cassell observed that the draft financial document failed to address areas of priorities.
He claimed that the current draft budget seeks to enrich the President and his confidants as it has always been since the ascent of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led government to power.
“Today, we see the current draft 2022 national budget which is presently before the legislature riddled with fraud and discrepancies. The draft 2022 budget failed yet again to address or encapsulate the socio-economic needs and aspirations of the Liberian people and fall short of emphasizing priority areas like agriculture, health care, education, tourism and entertainment, infrastructure, and capital developments,” Cassell emphasized.
He reiterated, “What a shame and disgrace for a group of people who told us they were coming to effect a “change” in the political system through the so-called “Pro-poor Agenda and put an end to the decades of perennial misrule, but evidently turned out to be complete 419 or hoax.”
He noted that now is the time for Liberia to be from this spelling paralysis adding that the country must be reclaimed and redeemed from this perennial scourge of bad governance and self-indulgence.
“Liberians deserve better. They too have the right to better socioeconomic conditions and live in dignity as the Almighty God has abundantly endowed with an overabundance of natural resources, which, if harnessed smartly, credibly, and accountably, Liberia can be a paradise on earth,” he stated.
Dr. Cassell further observed that more than ever before, Liberia is at a critical junction and the post conflict nation is in dire need of a visionary, responsible, accountable, credible, qualified, experienced, mature, sensitive, progressive, proactive, responsive, reliable, compassionate, and God fearing national leadership.
“Liberia and Liberians are yearning and wailing for a much better and decent national leadership. Our people are craving for a new brand of selfless, noble, kind, erudite, savvy, pragmatic, humble, and honorable leaders who will summon the audacity beyond all odds to liberate our country and citizens from the lethargies of the historical depravity our country has and continues to painfully be endured,” the PLP leader stressed.
He deduced that Liberians are sick and tired of being stuck in this endless vicious circle of bad governance, rampant corruption, impunity, abuse of power, extreme poverty, joblessness, bad health care system, substandard educational system, conflict of interest in government, partisanship, tribalism, regionalism, nepotism, patronage governing system, malice, political witch-hunting, insecurity amongst other historical anomalies and contradictions that continue to woefully plague the nation.
He added that for almost two centuries, majority of the Liberian people have been callously deprived, mortified, subjugated, and subjected to persistent suffering by one reputable and wicked government from one administration to another.
Dr. Cassell emphasized that this national degeneracy must be stopped for once and the country recalibrated on a value system that engenders hope, optimism, humanity, decency, integrity, compassion, love and peace.
“Today, we painstakingly watch the current ruling establishment of President George Manneh Weah without any measure of remorse shamefully loots and plunders the inadequate resources of our country and submerges our people down the boiling pit of extreme economic hardship and disparagement,” Cassell noted.
He noted further that in present day Liberia under the watch of President George Manneh Weah, corruption and impunity have been institutionalized within the country’s governing system.
“We see insecurity being normalized with the picnicking rise in mysterious and ritualistic killings within Monrovia and across the country. We see young kids hooked on bad drug substances exchanging gunfire with police forces. We see our young girls seeking survival in the dangerous act of prostitution which is fast claiming their precious lives. We see poverty on the rise and curable diseases decimating our people while Mr. Weah and his friends at the helm of power are living garishly and displaying absolute opulence in the full glare of the hungry and afflicted citizenry,” Dr. Cassell lamented.
He noted that Liberia deserves to be governed with integrity, accountability, transparency, dignity, and with the utmost proficiency for economic growth and infrastructural development to be realized.
“So, in effect, my dear friends; SOUND LEADERSHIP is what Liberia needs at this critical juncture. And may I say Leadership is essentially quintessential to forward march of any nation, and at the moment, that is lacking in our country”.
He further declared that the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) remains the party of the people that understands the historical abnormalities and contradictions the country battles, and it certainly has the ideological, professional, and intellectual potencies and competencies as well as the political will and patriotic wherewithal to usher Liberia into a new paradigm shift of social transformation.
“Today, I declare that I, Dr. Daniel Estrada Cassell, a humble son from the mountains and plateaus, and the evergreen forest of Lofa County, a true and humble son of the soil has the competencies, skills set, the patriotic spirit, passion, tenacity, and political will to deliver to my country Liberia and fellow countrymen the change they long desire,” he assured.
According to him, the PLP is more than a political party because its national movement is intended to rally all Liberians behind the singular cause of liberating the country from the perilous course on which it has vaguely tarried for almost two centuries.
“Our desire to seek national leadership mostly stemmed from our inner and emotional quest to end the unjustified and imposed long-suffering of our people and move on to put socio-economic dignity upon citizens for once. Our desire for national leadership is also anchored on love for our country and the searing passion to transform it into a place of modern infrastructure, economic growth, decency, and prosperity,” he stated.
He then extended a “hand of friendship” to all Liberians, at home, and within the diaspora, to get onboard the PLP bandwagon for genuine liberation and transformation and pointed out that the PLP represents the real change that every patriotic and nationalistic Liberian desires.
Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, however, vowed to uphold the trust and confidence reposed in him by delegates at the first national convention of the party to help liberate the nation and its people from economic slavery and bad governance.
He observed that the holding of the party’s first-ever convention to elect and induct into office its ranking officials to gallantly and progressively steer the affairs of the Party, has daringly shifted the paradigm of politics in the body politics of Liberia.
He described the event as a milestone that cannot be quantified by any measure, noting that, the PLP will forever relish this magnificent piece of history and called for the unflinching support of not only his supporters to liberate the country, but all well-meaning Liberians.