The Vision Bearer of the newly certificated People’s Liberation Party (PLP) has raised alarm over the lukewarm and malfunctioning postures of anti-graft and transparency institutions in the country.
According to Dr. Cassell who is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Cassell’s Humanitarian Foundation (Liberia), Founder and CEO of Kwenyan Professional Health Services, LLC (USA) and Kwenyan and Associates (USA) and Kwenyan Security Firm operating in Liberia referring to such institutions operating under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President George Manneh Weah said the transparency institutions in Liberia are “submerged into a functional coma because the Weah regime has no interest in accounting for state resources.”
He made these comments over the weekend when he delivered the keynote address at the 7th National Convention of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) in New York, USA.
At the convention held under the theme: The Quest for an Independent, Sustainable, and Ethical Media in Liberia, Dr. Cassell disclosed that Liberia is currently enduring what he called a “Vexing Paralysis”, affecting every sector of the post-conflict nation.
“Every segment of the Liberian society has painfully nosedived to nothingness. Governance is quite dismal, to say the least. Health care is bad. Education is substandard, arguably the least in the sub-region. Roads are horrible. Electricity is inadequate and unreliable. Water is almost non-existent. No job creation. No foreign direct investments,” Cassell stated.
He maintained that “public transport is on the verge of collapse due to corruption and gross incompetence”, while the private sector is in the hands of Lebanese and Indians.
“Liberians are not in charge contrary to what Mr. Weah pledged to the Liberian people, that “they will not be spectators in their economy”. The economy is virtually weak as the balance of payment is very low. Transparency institutions are submerged into a functional coma because the Weah regime has no interest in accounting for state resources.”
He noted that these “anomalous conditions besetting the country must claim the attention of the Liberian media and cause journalists to ask hard questions to those who are at the helm.”
Cassell wondered, “What is wrong with the country? Why are Liberians starving? Why the cost of living is so ridiculously high? Why lawmakers are allotting US$30K plus more to themselves amid a decimating Covid-19 Health Crisis instead of directing funding to the health sector? Why cost to clear a 20-foot container at the free port of Monrovia is outrageously astronomical? Why is the state-run University of Liberia lying in filth and professors underpaid? Why are teachers, nurses, police, and others serving our country underpaid? Why are road and building contracts being awarded to Lebanese in disregard for the PPCC laws and regulations? What became of the US$30 million stimulus package”?
He admonished Liberians to have in mind that their country critical juncture in its national existence, and as such, the Liberian media must summon the courage to move from “official sources” reporting to crusading and advocacy journalism with emphasis placed on the governance of the country and the well-being of the “squalor-stricken Liberian masses.”
Dr. Cassell further reminded members of the Liberian media that despite the risks involved, ethical journalism begins with truth-telling.
He added that if one is called to practice or perform this noble journalism profession, he or she will always be protected by God and said individual will be endowed by wisdom to carry on his/her assigned tasks and responsibilities with passion and genuineness.
He reminded Liberian journalists that prior to taking journalism as their profession, they were and remain citizens of Liberia, and as such, they should not relent on exposing societal ills and standing tall against wicked leaders.
“By the same token, I like to remind journalists that before becoming journalists, you were first citizens of Liberia and shall remain citizens of Liberia suffice to say each of you has a patriotic duty to protect your country, stand against its mismanagement and abuse by nefarious leaders, for you are direct victims of bad governance,” he stated.
Dr. Cassell observed that “unethical and compromised journalism” is currently on the rise in post-conflict Liberia and that the situation persists because some of those in the profession prefer “gold over good.”
“Today, we see unethical and compromised journalism on the rise because many claiming to be journalists in Liberia nowadays prefer GOLD over GOOD. Integrity is fast diminishing in the Liberian media. Truth-telling is being compromised for petty cash and material gifts,” he added.
He noted that there are reports that some journalists are “proudly dining and winning with corrupt officials of the current government and sadly defaulting on their sacred duties to expose the ills permeating the homeland.”
Instead of being watchdogs, he added that some members of the Liberian media, especially Editors, are taking monthly payments from public officials, ministries, and state enterprises to gate-keep and promote them.
“The question then lingers; who will protect the country from its disreputable officials if journalists are being paid by those looting and plundering their country? However, we are also aware that in the face of these temptations some journalists continue to stand tall and keep the touch of integrity flaming in their line of duties. I salute their courage to remain loyal to the sanctity of their noble journalism profession amid the devastating economic realities suffocating the homeland,” Cassell expressed.
Dr. Cassell emphasized that the People Liberation Party (PLP) believes that Liberia can never be a wholesome functioning and civilized country without an independent, sustainable, and ethical media.
According to him, the country cannot also fight and minimize corruption and impunity, reduce poverty, ensure adherence to the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and good governance without a progressive, pragmatic, productive, and impartial media.
Dr. Cassell stated that Journalists cannot make fair earnings if the media institutions they work for are broke and poor and noted that if Liberia is governed well the economy will grow and bloom, the media will make money and journalists can become rich like lawyers, doctors, and engineers.
He added that journalism is not a “peasant profession as we see around the world. Media owners and journalists are millionaires right here in America and other parts of the world. That is why we cannot emphasize the urgent need for the media to use its power and influence to help Liberia get on the proper footing in terms of sound political and economic governance.”
According to him, the PLP is seeking a viable partnership with the Liberian media primarily to ensure that the media is independent, sustained, and uncompromisingly unethical in playing the sacred role to which it is entrusted.
He maintained that the PLP is solely committed to working with the Liberian media to build its capacity in terms of logistics, training, and in other critical areas primarily to strengthen and empower the Liberian media for the good of our nation.
He pointed out that the PLP under his visionary stewardship remains open to working with ALJA and PUL to identify possible opportunities to build the capacity of the Liberian media.
“May I say, please consider us a ‘willing partner comes asking’. We are no doubt cognizant of the harsh economic hardship in Liberia and the media is not spared, but realistically, the media cannot make money or improve in a country badly governed. The media cannot flourish when the economy is contracted and businesses are unable to give ads to the media. The media cannot pay its workers fairly and regularly when there are no foreign companies to give huge ads,” he said.
He pointed out that back home; the PLP has forged a cordial working relationship with the PUL and several media houses.
According to him, the move is not in any way intended to gain favor or seek fame, but it is in acknowledgment of the critical role the media must play to right the wrongs and to ensure good governance in Liberia.
“We consider it a righteous obligation to engage the media on the pressing need to remain the fearless watchdog of the Liberian nation-state so that democracy works, rule of law is adhered to, corruption and impunity rattled, transparency and accountability are institutionalized, democracy and civil liberties protected, holding the rulers of the country to account for their stewardship become a national tradition and regiment, ensure power and state services are decentralized and devolved on to the people, to protect minorities and promote diversity and religious tolerance. We also challenge the media to put us under the spotlight in our quest for national leadership”.