By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
Mr. President, in conversation with a group of young Liberian professionals at your Rehab Road residence, you spoke zealously about your vision to metamorphosing a war-torn Liberia that also suffered various forms of insincerities at the hands of its leaders, to its prewar status with strong agriculture, rule of law including peace and security sectors, good farm to market roads as well as a vibrant economy, you said to your guests, “I did not seek the presidency for the sake of power. I sought an opportunity to serve my people and make a difference. And that’s my focus.” I believe that this is something you are working diligently to achieve despite political and personal distractions and criticisms from opposition political parties.
So far so good, since you came to power in less than a year, the country can now guarantee that it has a leader who understands the liturgy leadership, has respect for the rule of law, the respect for human rights as well as diversity. Gradually, Liberia is being recognize at international and multilateral political and business conferences, with you and world leaders sitting and discussing how all around the table can help you make an impact in the country. In most part, your continuous engagements with your colleagues will help us as a nation to regain and rebrand our lost image and bring sanity not only to the Executive Mansion and the government, but will benefit us as a people. This is why I maintain that so far so good, you are on course.
So far so good is an African proverb that is meant to encourage someone who is given a piece of task and is doing his best to achieve his goals, but has few missteps that could hinder or stall the attainment of such goal. That is why the word ‘BUT’ is usually added to caution him on how he is executes his tasks.
So far, from my personal assumptions and criticisms on how I think the government should operate, I believe strongly that you, Joe Boakai and team, are doing your best and that my misbelieve in the way you are to operate have not deterred you from working for the Liberian people. This also helps me to understand when you, then candidate Boakai, said that you were a race car that was parked.
So far, with the few strides you have made including the establishment of the office of War Crimes Court and appointed an Executive Director to lead the process of the establishment of the court, the appointment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) to key position in your government, the appointment of a female Presidential Press Secretary and Defense Minister, the inclusion of more young Liberian professionals in your government, the maintenance of major highways especially roads in my native southeast and the Lofa road, are worth noting.
But these accomplishments which are rating high both locally and internationally, are not sufficient to conclude that you have made it or will make it to the finish lines of the things you listed on your agenda. There are more to be done if you, as a race car that is now on the track, will hasten national growth and development in the race which you are called to run. You need to step on your accelerator in the areas of agriculture, road, rule of law, sanitation and tourism, which you have always bragged to the top priorities of your agenda for development and transformation; though some semblances of sincerity are shown in those areas.
Uncle Joe, as you are lovely called, while you are trying to grapple with your government, special attention needs to be given to the rule of law and access to justice system as our law enforcement officers, especially the Liberia National Police (LNP), the Monrovia City Police, who, instead of implementing city ordinances, are in the streets confiscating the goods of poor marketers who are trying to take something home for their children; the judges, magistrates and court officials, who, without fear or concern for the masses, have become subject to public embarrassments for the way justice is being dispensed at the cost of the poor people seeking justice; the health sectors where public health institutions and workers are demanding huge sums of money from those who go to seek health care and public and private school administrators are requiring parents to meet stiff financial benchmarks before admitting their children or wards into their institutions. Our girls and some boys are at the mercy of few selfish and greedy teachers requesting sex or help for grades.
Uncle Joe, we are still looking to see the modern laboratory and libraries for our schools you promised during the campaign.
Though, I am one of those who believes that just in few months of your administration, you are working to improve our economy, but right before our eyes, our and national forest reserves and wild life are at risk; our natural resources including minerals and aquaculture are being depleted by some ill-fated foreign investors in the name of providing jobs to the ordinary people which is cumulating to business as usual which is in total contrast to your famous “No business as usual” philosophy.
Mr. President, I join many of my compatriots that it is about time that you boost the trust of the ordinary Liberia family, especially that parent whose child is being denied of adequate, affordable and accessible health care for his lack of funding to procure needed drugs for her child seeking medical attention at one health facility, that student who could not go to or end this school year due to the lack of school fees or financial aid, or that parent who is sleeping hungry tonight only for his kids to have the last food left in the kitchen before going to bed.
While the ordinary citizens are struggling to meet their daily needs in this tough economy, some of your closed associates and government officials are posting photos of their healthy and happy families, their fabulous cars, decent offices, homes and their cheap don-kar-flag and Chinese suits and shoes on the social media while the masses are going without food, medical attention, poor school system and maybe a not too impressive economy.
Though I do not seek to compare your government with our immediate past government, but these were some of the same acts they exhibited that made the Liberian people to see you as an option, believing that you would make the difference.
While I, especially, hail you for your good performance in under one year, and not expecting you to burst the palm kennel with your teeth, I want you to pay some attention in these areas so as to assure the Liberian people that the engine of the race car that is now on the track will not get faulty before reaching the finishing lines.
