THE PLUM WILL NEVER FALL TOO FAR FROM ITS TREE

By: Socrates Kamara- (June 15th 2005)  

Dear Mr. Editor and my Fellow Liberians,

“My Liberian people your hear me again o! Because these bad bad things now out of control”

Just few days ago it was announced all around the world that the G7 Nations (the world’s seven richest countries) have agreed to council the debt owed them by Sub-Saharan African Countries. Some people might see this as very welcoming news, and say that it is long over due, and argue their point that it was the fault of these Western Nations who used unfair, and one sided trade practices as a way to punish Africa after the end of colonialism, and Black Africa too has always used this as an excuse to justify why they are backwards and refusal to compete on the world’s stage. As for me, I just see things quite the contrary, Black Africa must only blame Black Africa for its problems. It was not the Western World that prevented us from becoming innovative and making a more practical use of our Education. We totally bask ourselves in corruption, backbiting, and selfish greed instead of looking out for things that will benefit our communities. Just take a look at Japan, China, and many other nations outside of Sub-Saharan Africa. They were just fortunate to have leaders and people who collectively decided that despite all the adversities that they have been through under various forms of colonial rules, they just tough it out and took a more realistic and futuristic look at their situation, and then resolve to take matters into their own hands, and fix their countries.

Debt Forgiveness for Sub- Saharan Africa is just another program to award the same incompetent Leaders and their Cronies who they put into various positions in their Governments just to engage in massive corruption and abuse of power. I am sorry to say, G-7 Nations, you may have meant well, but this is the wrong time for the right program. The same people who are the cause of the problems in Sub- Saharan Africa are still around waiting to steal more money and resources again and cause more hardship on their Citizens worse than ever before.

Let look at the case of Liberia; forget the Doe and Taylor eras because that was the past and let us look at the present. Mr. Bryant who was called upon to lead his people as they emerged from decades of civil conflicts and untold economic hardship, yet this man has stolen more money, and engaged in more reckless corruptions in this very short time he has occupied this office that one wonders as to what the future holds. From what I see right now in the Liberian Political horizon, it is just not looking too good. 75% of the money given to Mr. Bryant and the National Transitional Government of Liberia for development and reconstruction was given to his former Legal Adviser Mr. Varney Sherman to run his Presidential campaign under the banner of the Liberian Action Party (LAP) of which Mr. Bryant was the former Chairman. To demonstrate what is ahead for Liberia, just a couple of years ago, this party could hardly afford to pay for an office space the size of a phone booth, but today, they are boasting of not only well furnished buildings for Party Offices, but the latest fleet of Pick Up Trucks, Jeeps, and Luxury American Sedans. They also owned the Election Commission Chairlady Mrs. Frances Morris, and half of her commissioners that will conduct and count the Election Ballots.

It sounds scary and very creepy right? You just wait, you have not seen what Mr. Varney Sherman and his LAP party has in store for this Election, apart from the massive looting of the Liberian People’s money, Mr. Sherman in collaboration with Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and with the assistance of the Mr. Corruption himself Chairman Bryant, they are holding tons load of rice that was destined to feed the Liberian People for their political campaigns. How wicked? This week, the same Liberian Action Party, started distributing hundreds of computers sent to the Liberian people through the National Transitional Government. What a scam?

My fellow Liberians, as I mentioned earlier, a plum will never fall very far from its tree, to show you what kind of Presidential material we have in Mr. Sherman, after stealing the votes in his own party’s caucus because he could not defeat Dr. Korto fair and Square, and waiting to do the same in the General Elections, the shameless Mr. Sherman just started showing off his true colors. As a so called American Trained Lawyer who aught to know and follow the rule of law, Mr. Sherman, just couldn’t wait to start disobeying the Election Commission’s rules and guidelines. The simple reason is that he is so full of himself, and the Liberian People’s money that has been pumped into him by his God Father Charles Gyude Bryant.

My Fellow Liberians, how we now surprise to hear all over the news, that Liberia was denied needed funds, or as reported by Mr. Rodney D. Sieh of the Liberian Observer, the World (European Union) is holding out on Liberia. This election is the time for all of us to reflect and send a very strong and equivocal message to our corrupt politicians and their cronies, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

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