Making Ourselves Comfortable

My travel experience with SN Brussels did not come to mind until I read a story about a Counselor who had sued the airline for overchaging for extra baggage, etc. Liberians love to complain. I had other things to say too regarding the over-all story:

I just read about a law suit against SN Brussels by Counselor F Musah Dean, Jr. Since I had done no International travels since leaving Liberia in 1990, I had no idea what to expect when I boarded United Airlines for Brussels last year, en route to Liberia.

Besides the separate African Terminal at Brussels Airport, the five- to six-hour of waiting time for a flight to Africa is grueling. Schipol Airport in Amsterdam or Heathrow Airport in London does not do that to us Africans, if I can remember. I thought about the glaring separation of terminals while waiting at Brussels; but I brushed it off when that tiny voice in me kept reminding me that this was a kind of injustice and discrimination.

With regard to the unknown chemical spraying, I too experienced the ritual. I did not know what to make of the whole exercise. I can’t remember whether the spraying was done while we were getting on or off the plane. I don’t want to speculate or become too critical, but some explanation needs to me given by the airline authorities.

How long are Africans going to blame other people? When are we going to follow international standards and operate our own airlines effectively? When will Liberia in particular, replace that plane that was lost over East Africa many, many years ago? What happened to pride? It is hard time that we hear of corruption and theft everyday, and yet, complain bitterly when other people put their pride on the front burner and develop their countries and operate their airlines effectively and profitably. We prefer to steal and squander and take care of individual business then to advocate for a National Airline…our own Liberian National Airways. Liberia can have its own airline if we, for a moment, put our hearts into the idea.

Just imagine this scenario: Take all the money that John Morlu’s audit reports consider as money misappropriated, misused or squandered. In more recent times, the Ministries of Finance and Health have been highlighted and put on record for ineffective management of funds in their care. Even though there are vehement outcries from those in charge of these ministries, tendencies that have become a norm when audits are instituted in Liberia, there is no smoke where fire has not been started. The fact that the signature of a former boss is used for months to transact business under a new boss makes such a deliberate oversight ridiculously alarming and causes eyes to roll in people’s heads. The red flag of suspicion is right there for the whole world to see.

The Secretary-treasurer at my work place signs all payroll and vendor checks. Two weeks after she was promoted, her signature was replaced with that of the person who was designated to act in her place. The Minister of Finance should be aware of and accustom to this type of procedure. As I write this, no bank in America will honor a check carrying the signature of our former Secretary-treasurer.

Going back to the inconvenience of not having our own, it is now time for Liberians to take pride in ownership. We need to stop squandering our own resources and think about the general welfare of all. We need to purchase our own commercial plane or anything that will make us proud and keep us comfortable.