The President said Liberia needs her sons and daughters living away from Liberia, to "Come home." She stressed this in Worcester, MA. It's easier said than done.
There are certain basic things the President needs to fight for, toil for, to encourage Liberians living abroad to come home with immediate effect. Even if all Liberians decided to live in Monrovia after living in Europe, Japan, or America for all these years, it will not be easy. With the lack of electricity, pipe-borne water and good roads for returnees to go and see their families in the counties, frustration will drive people back to where they came from. If you are not the stealing type, the regular breakdown of your cars or trucks will really hit you.
There is more fun outside of Monrovia, but getting to the places of choice is back-breaking. To use all the money for only peace and capacity building, for almost ten years, does not sound right.
It's difficult for me to understand why Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf would spend a lot of her time in Wisconsin and Virginia, in the United States and yet, feel comfortable seeing Monrovia with out electricity or traffic lights for almost seven years. I thought lightening up the city would be one of her priority things to do for the people and the country.
The "beloved" President needs to demonstrate some love for her country and people. Not paving that road to Belle Yalla was not a farsighted endeavor. I understand that traveling on that path through that part of the country today, has become difficult. That was a special project of the President's. She should have made her name by paving the road, thereby showcasing here love for the people of Belle Yalla and those who would travel on her special pet project. Even naming the modern road after her would not have caused a stare at all.
Obama is being blamed for the tough time America faces. He is the CEO. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is the CEO of Liberia. If I can not turn the faucet to have water when I want it, I will blame her. If I can't switch the lights on and off when I choose to, I will blame her. If I will have to change flat tires on my truck four times before reaching the Ivorian border from Monrovia, who will take the heat?
All I am doing is holding the Oldma's feet to the fire. The more we see the shortcomings and refuse to tell them as we see them, the more we are keeping the country and its people way in the hole of primitiveness.
There is a golden opportunity in the next five and a half years for the Sirleaf brothers to influence the implementation of the basic development needs of Liberia and its people. They need to make sure their mom's legacy can be seen and felt. And, it is time for Liberians in the Diaspora, like never before, to vent their frustrations at things that should be done, but are being placed on the back burners. As one of the panelists of Vision 2030 said: People in Liberia depend on Liberians in the Diaspora to shake things up in that country. It reminded me of Bacchus, Tipoteh, Jackson, Gbala, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, etc., etc.
There is something about going to Liberia with an open mind and an independent perspective. The country will be 165 year old this year, you know.
The government must tackle the main roads of Liberia. Returnees and businesses will help with the secondary and feeder roads. One of the enconmic backbones of a country is it's roads...well-maintained, paved roads. Liberia's economy is not an exception.
6/6/12
