The Editor,
It is very disingenuous and a callous slap-in-face and an insult to the poor, suffering and still dying Liberian people when a president who campaigned on and declared “war on corruption,” is shielding her corrupt friends who are perpetuating corruption, suffering, pain and hurt, and the unnecessary deaths of Liberians–12 years into her presidency.
Even when the world is trying to help Liberians, we continue to refuse to help ourselves because of the corruption.
And those who are visiting these abuses on our people are doing so in the name government and democracy. We have given them and official licenses to commit these crimes with impunity.
How can the corrupt police and prosecute themselves when all institutions of government are staffed with the same crooks: administrators, police, courts/judges? It becomes business as usual.
But that a woman who took her criticisms of her predecessors even before the US Congress has turned out to run the most corrupt government, and then publicly admits that she has failed to curtail the menace is one reason hospitals are demanding money before treating dying patients.
Is this who we are after a brutal war?
During Ebola, corruption peaked to a new level. People were enriching themselves as international monetary kept pouring into Liberia and the people were dying.
Over a billion dollars and over 100 Medical emergency vehicles or Ambulances were given to Liberia to fix our broken healthcare system.
The vehicles have vanished and the money gone. It seems to be more of a mess now than even before Ebola.
And when the Ellen-led regime has less than six months to be replaced, it is free for all and grab-and-go, the 12-year party and honeymoon is about over.
“Liberia is not a poor country but a country run poorly,” President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said of her predecessors William Tolbert, Samuel Doe, Gyude Bryant and Charles Taylor. “
“I guess our people are living better than before.”
It is suffice to say that in nearly 12 years since she became President of Liberia in January 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has not had her blood pressure checked at any government-funded healthcare center in Liberia.
She jet-travels to America each year for the best care anywhere in the world made possible by American tax payers.
President Sirleaf’s older sister Jenny Bernard is Head and Coordinator, Liberia National Healthcare Program.
Big sister Jenny is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of JFK Hospital.
Jenny spends more time at her Long Island, New York mansion with her husband Estrada Bernard who is also Legal and Security Adviser to President Sirleaf.
Government is sweet for some people.
And now again President Sirleaf is promising yet another “investigation” into why the JFK Hospital is refusing to treat patients unless payment is made upfront.
And if this is the first time for President Sirleaf to hear about the hospital’s pay-to-play policy in 12 years, then God help our country.
In April this year, me, Liberian Lawyer Fredrick Jayweh of Denver, Colorado, Mr. Tony Leeway of Minnesota, Mr. Aaron Manneh of Newark, New Jersey and others raised $1100.00 towards the medical bills of a dozen first time poor Liberian baby mothers who were detained at the hospital after giving birth because they had no money to pay for their individual hospital bills that totaled LD$133,000.00 as reported by FrontPageAfrica.
Lawyer Jayweh was in Liberia this month and visited JFK Hospital as a follow-up to the $1100 meant to pay the young mothers’ bills.
His ordeal of frustration, bureaucracy, red tape and to trace and confirm the payment of the money is worth another commentary.
May the soul of the promising 20-year old Princess Yates–who was refused medical care at JFK unless payment was made and later died as a result–rest in peace; and May God comfort her grieving parents Oretha and Prince Yates. This too is Liberia.
And to President Sirleaf: Thank you President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for winning your “war on corruption, Liberia’s number one enemy.”
We need to amend the constitution for you President Sirleaf to serve for life.
Liberians will truly miss your great leadership that gives us good hospitals, doctors and first rate care, good schools, good roads, reduces unemployment from 85% in 2006 to 84% in 2017, where papas/fathers are coming home from work with shopping bags full of goodies for the kids and family as we were promised in 2006.
Enjoy your retirement our beloved Harvard University “economist” for this economic buoyancy through Ellenomics.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
[email protected]
Washington, D.C., USA