Hamilton, Canada – FrontPageAfrica Editor Rodney Sieh has cautioned Diaspora Liberians against giving blanket endorsements to candidates eyeing the Liberian presidency who only run to the Diaspora for support but neglect them after winning or attaining posts in government.
The Editor, who is this year’s Gordon N. Fisher/JHR Fellowship at Massey College and the University of Toronto, was speaking at the weekend at the First Unitarian Church where he was invited to speak to the Liberian community, share his experiences and field questions from Liberians residing in Canada about developments back home.
The event was an open community town hall organized to give Liberians a chance to hear the backdrop of Mr. Sieh’s 5000-year prison sentence in 2013 after he was found guilty of libel – over the publication of a General Auditing Commission’s findings linking a former minister to allegations of corruption.
The Editor also urged the Liberian community in Canada to make their presence felt back home through projects to help uplift their homeland as well as make the voices heard regarding pertinent issues of national concerns.
He said the problems with Liberia is not just with the government but Liberians themselves who vote the wrong people into office and spend the next few years whining and crying when bad policies set in.
“I keep telling Liberians to ask more from those who want their votes but sadly, they voters throw principles and common sense out their door when they enter the voting booth.”
Town hall participants expressed concerns about the lack of support for Liberian businesses not just at home but abroad.
“It’s not we are not enterprising enough but our own Liberians don’t support their own,” said Mardea Browne Solanke, owner of Angel’s Beauty Supply and Salon in Hamilton, in a glowing testament to what many say is being practice not just in the Diaspora but in Liberia.
Solanke lamented that there are many thriving Liberian entrepreneurs doing good things but not getting the support of the community because many feel uncomfortable seeing another Liberian doing well in business.
The gathering was arranged by Lets’ Celebrate Liberia, an organization formed by the Liberian community in Canada with the sole objective and mission of integrating into other communities and making the presence of Liberians in Canada felt by not just communities within Toronto, as well as other cities and Liberia through charitable measures conducted by LCL.
Mr. Marvin Dahn, the organization’s head said Liberians in Canada have been exploring ways in which they can give back to their homeland and have been busy in the past few months working toward organizing and looking at various project undertakings.
Mr. Leo Johnson, a former refugee and founder of Empowerment Squared is leading a ground-effort by the Liberian community in Canada to construct the first public library and learning center in Liberia.
He told the gathering that it is important for Liberians regardless of their whereabouts in the Diaspora community to give back.
He described the learning resource center as one way he hopes Liberians will take notice.
The organization, based in Hamilton, is a Canadian charity that works with individuals and communities to effect sustainable change.
Its mission is to support youth and individuals through academic mentoring, leadership development and access to sports and recreation opportunities as an integrated strategy.
The organization believes that lasting community change must come from within, and that real help means giving people the knowledge and tools to help themselves.
Its project, the Liberian Learning Centre Project, will house the first public library in the entire country.
Mr. Trevor Juandoo, the organization’s board chair said it took a while for the Mr. Johnson’s vision for a public library in Liberia to catch on but says the organization is committed to seeing the project fulfilled.
Mr. Francis Henneh, head of the Federation of Liberian Associations in Canada(FLAC), said Liberians in Canada are eager to make a difference in the lives of their compatriots back home through meaningful projects.
Russell Wleh, head of the Liberian community in Hamilton, home to one of the largest groups of Liberians, said the organization was grateful to hear from the FPA Editor and was hopeful that Liberians in Canada will begin making serious inroads in the lives of Liberians.