MONROVIA – Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has blasted the government for lawlessness in Liberia, frowning on the manner and form in which the government has failed to protect its citizens.
On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Judge Gbeisay, famously known as a “No Nonsense Judge”, in the judiciary spoke at the sixth graduation ceremony of the DRIMS school system in Paynesville, Joe Bar community where he served as a keynote speaker.
During his address to the graduating class, he said, “In our country, today the Lebanese, Indians, Fulanese, Malians, Guineans are all mining gold, diamond and brushing down our forest for charcoal. Some have even reportedly encroached on some of our natural forest. This is how the failure to implement law is under developing Liberia today.”
He said, because of the failure of our laws, our economy is in the hand of the Lebanese, Indians and fulanese, etc., all of whom are not citizens of Liberia. “Those line of businesses specifically set aside by our law for Liberians are disregarded. The foreigners sell from cold water retail to used cars and to Diamond and Gold. In fact in some business centers, the foreigners refused Liberian dollars in Liberia with impunity.
He said in such instance, you dare not complaint a Lebanese man to the police, the police will transform themselves into a public defense and protect and defend them to the letter.
He cited another instance about the government failure to give judges fair salary as compare to Ministers working in government. “The law says the judges in the judiciary are the equivalent of Cabinet Ministers in the Executive branch of government, but interestingly, the judges in Liberia earn salary and benefits far less than their counterparts in the Executive and the legislative branches of government in our country. As you may be aware, we judges have taken the Liberian government to court to seek not only justice but equity.”
Gbeisay also spoke on government failure for the use basic traffic rules. “Our law laws have failed to the extent that we are now living as though we are in the animals’ Kingdom. The disregard for basic traffic rules led by we the so-called government officials, and therefore vehicles and motorcyclist move at any direction. Every government official has his or own serene. So those who try to respect the law look like a fool”.
Speaking of corruption, he said, “Corruption in our nation today has reached to its peak. In the past government officials established farms were they invested some of their stolen money where the native people tapped their rubber and find living.”
However, Judge Gbeisay noted that, today government officials take the money back to America and buy houses or pay their mortgages, buy the latest luxurious cars and the change end up in the night clubs and when government attempt to prosecute someone accused of corruption, he or she mobilizes a cheering squid who assemble at the Temple of justice to cheer for him or her.
“No one respect court order or decision anymore. Court officers are under attack daily, he alarmed
Meanwhile, Judge Gbeisay encouraged the students of the DRIMS School to remain consistent and committed in implementing their goals. Reminding them of his struggle he said, “I cut palm branches, and sold cold water to peruse my goal.”