Buah Gee, Grand Kru County – Alexander Cummings was calm as he listened to Mark G. Swen, Development Superintendent issue an apology Thursday.
Report by Rodney D. Sieh, [email protected]
“We apologize for the incident that just happened and we pray that you will accept us as we are,” the elderly man told the standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress(ANC).
“We are very sorry for what happened to you today.”
The commissioner was making reference to an incident that took place moments before Mr. Cummings and his supporters entered the District of Buah Gee, one of many stops this week in Grand Kru County as part of his southeast tour en route to the launch of his campaign in Harper, Maryland County Saturday, when he was denied use of the Town Hall constructed by taxpayers’ dollars.
County offices across the country are consistently used by incumbents and government officials participating in elections.
Liberia is already embroiled in controversy over the recent lax of its controversial code of conduct which originally aimed to set out standards of behavior, and conduct required of Public Officials to ensure impartiality, objectivity, transparency, integrity, efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of their duties and mandate.
On Thursday however, authorities in the district were baffled after learning that Representative Numene T.H. Bartekwa (UP, District No. 2, Grand Kru), the incumbent lawmaker in the area, reportedly passed down instructions that no opposition politician should use the town hall to hold rallies.
That included Mr. Cummings who was forced to use an abandoned cook shop to speak with his supporters.
Rep. Bartekwa who, according to residents in the area have said that no opposition should use the town hall without his permission because it was constructed under his watch, denied giving the instructions when FrontPageAfrica contacted him Friday.
“I am not in the county how will I give such instruction? I heard people wanted to use the hall but the engineer was absent with the keys.
The town hall is still being constructed and the engineer has not completed his work to turnover the keys,” the lawmaker said.
But residents and campaign aides to Mr. Cummings disagree, telling FrontPageAfrica that the lawmaker was called in their presence and he was heard telling the authorities in the area not to allow the ANC’s standard bearer to hold a rally there.
“Other legislative candidates coming through here also experience the same treatment,” one official told FPA Thursday.
Mr. Cummings appeared unmoved when he finally arrived in a small shack, residents say used to be a cook shop to address his supporters.
“How many persons expected a bigger person when I first walked in,”? he asked.
“They say good things come in small packages and it is time for the Southeast to send another leader for our country.
I want us to start a wave, a wave from Gedeh, to River Gee, to Grand Kru and Sinoe – and in the first round, let’s claim victory for our country.”
Mr. Cummings told his supporters that their support important in his quest to wrestle leadership away from the ruling Unity Party government at the polls later this year.
“It starts in the Southeast for me.
This part of the Southeast will send another son to the rest of Liberia to redeem and transform Liberia and I know I can count on your support to help us change our country.”
The ANC standard bearer said Liberia is too old a country to be in the current state is in at the moment as he pledged to develop roads and improve education and health facilities if given the chance.
“You know last week Wednesday, Liberia was 170 years old, the oldest republic in Africa and yet we are amongst the least developed countries in Africa – and I say to all of you, we deserve a better Liberia, we deserve a better country, we deserve better roads.”
Recalling the gruelling trip by road to get to Buah, Mr. Cummings lamented:
“I was coming through Buah and saw the condition of the roads, it’s just not the right thing to do. We should have better roads then we have today, we should have better schools to educate our young people and most importantly, it is not acceptable that after more than 170 years we do not have better schools for the young and old people of our country.
And of course, water and electricity. Why after 170 years we do not have running water, why don’t we have electricity everywhere?”
Mr. Cummings said his administration will ensure that much of the problems being encountered not just in the southeast but other parts of Liberia are addressed.
“We can do this. If you elect different leaders, if you elect the ANC’s Alex Cummings and Jeremiah Sulunteh, we will change your lives, we will prioritize Liberians.”
Accompanied by his wife of 35, years, Theresa, Mr. Cummings says he was hopeful and confident that change, real change is coming to Liberia.
“Liberians say if the house don’t sell you, then the street won’t buy you.
This is why the people of Buah, the people of Grand Kru must put out their best.”
“I want you to believe in yourselves, I want you to believe in Liberia, I want you to believe you deserve a better Liberia – and that if you elect a corps of different leaders, you will get different results and a different Liberia, better roads, better schools, electricity, investing in agriculture.”
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