THE DEADLY COVID-19 PANDEMIC is on the verge of hitting Liberia hard, perhaps harder than anyone expects or anticipates.
WITH FOURTEEN CASES and three deaths already, those numbers are expected to rise in the next 24 to 172 hours as health authorities await second tests on nearly a dozen already tested positive after one test. Two positive tests are required before an announcement is made.
THE NUMBER of confirmed positive cases continue to spike, even as concerns grow over the government’s inability to adequately track those who came in contact with infected COVID-19 patients.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE TAKEN aback by President George Weah’s decision Tuesday to name his Chief of Protocol, Finda Bundoo as the National Compliance Manager of the Executive Committee on Coronavirus, responsible for monitoring the overall allocation and disbursement of the response logistics and resources.
SIMPLY PUT, Madam Bundoo is being put there as a guard dog to watch Madam Mary Broh who has been appointed as the National Response Coordinator for ECOC.
NO GOD ANYWHERE in the universe will come down to help Liberia. We have to be willing and ready to help ourselves. This pandemic is rocking the most powerful nations in the world. Their hands are just too full right now to offer anything more than a widow’s might. If the donors and international community see that we are not serious, they will never take us seriously.
MADAM BUNDOO, according to the President will work along with the National Response Coordinator, Madam Broh, to ensure timely delivery and accounting for supplies directed to the fight against Coronavirus in the country.
IN THIS ROLE, Madam Broh, according to the Executive Mansion is to provide supervision toward a single set of national strategic objectives for defeating the Coronavirus disease.
MADAM BROH, WHO IS no stranger to controversy, was called upon on numerous occasions by former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to save the day. Whether it was the passport division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Port Authority or her role as Mayor of City Hall, Madam Broh performed far and beyond the call of duty and has been tested and proven.
THIS IS WHY, it puzzles us that the executive mansion would name two individuals in similar role for a pandemic as serious as this.
MADAM BROH, already heads the General Services Agency (GSA) established to provide the highest quality, value for money-asset management services to the Government of Liberia, which will enable GSA to make informed decisions and ensure the smooth and uninterrupted delivery of services to the GOL.
UNDER BROH’S WATCH at GSA, the agency has worked hard to rebuild its infrastructure and its systems to handle a significant increase in GOL vehicle repair service and public building maintenance.
THE AGENCY works to construct walls, make electrical advancements, and other leasehold improvements to re-establish its businesses and has a staff already in place to handle many tasks.
SO, IF the GSA, under Madam Broh is already performing these very task, Ms. Bundoo is being appointed to perform in her role with the ECOC, it begs the question, why?
WHILE WE WELCOME any initiative to help Liberia beat this virus that is crippling major and minor cities around the world, no one should make any mistake to think that a weakened position will help Liberia. Not President Weah, not the World Health Organization(WHO) and certainly not the United Nations – or President Weah.
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, Madam Bundoo, who worked as an aide to former President Charles Taylor, has been no stranger to controversy.
LAST FEBRUARY, Mr. Jones Blamo, a 14-year veteran and Deputy Director of the National Security Agency was suspended for “time indefinite” after crossing Bundoo’s line.
BLAMO’S CRIME was getting involved in an argument with the powerful and influential Chief of Protocol. The NSA is the lead national intelligence agency under the direct authority of the office of the President.
MS. BUNDOO has also used her power and influence to intimidate landowners over property.
LAST YEAR, MR. BOAKAI KAMARA, accused Bundoo’s family of using her position to continuously harass him and his family for their property.
MR. MASSAQUOI, the Chief Executive Officer of the Boakai Massaquoi Agriculture Incorporated situated in Caldwell, a suburb of Monrovia, explained to FrontPageAfrica that Madam Bundoo’s father, Tamba Bundoo and his (Massaquoi) uncle were involved in a land dispute, but instead of Mr. Bundoo going through the court’s process, he opted to use his daughter’s connection to constantly intimidate his family through torture, arbitrary arrests and unlawful incarcerations.
AT THE TIME, FrontPage Africa contacted Ms. Bundoo for response but her phone rang and she did not answer. FPA sent several text messages but did not receive any reply.
SIMILARLY, in February, 2018, the Civil Law Court ‘B’ at the Temple of Justice recently reversed an earlier judgment in favor of one Alieu Harvey that mandated the immediate ejection of President George Weah’s chief of protocol, Bundoo, and several others out of 3.45 acres of land situated in the Christopolis community in Brewerville, outside Monrovia. The disputed 3.45 land was a portion of the Intestate Estate of the Late A.J. Brisbane.
IN A TWIST OF THE COURT’S DECISION, Judge Scheaplor Dunbar explained that though his ruling placed the highly contested properties into the possession of Harvey, he had decided to reverse his decision when he investigated the testimony of one of the court’s Bailiffs, Anthony Flomo, when he served as a witness.
REGARDING HIS OWN Writ of Possession that placed the properties squarely in the care of Harvey, Dunbar declared that the writ issued by the court to eject the defendants is “quashed and set-aside.”
MADAM BUNDOO has also come under fire for not being properly vetted and undergone the training to bear arms. Nevertheless, she was issued an EPS-marked side-arm with two-weeks’ weapons training. There was no record to show that she had been a member of the EPS, prior to her appointment – or why she would justify being issued a side-arm.
ACCORDING TO THE Executive Mansion, both appointments, which have a term of nine months, became necessary following recommendations made by the United Nations, in particular the World Health Organization, which were aimed at further enhancing the national response as cases begin to spike. It is also based on a decision from a consultative meeting held between the Special Presidential Advisory Committee on Coronavirus (SPACOC) and partners.
THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE says during those discussions, a decision was made to move away from the current system of advisory and consultative meetings to operational and community-oriented outreach and that both persons have the full support and backing of the UN.
WHILE WE WELCOME any initiative to help Liberia beat this virus that is crippling major and minor cities around the world, no one should make any mistake to think that a weakened position will help Liberia. Not President Weah, not the World Health Organization(WHO) and certainly not the United Nations – or President Weah.
THIS IS NO time to play with people’s lives. No one needs reminder, what this virus is.
WE TOOK THIS stance at the height of Ebola to wake former President Johnson-Sirleaf from her slumber – and we are doing so now.
NO GOD ANYWHERE in the universe will come down to help Liberia. We have to be willing and ready to help ourselves. This pandemic is rocking the most powerful nations in the world. Their hands are just too full right now to offer anything more than a widow’s might. If the donors and international community see that we are not serious, they will never take us seriously.
THIS IS WHY, President Weah owes it to Liberia to show leadership – and to put the country’s best foot forward. Sadly, Finda Bundoo, who has had as many run-ins over the past two years with people in and out of government, is not the best Liberia has to offer, not for a deadly killer like the Coronavirus.
THIS IS AN SOS, not just to the world, but whoever is listening. Liberia needs help!!!
