MONROVIA – Montserrado County district # 8 Representative Acarous Moses Gray has made huge donations to various medical centers, school and mosque in his district, with a vow to remain the face of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in the district come the ensuing 2023 general and presidential elections.
Lawmaker Gray is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the CDC who is serving his second term at the National Legislature.
For sometimes now, there has been speculation in the public, especially among residents of district 8 that the CDC lawmaker was contemplating on contesting in Grand Cape Mount County, as a result of his huge investments in the area in recent times.
Representative Gray informed his political opponents that he remains a force to reckon with in the district.
He made these comments when he identified with medical centers, mosque and school when he served as guest speaker and during a tour in his district.
He made a cash donation of US$3000, a generator for the Slipway Health Center with a promise to provide additional US$2000 for electrical works at the facility.
At the ACFI clinic in Buzzy Quarter community, Representative Gray also provided the amount of US$4000 and a 3.5KVA generator. He presented another 3.5KVA generator to the Central Mosque in the Plumkor Community in Sinkor, ahead of the Ramadan day celebration.
Representative Gray presented the cash amount of US$1000 and pledged 200 bags of cement, 20 bundles of zinc and five scholarships to the Free Pentecost School in Sinkor, Monrovia when he served as Guest Speaker at the graduation ceremony.
The CDC lawmaker also presented the amount of US$3500 as initial contribution towards a US$12,000 budget for the hosting of a tournament for youths in his district.
He dedicated a modern latrine project he rehabilitated in the Capitol Hill Budget Bureau Community.
Representative Gray recounted the enormous sacrifices being rendered by healthcare workers in the midst of challenges to buttress government’s efforts in providing adequate healthcare delivery to the citizenry.
“We do not announce to people when we usually come here. They will talk, but don’t listen to them. On behalf of our Coordinator, and the rest of the CDC family, today we brought generator and cash for you”.
Representative Gray pointed out that his decision taken to recondition the latrine to a modern one in the Budget Bureau Community was in fulfillment of a promise he made to the locals after previously providing empowerment opportunities to scores of youths and marketers in the area.
According to him, the project will help curtail the growing wave of open defecation in the community.
“We don’t want people going on the beaches to ease themselves and so, I decided to renovate the only latrine you had to a modern one. We placed tiles, flushing system and we did a lot on this facility”.
In an interview with Reporters shortly after the donations, Representative Gray observed that the unstable supply of electricity to health centers in his district was negatively contributing to inadequate health care delivery.
He noted that the inadequate support of energy to households, especially medial facilities, now underscores the need for the privatization of energy supply in Liberia.
“This is not a strange thing I am doing here today. It is not about the money we spent, but it is about interacting and helping to ensure that the challenges our people are faced with are addressed. LEC has underperformed and we think it is about time that electricity be privatized so that there can be adequate supply of electricity”.
Representative Gray observed that despite the spending of millions of United States dollars on Liberia’s energy sector by donor partners, the supply of stable electricity still remains a challenge.
According to him, the presentation of generators to the medical facilities is part of his efforts to help address in a timely manner some of the constraints his constituents are faced with in the energy and medical sectors.
He said though his gestures would be misconstrued by those he called “detractors”, residents of the district should not be carried away by them.
He observed that he has been scolded on numerous occasions by his political opponents due to his decision taken to “quietly” carry out developmental and empowerment initiatives as well as the awarding of scholarships to benefit women, youths, marketers and others in his district.
Representative Gray, however, stressed the need for the beneficiaries to properly utilize the finance and materials donated to benefit their people and patients.
The fourth dimension
He observed that though the constitutional responsibilities of a lawmaker are oversight, representation and lawmaking, legislators are constrained to apply what he termed as “the fourth dimension” if they must be remembered by their respective constituents.
He said beside these constitutional responsibilities, legislators are under obligation to “interact and give back to their people”.
Representative Gray used the occasion to urge his colleagues to continue to “share” with those who provided jobs for them at the National Legislature.
He pointed out that his continues efforts to construct a hall and continuously advocate for asphalt pavement of the Madina to Robertsport road in Grand Cape Mount County is also in fulfillment of the fourth dimension of representation outside of his district.
Speaking further, Representative Gray vowed to ensure that the US$20, 000 budgetary allocation to the Soniwein Health Center in the current budget is elevated to a substantial amount in the pending national budget in a bid to mitigate some of the constraints at the entity.
He also pledged to continue to provide empowerment for disadvantaged youths in his district by providing opportunities for them to acquire vocational skills to guarantee their future.
The vow
“We have done lot of things during our first and second terms, but we have not gone public with it. And so, some people think that they can live in our community and spread misinformation. I want to say to you in my capacity as the Political Leader of the CDC in district # 8-I will be the face of the ticket come 2023”.
Representative Gray continued: “Go and tell the people that the district # 8 country devil is outside. They want to be Representative, but they could not see your latrine that was dilapidated to help you. But we have made a decision to help you. Your go tell them that, ‘we were not here, but we here’. We will consistent be here and we will not leave this place”.
For their part, the beneficiaries commended Representative Gray for the donations.
Theresa Peterson Fomba, Officer-In-Charge of the Slipway Health Center, recounted the pivotal role played during the outbreak of an epidemic and pandemic in the country.
“On behalf of our staffs, we want to say a big thank you to our Honorable. It took us by surprise and. He (Gray) has always been with u. during the Ebola and COVID-19 era, he been here and identified with us. He did extremely well for us at the time. We want to assure you that this gesture will be used for the intended purpose and my bosses will be informed about it and they will be able to appreciate you in due course” she noted.
Ruth Zayzay, Administrator of the ACFI clinic stated: “Words are inadequate to express how much we are happy. On behalf of the staff and I, we want to say a very big thank you”.