The Editor
The year 2018 was rough year for the Weah Administration: First, they fell for a half a billion dollar bogus loan (to build roads and bridges). Then, they told us that LD$16 billion was “missing” from the Central Bank. (they’re still looking for the money under Weah’s bed!)
After that, they kept making one bad decision after another. There was a US$32 million scam that the Minister of Finance almost fell for, and another US$25 million was given to unidentified businesses to mop up “excess liquidity” in the economy!
But hey, I have some tips that will make the new year better! So, without further ado, here are my New Year’s Resolutions for the Weah Administration:
1) First, we need transparency in government. And it starts with the Head of State. The President cannot continue to build new apartment buildings after new apartment buildings, without releasing his Asset Declaration form for public scrutiny.
Does the President expect us to ignore the fact that he’s prone to corruption just like any other government official? After all, isn’t this is the same President Weah who took US$50,000 bribe to support Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup??
If Weah is serious about transparency and corruption, he must release his AD form to the public!
Second, before the Vice President take any more foreign trip in 2019, she needs to tell us how her trip will benefit the Liberia people. If there’s no tangible benefit to the Liberian people, we should not pay for her trip! Making speeches on foreign soil does NOT count as a tangible benefit to the Liberian people.
Third, we expect Weah to exercise due diligence in spending our money. There are too many useless people on government payroll, especially at the Ministry of Education (MOE). So, how about abolishing the MOE altogether, and giving that money (in form of a voucher) to help poor parents send their children to private and parochial schools?
Fourth, it’s the antithesis of the free market for government to have price controls on any economic commodity. Also, it’s against the law to fix prices (price control). So effective January 1, 2019, please abolish the Price Control Division at the Commerce Ministry! Remember, you took an oath to uphold the laws of the land, so please obey the damn Constitution!
Fifth, reduce the tax burden on business and personal income. Yes, it will mean that money that goes to our national coffers will now stay in the pockets of PRODUCTIVE people. But, so what? Do you think the born rogues in our government can spend OUR money better than us, individually? Please, don’t get me started now!
Sixth, I know this might sound like Greek to some of you in our government, but passing more regulations and raising taxes on businesses produces a counter productive behavior (corruption, bribery, higher prices, etc). So please get rid of the suffocating red tape regulations on ALL businesses!
Seventh, I’m tired of smelling alcohol on police officers (with guns) on our streets. Starting January 1, 2019, you will be required to take the One Leg Stand sobriety test! If you cannot stand one foot for more than 30 seconds, you will be declared drunk, and discharged from your job immediately!
Eight, because there are too many useless people on government payroll, we need to cut our payroll in half. Look. If you visit any government agency today, you’re more likely to see government employees coming to work 3 to 4 hours late, smelling with alcohol on their breath, or sitting on their fat asses doing nothing! And at the end of each month, these lazy bums get paid for doing nothing! Why should anyone get paid for such irresponsible behavior??
Last, but not the least. No democracy has ever survive without law and
order. Even in the Western civilization, law and order was established
long before democracy arouse.
If we want our fragile democracy to survive, and if we want investors to invest
in our country, we must enforce our law against everyone including Mayor
Jefferson Koijee and his goons. Why? Because law and order are the
PREREQUISTES for any democracy. Otherwise, let’s get ready for another
round of anarchy and tyranny!
Happy New Year to all of you!
Martin Scott
Atlanta, Georgia