In 2006 when then Auditor General John S. Morlu II described the Sirleaf Administration as “three times corrupt than its predecessor”, the (Interim National Transitional Government of Liberia (INTGL) – all of her supporters, and UP partisans accused him of not knowing what he was saying.
Since he left the GAC, reported corruption cases grew exponentially engulfing every strata of the bureaucracy and state enterprises so devastatingly that our president renamed rampart corruption “Vampire”.
And in 2014, during an Ebola – specific visit to the White House in Washington, DC, she complained to President Obama that the habit was the greatest impediment to development and progress in Liberia, though she rebuffed his offer to help tackle the rampaging vampire. Ironically, the revelation of the Global Witness’ report is just an icing on the cake, which does not surprise, but definitely appalled a poor populace undergoing life – denying pervasive poverty. The erstwhile GAC boss’s characterization was vindicated a hundredth – fold; this latest scandal just add to the list.
The Israelites’ story should remind us of the All About Themselves ruling Unity Party government headed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Although it is never easy to face the truth, truth brings healing. God spoke through Isaiah to address the denial of the people of Judah. But over the centuries they became addicted to false promises of idolatry.
They developed self-destructive patterns of behavior that included oppressing the poor, accepting bribes, and lying to get what they want. Although repeatedly confronted by Isaiah, they still refused to admit their sins. Instead, they blamed those who told them the truth as troublemakers and wondered why God kept exposing their evil deeds.
Truth crushed to earth shall rise again
Even in death, Harry Greaves Jr. is still relevant! You remember on October 13, 2015, Harry wrote in the Daily Observer the article titled: “Let’s Lecture: PEPs Beware!” Excerpts from the article read:
“…When this administration quits the scene in January 2018, there will probably be enormous pressure on the next one to conduct investigations into some of the more egregious instances of corruption during this administration.
“Many officials in the government are of the mistaken notion that if they steal public money and salt it away in a bank account outside the country, they are home and free. Not quite. The only foolproof way to steal public funds without detection is to dig a large hole in the ground and bury it. But if you transfer money through the international financial system, you create a paper trail.
“Every US dollar transaction, no matter where it originates or terminates, passes through New York and the Federal Reserve System. And don’t think you can conceal your deception by putting the money in an account of a relative or close friend. That won’t shield you either. There is a legal principle called “tracing”. If ill-gotten gains can be traced to you, they can be confiscated. That is how the FBI recovers money, houses, jewelry, boats and other valuables from drug dealers. The old adage applies. “Caveat emptor”.
If you buy tainted assets from a rogue, you can lose them, even if you were an innocent purchaser for value. So, if you are, say, a cabinet Minister earning US$60,000 a year, and all of a sudden a bank account is found in the South Sea island of Vanuatu with a stash of US$2 million in it in the name of your 3-year-old daughter, the law presumes that a reasonable man would consider that to be prima facie evidence of corruption. So, unless you can show that you have Warren Buffet stock-picking genes in your DNA, you would be under obligation to prove a negative, i.e. to show that the millions in that bank account were not the proceeds of theft of public money.”
Harry was brutally murdered for writing and saying these things; but he left us enough ammunition to go after these rogues and murderers who thought they silenced him. Some of our critics really amaze me. They are blind to the realities of our time.
For examples: On May 13, 2014, Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison for taking bribes while he was mayor of Jerusalem, and recently BBC reported that the Brazilian’s Senate voted 55 to 22 to sustain the motion for suspension of President Dilma Rousseff who is accused of illegally manipulating finances to hide a growing public deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014. Meanwhile, Michel Temer the Vice President has taken over till the trial is over; and if she’s found guilty, she could be impeached and imprisoned.
With all this going on in this changing world, check out what this individual who goes by these pseudo names: Jeneka Thomas and EFESSAYF had to say about the Global Witness Gate. He says:
“While restorative justice for the selfish and inhumane people engaged in the callous looting of Liberia over the years would be a welcomed prospect, it may however augur well if initiated by Liberian citizens than foreigners. Liberians are competent, intelligent, adept and capable of doing this on their own than deferring it to outsiders to do it on their behalf, no matter the skin color of the foreigners, the amount of African languages they speak, or their obvious agenda-driven “love” for Liberia. This is nonnegotiable!” (Liberian Listserv)
What a sorry rationale? What sense does this make? I DO NOT understand what he means! But from what I gathered, he wants the corrupt system in Liberia to handle it. Based on the information we now have, there are “enough bases for civic and societal actions.”
Dr. Zumo writes: “From sources on the ground familiar with this particular transaction, Big Boy 01 and Big Boy 02 are code names for the two at the top of the Executive Pyramid in Liberia. It is said that the signatures and account numbers at the back of the two checks to Big Boy 01 and Big Boy 02 have the indelible evidence. Will not be surprised if these two checks will also be called the now famous or (infamous) “honorarium a la Peter Coleman fame.”’ (Liberian Listserv)
No condition is permanent
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will… The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” (Frederick Douglass) The God we serve has never failed us! Enough is enough!
The people will not rest until these corrupt Liberian elected officials that illegally accrued wealth and properties with impunity are brought to justice. They will have NO PEACE because they GOT RICH QUICK dishonestly. Therefore, they must be on the look-out. The Day of Judgment is right around the corner. There is nothing anybody can do about our unconditional love for country. So join us to ‘Get Up, Stand Up for Your Rights’” because the time of the people has come.
Meanwhile, we and many people read with utter disbelief and derision the lame attempt by veteran lawyer and Cape Mount senator Hon. Varney Sherman, during a press conference in the government’s initial effort at a boldfaced denial to hide behind an attorney – client privilege.
Regardless, an exception to the privilege is communication in furtherance of a crime or fraud, and, according to the Global Witness report that’s exactly what the senator allegedly did for Sable Mining Company. Thus instead of representing the company, supposedly, the UP Chairman was not only soliciting bribes for the powers that be but seemingly involved in the pay offs – if that’s not an exception to the privilege, we don’t know what is.
Please, permit me to leave you with these words:
“If there are no fundamental changes in the current practice of corruption and impunity, the next $2.6 billion is going to be wasted and stolen, with no tangible change in the wellbeing of the Liberian people. Liberty Party has failed to accept that those demanding for change in governance are concerned not just about the wasted and stolen $2.01 billion, but the wasting and theft of another $2.6 billion between now and December 31 2017.
For Liberty Party, it is far better for Liberians to allow the plundering of state resources between now and December 2017, while real people in Liberia are hurting under the weight of poverty and despair. Where is the moral outrage on the party of the Liberty Party to see real people suffering because of the corrupt practices of a few people? At the current rate of corruption, a typical Liberian child will not have the opportunity to become a “Robert Sirleaf” with a purported “wall street experience” and a degree from George Mason. A typical Liberian child is going to die by age 49. (John S. Morlu II, ThePerspective.org -September 30, 2013)
About The Author:
Elder Siahyonkron Nyanseor is man of God; former Chair, Vice Chair & Secretary of the ULAA Council of Eminent Persons (UCEP), Inc. He is a poet, Griot, journalist, and a cultural and political activist. In 2012, he Co-authored Djogbachiachuwa: The Liberian Literature Anthology; his book of poems: TIPOSAH: Message from the Palava Hut can be obtained at: Kiiton Press – website. Email. [email protected]