Monrovia – June 7 is the date set by aggrieved Liberians under the umbrella ‘Council of Patriots’ to hold a protest gear toward calling on the administration of President George Weah to address the appalling economic situation of the country.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)[email protected]
Since the protest was announced by talk show host Henry Costa several about a month ago, the plan has been gaining massive momentum with many prominent and ordinary Liberians volunteering to form part of the protest.
One of such Liberians who has vowed to support the protest is Margibi County Senator Oscar Cooper.
In an interview with FrontPageAfrica, Senator Cooper stressed that it is the rights of every Liberian to protest if they are convinced that the government cannot meet their needs.
“I am supporting the protest on June 7, it is the rights of the people to protest, that’s part of dialoguing, we are protesting because the cost of living for those that are making Liberian Dollars is very difficult, [we are] protesting because the market woman sells her market whole day under that heat instead of having quality government schools to send her children to free she got to take that same money to private schools to pay because she believes that the government schools are not good,” said Senator Cooper, who has been very vocal about the policies of President Weah.
“I am protesting against that, I am protesting because the way the rule of law is not being followed by all three branches of government in Liberia.”
He was quick to clarify that the protest is not against President Weah as being speculated in many corners.
Senator Cooper has also slammed the leadership of Senate Pro Temp Albert Chie for allegedly violating several democratic tenets of the Liberian Senate.
“It’s not that I am protesting against President Weah, but I am protesting against the leadership of Pro Tempt Albert Chea.nI am protesting against the leadership of Speaker Bhofal Chambers; I am protesting against the unconstitutional removal of former Justice Je’neh, and I am against a lots of ills in the society,” he said.
Senator Cooper disagrees with Liberians who are of the conviction that it is still early to keep the Weah-led government feet to the fire.
“President Weah, like others who participated in the election, had a platform and our President said he came to change every ills that former President Sirleaf had in her government.
“Let them stop shifting blames when indeed they told us that they wanted to change things around, but like I said I haven’t seen the road map this government has to change this economy of our country around.”
He said the governmnet must quite blaming former President Sirleaf for its woes and work to mitigate issues impeding the economy.
“Don’t dwell on former President Sirleaf, she’s no more and she’s gone, it is you [as] President that the people elected to change things around so, you must do it without complaining, ” he said, while urging the President to adopt approches that will impact the lives of Liberians.
“What more time he needs when we have already given him more than a year to perform there is no roadmap to show us that this president will perform in the future,” he noted.
The Margibi Senator also frowned on the increase in the US rate, saying, “By July this year the rate might climb from LD$200 to US$1, that means Liberians are getting poorer.
“Many Liberians transact in Liberian Dollars; they are fortunate like some of us that earn United States Dollars, those who are earning US Dollars do not feel the inflation because they exchange at the prevailing rate but those who are earning only Liberian Dollars their buying power is reducing by the day not a week.
“If you are telling us to give the government more time, it means you are telling us to keep making Liberians poorer,” he noted.
