Monrovia – A staunch supporter of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says she’s not deterred by the President support for her opponent in District #3, Bomi County.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
Rep. Haja Fata Siryon, current lawmaker of District #3 in an interview with FPA said she was shocked when President Sirleaf endorsed Varney Sirleaf at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a modern clinic at the River Bank in Towon Town, Suehn Mecca District.
Rep. Siryon said the endorsement by President Sirleaf is a stab in the back after she campaigned for President Sirleaf in the past elections.
She’s contesting for the third time and is among 15 candidates who are vying for the legislative district seat in the county.
Rep. Siryon said her contender Varney Sirleaf had always told the constituents that he was sent by the President.
“He went to the people and said the President was supporting him but I know that she‘s supporting me,” but with the endorsement by Madam Sirleaf, Rep. Siryon said she now believes what her contender was saying is true.
Rep. Siryon: “I told her about the ground breaking of the clinic but she didn’t show up, to my surprise she went and broke ground commending Varney Sirleaf of placing money in the budget for the clinic.”
“As soon as I carried 600 blocks on the land, Varney ran to her, that’s how she decided to go and break ground to build the clinic, and she even said he (Varney) put US$ 200,000 for the construction.”
At the ceremony, President thanked the legislature for the cooperation towards supporting development projects in Liberia.
She noted the persistence of River Bank women in ensuring the realization of the project. She termed the project as a great relief to the people especially of the River Bank and adjoining communities in the district.
President Sirleaf described Mr. Varney Sirleaf as an honest and trust worthy person who can be relied on.
Rep. Siryon said: “The President has made it clear, I never wanted anyone to hear it from me, but she has said that she will make sure that Varney wins me.”
“Even some of my supporters asked her; ‘What if Madam Haja wins?” She told them she came to the district to run Varney’s campaign and not Haja, so Varney must win and not Haja.
“I know I will win the election, I am not deterred by her endorsement of Varney Sirleaf because I know my people are with me.”
She disclosed that she paid staff at a clinic for over one year, eight months because the Government allegedly failed to pay the employees of the clinic.
“Since the clinic was constructed by me, the staff there is being paid also by me, and with what President Sirleaf did I think she undermined the fight for women getting to the top of leadership.
It can be recalled that President Sirleaf assured the Liberia Women’s Policy Platform (LWPP) that she will be on her feet everywhere to campaign for women listed and certified by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to participate in the forthcoming elections.
President Sirleaf said her desire was to reciprocate the support of Liberian women, which led to her successive victories in the 2005 and 2011 polls.
She recalled that women across Liberia “stood under the sun and the rain,” and told the Liberian people, “We, the women of Liberia, this is our time.”
Rep. Siryon expressed disappointment that President Sirleaf would say something that she didn’t mean.