By Mark N. Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Liberian journalist, Frank Sainworla, Managing Editor of www.newspublictrust.com wants those who allegedly misappropriated some US$100,000.00 intended for the building of the PUL headquarters account for said money to regain the image of the Union.
Serving as the 6th commencement convocation speaker at the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism in Congo Town, Mr. Sainworla said the US$100,000.00 PUL headquarters project scandal has cast a dark cloud on the credibility and integrity of the Union and Liberian Journalism as a whole.
The US$100K was provided by former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf years ago to help the Union get its own headquarter since it was established.
Since the Money was provided by the former President, the headquarters of the Press Union is yet to be built and those who were in leadership of that media organization have not accounted for the fund.
It can be record that when the money landed in the wrong hands, some members of the Union ran to court requesting for the settle of the matter through a legal means.
It lingered at the court until Mr. Charles B. Cuffey Jr. took over the leadership of the Union and managed to withdraw the case from the court.
Till now, the US$100K is yet to be accounted for and it is in this direction that head of the News Public Trust Media Group is requesting for the dust sounding the money be settled.
Mr. Sainworla said, “Indeed, this US 100-thousand dollars saga continues to impinge on the integrity standing of the Union.”
Adding,” And closure must be brought to this long-running financial scam. All those who allegedly embezzled, misappropriated and funneled the funds, which should have given us a headquarters building by now, must be made to account.”
The media trainer intoned that if they (journalists) must hold politicians and newsmakers accountable, then they too must have the moral authority to do so.
“We must practice what we preach” he said.
According to him the journalists as Watchdogs are not above the law in society”.
He said the action of many journalists have made the public to always ask: “Who watches the Watchdogs?”