PHOTO: Archie Sarnor, now a fierce critic of Pres. Weah and his ruling CDC government
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
A former legislative candidate in the electoral district #16 in Montserrado County has observed that Liberia is retrogressing, because the electorates have not been able to make decisions that reflect the wellbeing, aspirations and the country’s interest.
Archie Sarnor, a former ruling CDC party stalwart, added that some people have taken the national Legislature as a place of representation for money making because the electorates are not looking at issues that are affecting the country, but rather tribalism and religious lines.
Mr. Sarnor made the observation when he appeared as a guest at the Point Four Intellectual forum located on the Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia recently.
According to him, lawmakers are not in the national legislature to defend the interest of the president, but people they represent.
“Nowadays, public officials steal government money, we clap for them instead of working to together to have them prosecuted for embezzlement. Until we can work collectively to prosecute these corrupt officials in the habit of stealing public resources, this country will always find difficult to make progress and succeed,” the strong CDC critic noted.
According to Mr. Sarnor, some former officials of government, who have been sanctioned by the United States, are now bringing these stolen resources to contest for elected positions to protect such ill-gotten wealth.
He admonished Liberians against voting for people based on the fatness of their pockets because they are only spending on the electorates for their votes.
“Presidents will come and presidents will go, we do not fight for change for retrogression but rather progression, because the power to govern in Liberia is in the hands of the electorates,” Mr. Sanor maintained.
He encouraged the electorates to check the characteristics interim of records of candidates, their capacities to perform and their patriotism to determine the good leaders at the district and national levels.
The political activist expressed optimism that Liberia will transform in relatively short period of time if the electorates can check the candidates stands on national issues, patriotism and love for the country.
“We Liberians, are the architect of our own problems because those who stand for accountability, transparency and sincerity become victim of the same citizens they advocate for and are relegated from public offices because they do have stolen wealth give the people”
“Why a representative who is a servant of the people should be riding in 80,000 United States Dollars car when most of the citizens cannot afford a daily meal?” he asked.
Mr. Sarnor described this as an absolute act of wickedness, and a ploy for the people to look up to them for survival, rather than enacting laws that will make the country.