A Boston-based rights group is sending an open letter to Liberia’s newly elected President George Manneh Weah, congratulating him and exposing him to “the secrets of Africa’s greatest president.”
Below is a FULL TEXT of the open letter:
Universal Human Rights International (UHRI)
Liberians Still Hoping For Change; Led By The People
Dear Mr. President-elect:
Congratulations on your election victory. With your certification you are now the Servant in Chief. And I wish you success on your journey as president of Africa’s first Republic.
I also present secrets of Africa’s greatest president: (https://goo.gl/uiP5mD ) and request that you kindly prioritize hosting a Sovereign National Conference to give Liberia a fresh start in creating a new system of governance that guarantees for all Liberians equal opportunities, security and empowers all citizens, not just politicians.
For 170 years Liberian politicians have been elected to serve. Their accolades and credentials from prestigious universities, deceived the masters (citizens) to wrongly assume that elected Liberian politicians know exactly what to do. As a result, citizens never give their best advices, marching orders or demands to elected politicians.
Therefore, African leaders erroneously focused on transitory activities such as ‘creating jobs’ for citizens in countries with neither guaranteed security nor equal opportunities.
When Irving Kristol said, “Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions – it only guarantees equality of opportunity,” he exposed the secrets to the success of Europe and America: guaranteed security and equal opportunities for all citizens. Security and equal opportunities unlock the floodgates of health, wealth, knowledge and give all citizens a fair chance to succeed.
When you take the oath of office to uphold the Constitution of Liberia you will notice that the first article of the Constitution defines the role of people, not the president: “All power is inherent in the people.
All free governments are instituted by their authority and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform government when their safety and happiness so require.” Mr. President-elect, Liberians are not happy because our system of governance was designed to empower and enrich only politicians, not citizens.
Foreigners enjoy Liberia but millions of citizens have no benefits. Since you declare you are ready for change, changing the 170 year old broken system is the best place to start. With a new system, Africa’s first participatory democracy will be well on the path to a new land of unlimited opportunities.
With Liberian senators and politicians making excessive salaries and benefits higher than all American state lawmakers, there will always be inadequate funds for education, healthcare, roads, etc. The lowest paid state senator come from New Hampshire, USA and earns US$200.00 per two year term with no per diem and no government cars. The highest paid state lawmaker in America earns US$104,507.00. Compare that to senators in Liberia, earning US$12,000.00 -US$13,000.00 monthly or US$156,000.00.
After 170 years on the wrong track, you have the opportunity and potential of giving not only Liberia but also Africa a fresh start on a new path to prosperity. When Frederick Douglass said:
“Power concedes nothing without a demand, it never has, it never will,” he was speaking about the important roles citizens play to help a nations succeed. If Liberians desire a better system of governance, citizens must ask for a sovereign national conference.
The “hope for change” got you elected and also got Liberians longing for a rising star. The God-given gifts and talents of Africans are being drown at sea because governments in most African nations empower and enrich politicians, not citizens.
If Africa’s oldest republic, Liberia embraces participatory democracy and creates a new system of governance that empowers citizens a bright light emanating from Liberia will illuminate our dark continent showing the way for great African nations like Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, South Africa and Egypt to follow and become even greater.
Mr. President-elect, there are two choices before you. On the one hand, you can follow 24 predecessors and leave 170 year old broken system in place. On the other hand, you can follow the example of ancient Greece, Switzerland, the European Union and the United States and call a Sovereign National Conference for the people to create a new system of governance that guarantees security and equal opportunities-unleashing the creative potentials and God-given talents that eventually turns Liberia into the new land of unlimited opportunities. The Choice is yours. Congratulations! Mr. President-elect.
Sincerely Yours,
Rev. Torli H. Krua
President Universal Human Rights International (UHRI)
Boston, USA