PHOTO: Dr. Daniel Cassell
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Political Leader of the opposition People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Dr. Daniel Cassell has blasted members of the 54th National Legislature for failing to prioritize the health and wellbeing of their people as the Coronavirus pandemic spikes in Liberia.
It can be recalled that members of the Liberian Legislature recently received the amount of US15, 000 each for “legislative engagement” from the national coffers through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
But in a press statement issued in Monrovia over the week end, Dr. Cassell said it is unbelievable for members that the Legislature, who supposed to be advocating for the wellbeing of their people, are awarding themselves the amount of US$30,000 each with half of the amount already received in the midst of a health crisis.
He emphasized that the money which were given to the Representatives and Senators could have been allocated to properly manage the COVID-19 surge and to acquire oxygen and beds for hospitals which have been depleted and are desperately in need of medical supplies.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cassell has disclosed that considering the “gross disregard of the current government and politicians to enact policies that would address the public health and medical challenges of the country at this time,” his political party will launch a mobile clinic in the country very soon for Liberians.
According to him, the move will be his party own minimum way of making additional interventions in the health sector during this critical period in the history of the country.
The People’s Liberation Party leader disclosed that the PLP Mobile Clinic will be headed by professional nurses, physician assistants (PAs) and other volunteers with primary focus on helping disadvantaged citizens who cannot afford high medical costs in Liberia.
Dr. Cassell added that the PLP will in the coming days also donate several medical supplies to hospitals and clinics to help address the current public health crisis in the nation.
In a related development, Dr. Cassell has attributed the growing wave of Covid-19 cases in Liberia to the alleged failure of President George Manneh Weah to hold liable those in charge of Covid-19 testing at the Roberts International Airport for their “criminal negligence” in executing their assigned tasks and responsibilities.
According to him, it is not enough for President Weah to hold an emergency cabinet meeting and instruct the health ministry to come up with regulations and protocols to combat the pandemic, leaving those responsible for the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country to go with impunity.
He maintained that the “crucial and decisive action” that appears to be missing on the part of the President is his alleged failure to hold the COVID-19 testing company stationed at the Robert’s International Airport accountable for engaging in practices that are characteristic of what he calls criminal negligence.
Dr. Cassell emphasized that these alleged acts have resulted not only to increased incidents and death rates, but it has overwhelmed the country’s poor and very limited healthcare system or infrastructure.
He recommended that to protect the public from further re-occurrence, this act of gross criminal negligence on the part of the management of the COVID-19 testing company should be fully punishable of the law and replaced with a reputable and trustworthy company.
Some travelers, especially those coming into the country from “hot zones” of the pandemic are allegedly offering bribe to enter into Liberia via the Roberts International Airport, Dr. Cassell claimed.
He added that it is unfortunate and disappointing for such an ugly scenario to be happening in Liberia as a country with poor healthcare infrastructures and many of its citizens who cannot afford the cost of food, let alone medical services, a public health crisis of this magnitude can quickly result to devastating medical complications and significant loss of lives.
At the same time, the PLP Vision Bearer has called on Liberian and others to continue to observe the health protocols put in place by the relevant authorities, including the compulsory and adequate wearing of nose mask and social distancing in a bid to defeat the deadly virus from Liberia.