By William Selmah, wslelmah@gmail.com
On September 24, 2019, Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon called a news conference to fulfill one of his campaign promises to disclose his salary and to resolve to taking no more than US$ 5,000.
He disclosed a hand written communication he received from the Senate’s Ways and Means Committee indicating that his accumulated income was US$15,000 before tax deduction and US$12,000 after tax subtraction.
Admitting that said amount was too high to be paid a single senator for a month in a country with such an ailing economy, Sen. Dillon stuck to his word and told the Liberian people he would take only US$5000 as both salary and allowance, and deposit any surplus in an escrow account “to go toward social development programs”.
As anticipated, his revelation was disputed and sparked angry reaction from some of his colleagues in the Senate, with others accusing him of lying to the public and failing to read with comprehension the letter written by the Ways and Means Committee outlining his salary and benefits.
There was even a suggestion by Sinoe County Senator Milton Teahjay for plenary to meet on the matter to decide a response to the public comments about senators’ earnings by the “New Kid on the Block’.
From all indication, Dillon will be cold shouldered even before he gets acclimatized in the relatively new environment he finds himself.
He has introduced what appears to be a taboo topic among colleagues – hence the feeling of discomfort one can sense.
Would one expect cheer for a workmate who suddenly opens up; whether consciously or unconsciously about earnings of a colleague to his family after that friend have all along shaded that aspect of his dealings even from wife and children? The certain answer is of course an emphatic NO, bearing testimony to the fact that truth tellers often have far too few followers.
In a Facebook post in the last few days, Sen. Dillon wrote: “Corruption has a way of fighting back, hard too”, Sen. Dillon cited in a message to supporters to keep up the fight against dishonesty.
:We are aware of this, but we must encourage ourselves to keep the fight alive; we have no other options,” he added as he cautioned against idolizing him as a superhuman.
This is best if he must go further and prevent complacency from getting the best of him as stars do fall too and have done so many times in history.
It can only be hoped that what the Monserrado senator has revealed turns out to be a mere fairy tale. But if it is proven to be true, the Senate will have to do some soul searching and honestly answer to themselves whether in such a struggling economy it is fair for a lawmaker to take home as payment a loathsome US$15325 just for a month’s work, when scores of health workers and teachers continue to serve on voluntary basis in the public sector simply because of budgetary constraints
Should a single lawmaker bag such an amount while public health centers lack drugs and affordable equipment like X-ray machines and scanners?
These are key things that are often serving as stumbling blocks to growth and development not only in Liberia, but most African settings, and must be checked.
Self must be crucified, national interest amplified and nationalistic spirit exemplified not only by leaders, but those at every step of the social ladder as well, if Liberia must make a u-turn from retrogression to progression.