By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- A US-based Liberian is encouraging Liberians back home to vote in favor of the Dual Citizenship bill in the upcoming 2020 referendum now slated for December this year.
Mr. Michael Gilman, Executive Administrator and host of Gedeh Hard Talk Radio and TV based in the United States of America, made the disclosure recently, when he appeared on a local radio talk-show the “Diaspora Liberian Special” on Radio Margibi FM 103.7MHz via mobile phone.
Gilman said he supports Dual Citizenship with his blood on grounds that no natural born person can be detached from their place or country of birth.
He stated that Liberians in the Diaspora only took upon themselves other countries’ citizenship as the result of the situation they found themselves in.
Mr. Gilman revealed that they were chased out of their own country and were accepted in other countries; as such they have to do what they did to live in those countries.
“We were chased out of our own country, we went and were accepted in other countries, we have to do what we had to do to live in those countries some of us; some of us because of the situation Liberia do not have dual citizenship some of us do not have citizenship in the countries where we reside.”
According to him, there are a good number of people (Liberians) who didn’t take on citizenship but rather took on permanent residency to allow them to work in order to take care of their families. He indicated that at first the Supreme Court of Liberia ruled in favor of dual citizenship something he said is not enough.
Mr. Gilman asserted that this is because the Supreme Court of Liberia said when a Liberian holding dual citizenship is appointed by government to positions that are not to be occupied by Liberians in that category and required confirmation hearing.
He said the Liberian Senate should prove that he/she is not a Liberian by means of producing his/her Liberian passport or other relevant documents to substantiate that he or she is a Liberian despite of spending several years out of the Country.
“But there is a referendum that is forthcoming in these October or December elections that Liberians will go to the poll to vote on the issue of dual citizenship whether it should be allowed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the President’s office has written that into a gazette an official gazette has been issued and hopefully the Elections will make that part of the voting process and I like to encourage everybody who will be participating to vote ‘yes’ on dual citizenship because this helps to develop the Country,” he added.
In a related development, US-based Liberian says he is in support of the preposition that is prohibiting Liberians with dual citizenship status from occupying appointed and elected positions.
Mr. Gilman mentioned that if Liberians in foreign countries are prohibited from holding appointed and elected positions, corruption will be minimized in the Country.
He stated that most of the corrupt practices that are carried out in Liberia are done by people who will not corrupt a dime at their job places in America and other parts of the World.
“They will not corrupt a dime, they will not take what do not belong to them at their jobs in America, they will wait for their pay checks, but give them a job in Liberia within a couple of months their mortgage either half way paid off; their cars they were leasing or renting paying car note is paid off, so we have to change that mindset,” he said.
People may have left the Country for countless numbers of years and probably have not returned but because they have connection with the president or the vice president they are called to Liberia and appointed as a minister or director leaving behind huge mortgage, he said.
The Liberian residing in the US said that upon taking office in Liberia, such individuals first begin to think about paying their mortgages in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Mr. Michael Gilman explained that Diaspora Liberians should be able to provide opportunities for Liberians back home where they will be able to go to school and acquire education in Liberia or obtain international scholarship, after which they will return and contribute the growth and development of the country.
He averred that Diaspora Liberians can return to Liberia, maintain their citizenship and open businesses that will hire Liberians adding that it is not every American citizen that is working for the American Government.
“It should not be about government, it should be about Liberia and the Liberian people so if we fight for dual citizenship and the only reason why we want it is to assume government positions then it can be as it is,” Mr. Gilman said.
At the same time, he noted that dual citizenship should not be about government job but should rather be about everybody who took on citizenship in other countries and maintain their Liberian citizenship.