CAN GEORGE WEAH REALLY FIGHT CORRUPTION OR IS HE TOO NICE TO BE PRESIDENT? WE SHALL SEE.
Apr 15, 2005
Author: ROBIN LEE TARPEH / Europe
d. To date, his CDC party continues to struggle to with NEC accreditation and is yet to start showing its real juice for the Liberian people see. Oppong is a very decent young man and his people have shown tremendous love and support for him just as he has shown for his people and country over the past years but the question is: Should they trust him with leadership of the country in these times? I think the jury is out on this question but they can’t be out for too long because October will soon be here.
Many of those who are critical of the Weah candidacy are doing so out of either frustration or true love for their country. Those who are frustrated are the group who believe that Oppong entry into the race have slim their chances of ever getting to state power. They understand that this young man commands considerate amount of support from the grassrooters who are seeking to totally dispense with the political class because of what they (politician) have taken the country through for the last 30 years. The other group who are the true lovers but still critical of Oppong’s candidacy are those who believe that even though Oppong is a good man but he may be too good to be president and he may be corrupted by strange bedfellows. This group has raised legitimate concerns about people associating with Oppong. They have talked about Emmanuel Shaw (well-dressed con artist), Dew Mayson (political business tycoon), Varfley Dorley (the radical fundamentalist), Orishall Gould (well rounded opportunist) and the list goes on and on. The concern of these people is that how can George Weah be talking about a 180 degree change and be surrounded by these people. There is a complete disconnect between these two propositions. The group of people with whom Oppong is associating can never speak to change in Liberia. The records of these people can only convince people that a find young man like George Weah is about to be used by a few groups of people who are bent on evil for the Liberian society.
I am sure that we all have heard a number of criticisms about why Oppong will not make a good President and the two that stand out most are (1) the fact that he doesn’t have any experience in dealing with political or governmental situations and (2) the caliber of people that he has surrounded himself with. I think that these two points should not be seen as criticisms by the George Weah team but rather as areas where work needs to be done if George wants to maintain his good reputation in the world as someone most admired by all he comes in contact with. But if he tries to see them as criticisms and dismisses them; he will be heading for deep trouble. George Weah is still young and will have plenty of time left to be with his people after he has left the presidency (assuming he wins and there is no reason not to) so he wants to be very careful. He also need to be told that the Liberian people love him and he doesn’t have to be afraid to let the evil ones around go and bring the good ones around because those evil ones can only subtract from him. No one is joining his team because of those people with bad records or image. People are joining because they trust that he will be able to look evil people in the eye and tell them I don’t think you can be a part of this team. Your records don’t permit you to champion change. There are still more good people in Liberia than bad people, so why should George choose only the bad people?
Why penning this piece, I received information from Liberia that two top officials of Weah’s CDC (Gould-Chairman and Dorley-senior member) have been suspended from their posts at Social Security for “administrative” reason by Chairman Bryant on alleged corruption charges. It was funny to me at first but then I thought this is an excellent opportunity for the Weah team to show that they know how to handle situation even though people claim that they don’t have the experience. The National Chairman of the CDC has been suspended for what appeared to be corruption and this is one of the strong points for which people will vote for Weah because they think he stands above corruption and is the best person to fight it. Everyone knows that it is no secret that it is the Weah momentum that is the building block of the CDC and so whatever he says will definitely go. I think Weah needs to step up to the plate and show some leadership on this issue. I remember reading on the Weah website say he will always fight corruption and will have a zero-tolerance for corrupt officials of his administration and so I think he needs to have his proposed CDC party ask Gould to resign form the chairmanship until he can clear himself from corruption charges because the Weah team should be the puritan on this issue and no official of the team should be in compromised position to be charged with such crime. And after Gould is cleared or convicted then a more permanent action can be taken against him. I am sure that by doing this, Oppong will show to his critics and admirers that he is up for changing a failed political culture.
Man, Chairman Bryant of all persons suspend you for corruption? Gould you must be ashamed of yourself. Bryant is the most corrupt person our generation has yet seen and he let you go! I think Charles Bannie left for a reason and he is soldier.
Now, instead of the George Weah and his team thinking very critically about this and trying to see how best they can come out of this shinning more than ever before, the CDC is issuing press release that they will fight the removal of Gould and that his removal was politically motivated. This is a shame and I think Oppong needs to take a stance and don’t allow himself to dragged into this corruption thing this early. Oppong, tell your friends that they should resign and clear themselves from these charges before coming back to join the team because if you refuse to do that, many people who are sitting on the fence or want to come on board will think that you guys are not serious and the international community will see you as been very weak on corruption and lacking in ability to deal with any real situation. This is your first challenge! Show your juice. Prove the critics wrong and make your supporters proud.
The author, Robin Lee Tarpeh, is a social and political commentator who resides in the European Union and can be reached at robinleetarpeh@yahoo.com
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d. To date, his CDC party continues to struggle to with NEC accreditation and is yet to start showing its real juice for the Liberian people see. Oppong is a very decent young man and his people have shown tremendous love and support for him just as he has shown for his people and country over the past years but the question is: Should they trust him with leadership of the country in these times? I think the jury is out on this question but they can’t be out for too long because October will soon be here.