By Moses D. Sandy - Philadelphia, USA

The much-publicized election for the position of speaker of the House of Representatives of the 52^nd national legislature of Liberia, West Africa has come and gone into history. But the public resentments and the consequences associated with the election’s result continue to dominate every intellectual discourse in Liberia and abroad. 

Despite the “warnings on the wall”: UN Security Council resolution 1521 which imposes a travel ban on Montserrado County  Rep. Edwin Snowe and other cronies of former President Charles Taylor for allegedly engaging in acts that undermine the peace and stability of Liberia, and the overwhelming public outcry concerning Hon. Snowe’s public records, especially at the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Corporation (LPRC) where he is reported to have pocketed US $ 1 million as salary and benefit during the year 2005, members of the House of Representatives in majority on Friday, January 13, 2006 agreed in principle that  the 35 years old Montserrado representative is their choice for the speaker’s position. 

Hon. Snowe won the election with a lead of 48 votes while his opponent veteran politician, Dusty Wolokollie who also represents Montserrado in the house trailed with 13 votes. Even though sources at the Capitol Building in Monrovia speak of overt political maneuvering and the alleged taking of bribes by some of the electorates, the irresistible disparity in ballots cast, cowed Rep. Wolokollie of the Unity Party (UP) to concede defeat.  He was quoted in the media as saying, “ the process was free and fair.” 

But while the defeated candidate seems to be in agreement with the election’s result, many Liberians at home and abroad have expressed their utmost disappointment about the election’s outcome and the political maneuvering that preceded the process. Many are still wondering, why Snowe?  Where does Liberia’s national interest lies?  

The people are concerned because the house’s leadership election was neither about Hon. Snowe nor Rep. Wolokollie. It was about producing a credible and efficient leadership. 

They know that the representatives have the prerogative to elect any member of the house to leadership position, but they are disenchanted because the election of Hon. Snowe as speaker in the midst of the dark cloud that hangs over his reputation couple with  incompetence, constitutes the representatives insensitivity to Liberia‘s national interest. 

 Moreover, the people are disillusioned because the ascendancy of Hon. Snowe to the position of  house speaker sends a wrong message to the international community. It is a defiance of Resolution 1521, and an affront to the United Nations and other world bodies that are committed to the peace building efforts of Liberia.  

The action has an impending impact on the country, and it demonstrates the representatives unresponsiveness to the disposition of the Liberian public in regard to the speaker’s public records. This is unfortunate. 

While it is true that an accusation is not a conviction, the honorable lawmakers would had done well by advising  their colleague to first seek redress to the charges levied against him by Liberians at home and the UN instead of awarding him with a high profile government portfolio. It is incomprehensible that the lawmakers would overwhelmingly elect to place the house’s leadership in the hands of Hon. Snowe at a crucial time like this in Liberian politics when they are aware that because of the current travel restriction, the speaker is unable to take a trip beyond the boundaries of Liberia. 

In the wake of the existing restriction, how will the speaker interact with his colleagues and participate in regional and global legislative functions organized by the International Parliamentary Union (IPU)?  The IPU, is an international organization that promotes peace and unity amongst parliamentarians world wide. Unless the travel ban is lifted, Liberia’s stands the risk of losing representations at the level of the speaker at these important conferences. The recent refusal of the UN to allow the speaker and some  lawmakers to attend its sponsored parliamentary workshop held for members of the 52^nd legislature in Accra, Ghana, is an attestation.  

Hon. Representatives, your action has embarrassed the Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration and Liberia as a whole. Liberia, as the adage goes, “ no man is an island”, has an interdependent relationship with other nations of the world. It can never claim absolute independence; it needs its neighbors and the support of the international community to survive. 

But your action demonstrates your insensitivity to the good will the nation currently enjoys from the UN, ECOWAS, and the AU( African Union). To elect somebody who the UN accuses of being an impediment to peace in Liberia as speaker of the first branch of government because of personal egos is tantamount to the House’s ingratitude at the highest level to the Liberian electorates and the international community. 

On Monday, January 16, 2006 when President Johnson-Sirleaf formally took over the political leadership of Liberia, she publicly vowed to clamp down on corruption in government, but it seems the president may find it difficult if, not impossible to get the cooperation of members of the House of Representatives in the accomplishment of this national agenda because the election of Hon. Snowe, who is alleged to have a muddy financial record as speaker, is at variance with the president’s proclaimed war on financial malpractices in government. 

Honorable representatives, this cannot be as business as usual. You were elected not because you are the most affluent or educated, but the people chose to give you this  opportunity because they believe you will make a better representation at this time. Based on this national trust, you have a national responsibility to ensure that Liberia’s interest is prioritized in whatever you say or do. 

Be mindful, the existing democratic landscape in Liberia was not gotten on a “silver platter”. It took blood, tears, and sacrifices in terms of  human and material resources to erect such foundation. An estimated 200 thousand human lives, and millions of dollars worth of properties were wrecked during the nation’s 14 years civil. 

Honorable lawmakers, you need to put your house in order and set your priorities, because anything contrary to this, would ruin and draw your credibility into disrepute. As the cliché goes, “A HINT TO THE WISE, IS QUITE SUFFICIENT”. 

About the author: Mr. Moses D. Sandy, is a Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate student at Temple University based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Mr. Sandy holds a BA degree in Mass Communication with emphasis in broadcast journalism from the University of Liberia, West Africa. He is former editor-in-chief of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS). Currently, he lives in Delaware.