bellah
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Registration date : 2008-04-03
 | | Subject: Liberia: Ellen Appoints, Sinoe Citizens Celebrate Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:04 am | |
|  Liberia: Ellen Appoints, Sinoe Citizens
Celebrate28 August 2009The appointment by President Sirleaf of one of her
fiercest critics has attracted mammoth celebration amongst the people of Sinoe
County. Though the legislative caucus of the county stands in stiff opposition
to the appointment of J. Milton Teahjay as superintendent, waves of celebration
have reportedly swept across the country's third oldest province, perhaps
increasing the anger of the caucus.Our Correspondent in Greenville, who watched the break of the
news and talked to a couple of citizens, reports how the political symmetry cuts
between the "powerful caucus" seemingly petrified by the Teahjay appointment and
ordinary people yearning for a quick change in the socioeconomic environment of
the county via a fresh breed of local administration.A spontaneous outburst of celebration ran through the port city
of Greenville Wednesday evening when news of Pres. Johnson-Sirleaf' s nomination
of CDC's Milton Teahjay broke. Greenville is currently alight with scores of
citizens, particularly public service personnel representing various ministries
and agencies of Government, who are in the city to delivery of their salary
checks.Three huge crowds took to the streets in various directions
Wednesday night shouting pro-Teahjay and pro-Sirleaf slogans. Some used their
own money to buy liquors and entertain friends in a couple of drinking
shops.The crowds were a mixture of young and old people who say they
have been yearning for progressive local leadership to implement government's
PRS policy. They say they also believe the appointment allays the long suspicion
that bad blood between President Sirleaf and Teahjay was responsible for the
backwardness of the county.Though it is the "third original county" of Liberia--next to
Montserrado and Grand Bassa County--Sinoe is one of the least developed counties
in the country in terms of recovery from the stings of the conflict. Since the
advent of the Sirleaf administration, the county has been embroiled in
leadership crisis, particularly between the County Legislative Caucus and
executive appointees.The management of the Sinoe Rubber Company (SRC) and the County
Development Fund has been the source of conflict, at times sparking melees
amongst contending parties.The bickering and scrambling over resources intended for
development by officials of the county for personal reasons, many citizens say,
account for the acute socioeconomic problems facing the oldest Liberian
province. Spiraling outgrowth of vegetations has given Greenville, the
provincial city, a odd outlook and most major towns outside the provincial city
are cut off due to damaged bridges and impassible farms-to-market
roads.The county is without any viable investor and it was only
recently that the United Nations-related and other serious international NGOs
reached the county or began making assessment visits for possible project
implementation since the birth of the Sirleaf administration.Generally, social life is dull in the county, unlike other
Southeastern counties like Grand Gedeh, Maryland and others that are relatively
lively. Empirical studies carried out by reputable organizations, such as the
General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the Liberia Democratic Institute (LDI)
listed Sinoe at the bottom of counties in terms of the implementation of the
County Development Fund (CDF).Most of the (CDF) projects earmarked in the country, according
to the study groups, either did not take off at all or were abandoned and
materials left to rot. LDI noted in its report that the county's authority was
claiming projects implemented by independent NGOs to justify the resources
allotted for the county. It is amid the worsening state of social and economic
life of the citizens that President Sirleaf effected a change in the top
executive arm of the county.As if it were a revolution announced, Teahjay's appointment by
President Sirleaf sparked spontaneous celebration. As swarms of riders of
motorbikes hooted their horns in celebration, crowds of citizens danced in the
streets and communities till odd hours Thursday morning."One thing I am sure of is that Teahjay will do something
tangible for us, because Sinoe has suffered so long," Martha Tugbeh who was also
in one of the crowds told The Analyst. "This is a gentleman who, even while he
was not in government, solved anyone's problem no matter what. What more if he's
given some authority. This is a great day for us all."Another member of the celebrating crowd, who identifies himself,
Solomon Teeswen, Jr., said: "A great day has come for Sinoe County. Teahjay is
our man from day one; and it is God himself who directed the President of
Liberia to appoint him as our Superintendent. We call on all those who are
saying all kinds of things about him to give him the chance to do those things
that could not be done for the last years."One citizen who spoke very angrily in reaction to Sinoe County
caucus' position in the Teahjay appointment saga is James. T. Keh, a resident of
Poor River community in Greenville.He said: "Let the Caucus go and sit down. They have failed us.
They plundered our resources so long. When they cannot help, they should not
hurt us. Or are they afraid Teahjay's administration will expose their bad
deeds? Or is it that Teahjay does not fit in their pockets? For us, we will not
allow the County Caucus to put fear into us about tribal conflict and confusion.
We, Sinoeans, are united. We are united for development. And we are united
behind Teahjay and the President who is sending him."Meanwhile, a group of Sinoe females, calling themselves Women
for Progress (WOP), are calling on Senior Senator Mobutu Nyenpan and the Sinoe
Legislative Caucus to retract what the group describe "their veil threat and
false alarm" that the appointment of Milton Teahjay will result into chaos and
tribal conflict in the county.The women contend that the Sinoe Legislative Caucus holds the
people of Liberia, particularly those of Sinoe County, an explanation over the
"anti-peace statement which they, who claim to be leaders, have
made".The women, who say they represent a cross-section of districts
in the county, implore the Ministry of Justice not to take the Sinoe Caucus'
"prophesy of doom" lightly but to question the Sinoe Legislative Caucus to give
reasons why they are "drumming up tribal sentiments and instability, an act that
has the potential to create fear and undermine the development of this already
backward county".Relevant LinksThe Sinoe women, in a release, say they wonder how Mr. Teahjay,
who has no record of tribal dispute in the county and was not a member or a
representative of any of the many defunct warring factions in the country,
create "such a grave civil unrest in the county as claimed and described by the
Caucus"."As far as we know," the Sinoe women say, "Mr. Teahjay is a man
of peace and a great son of the county who has often come to the rescue of
everyone irrespective of tribal, political and social status."The women thanked President Sirleaf for the appointment of
Teahjay, describing it as "radical shift from the wanton plunder of the meager
resources of the county and an end of the specter of neglect and abandonment of
the people by the county leadership". _ | |
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