He describes it ‘complete misinterpretation’ of a post he made on his FACEBOOK Page – James Sirleaf, a son of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed disappointment that his Facebook post of October 20, 2020, was misinterpreted by a local daily which reported that former President Sirleaf’s son has accused the CDC led- administration for corruption and restriction of civil liberties.
In its November 4, 2020 edition, the Democrat Newspaper reported under the headline, “Ellen’s Son Accuses CDC”, reported that Mr. James Sirleaf, son of Liberia’s immediate past president has criticized the administration of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) for corruption and restriction of civil liberties. “Mr. James Sirleaf in a social media post said there are rampant fraud, abuse and corruption at the highest echelons of the country’s political leadership and ruined economy because of much fouled lieutenants”, the paper reported.
But Mr. Sirleaf described the story by the New Democrat as one that misinterpreted him, and added “My POST made on my FACEBOOK Page was completely misinterpreted by the New Democrat in their newspaper story of today, on November 4, 2020”.
Mr. Sirleaf explained that his bullet point comments in his Facebook Post were not directed at a particular government; instead, he pointed out that his post presented “conditions of facts depicting the feared realities which undermines governance in Africa”.
According to him, the “Case is not made against any sitting government but all governments especially in Africa, that must note to avoid mistakes which lead to political calamity, which he added “…must be avoided in Liberia”
Mr. Sirleaf did not stop there; he reiterated the conditions of fact depicting the feared realities which undermine governance.
He named amongst others, ‘limited freedom of movement when the CONSTITUTIONAL guaranteed freedom of speech; rampant fraud, abuse and corruption strangely at the highest echelons of political leadership.’
He further named the acute shortages of the very basic commodities throughout the Country as it is in the case of Acute shortages at LPRC in the oil and gas business; failed commitments and broken promises both locally and internationally; donor fatigue without explanation using the dysfunctional LEC as a case of some of the conditions he alluded to depicting the feared realities which undermine governance in Africa.
Mr. Sirleaf, in the post pointed to “Bad roads and the abandonment of road maintenance subsequently leading to renewed urban decay; and indicated “Back to the six 6 months calling and waiting period and coupled with increasing delay for GOL employee salaries.”
Sirleaf also mentioned what he called “Back to gangster day politics and with those very vicious politicians,” and said there is no further resolution on Liberia’s sovereign debt leading to hindering the GOL’s ability to obtain AFDB / WB finance or IMF drawings.
Furthermore, he mentioned the following in bullet points: Implications for blossoming currency creation; causing spiraling inflation if left unchecked, and resorting to US$ currency flight as a direct rhetorical consequence; high food prices and other serious material shortages; ruined economy because of much fouled lieutenants – how come should history repeat itself again and again and again – saying, “God is Almighty!”
Also mentioning what he referred to as “Development shutdown,” Mr., Sirleaf concluded, “Lately, we keep hearing of the many old political aspirants resorting to character assassinations in their heavy-handed plight to gain national appeal and political popularity.”
Concluding, Mr. Sirleaf reiterated that he did not mean to directed his post at a particular sitting government. He explained that his post was meant to present the general conditions of facts depicting realities which undermine governance in Africa”. Adding, “Liberia was used at some points in my pointers but not accusing the government of Liberia”.
He then wondered why the New Democrat, which is one of the respectable papers in the country could published that my comments were directed at the ruling establishment of Liberia, and added that “members of the public who will take the courage to visit my page for the post will be the judge of the post”.
See Full Text of Mr. Sirleaf’s October 20, 2020 Facebook Post Below.
CONDITIONS OF FACT DEPICTING THE FEARED REALITIES WHICH UNDERMINES GOVERNANCE.
CASE IS NOT MADE AGAINST ANY SITTING GOVERMENT BUT ALL GOVERNMENTS ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA MUST NOTE TO AVOID MISTAKES WHICH LEAD TO POLITICAL CALAMITY. THIS MUST BE AVOIDED IN LIBERIA.
CONDITIONS OF FACT DEPICTING THE FEARED REALITIES WHICH UNDERMINES GOVERNANCE.
- Limited freedom of movement and CONSTITUTIONAL guaranteed freedom of speech.
- Rampant fraud, abuse and corruption strangely at the highest echelons of political leadership.
- Acute shortages OF the very basic commodities throughout the Country.
- Acute shortages at LPRC in the oil and gas business.
- Failed commitments and broken promises both locally and internationally.
- Donor fatigue without explanation.
- A dysfunctional LEC.
- Bad roads and the abandonment of road maintenance subsequently leading to renewed urban decay.
- Back to the six 6 months calling and waiting period and coupled with increasing delay for GOL employee salaries.
- Back to gangster day politics and with those very vicious politicians.
- No further resolution on Liberia’s sovereign debt leading to hindering the GOL’s ability to obtain AFDB / WB finance or IMF drawings.
- Implications for blossoming currency creation; causing spiraling inflation if left unchecked, and resorting to US$ currency flight as a direct rhetorical consequence.
- High food prices and other serious material shortages.
- Ruined economy because of much fouled lieutenants. How come should history repeat itself again and again and again! God is Almighty!
- Development shutdown.
Lately, we keep hearing of the many old political aspirants resorting to character assassinations in their heavy-handed plight to gain national appeal and political popularity.
Regards,
James Sirleaf