MONROVIA: The Standard Bearer of the Unity Party (UP), the main opposition contender for the Liberian Presidency, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai says a good society must look after everyone while saying a reckless society does not care for its people but has leaders that believe about themselves. Ambassador Boakai, who said he is seeking the presidency to build a new Liberia that will care for the elderly, the young and will build institutions, advised the people of Liberia never to make the mistakes they have made in the past when they elect bad leaders for themselves.
“Put on your thinking cap this time around. When you make a mistake, I am sorry. But I am sorry for you because it is about your future. It is about your parents who cannot earn enough to take care of you,’” the UP flag-bearer indicated, stating that the Liberian people have been fooled before, in which instance he considered them a mistake by them.
The Unity Party Standard bearer made the statement when he addressed a group of partisans recently in Monrovia.
Noting that “Our women want to do good business and that they don’t want to go around begging people, “the main opposition challenger to incumbent George Weah of the Coalition for democratic Change (CDC) said “You can’t corner them in a way that they become beggars.
He accentuated that the women have families including their children to support, he urged them to put on their thinking cap this time around. “When you make a mistake, I am sorry. But I am sorry for you because it is about your future. It is about your parents who cannot earn enough to take care of you.” He asserted.
He noted that Liberians have had war and some war victim’s people left their children back with their sisters, their aunties, their uncles and their brothers, he pointed out that because they do not have deserving support for these children left behind, they sent them in the streets. “What kind of support do they get to cater for the children? So they put them in the streets [to become disadvantaged], he emphasized. “You have been fooled before, “he noted, saying, “Every human being makes mistakes,” he furthered.
Commenting on the future of the young people, the Ambassador said, “I always say I like to bring you people up; some of you are electricians, carpenters and other professionals, to build your country. We don’t have to bring people in the country to do these jobs that you can do. But for us to do that, we have to prepare you, we have to have institutions built and we have to have teachers that are paid. “
According to him, “The JFK Medical Center is an institution carrying the name of a very prominent American. Don’t you think if you go to that family they will not improve it. But they don’t think about these things. All they think is about themselves. Who are you? You alone your happiness doesn’t cover everybody. These are the reasons why I am seeking the leadership of the country.”
The Liberian people, he said, are not going to live in lies and deceit. Instead, he said the Liberians, this time want the truth.
“Besides, you who are here, many of your people left Liberia. They live in the diaspora. They want to come home and we must create the home they must come to”, he said.
Ambassador Boakai said our country has gone backward over the years, pointing out, “We are here to give you hope, hope for your economy; we are here to prepare the young people for their future. We are here for the young women and even the disadvantaged and we want to make sure that our resources are not wasted under good leadership.”
Making reference to a physically challenged partisan Noah Gibson (a blind), he said Noah stands up to the challenge and so can anyone be at any time. “What makes him different is he speaks the language, he builds integrity and he is surviving without going around people to beg” he said in apparent reference that he is trained and capable to survive on his own.
To this, he expressed the belief that a Boakai-led administration wants to get the disabled off the streets and give them a decent place to be. “They are citizens just as any one of us. They have parents, and they did not create any of those circumstances upon themselves. A good society must look after everyone” he told his partisans
“To our children on drugs, we want to tell them they have a future. Reckless society doesn’t care for its people. The (leaders) believe about themselves, “he asserted further.
Concerning the hardship being experienced in Liberia, the UP presidential candidate noted, “What happens in this country is that we are looking at prices of goods and basic commodities and that is because they put some taxes on them to make them so expensive that people have to go around to beg,” adding, “This is not the society that we are looking for. We are here to let you know that Liberia needs to move forward; we have enough resources.
“People used to respect us; but the stealing, the cheating has removed our respect away from us. How in this world you let people stand in line to welcome you in the sun and all you have for them is to steal from them and make them miserable,” saying, “This is what all of us are here to change
”I can tell you that I cannot leave the government if this place is not prepared conducive for our children to play,” he promised and said “This is the place for the people. If you don’t enjoy, where else do you want to enjoy?
“If you don’t build your life, who is going to build it? We don’t want our people to be refugees because of dissatisfaction. We want them to know that the blessing of this country is for them; and don’t take it for play, don’t let anyone fool you.”
He told the young people that young now and life is life, tomorrow you are going to be aged,” asking them, “What are you going to depend on? Are you going to be prepared to face life just as we did? But you need leadership; a government that is credible. A government that thinks about you even if you were not conscious of yourself. And you need quality education.
He then related an experience, “This morning a little boy -10 years old- was brought to me. He is in the 8th grade. He made a portrait of me when you look at it you can’t believe it. The talents are here, what you need is the opportunity to expose them.”
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