Gedeh Representative-Elect Commits 50% Salary to District -Says “I Can’t Enjoy In The Midst Of Poverty”

The new sensation in Grand Gedeh County Politics, Representative Elect, Erol Madison Gwion Sr, has reaffirmed that he stands by his promissory note he signed with the people of District #2 prior to his election that he will commit 50% of his salary to the people of District #2, Grand Gedeh County through the District Development Council he will establish to address the development needs of the people.

Speaking to The Analyst from Zwedru preparatory to Monrovia where he is due to formalize his certification from the National Elections Commission(NEC), Mr. Gwion said he sees fulfilling one’s side of an agreement as the mark of honesty and trust and as such the people who freely gave him the mandate must not be allowed to be short changed , adding that there were equally others in the race that ran against him but the people decided to believe him and there was no need to disrespect the agreement he signed with them.

“We were in the race with people that had money and the connections to become representative but our people were concerned with someone they could trust. Some people were saying there is no way a poor man can be a representative but the majority said they were not looking for a rich man but someone who will speak for them in the national legislature. So they elected us and so we are not going to disappoint them and we are going to begin with fulfilling our promise to them”, the representative- elect said.

When asked what will be his first priority upon resumption of duty, Mr. Gwion said the first item on his already loaded agenda is to seek for the end of division within the county legislative caucus something he said had had a negative impact on the people in terms of reaping the dividends of democracy they have labored so hard to obtain. He said he has full knowledge of where all the confusion emanated from and he knows the way out.

“We cannot talk about a robust representation for our people when the caucus is divided. We are going there first to reconcile the whole caucus and then if possible restructure it. From outside, we have already known the causes for its inability to be working in unison. So, our paramount concern is to bring everybody on board and then if possible reorganize and restructure it for the benefit of our people”.

The tough talking incoming lawmaker said that he is a man of peace and have forgiven all those who spoke against his candidature in such a derisive manner as if to say that he was not a fellow human being just as he has also asked for forgiveness from those who felt offended by his action to contest the election as a free citizen. “I am a man of peace and a teacher of conflict management and resolution so our people should just remove it from their mind that I harbor something against those who were against me contesting the election and winning it. They are not God. God has spoken through my people and it is time we forgive each other. I have forgiven them and I expect them to also forgive me”.

He ruled out the possibility of returning to the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change(CDC), the party he fought for over the years to bring to power but according to him abandoned him and turned him to someone who should not exist. “The word “can’t” belongs to God but I can tell you that I am not returning to CDC. Doing so will be a complete disservice to the party that gave me the platform to be what I am today and the people who stood by me to make the decision to leave CDC that I labored for so much and betrayed me. Our people have spoken that the decision I took was the best and I must respect their decision”.

Beyond Grand Gedeh County, the only lawmaker in the national legislature to represent the Liberia Restoration Party (LRP), a young and fledgling party, said he will be networking with other lawmakers from the Southeastern part of the country and other like minds to address the deplorable road conditions in the region. He lamented the hardship being experienced by people from the area during the rainy season and that immediate actions should be taken to alleviate the situation.

“We are aware of the challenges the government is going through and the plans it has for the roads in the country like in the South east  but I think while we are waiting for the roads to be paved with asphalt cover, at least let the roads be motorable for vehicular movement of people and goods. Our people are really suffering and they must not be allowed to go further”, Mr. Gwion said.

It can be recalled that the new lawmaker against all odds defeated the candidate of the Coalition for Democratic Congress, Mr. Jeremiah Garwo Sokan in a decisive election that will continue to be the talk of the town in Grand Gedeh County, a region considered a stronghold of CDC since 2005 and has been voting decisively for the party since then.