Welcoming H.E. Boakai to Our ‘Memo to the President’ Column
Your Excellency Mr. New President!
We, members of the Editorial Team of The Analyst, are pleased to welcome you to our ‘Memo to the President’ Column which appears on page three of the newspaper regularly. While our editorials, like all news outlets’ editorials generally dwell on diverse issues of national concerns and other considerations, at time targeting individuals or groups or the entire Liberian citizenry, our “Memo to the President”, as the title suggests, speaks to the sitting President of Liberia directly. We use the column to bring to the attention of the president issues that fall within his/her fiduciary responsibilities. This we do as our contribution to nation building.
There are advisers of all colors and shades that advise the president of Liberia. Certainly, you would be short of them. But because Liberian politics is tricky, and sometimes the “Emperors new ropes” syndrome sets in our in body politic, and because most advisors play subservience and blind eye to prevailing realities and fail in providing critical admonishments to the President, we feel duty bound to flag those issues that matter in order to draw the attention and action of the President.
Besides, there are ordinary Liberians who do have outcries, advice and alerts that they wish so strongly to bring to the President’s attention, but they lack the means, channel and fortitude to do so. This column serves as a conduit for such Liberians.
The memos issued for the attention of the President are not tributes and praise-songs. They are not gossips. They are issues that Liberians, particularly the voiceless masses of the people, feel strongly about. We touch on all necessary subjects of governance, particularly issues bordering national security, macroeconomic issues, social service or bread and butter issues, foreign affairs issues, and issues of reconciliation, unity, peace, and democracy, amongst other things.
Thus, Your Excellency, in the coming days and months, The Analyst, as an independent voice with no political inclination whatsoever, will be tendering regular memos reflecting the views and aspirations of the people of Liberia whom you will be serving for the six next years. We are under professional and moral obligation to do without fear and favor, though respectfully and intelligently.
Our objective is to keep you, in particular, on track with your promises as divulged during the 2023 campaign, consistent with the manifesto of your party, and your constitutional responsibilities. We believe making this contribution—reminding you of your responsibilities—is critical to the sustenance of Liberia’s nascent democracy and hard-earned peace; for we all know, as far as our history is concerned, that political failure, exclusion, divisive politics, failed promises, and other shades of bad governance are a recipe for national disorder and conflict. There is therefore nothing more honorable we can offer you during your tenure than this these constructively tailored memos that we will be sending out to you via this newspaper.
We think it was necessary introducing this column today so that you or any of your well-meaning advisors take due notice. Because, very soon, we will be flagging the statuses of what you promised and are doing—asking how far have promised paved roads gone, whether car are struck in mud or not during the first 100 days. We will be telling you what Liberians are saying about security and drugs, about the prices of basic commodities mainly food items and petroleum, about dirt and garbage, about electricity, safe drinking water and about medical supplies in hospitals and clinics.
Soon and very soon, we will be forcefully flagging concerns and lamentations of Liberians about acts undermining peace, unity and reconciliation; about corruption and graft; about nepotism and tribalism; about press freedom and free speech; about urban beautification and conditions of education facilities and standards; about bad labor practices and foreign domination of the economy.
And we will be demanding, on the authority of your employers, the electorate and the people of Liberia, to take timely, measured actions that will bring relieve and delight to the people and dignity and honor to your administration.
Indeed, Honorable President, we will hold your feet to the fire, not as your political adversaries will do; we will be doing so constructively, including proffering sane solutions found to be popular and effective.
Thanks so much for your understanding.
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