The Honorable House Deserves A Better Leader

 

By Gbe Sneh


The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
July 19, 2006

 

House Speaker Snowe has so many unresolved issues: a front page Taylor collaborator hit with a UN Travel Ban; a former director of LPRC who was involved in a questionable contract award; a government employee whose salary does not match his accumulated wealth; an electoral candidate who withheld information on asset declaration sheets He keeps adding to that. How long are we to continue counting before we stop?

A look at the consequence of the new addition to Snowe’s already heavy baggage. His recent subversion of Sino-Liberian relations proves how unpatriotic he is. It all begins to fall in place now that, about a week prior to this uncovered Snowe Sedition, out of the clear blue sky, word was circulating in the media that Liberia was making plans to sever ties with China. Needless to say that many of us were caught off guard. All eyes were on the president. An embarrassed President Sirleaf had to promptly respond by categorically dispelling the rumor. Now we know the origin of that unfortunate smear on our national integrity. Mr. Snowe was doing something in the background.

Ambassador Songtian is now a household name in Liberia, all because of China‘s relentless efforts to help rebuild our country. A sizable contribution to peacekeeping; building and repairing bridges, renovation of SKD Sports Complex; donation of computers, garbage trucks, doctors, money; promise to help make us self-sufficient in food production, especially with our staple, rice; resurrecting our hydro plant; promise to help build a coastal highway. This is just to list a few of so many for which China has become endeared to us.

And how do we say THANK YOU, CHINA? Our Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Edwin Melvin Snowe, Jr., unilaterally, in a usurpation of power, a blatant contravention of our constitution, a treasonable act, makes us look like ingrates in the eyes of the People’s Republic of China and the rest of the civilized world. What makes this abominable stunt a bitter pill to swallow is that it comes at a time when our country is making a valiant effort to put its best foot forward.

Just the other day, when Secretary Kofi Anan visited Liberia, Speaker Snowe was crying on his shoulder to have the UN Travel Ban removed. He indicated to the Secretary that he wants dearly to contribute to the rebuilding of Liberia but the ban has shortened his steps. Does he, really? This was coming from a man plotting to jeopardize ties with a country that is helping to rebuild Liberia. A sickening irony!

Any patriotic Liberian, who has taken a seat as a caring Honorable Representative of the people of the land, ought to take a sincere look at the man at the head of the Venerable House. Before you voted Mr. Snowe in as the Speaker of the House, we cautioned you. Now, he has betrayed you. He has betrayed you because, whether you think so or not, he is your chosen leader, and thus, a reflection of your entire House. “Disrepute”. That’s the word our House has often used. If this act by its leader is not defined by this word, we really don’t know what else does.

What prompted Mr. Snowe to slight his peers, make a dishonorable decision that has a propensity to taint the whole House, one would think, should be of keen interest to the August Body. Did the Taiwanese government make Mr. Snowe an offer he could not refuse? Won’t you, at least, want to get answers to these reasonable questions?

We are asking the House to rethink its decision that downplayed a law-breaking act, by settling for a simple apology. All the people are asking is that you clean House. Won’t you want to live in a clean House?


© 2006 by The Perspective
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