Go Beyond Words Madam President
(Editorial)
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
THESE ATTACKS, IN just five-months of the government’s existence, have been so disturbing that concerns are now being raised about the type of restructuring done in the security apparatus.
AMIDST THE DELAYS by the government in addressing these concerns raised
by the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia, an invitation was extended
by the Executive Mansion to attend a stakeholders’ meeting on the
President’s 150-day deliverables.
WE VIEWED THAT as an insult to Liberian journalism.
BUT THANKS TO the Almighty that the invitation was reconsidered for another
one, exclusively with Executives of the PUL.
AT THE MEETING held on Sunday at the Mansion the issue of the deliverables
was cleverly placed on the agenda, but our strong and energetic leadership
cleverly evaded it to confine the meeting to the attacks against journalists,
something the President of Liberia welcomed.
DURING THE MEETING, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, upon listening to the concerns reiterated by the PUL President, George Barpeen, Jr., restated her condemnation of the attacks and assured that an investigation will be launched and the results made public as demanded
WHILE WE WELCOME the words of Madam Sirleaf, we urged her to do more by brining to justice, the perpetrators of the attacks.
WE ALSO URGED the President and government’s information machinery to be more proactive in fostering government media relations and not who should be best favored by the President.
WE ALSO EMPHASIZED the need for the SSS and the police to undergo political orientation, as a way of understanding the role of the press.
A WORKSHOP FOR the SSS and the press, most especially those assigned at the Executive Mansion is very important, as it was done in the past.
WITH SUCH UNDERSTANDING, we are of the strongest conviction that the media and the government can better co-exist as partners to national growth and development.