Dear President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,

We, a group of concerned citizens of the Republic of Liberia, having noticed the hardship our people are going through, write to ask you to do something about it. And when we talk about YOU doing something, we have in mind you and your government, and not necessarily YOU as an individual.

You see, Madam President, it is true that we are enjoying press freedom and freedom of expression in our nation; however, there is too much suffering. The cost of living is high. Then there is the huge unemployment factor crowning it. Old people are suffering. Young people are suffering. Men are suffering. Women are suffering. It is not easy, Madam President.

When most of our brothers and sisters are asked about how they are doing, they usually say: "Da God carrying us through so-o. The hard time is not easy." It’s really not easy.

Yes, it is not easy, Madam President. Darkness besieges us every night. It’s not easy. Thousands of our brothers and sisters suffer for safe drinking water on a daily basis. It is not easy.

It is not easy, Madam President. As our people would say, "Everything business is hard." The prices of basic and essential commodities are wearing jackets – are very high. It’s not easy, Madam President.

But who doesn’t know that it is not easy in Liberia? We believe everybody knows, except that some – based on reasons best known to them – may choose to dismiss the reality with such expressions as "Is it better here than in other countries that experienced war, too."

But the fact is that things are hard. A lot of our people are suffering, Madam President. Think about the price of a bag of rice. In a country where unemployment is high, a bag of Uncle Sam rice is LD2, 800 now. It is not easy, Madam President.

In a country where many parents are jobless and many people’s take-home pay cannot take them home, a bag of the USA rice is LD2, 800. US Parboiled rice is US$50. It is not easy, Madam President.

By the way, did you know that the price of a gallon of gas is almost US$5? Where are we going? We some of your defenders will argue that gas is cheaper here than it is other countries in the sub-region, but the fact is that it is expensive for us the Liberian people.

Almost everyone is complaining about the high cost of living. Argo oil is now LD2, 400 per the five-gallon container. It used to be less than LD2,000. Even the vita (maggi) that we used to buy two for five dollars is not one for five dollars. Things are really hard on us, Madam President.

Anyway, due to the lack of space and time, we, the group of concerned citizens mentioned earlier, will end our letter here for now; however, we wish to inform you that we will come with Part 2 soon.

Yours very sincerely,

The Citizens