Dear Senator Lahai, We, a group of concerned citizens of the Republic of Liberia, having heard your revelation that some hidden hands forced our lawmakers to pass the concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and the Sime Darby Plantation without thorough checks and balances, write to make some comments in that direction and to also ask you to expose those hidden hands.
You see, dear lawmaker, you are right that our lawmakers’ failure to properly scrutinize the agreement before signing it is now negatively affecting the people of Cape Mount and Bomi. You are also right that most of the concession companies operating in the country have failed to adhere to the words and spirit of the agreements bringing them into being. In a sense, most of the companies continue to “put finger in our eye.” Many of the requirements the companies said they would fulfill when they were fighting to have their concession agreements passed remain abandoned or unfulfilled. In most instances, it is said that our lawmakers seek their own interests, instead of those of us the people.
In the midst of all this, you have bravely revealed that some hidden hands in the corridors of power forced our lawmakers to vote for the passage of the Sime Darby agreement without considering the fact that our interest as a people should be the focus. Indeed, it is an interesting revelation in that it confirms the general belief that our lawmakers are not working in our interest, which is an unbelievably disappointing situation.
That said, honorable man, we ask that you expose the hidden hands that forced your colleagues to pass the Sime Darby agreement, as well as other agreements. We the people would like to know some of those who are working against us the citizens. It is too much now.
They profess to be for us the people when they know that their hearts are nowhere on us. They come close to us with their lips when they know that their hearts are far away on Pluto. They profess to be doing the people’s business, when they know that they are doing their own business. They pretend to be working in our interest when they know full well that they are working in their own interest. It is annoyingly deceitful. Please have the audacity to expose the deceitful lawmakers that are putting their interests and those of the concession companies before our interest. We need to know them.
We believe that this exposure will contribute toward the ending of the culture of impunity in our country, for it is unbelievable that a group of people considered “the people’s lawmakers” would speak and act in ways that indicate that they are anti-people. Most of us no longer trust them because we feel that they represent themselves, instead of representing us. Please expose those who have presented themselves as self-representatives, instead of the people’s representatives. Bring disgrace and shame to them, and it will please us the citizens.
On the other hand, if you only made the statement for the sake of making it, that is, if you made it only to be heard, but you are not willing, ready and able to expose those whom you say forced our lawmakers to pass that agreement without seriously considering checks and balances in the process, then, we are afraid, your empty words are as harmful and hurtful as the deeds of those you referred to.
