–LNBA urges President-elect Boakai
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has urged President-elect Joseph Numah Boakai to demonstrate strong political will to ensure that the culture of impunity, and corruption are adequately addressed for the progress of Liberia.
Addressing an exclusive interview with this paper, LNBA President, Cllr. Sylvester Rennie said that Liberia will only flourish and make tremendous progress if the incoming government can demonstrate political will in the passage and implementation of major instruments.
Cllr. Rennie believes that Liberia can’t achieve good prosperity and development if the issues about war and economic crimes Court establishment are not addressed.
He disclosed that based upon that, the LNBA has been speaking against the culture of impunity, and advocating for the formation of the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Courts.
Cllr. Rennies pointed out that in the past, they drafted two legislations and presented them to both houses for the establishment of the court which was claimed to be missing and they later provided the legislature with the documents but the court is not established.
” So, it’s the willpower. It’s the political will of the country, especially the President to establish this court. Because those are areas that will help the country move forward. If people who believe in committing crimes against humanity are passing around and can’t answer, violence will continue. Therefore, we are appealing to the incoming President to demonstrate that Political will” Cllr. Rennie urged.
He further indicated that the LNBA is willing and ready to work with the incoming government to strengthen adherence to the rule of law, and corruption and most importantly address the issues about the culture of impunity which focused on the establishment of the war and economic crimes Court.
Accordingly, he added that the LNBA welcomes the incoming government and its leader and they are willing to work with them in addressing some fundamental changes that they will embark on.
However, he stated that their primary focus is on the enforcement and strengthening of the rule of law, war and economic crimes Court establishment, and corruption mitigation.
” The LNBA is ready to work with the incoming government to ensure the strengthening and adherence to the rule of Law, justice, accountability, and above all those that committed crimes against humanity can be brought to book, investigated, trial and prosecuted” Cllr. Rennie noted.
The LNBA President said that it’s time that Liberia concentrates on how to revise the economy and in doing that, the government has to create more room in the private sector because the government can’t employ everyone despite being the biggest employees.
He urged the Boakai-Koung administration to create more room for foreign investment to come into the country and assist.
” The government should be focused. But, the government can only be focused when the leader is very straight in his decision. Anything other than that, we will be playing the same old ball game. The craziness of the lease tells how the country will move. I mean the critical decision that he will take. Even against people who are believed to be your closet in government” he noted.
According to him, Liberia needs to move forward because it’s so embarrassing when you visit other countries and see how beautiful they are and Liberia is nowhere to be compared.
He noted that Liberia has many more resources as compared to those countries but yet, the country remains undeveloped.
Cllr. Rennie said that the anticipation of the Liberian people is very high as it relates to the President-elect and his government to be installed.
He believes that there are lots of challenges that the incoming government has to deal with.
” The expectation of the Liberia people is very high. People expect good and quick results. The first thing is, that people want to know the cabala of people that will be appointed into position to compare them. In that light, people will scrutinize them from credentials to performance if they have potential for the job given.
Mr. Rennie urged Amb. Boakai to go beyond and ensure that the best minds are brought on board, noting most of Liberia’s professionals are absorbed by international institutions because the country is not making use of them.
