Monrovia — The European Union Delegation to Liberia confers with former Presidential contestant Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe on the performance of the Boakai administration.
A high-power delegation of the European Union in Liberia has visited former presidential contestant and renowned Human Rights lawyer Cllr. Taiwan Saye Gongloe to solicit his view on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's governance in his seventh month of leadership.
The three-member EU delegation was headed by Ambassador Nona Deprez, the Head of the European Union.
During their conversation on Wednesday, July 3, 2924, Cllr. Gongloe shared his perspective on establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia, systematic corruption, organized crimes, government salary disparities, and disorganized information dissemination by the administration.
A rather frank-speaking Gongloe provided recommendations to the government to improve governance and regain public trust and confidence.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted over an hour, was held at the Liberian People's Party (LPP) political leader's law firm in Central Monrovia, Gongloe and Associates, Inc.
However, following the engagement with the EU, which ended with a photo opportunity, and the diplomatic mission's subsequent departure, Cllr. Gongloe briefed the press regarding the meat of the conversation.
He said the team visited his office to solicit his view on the country's governance process under the United Party-led administration.
In his sincere response, he told the EU that the Boakai administration needs to do a lot to regain public trust. He noted that there is peace in Liberia, but the peace can only be sustained when the War and Economic Crime court process goes to Civil Society.
Gongloe strongly believes that the President should have the highest consultation in appointing the head of the Office of War Crimes.
He urged the government to provide information to the public, publish it in newspapers, and broadcast it on radio stations. Terms of Reference of the Executive Director of the Office War and Economic Crimes Court to avoid protest and speculation.
He believes that Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, recently appointed by the President to the Office, is a very good lawyer and should not be deprived of heading the court because he represented people against the state.
The former Presidential Candidate continues that representing someone in court should not be taken a person's demerits.
"They are consulting about how I do see the country and the state governance. I told them there is peace but it will be sustained if the War and Economic Crime courts process goes to the support of the civil society and the Liberian National Bar Association. The President should still meet with the LNBA leadership and Civil Society because they have a lot of information, and the victims trust them. Many of them are seen by the victims as people who care for them", he recommends.
Cllr. Gongloe maintains that the process cannot succeed without the support of the Bar and Civil Society; therefore, they should not feel ignored.
He also said that during his conversation with the EU, he mentioned systematic corruption in Liberia, specifically how a few government officials earn a higher salary than civil servants.
"The President Pro-Tempo of the Liberian Senate made two hundred and fifty-four thousand dollars a year as salary, besides benefits, while the President Pro-Tempo of the United States makes one hundred ninety-three thousand a year. That type of salary disparity in one of the poorest countries in the world and the richest country in the world is, in my view, scandalous."
Cllr. Gongloe also speaks on the separation of powers in the governmental structure here, saying that he believes that the separation of power between the legislature and the executive is broad.
He says the legislature is involved in spending, which undermines their oversight responsibilities and functions. He stresses that if the executive and the legislature are engaged in spending, as they are now, then who's monitoring who?
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"The legislature has initiated something in the budget called legislative project, which they said will be implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment in the amount of US$13M. However, that will be done with the direct authority of specific lawmakers in his constituency. This undermines our democracy", Gongloe observes.
He points at organized crime across the country in what he describes as law enforcement officers now surrounding their duties and responsibilities to criminals.
"When your things are stolen, and you go to the police, they ask you what was stolen, and as you mentioned, they tell you the person who stole it and location because there is an organized crime. They also tell you to cooperate with the criminal to get your things. We have to look at that", he underscores.
