Liberia: Cummings Announces 2023 Team

My Fellow Liberians:

We meet today at a difficult time for our country. Scandals, criminal acts, poor judgments, and the lack of leadership are undermining our country’s international image and reputation, making it difficult to attract investors to our country.  Incompetence and the failure of leadership, beginning with President Weah, have resulted in a shortage in the supply of rice, our nation’s staple. Warehouses are empty and rice cannot be found.

Today, our market women are spending weeks, days, and nights sleeping in front of importers’ offices, hoping to buy food. Videos and pictures of our people jumping fences and fighting to get access to their most basic needs are heartbreaking and sad. Rice, our staple, has become unavailable and unaffordable. As we say, “rice na wear coat suit”. 

This is leading to the sharp increase in the prices of substitutes such as cassava, eddoes, plantain, fufu, etc. thereby worsening the hardships on our people, all across the country. The lack of accountability around the rice subsidy allotted, disbursed and received is a regular occurrence under this government. In the face of all of this, President Weah is partying with his Ministers as Liberians are scrambling to find food to eat. The President has failed to even speak to the Liberian people and provide leadership during this crisis. The truth is, the President does not care.

Long regarded as a major transshipment country for dangerous drugs and narcotics, the recent bust of US$100 Million worth of cocaine - thanks to the assistance of the United States Government - not only further confirms the growing problem of drug use and related crimes in the country, but also that our country is participating in the international supply chain of dangerous drugs to the world. To allow the use of our country for the transshipment of dangerous narcotics makes Liberia unsafe, and threatens the future of our children. 

It is hard to imagine that elements of the administration with the authority to protect our country’s borders did not know, or have not been providing confidence in the form of security guarantees to the international drug dealers. Under President Weah, friendly governments have scandalously accused the administration of the sales and issuance of Liberian diplomatic passports to international drug dealers and terrorists. The truth also is that not knowing that our country has become a transshipment point for dangerous drugs is as dangerous as knowing, facilitating and providing security for the dealers.

All of these only further testify that President Weah is misleading our country, destroying our important relationships, worsening the living condition of the Liberian people, and exposing our country and citizens to danger. In 5 years, President Weah has shown all of us that he is incompetent, irresponsible, and his lack of leadership makes him a danger to our country’s peace and security. We must rescue our country from the incapable hands of President Weah in 2023.

To do that, we take an important step forward today. All across the rich diversities of our nation, a growing number of our fellow Liberians are embracing our message of real change. I am grateful to everyone who continues to believe that although it is difficult, real change is possible in our country. History tells us that too often, change does not begin with a crowd. It begins with a committed few - a few that are like-minded and committed to make the required sacrifices by putting in the work to change the circumstances of their country. Too often, when a committed few enjoin their efforts, and are willing to put interests of the country over interests of self or political party, change happens - the course of a nation gets reset, and people's lives improve for the better. 

Today, we stand on that historic truth to name the first few of our Real Change Team. These Liberians reflect not just a rich pool of talents but also the rich diversity that is Liberia’s. Our hope is that Liberians everywhere will see themselves in this Team. One of the Real Changes we seek is that we will no longer only represent some Liberians, because in the united Liberia we seek, no one must be left out or left behind. Liberia belongs to all Liberians. Our differences in religion, gender, tribe and political parties ought not to divide but unite us in building a better, prosperous and just Liberia. 

We wish to use the opportunity of this occasion to also reassure all Liberians that we will work with everyone for real change beyond tribes, religion, gender and political parties. Truly, Liberia deserves better. Liberians deserve better. 

Having said this, I am honored to name the initial Team Cummings 2023 to include:  

1. Dr. Togar  Gayewea McIntosh
2. Amb. Lewis Garseedah Brown
3. Mr. George Gyude Wisner
4. Hon. H. Dan Morias
5. Hon. Jonathan Boye Charles Sogbie
6. Madam Julia Duncan-Cassell
7. Madam Mariama D. Sangare
8. Mr. Daniel Chea
9. Mr. Roland Siddiq Kamara
10. Atty. Lafayette Gould
11. Hon. Larry Nyanquoi
12. Hon. Yekeh Kolubah 
13. Emmanuel Yartoe
14. Aloysius Toe
15. Martin Saye Kollah 
16. Madam Nicky Jah
17. Mr. William Moyes
18. Ma Kula Morris
19. Mr. Othelo Krayee
20. Rev. David Benito
21. Mr. Peter Nuyan
22. Mr. Chernor Jalloh
23. Mr. David Bajibo
24. Madam Queenyah Thomas Saturday
25. Elder Rufus Saydee
26. Ms. Robell Gbeintor
27. Elder Jallah
28. Madam Carmena Abdallah
29. Ma Musu Sanoe
30. Mr. Chris Dossen
31. Rev. Josiah Kennedy
32. Mr. Rodney Wilson
33. Madam Wadei Powell
34. Mr. Momo Sambola
35. Atty. Lawrence Sua
36. Mr. Onesimus James
37. Madama Louise Duarto
38. Mr. Madela Geeplay
39. Madam Aumuo Ebanks
40. Madam Vivian Sendolo Norman
41. Madam Kebbeh Collins
42. Mr. Samuel Dean
43. Mr. Victor Saye
44. Mr. Jethro SK Harris

In union strong, success is sure, we cannot fail. May God continue to bless Liberia. I thank you.