Liberia: ‘Sanctions Can Help, But the Ballot Box Is Important,' Says US Amb.McCarthy

US Ambassador Michael McCarthy has disclosed it is Liberians and not the US government that are responsible for ensuring good governance in Liberia, using the ballot box as a tool to punish corrupt officials. 

He claims that the US sanctions of three Liberian officials in August demonstrated his government’s will to employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of “our shared development,  democracy, and security goals,” but if Liberian opt to elect or reelect sanctioned officials as their leaders, that will send a very clear message about how they feel about the battle against corruption.

“Sanctions can help, but the ballot box is a far more important tool for  holding officials accountable,” he said. “In the upcoming 2023 elections, however, it will be the turn of the people of Liberia to let their  voices be heard on this topic, especially since several of those sanctioned officials may be running  for office.”

“Ultimately, it is Liberians and not the U.S. government that are responsible for ensuring good governance in Liberia. Sanctions can help, but the ballot box is a far more important tool for holding officials accountable. If Liberians choose to elect or re-elect sanctioned officials as their  leaders, that will send a very clear signal about how they truly feel about the fight against  corruption and the future of their country.”

McCarthy noted that Liberians have generally agreed with the US analysis that corruption is the primary cause of Liberia’s failure  to thrive; most in the international community share that assessment, and so, the upcoming 2023 election,   for holding officials accountable.

The Ambassador’s position comes at a time when many Liberians are calling for additional sanctions after the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of Treasury sanctioned three important members of the Weah led administration (OFAC).

Nathaniel McGill, Sayma Syrenius Cephus, and Bill Twehway were sanctioned  for their alleged involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia.

“Through their corruption these officials have undermined democracy in Liberia for their own personal benefit,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Treasury’s designations today demonstrate that the United States remains committed to holding corrupt actors accountable and to the continued support of the Liberian people.”

Even though the three officials willingly left their positions, the public still thinks that many more officials of the current administration need to be sanctioned because there has since been speculation of corruption ever since they took office in 2018. 

Before the issuing of the ambassador’s open letter to Liberia yesterday, there had been rumors both on social media and other public places that the U.S government  could release more sanctions on December 9, the international An-ti Corruption Day. 

He added that while corruption is not unique to Liberia – the onus is on the country’s citizens to fight this  scourge, saying the US Department of the Treasury took the extraordinary step of sanctioning five senior Liberian officials in only three years under the Global Magnitsky Act led to some positive results, including the resignation of the three most recently sanctioned officials. 

“As I’ve said many times before, corruption is not a uniquely Liberian problem – it is a global issue, and one that we suffer from in the United States at all levels of governance. We must together acknowledge that corruption in Liberia can be immediately  and dramatically curtailed BY LIBERIANS, without any assistance from the United States or other  donors, if that is something the government and people of Liberia truly want. Where there’s a will,  there’s a way.

“The all important goal of transparent, free, credible, and peaceful elections in October (2023) will be one  important factor in decisions about additional sanctions in the months leading up to the vote.”   

However, the Ambassador revealed his government is not announcing any new sanction, but assure citizens that his government anti-corruption efforts remain robust and continuous.  International Anti-corruption Day raises public awareness for anti-corruption, and encourages the public to work on innovative solutions aimed at winning the battle against corruption. Corruption is defined as dishonest or fraudulent conduct. 

“As the Global Magnitsky sanctions of three Liberian officials in August demonstrated, the U.S. government can and will  employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of our shared development,  democracy, and security goals, guided by the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption,” said ambassador McCarthy.  

However, it is McGill, the former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and chief of staff to President George Weah; and Twehway, the former managing director of the National Port Authority (NPA), who are reportedly eyeing political seats in Margibi and Rivercess counties, respectively.

“The all important goal of transparent, free, credible, and peaceful elections in October will be one  important factor in decisions about additional sanctions in the months leading up to the vote,” the ambassador said.  

According to him, Global Magnitsky is a tool the United  States uses to protect itself from particularly corrupt actors, not a punishment against a country or  government. 

“It is also in no way a substitute for a domestic judicial process in the host country,  including prosecution. Ultimately, “due process” or an accused’s “day in court” can only happen  under Liberian law, in Liberian courts.”  

However, ambassador McCarthy believes that in the upcoming 2023 elections,  it will be the turn of Liberians to let their voices be heard.