By Trokon Richard Monghah
The Economic Policy Team of the Economic Reform Alliance wants to categorically state its disapprobation over the Call by the controversial Finance Minister in Samuel D Tweah who suggested that Liberians should allow President George Weah to be a “Benevolent Dictator”.
Since our political ward is engulfed with financial corruption, ideological disputation and trepidation, it inflicts the assertive need for men with clairvoyance and intellectual telepathy to arbitrate and explicate a people-centred resolution that will provide a permanent way forward for the republic and its people.
Before moving forward, let’s accept the working definition of a BENEVOLENT DICTATORSHIP as an authoritarian government where the leader exercises absolutism and or despotism in a way such that the people benefit therefrom (Garneo, H. 2020).
Liberia has three (3) separate branches of government that were instituted for the purpose of checks and balances. This system helps to ensure that the rights and welfare of the masses are keen on major decisions making and offers our people the prospect to contest the decision by going to the court when the need be. These are some of the attributes of our democracy and to be honest, there’s no applicable standardize test one can use to proof it dysfunctional or anti-people. Therefore, there’s no need for a change in the system until it can be proven otherwise.
The biggest question here is, why do they want to institute a Benevolent Dictatorship when they enjoy the full support of the 3 branches of government? I am not sure if there has been a bill submitted by the Weah led government to the legislature that has been rejected. The legislature has even confirmed SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND PLACE THEM IN THE POSITION OF JUNIOR MINISTERS AND RENDER THEM FIT TO SERVE AS TECHNICIANS. What More Do You Want from Them?
The Court Went on to remove one of the Justices because of Political reasons and we all accepted it as the new normal.
There’s nothing good about a Benevolent Dictatorship for it is the preparatory and preliminary for of a looming dictatorship. For instance, Liberia could make Weah a Benevolent Dictator and when he is Succeeded by saying Emmanuel Nuankwelie Bomosie Flomo who turns up to be evil, it creates a solid ground for an autocratic rule and merciless and brutal dictatorship. For these underlining reasons, we see democracy as the best way to mitigate the risks since the population is less likely to be evil as compare to one Benevolent Dictator.
To the real Issue, if the president is getting to understand how backward the motherland is and how our country’s reputations are decreasing at an increasing rate, he should rather take a sober reflection and reevaluate those misfits and underproductive inexperts he gave the responsibility to provide the change he advocated when he was in the opposition.
Moving forward, I want to openly express my own disappointment about our democracy in the below bullets:
• Majority of our voting population have a low level of education which result in them voting people base on their popularity rather than the solution they offer to the problems they are faced with.
• The power of the people is practically reduced and or limited after elections
• The People take too long to realize who they true leaders are thus creating the situation for them to keep electing kleptocrats, misfits, criminals, and illiterates to the position that should be held by thinking men and Philosophical Scholars.
However, comparing the two, I still see democracy as the best way to mitigate the risks since our people will still have the option to elect their leaders. Benevolent Dictatorship is the most dangerous way to go. We are not going to grow a Cobra and call it PET.
Troon Mongha, (A.S. BSc, Cand MSc)
+13462349721
Deputy Chairman for Policy and Economic Reform
ECONOMIC REFORM ALLIANCE (ERA).
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