Cllr. Scott Joins Unity Party

 

Forum
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

November 2, 2004

 

Former Chief Justice of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Maya Musu- Scott, has formally joined the Unity Party (UP); writes Josiah S. Hallie.

The occasion, which took place at the party’s headquarters on Broad Street, Monrovia, brought together many UP stalwarts including its standard-bearer, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Cllr. Scott, who informed the gathering about her intention to join the party said, “Our purpose of being here today is to formally become a registered member of Unity Party,” adding, “This act today, will formally mark my entry into the race to stand as a candidate for the elective office [as] senator of Maryland County in the ensuing general elections scheduled for October, 2005.”

The former Chief Justice who was given a traditional welcome by UP partisans from Maryland County said, many persons have wondered why the necessity for the these activities for the simple act of becoming a registered member Unity Party.

According to her, the people of Maryland have two concerns – first, the Marylanders like all Liberians, have experienced quarrel and tragedy over the years. They need a national leadership “which will build a true guide, heal our wounds and make functional the constitutional framework of fundamental right, equal treatment and fairness thereby ensuring that the Liberian populace shall become a homogenous and one body politics.”

The second concern, she said, is the plundering of the county and its assets with no benefit to Marylanders. She said the disrepair of the road between Harper and Monrovia has isolated Maryland and the entire Southeast from the country, stating that it takes about five days to leave from Maryland to Monrovia. She said this bad road condition has helped the interested plunderers to involve themselves into the theft of salary checks of government workers.

Cllr. Scott further noted that her reason for joining UP is that “there exists the environment in the Unity Party which could produce a national leadership with the experience and fortitude to exude sincerity, credibility, integrity, honesty and accountability.”

For her part, the UP Standard-bearer, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, welcomed Cllr. Scott in UP, saying, “Today for us is a big day. We listened to the social contract that has been proposed and we will try to deal with the social contract.”

She said UP stands for “unity,” which means everybody in this country ought to be together as one nation, one people and one destiny, adding, “we don’t carry what is your name; we don’t carry what is your tribe; your religion or county- we believe in the person who is a Liberian and willing to work with us.”

According to Mrs. Sirleaf, they believe in the national renewal because “we don’t like to see what is going on in the country – God has blessed us; he has given us land; he has given us gold, diamond and has empowered us – and when you look at the country today, you will see that something is wrong with us.” “We want to renew this country; we want to take the resources God has given us and give them back to the people,” Madam Sirleaf intimated.

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