The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

September 8, 2004

 

Mr. Editor:

Because of overwhelming requests and expressions of support from many of my friends, admirers and ordinary Liberians at home and abroad that along with my own desire, because I have not seen anyone who have expressed the same ideas and plans that I have with the sincere intention to implement them if elected in the best interest of the Liberian people, and Liberia, ideas and plans that will once more place Liberia in its rightful place among the comity of nations and regain her lost credibility, institute and promote massive economic development, institute and implement lacking healthcare for the people, institute and expand higher educational opportunities to every nook and corner of the country by totally involving the people in decisions that government will take that will effect them and the areas in which they live by virtue of extending to them the right to absolute democratic participation, and, above all, enforcing the INTEGRATION AND UNIFICATION POLICY, enunciated by President Tubman to the letter and taking all appropriate steps to maintain political stability to prevent any further bloodshed in the country, I formally announced and declared my intention to canvass for the Presidency of Liberia.

I have agreed to run because I have the academic qualification, political, security public service and administrative experience with impeccable, visible and proven records of achievements to prove and substantiate that I am capable of leading Liberia and its people out of the very serious civil crises currently on our hand. At this point in time in our history, Liberia needs a leader who is capable of taking bold steps and decisions consistent with the wishes of the Liberian people in taking us out of the terrible condition in which Liberia is today and, though we do not have money to buy supporters and solicit votes, we are relying on the masses of the Liberian people not to be persuaded only by candidates or aspirants who are rich and have the means to hand out money that will lead them to support and elect the wrong person as the next President of Liberia but be prepared to financially support an aspirant who is honest and sincere and is most capable of leading the Liberian people.

I want the Liberian people to take note of the fact that with the numerous millionaires and billionaires in the United States, some of whom ran against some poor aspirants for the Presidency of the United States, the American people chose a lot of poor aspirants and candidates over them because the poor aspirants were capable of providing the best political leadership that the American people wanted. Aspirants like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were poor financially but were elected because the people believed that they would lead them in the best interest of the people and the country. Let no person get me wrong. If an aspirant has money to hand out and the Liberian people believe that he or she can best lead the country, they have the right to support and vote for that individual irrespective of his or her ethnicity, religious affiliation and the political subdivision the person may hail from. What I am against is blindly electing someone who is able to give you money to vote for him who does not have the quality of good political leadership, the interest and welfare of the people at heart and has bloodstain on his or her hands for taking the lives of innocent, noncombatant and unarmed civilians and citizens of the country.

At a small and an informal gathering of a cross section of the Liberian people including my supporters, friends and some relatives who attended the occasion, in Silver Spring, Maryland, and upon prior consultation with my hard working Committee of supporters at home, I announced my intention to run for the Presidency and have appointed a Committee to work with me closely in every respect up to the time the campaign officially begins until the elections take place

I am appealing to all peace loving Liberian people at home and abroad for their support by any means possible. My phone number I can be reached by phone number: 301-589-6791; e-mail sumojones@aol.com and address, 1400 Fenwick Lane, Apt. 811, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 for the time being.

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