Rice Turned Gold Dust

Rice Turned Gold Dust
-Economic Advisor Criticizes Bryant, Wlue

Forum
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted March 29, 2005

Commerce Minister Samuel Wlue who remains highly questioned regarding his sincerity to national cause as it relates to price stability reportedly continues to day dream about Bryant’s axe and his possible replacement although he is reported to have paid huge sum of money to Bryant’s principal lieutenants and other prominent people aimed at persuading the transitional leader place his sword into its quiver.

Former President Moses Blah along with senior security personnel and presidential advisors are said to have provided protective shield for Mr. Wlue who is alleged to have heavily bribed them.

Recently, Chairman Bryant, who himself has greatly lost respect among the Liberian public owing to the ever-growing social and economic hardships at one point threatened to sack Minister Wlue for what he Chairman Bryant called “going too fast.” Wlue is reported to be boasting of his fast riches at the expense of the suffering Liberian people saying even if he leaves now he has no regret.

The hike in the prices of rice and other essential nation moving commodities have grown sky high thereby compounding the suffering of the people.

Resultantly the generality of the people see the uselessness of the transitional period when more and more suffering has turned the order of the day.

What is very ironical is the refusal of business people to heed to the warning of the Commerce Minster and Chairman Bryant regarding respecting government’s approved prices of essential commodities.

Thus the more they raise alarm, the more prices jump up. Many observers see the situation as blind folding the already suffering masses because according to them these high-level government officials are practically partners to the businessmen in duping the Liberian people.

Many persons label the transitional period as even worst than any administration Liberia has had.
“With no remorse of conscience Wlue teams up with Lebanese businessmen to crucify the Liberian people, said Madam Pauline Sackor of Jallah Town, Monrovia.

“They have forgotten about the 1980 April coup which came as a result of rice riot,” said a classroom teacher Samuel Dweh of Clara Town.

Meanwhile, Bryant’s Economic Advisor, Harry Greaves, has criticized him (Bryant) for the manner in which he is handling the issue of rice and petroleum products in the country.

Mr. Greaves, according to local media report last evening, said there was no reason or justification for the hiking of rice price on the Liberian market. “Doing the same thing over and over again is insanity,” the Economic Advisor noted.

He said the Executive Mansion policy on rice and petroleum products is not workable. He also accused Chairman Bryant of taking wrong advice from Commerce Minister Samuel Wlue on the issue of these commodities.

He then called on the Chairman to deal with the importers of those commodities rather than dealing with retailers.

At the same time, the government yesterday failed to prosecute more than 30 local business people who were reportedly arrested and charged with economic sabotage.

Hardship stemming from rampant corruption continues to hit every angle of the land with little of no solution to quash it. The situation in Liberia confirms the old adage: when the gold rusts what will the iron do