Liberian Literary Magazine Promoting Liberian literature, Arts and Culture of teenage pregnancy, commercial sex, and alcohol consumption in all 15 political subdivisions is disturbing! The consistent don’ t care posture of Madam Sirleaf’ s administration to address youth unemployment is unacceptable. It was another big mockery from the President when she promised to provide 20,000 jobs annually for young people. The living condition of Liberian youth continues to move in a counter-clockwise direction even though this regime has received the highest international support since 1822. Why are we not harvesting substantial fruits from the over 16.9 billion foreign direct investments made so far? The impact of these investments is far from reaching the bottom of the economic ladder simply because few ill-transparent and unpatriotic oppressors have decided to hold our destiny hostage. They have no plan to upgrade our educational system because their children and grandchildren are attending reputable foreign institutions. The reversal of the status quo or business as usual is critical to promoting a harmonious society and preserving public trust. As a 21st century generation, we must begin to muster the courage to demand what rightfully belongs to us if insensitive leaders continue to ignore our concerns. We must be conscious enough to recognize that gambling is a smart strategy from members of the old order to distract our determination and subdue us. They siphon our resources to support their family abroad, while majority of us live far below the benchmark of poverty. Madam Sirleaf has won over 15 International awards and 8 honorary doctorate degrees from reputed world universities, but Liberia remains the second poorest country on earth. 83.8 % of Liberians most of whom are youth lives below international poverty line of $ 1.25USD. What significance do these awards have when vast majority of those you lead do not have access to quality education, food security, better health care, pipe-borne water, proper sanitation, and employment? The President along with her associates has not been able to improve our living condition even after almost 12 years of democratic rule. I hope our President, Legislators, and all public trustees will begin to walk in the footprints of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a shoeshine boy who took 20 million Brazilians out of poverty when he became President in 2002. Today Brazil is the world’ s seventh wealthiest economy with a Gross Domestic Product( GDP) of US $ 2.253 trillion. Though this shoeshine boy did not attend Harvard University, but he was able to stamp out corruption, fight poverty, invest in youth empowerment, and revolutionize his country’ s economy. As a means of mitigating unparallel economic and social vacuum. He trained young Brazilian men and women in variety of vocations to elevate themselves from self-pity and gloominess. Today, Brazilians have taken charge of their economic and political destiny simply because a true statesman was able to make appropriate reforms. The legacy of a global hero like Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will always remain a fresh memory on the minds of all Brazilians. When will our President and Lawmakers resurrect just 3.5 million Liberians from poverty? There will be change if policymakers begin to reflect the image of this world icon by instituting stern measures against societal ills. We deserve a better livelihood in our generation! As a young Liberian patriot, I have a solemn duty to always speak truth to the power that be.
However, it is also my responsibility to provide the way forward to bring an end to our people’ s suffering. In order to help address some of our burning concerns, it is important that this government under the stewardship of President Sirleaf engenders the following:
1. Construct at least two modern Polytechnics in each of our 15 counties.
2. Build modern youth centers and libraries in each of our 73 districts.
3. Establish a functional community college in every county and increase budgetary support in order to enhance quality education. Existing colleges lack adequate support!
4. Increase budgetary support to primary and secondary education and enforce effective school monitoring.
5. Expand local markets and hugely invest in the agriculture, energy, and industry sectors.
6. Create genuine public frameworks / structures to promote youth development, empowerment, and employment opportunities.
With these few recommendations, Liberians especially young citizens can once more experience a new beginning and abandon ill-fated ventures that are currently destroying their lives. Liberia will be a better place when some of these reforms are prioritized. The motherland will never get better except everyone can afford to put food on his / her table and have access to equal opportunities.
Martin N. K. Kollie Is a student activist
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