MONROVIA-Alexander B. Cummings, political leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) says Liberia cannot change its ugly past, but there is a possibility to create a future for the country.
In his recent July 26 Independence message to Liberians, Mr. Cummings said the way to create the future is by all cost changing the mindset that got the country backwards.
The ANC boss said, “We must adopt a new national perspective that Liberia belongs to all Liberians. All Liberians, therefore, owe a duty to the country to be good citizens – to work as hard and as honestly as we can to make Liberia better for ourselves and for our children.”
According to him, good citizens do not steal from the people; good citizens do not deceive the people.
Additionally, he said, “good citizens stand for that which is right for the country, even if they anger a few friends and political allies. The fundamental duty of citizenship – of belonging to Liberia and being called a Liberian citizen – is to build a better country.”
In the message which was aired on other media outlets, Mr. Cummings said obedience to the law is a duty of good citizenship, adding that good citizens take responsibility and accept the failures of getting it wrong just as they will accept the benefits of getting it right.
“National leaders-political, religious, community, and traditional – must be more accountable to each other and to our country. Leaders must lead by good examples so that others are encouraged to follow” the ANC political leader said in the message.
He continued: Liberia will not grow until the visions, expectations, dreams, and aspirations to also grow.
Bringing his corporate thoughts on, he said, In corporations or governments, there are no shortcuts to success. Irrespective of a tribe, family name, the name of the village or city in which a Liberian is born, or the choice of one’s religion, success in Liberia must come to belong to every Liberian who is willing and ready to work as hard as they can to achieve success. Opportunities must be fair and equally available to all Liberians.”
In his statement, Mr. Cummings indicated that too often in Liberia, citizens have let ourselves settle for what is easy and not for what is right- stressing “We have continued to choose the path of least resistance, which neither tests our collective resolve nor deepens our commitment to achieve the future we seek.”
“Too often, we have wanted change, but have let ourselves be frightened by the hard work required to get the changes we seek. Too often, we have allowed ourselves to compromise easily rather than set good precedence and examples for the future” the ANC leader added.
But he said unfortunately, as Liberians have continued to settle for the easier road and look for the shortest cuts, change has never happened; promises of change have been repeatedly broken, and doubts about change ever happening now overwhelm us.
“Change is hard. It requires hard work and determination. And it takes time. But like success, change can happen. Liberia can be better. We can build a prosperous future for all. We can unite ourselves. We can expand the economy. We can grow the national budget. We can fight corruption” he read through the July 26 message.
Additionally, he said the nation can genuinely be reconciled, heal the wounds, end culture of impunity and establish a war and economic crimes court, fix the schools, hospitals.
Other areas he pointed to are the fixing of the roads for the movement of people, goods and services, feed the nation and export the surplus to the world.
“We can manufacture and add value to what God has naturally blessed our country to have” he said.
“The next chapter can show that although we lost our way, we found a new way and found ourselves again” he passionately read his July 26 message.
He said the new story of Liberia can be that “although the Lone Star was lowered, together, we raised it again for all of the world to see – a new Liberia flying higher and shining brighter.”
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