Thursday, 17 February 2011

Maryland County: The 2011 Political Plume

2011 is becoming an interesting year in election politics in Maryland County (Liberia).




If things go the way I see it, political plume will cover the entire county.



Just in case you didn’t know, Maryland County is situated in the southeastern belt. It is deep, deep in the belly of the Republic. It has three political districts. 1) Harper District - it is where Harper (the capital of the County is located). It is the center of power. 2) Pleebo/Sodokeh District - the commercial district and 3) Karluway - supposedly the County‘s “bread basket.” Each district is important in its own unique way. With the exception of the Pleebo/Sodokeh district, Harper is the “brain” of the County. In other words, the Harper District can make or break the entire County. That’s why most, if not all, of the “problems” hurting the County are found in this very District. 



Maryland has two Senators. 1) Junior Senator. Currently, Gloria Scott is the Junior Senator. She hails from the Karluway District. 2) Senior Senator. The current Senior Senator of Maryland is John Akel Ballout. He hails from the Harper District.



Each of the districts have a representative in the House of Representatives.



The current representative of the Harper district is James Popee Biney. From what I understand, he has being in the post over 15 years.



The current representative for the Pleebo/Sodokeh district is Dr. Bhofal Chambers. He has been in this post for one term (6 years). He's seeking re-election come Election 2011.



Hon. Saydee represents the Karluway District. Understandably he has held this post for over 15 years. He and James Biney have been in this "club" for ever so long. He too is seeking re-election.



All of these Congress men and woman are incumbents in the upcoming 2011 election. What that means is, they are seeking an additional six-year term of office. Add that much time to Hons. Biney and Saydee years in the House. Both would have held power for closed to fifty years combine.



As we see Election 2011 coming around the corner, we see incumbents are having serious “company.” By "company" I mean there are people who really, really want to take away these leaders' jobs through the ballot box. Among those seeking the jobs of the incumbents, are serious minds and non serious minds. Whatever the case may be, we all know come election time, there is a contest on the gournd. And the manner in which it is being approach, turns the bellies of the incumbents.



As I opine, there are more than 10 persons wanting the job of James Biney in the Harper district. As for Gloria (Junior Senator) we have closed to seven persons wanting her job.



Dr. Chambers has more than 10 people elbowing each other for his job in the Pleebo/Sodokeh District.



Hon. Saydee has his own "company." Whatever the case may be, Hon. Saydee - the least known in the County - is not riding “cool.”



Senator Ballout has nine years for his Term of Office. So far he has used five of those years. That means he has three remaining more years to go before there can be an election for his post. Cautiously, he has nothing yet to worry about. In politics anything can go haywire and tilt the scale for him one sidedly. But as far as we can see, he’s “cool.” So I will focus mainly on those positions that are up for grasp in the upcoming Election.



Gloria Scott, the current junior senator is seeking re-election. She has a lot to worry about. One man in her “company” wanting her job (Amb H. Dan Morais) is a hard “nut” to crack. He's well-experienced. He's been governor of Maryland, Internal Affairs Minister and is now Ambassador At-Large of the republic of Liberia. If he remains “hot” as he is in the race, Hon. Scott will not have her job back, come October 2011. Dan Morais is very popular in the county than anyone I know right now. Young people and elders in the county (all districts) are over this man with a passion. If election were held today, Morais would beat Scott with his hands down with a score of 8-2 on the rating scale.



Scott (in my personal opinion) has had six years of dismal failure in her service to Maryland. There has been too much division and bloodshed for the last six years then anytime in Maryland on her watch. When you examine the bloodbaths and divisions in the county, Scott name pops up like bubbles. Her hands seems to be dripping with guilt and the blood of the dead in these conflicts.



What makes it very difficult for Gloria to maintain her seat as junior senator in the Senate is that her “company” has a great well of intellect and popularity unlike those she met in the 2005 election. Her “company” also is of a serious political grade. James Norman Anderson is coming in. He ran last election (2005) but was locked out. Now he’s returning. This time with full force. He has popularity as big and powerful as the rock of Gibraltar. Add this man to Amb. Morais and Gloria is history. Either of these men have what it takes to beat Gloria and put her on the unemployment line.



But Gloria still has some fight in her left. If she doesn’t win, based on what I hear, she says it will be a political “plume.” Whatever that means!



I am Thomas G. Bedell speaking and working from on the ground in Liberia.

No comments:

Post a Comment