NOVEMBER 17, 2015 (HARPER CITY)
On
Friday, November 12, 2015, an impromptu meeting of County leaders was called to
represent the long overdue County-Sitting. Folks from deep inside Maryland far
and near assembled at a short notice in Harper City at the newly renovated
Administration Building on Gregory Street. The Hall was packed to overflow!
I
say the meeting was “impromptu” because it is one whose time has been long
overdue. At a very short notice, our folks were asked to assemble in Harper at
a jiffy. And they did. Unfortunately, nothing good happened at the meeting.
They were then asked to return to their locales. The saddest thing is, no
financial provision was made for transportation for the folks to pay their way
back to their various locales. Consequently, they hung around the Administration
Building looking for help till midnight. Most did not leave.
Notice,
each time it was announced that the County meeting would be held for so many
reasons, it fell through the cracks. So, it’s been postponed for over five
different times.
All
of these failed times many reasons were provided as an excuse.
Amongst
the many excuses, “split” is the one word that describes the Maryland
Legislative Caucus. And it reigned supreme. Although split in the Caucus is not
a new thing. It’s been around for a while now. But each time it happened, it is
the county and its people who are victimized. The youth suffered most and
carries the brunt of the problems: no school fees; no jobs and no recreation!
Reviewing
this conundrum, one must use history as our guide; although it is replete with
rebuffs and backwardness!
2005
up to 2011, shaped the era of splits in the Caucus.
John
Akel Ballout (former senator) and Gloria Musu Scott (former senator) were at
each other’s necks for those amounts of years.
The
two former senators could not see eye-to-eye. As such, they opposed each other so
much so they opposed everything productive and progressive for Maryland. The
proliferation of division in the County reached an alarming stage to crisis
proportion.
Each
time the National government allocated development funds for the county and the
need arose for all members of the Caucus to affix their signatures to the
Appropriation bill, one of them would refuse to do so.
In
each case, once the requisite number of signatories fell short, the funds, according
to the Budget law, ended up stocked in escrow instead of development projects.
This
trend continued for several years. And no money was ever appropriated for the
county. As such, the county and its people dwindled in financial desperation. It
brought prostitution to the front page as young boys and girls tried to survive
the hard way.
After
six unbroken years of internal and useless struggles in the Caucus, an
understanding to appropriate the funds was reached. By then, the county and its
people had already fallen apart at the economic hinges.
Gloria
and Ballout were not the only two members of the Caucus. But they were the only
two senators.
There
were three representatives: James Biney, who has been in the House of
Representatives for over 13 unbroken years. The others were, Bhofal Chambers
and David Siedee.
Hon.
Siedee was a good friend of Gloria. And so, he stood by Gloria in her bitter fight
against Ballout. Bhofal was also a Gloria sympathizer. And so, he gave Gloria
his support. Biney was the Peter Pan; he flew around with no allegiance to
anyone or a cause. Thus, nothing worked for the Caucus and the case became true
for the county.
To
date, there is not a single woman in the Caucus as it was in 2005 to 2011.
Currently,
there are five (5) men: two senators (Gblebo Brown and Horatio Daniel Morias).
The three Representatives are, Dr. Bhofal Chambers, Rev. Dr. Isaac Roland and
James Biney. All of whom lack the testicular resolve to face each other and solve
collective and personal problems.
Recently,
Chambers informed the world that he has overthrown Morias as chair of the
Caucus. And that he is the legitimate chair of the Caucus. But Morias says
that’s not true. He (Morias) is the chair of the Caucus.
The
Budget Law says, only the Chair of the Caucus must chair a County-Sitting;
nobody else. The the Superintendent and her staff are powerless in this respect.
For
the possible future sitting, Bhofal says he will chair the meeting or else,
there will be no meeting.
Morias
says the same thing: he is the legitimate chair. And he will chair the meeting;
Or else, there will be no meeting.
In
either case, Maryland and the people including the youth, elderly, women and
innocent children will be the victims.
Why?
No
money will be appropriated. All the funds, as was the case of 2005 to 2011, will
be locked in escrow on the doorstep of November 29 (Tubman Birthday) and July
26 (Independence Day) Celebrations.
November
24, 2015, is the potential new date set for the County-Sitting at the Administration
Building, Harper City. It is not too far!
But
several questions abound:
1.
Who will chair
the meeting, Chambers or Morias?
2.
If one does not
chair, will there be a meeting any how?
3.
Will the people
who traveled from the Hinterland to attend the previously failed meeting and
that were left in the cold to wallow in financial desperation to get money to
pay their fare back to their locales, return for the new meeting, knowing the
treatment they suffer at the hands of the leadership?
4.
So, if Bhofal and
Morias clash, who will win the battle before the living eyes of the people of
Maryland?
5.
And what role
will Gblebo, Biney and Roland play since they are the ones doing the Peter Pan
in the fight between Bhofal and Morias?
Whatever
the answers will be, we will find out on November 24, 2015 in the city of
Harper – KoorWolor Gbenelu!
And
that’s where it’s at!
I
am T. Gbuo-Mle Bedell; social justice advocate speaking and working on the
ground in Liberia and a victim of police brutality
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