Open letter to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf  

 The expiration of TPS, and president's lobbying efforts to stop possible deportation of Liberians to Liberia

 

Friday, August 31, 2007 

 

 By Patrick J. D.  Savice

 

Pres. Sirleaf,

I am baffled and have had sleepless nights pondering why the government is biting its own hands (no pun intended), lobbying for a stay of deportation for the supposed 3,600 or more Liberians the government of the United States intend to deport to Liberia, because of the expiration of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Liberians from all corners of Africa have been repatriated, and I believe some, if not most were unwilling to return home to face a dire and at times unbearable situation. They have accepted their situation and probably moved on. They are the Liberians with the least resources, know-how and finance. They returned knowing they had to return home, albeit/probably stretching the limited resources of an infant government.

I then ask myself, does this government have any hidden agenda in lobbying the U.S. government for a stay of deportation for the crème de la crème of the Liberian society? Why is the government shooting itself in the foot to keep educated, resourceful, financially sound Liberians in the United States when it should be encouraging them to return and help reconstruct, develop and improve the country? The reason given, “they will burden the government``, is lame at best and unpatriotic at worst.

Who is going to make the necessary sacrifices mother Liberia needs to recover after it was bled, abused and corrupted by its own people? Will these Liberians return to their native country only when Liberians who sacrificed to live in Liberia prepare the place for them?

Those that have the means should do whatever is necessary to express their patriotism and not continue to seek the government’s help, whereby, contributing nothing to their country in return.

Let us do the math. If every Liberian returned with, say, $3,000, can you envision the boost it will give to the local economy, not to mention the construction, educational, financial and other sectors? The entire country stands to benefit and not the other way around as some are saying.

If the government has no hidden agenda, and if it is sincere in its empathy for the prospective deportees, then the government should work out some quid pro quo to continue lobbying on behalf of the prospective deportees. The government will be spending valuable political capital that could be used to benefit the country in the future.

There should be a national debate on this issue, because it involves the national interests of Liberia and its people.

Patrick J. D. Savice, a Liberian, lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil.