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What
is Milton Teahjay saying about Matthews' death,
diplomatic passport and the government of Liberia?
Sunday,
September 30, 2007
By Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh
I am hardly on the same side of the Johnson-Sirleaf
administration on key issues, but caught myself
agreeing with the administration first on the issue
regarding Police Inspector General Beatrice Munah Sieh
and the idea of sending her for sensitivity training,
which I suggested in a 2006 column, and now am
agreeing with the administration once again after the
president pursued a policy of accountability regarding
diplomatic passports.
After all, it doesn’t take a genius to
know the policy regarding the issuance and revocation
of diplomatic passports; meaning only those currently
working under the umbrella of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs as diplomats, their families and staff members
that are working overseas, and other very important
local employees and their staffs who represents the
nation in advancing its policies abroad, are entitled
to diplomatic passports.
I never once thought an ailing former
Foreign Minister who was seeking medical treatment out
of the country before his unfortunate death, or any
living former Foreign Minister is entitled to a
diplomatic passport because of the individual’s
previous service to the nation.
Even though he served his country as
Foreign Minister in two administrations, before his
death, Gabriel Baccus Matthews was a private citizen
who was no longer working for government. If that’s
the case, why should Gabriel Baccus Mathews be given
special treatment, a diplomatic passport to seek
medical treatment overseas?
The late G. Baccus Matthews
J. Milton Teahjay
Like any private citizen who got sick and
wants to travel abroad for medical treatment, Mr.
Matthews should have accepted a regular passport to
travel and get medical treatment abroad. If ordinary
Liberians can travel abroad for medical treatment
without diplomatic passports, former government
officials can do the same. No special treatment,
period.
How can there be accountability in the
passport system when officials in and out of
government – not only Foreign Ministry officials and
foreigners have access to both diplomatic and regular
Liberian passports? The Liberian passport must be
protected, because next to the Liberian flag is a
symbol and national treasure of the country, and
cannot continued to be abused by the criminal-minded
and other Liberians.
I remember vividly over the years and even
today, because of the weak and ineffective passport
policy of the past when foreigners from many (West)
African countries, Lebanese and others bought and
carried Liberian passports of convenience to have
access to the United States and other countries
worldwide. Liberians complained, understandably so
about such practice especially when Liberian citizens
have difficulty getting their own country’s
passports to travel.
However, the recent complaint made by J.
Milton Teahjay, in the wake of Matthews’ death
suggests such when he was quoted as saying that the
government accorded commonplace treatment to the late
political leader by giving him an ordinary passport.
“When Mr. Matthews abruptly got ill
Roseline Neufville, who was former chancellor of the
UPP, took Mr. Matthews’ diplomatic passport to the
Foreign Ministry to either get it renewed or to get a
new diplomatic passport. The Foreign Ministry told
Roseline Neufville that Mr. Matthews was no longer a
Foreign Minister and was therefore not entitled to a
diplomatic passport,” Teahjay reportedly said.
After the government made a goodwill
gesture and donated $15,000 to help cover the funeral
cost of Mr. Matthews, Teahjay thanked the government
but also made these remarks: “He (Matthews) never
got help from the government during his period of
sickness. He never got help from the government while
he was alive.”
“He tried getting help from the
government but never got any help from the government.
Had the US $15,000 been given to Mr. Matthews while he
was alive, he would have been alive today. It would
have done much to help him cover his funeral expenses,”
Teahjay said again.
J. Milton Teahjay is right about one thing.
Any reasonable amount of money given to help an ailing
person or one who is near death can help make a
difference in a remarkable way.
However, where Mr. Teahjay is dead wrong is
when he thinks government is supposed to, is obligated
or is in the business of providing diplomatic
passports, funeral services and life support in the
form of financial assistance to ailing former
officials who wants to travel abroad for medical
treatment.
Even though the practice of government
burying or providing financial and funeral assistance
to help bury some of its former officials is nothing
new in the Liberian society, let it be clear to all
that government is not and should not be in the burial
business. And if the Liberian government insists on
such practice that favors its friends, the courtesy
ought to be extended to all Liberians and not only the
politically connected and powerful.
However, a credible government-funded
insurance program, or an insurance program funded by
private businesses (if there are any in Liberia),
should be encouraged to help in this process.
The practice of government burying or
providing funeral and financial assistance to the
family or friends of a deceased person creates a class
system; is unfair and discriminatory because it favors
the politically connected and powerful, leaving out
the poor with no stint in government and with no
political connection to scramble for funds to bury
their loved ones.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf fought passionately
after she was inaugurated president by working
tirelessly to monitor the issuance and retrieval of
all (diplomatic) passports from former government
officials and individuals who have no business having
those passports. The strict passport policy is in the
right direction and the right decision.
Providing funeral and financial assistance
to ailing and deceased government officials is a bad
policy. If the Liberian government’s going to do it
for one group, the courtesy should be extended to all
Liberians.
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