Liberia Deserves a Better Leader
—Dr. Daniel Estrada Cassell
Recently, Liberia’s ace photojournalist, Sando J. Moore, who is also Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of THE IMAGES magazine, conducted an exclusive interview with one of Liberia’s most highly respected professionals, Managers, Humanitarians, and Prominent citizens, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, who is also Vision Bearer of the
newly established political party, styled: People Liberation Party (PLP). During the interview, Dr. Cassell addressed a wide range of cutting-edge national issues and clearly outlined PLP’s vision and aspirations as it relates to democratic, inclusive, and good governance in Liberia, including the dire need to uphold the rule of law, accountability, transparency, and probity in the management and use of state funds and other resources for the equal benefit of Liberians and the liberation of the country from socio-economic and political decadence. We herein reproduce the full text of the interview:
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You are a humanitarian. Why did you decide to go into politics?
I have always been a humanitarian and will continue to be a humanitarian because that is part of my nature. I have become a politician because I am the vision bearer of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), so that makes me a politician, and it is a good thing because the ills in our society in terms of social, economic, and security challenges among other things have to be addressed from a system level. Being a Humanitarian, my assistance to my fellow citizens can only impact so many lives, but being a humanitarian and politician is beneficial for our country because the same passion, spirit, and nature of a humanitarian are going to be transferred into my political career in terms of changing the governance system so that our citizens can immensely benefit from quality distributions of state and other resources. This will also enable us to develop the country and ensure accountability, economic growth, and prosperity so that we can move
forward from where we are and to regain the respect that we once enjoyed in the sub-region as well as internationally and beyond to improve/transform the lives of our people.
Why do you want to put your energy behind a country that people think is so troubled and has so many problems, and what makes you think you will address this country’s issues and concerns?
I am confident in the fact that our country has no shortage of leaders as well as patriotic citizens. However, many of those who have ascended to the presidency of our country have been self-centered and self-serving. That is what our country has become because they are only going into politics to serve themselves. One has to examine the motivation that has driven most of such people into politics, and all of them, for that matter, have gone into
politics primarily as a means of looting the country’s resources. That is not the case with me, I do not need employment from the government, and I do not need to be in government to acquire personal wealth because God has blessed me. I have built wealth on my own in the United States despite the many challenges that I went through, and I have come here to do likewise. I am confident that these experiences have prepared me to tackle the problems that we face effectively, and the issues are systemic, cultural, and intergenerational. So with exemplary leadership, things can begin to transform. The executive system has the authority to change policies and lobby regarding laws and regulations that will benefit the people. Suppose you have a humanitarian leader who will genuinely care for the people and develop the country instead of filling their pockets and bank accounts. In that case, that is when we will see the manifestation of development in this country and the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
You have been making many donations both in and out of the Capital, Monrovia, for social services such as the construction of bridges and roads, among others. You said you would not need the resources of this country to enrich yourself. All of your activities show that you are financially potent; do you care to tell us your funding source?
I am a psychologist by training and a businessman by choice. I thank God for the wisdom and divine understanding to create wealth. In my career, I have established innovative healthcare organizations and agencies for which I operate seven clinics throughout the State of New Jersey in the United States of America (USA). The clinics we operate and the services we provide throughout the state enable us to generate income over the last 11 years. The income and resources you see me spending today are not something that I just started earning today. It is something I have been accumulating over the last 11 years. I have been very wise and responsible
in terms of my fiscal ability, financial knowledge, and a real estate investor. This is why I own several commercial properties in the United States as well. So with these skills and experiences, I think it should be predicted that I am someone who people can entrust with the country’s resources. The citizens can rest assured that I will be a good leader because I have been a good leader in my career, and that is the skill that can be carried over or used to predict the future easily.
The Liberian electorate (voters) will say that the people (politicians) have told us many times that they will do XYZ when they are elected to the highest office; what makes you different from other politicians who had come before and made colorful promises just to find out later that they have failed and disappointed the people. They are causing more suffering than anyone can imagine; what makes Dr. Daniel E. Cassell a different person from those failed politicians?
My deeds, my works say it all. The politicians speak a lot of tricks around politics during the political season, and all they do is speak against the government and things that are going wrong. Still, they have no tangible solutions to those problems. They only pray to ascend to state power before they would be able to do something. That is not the case with me. I am doing things now, and I am addressing problems that I should correct, such as farm-to-market roads, building bridges to empower themselves through farming, which is another initiative. Construction of
market buildings, employment through security services is another initiative including transportation services that we implement. As I identify the gaps and problems across the nation and address them within my capacity as
an individual, it is sufficient to tell you that God has given me the power and authority. This is how I will continue because I am a Solution-Focused Leader and someone who believes in the physical development of the country and human resource development.
I signed a confident note with God and asked for him to help me get to America and go to school. When men were rejecting me in terms of political asylum, God blessed me
and made a way, and God made me to achieve all these things more than people who had citizenship and green cards. The same God blessed me in the same year and I got my status through my lovely wife that he sent me. My wife petitioned and gave me my green card and in that same year, I came back to Liberia.
What is the magic word behind your success? Because I noticed that you hit the Liberian political scene not too long ago, but your presence seems to be felt almost everywhere. People talk about you and are coming to you; How come you are moving so fast in your desire to
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become president of the Liberian nation?
I have never gotten into things on my own. God blessed even the business I have, which is the primary source of my income that is also funding our institution in Liberia and humanitarian works through the Daniel E. Cassell Foundation. I was in the United States without status, and God was able to put me through school to earn two Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. Without status, the same God made me higher among white healthcare owners and African American Healthcare owners. The United States recognized my institution as the fastest growing agency in the State of New Jersey. This is not something I have done on my own. I don’t even know how I do the things I do so wonderfully. I allow God to take the lead, and I have never decided on my own. Before leaving Europe the way I left, it was God who made it possible. I signed a confident note with God and asked him to help me get to America and go to school. When men were rejecting me in terms of political asylum, God blessed me and made
a way to achieve all these things more than people who had citizenship and green cards. The same God blessed me in the same year, and I got my
status through my lovely wife that he sent me. My wife petitioned and gave me my green card, and in that same year, I came back to Liberia. Over 25 years, I was in the United States without status; when people were leaving and coming back to Africa, all I could do was cry because I could not come back, and the same God got ready and told me to come back. I fought it; I resisted it why because I felt comfortable with my family.
The same God who instructed me to do things before is the same God who has sent me, and I obeyed. He is manifesting his power. I don’t know how to do anything on my own without his bountiful blessings; It is God who is working through me.
What can you do to transform the thinking of our people to know who is in their best interest and who is not? Especially at the ballot box, our people continue to be manipulated by politicians due to their limited educational knowledge and the high rate of poverty in which they find themselves. So how can our people be adequately informed to make informed decisions in choosing suitable people to lead this country?
There is a biblical provision that says for the lack of knowledge, my people perish. The people are not perishing in the physical sense, they are perishing in the spiritual, physiological, and economic sense, and that is precisely what has been happening. Politicians have preyed on the people efficiently from time immemorial. What I decided to do through our foundation and the political institution that we are establishing is to create mass and intense public awareness such as socio-economic awareness on the struggle of our country and begin to hold workshops and seminars on these things and to disseminate information using the various vernaculars of Liberia which are ways to be able to educate and enlighten the minds
of those who are within the illiterate range. As we all know, there is a high illiteracy rate in Liberia, which is what the politicians have preyed on.
But tomorrow, by God’s grace, when we take state power, I have already identified that the educational system within our country is inferior. At the moment, we cannot boast of investing in the future generation because we see lots of our citizens who are high school dropouts. Some of them who have completed high school and are going to college and university but don’t have the right technology are using outdated technology. They are not exposed to cutting-edge information. As a result, they cannot compete with their counterparts in the sub-region and beyond, which is very sad. We, as a nation, need to invest more in education and human resource development. I am not just speaking on employment, but human capacity development.
How can we educate the young people and provide skills-set and training so that they can apply them in work settings in terms of their careers?
Information dissemination, public awareness, education, and workshops are ways that we have begun to pass on the relevant information to the citizens to learn about their fundamental rights and how to exercise them in their best interest and the supreme interest of the Liberian nation. The people will also know which politicians are in their best interest not to make poor choices as they have done over the years. Decisions made by the electorate
are going to affect their lives the most because they (the people) are the direct recipients of poor governance and economic crises in our country.
One of the major things that are hampering development in this country and have created serious problems for our governing process is the Imperial Presidency wherein somebody becomes president and feels that he/she is more humane than the rest of the people, that was very much visible during the Tubman era, because of the imperial presidency, Tubman created a situation where people began to look up
to him for everything instead of empowering the people to do things for themselves, he had the system wherein most people will come with their problems and he gave them money and he did not empower the people to learn to fish for themselves; he created the dependency syndrome so the people continue to rely on him, how are you going to change this dynamic?
My leadership style is about consensus-building, human capital investment so that the people can become empowered. You can see those things being manifested through the Daniel E. Cassell Foundation and some of the works we do and services being rendered by providing
scholarships that are ways to help educate the people so that they can stand on their own. For people who want to do business, we offer micro-loans to empower themselves economically. We have a group of marketers who want to work in conducive market buildings to bring their produce to the market and help them. These are all ways of empowering the people, including
the farmers who want to travel to sell their crops but are facing challenges with the roads. As such, by building roads, bridges, farm-to-market roads for them, you empower them to be able to transport their crops and sell them and be able to feed and care for their families. These are all indications as to the way we will go about our works. Tomorrow, we are only going
to expand on these things. We have begun to invest in the agriculture sector, starting with a pilot program at our farm on the Kakata-Bong Mine highway with 650 acres of land where we are trying to turn that place into mechanized farming where people are going to be employed. Through that, they will be able to support their families. We also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with one of the local colleges to train local farmers. We are going to subsidize the crops and seeding to help strengthen them to do multi-farming activities. These are all ways we will help people
help themselves instead of giving them 500 Liberian Dollars every time, which is not the best way to go. We will teach them how to fish so they can become fishers and hunters; this is what we are about.
One of the important things that have hampered development in this country and disappointed our international partners is the issue of corruption which is fast eating up the fabric of Liberian society.
President comes to power with good intentions and makes mistakes appointing his/her friends and relatives to the government structure. By the time they (family members) get into government, they engage in the pilfering of the nation’s wealth by taking public resources and
properties for personal aggrandizement and deprive the vast majority of ordinary people development, good education, quality and affordable healthcare system among other basic social services. How different are you going to be if you are elected?
By the fruits, you shall know them. I think the examples of some of our leaders or past presidents who engaged in acts of nepotism and favoritism
as a way of concealing their corrupt practices through their close associates is something that started after they ascended to power. They lack the necessary moral competence to arrest those things early in their career and work ethics which are often passed over into the presidency. That is why throughout my professional career, I have principles that I stand for, and what is not in alignment with what I stand for and considered a violation
based on the law, policy, procedures, by-laws, and constitution is never accepted; no matter who is involved or connected. I believe in one set of rules for everyone because I will not hire someone because I know them. I am going to hire people because they are qualified and have the experience for their positions. Someone may know me, which may be a means for him/her to apply for the job. However, all of them will pass through the same rigorous vetting process and be held accountable like anyone else. I believe in transparency, accountability, good governance, and integrity, and I am starting that right in my institution and people who violate laws. I am holding them accountable no matter their status or positions. If the rest
of my team members want to go against me for any reason, then I don’t want to be a part. Nobody will pressure me to dilute my good character and integrity that I have worked so hard for over my career to earn to save
someone who is a criminal or lawbreaker. Instead, I will remove myself from the position rather than go alone with them because it will defeat everything that I stand for, and I am trying to change.
One of the things I have seen in almost every country globally is that every country has criminals and crooks, but the willpower to
prosecute those criminals tends to make any nation great. Today we in our country, Liberia, do not have the necessary political will to charge people involved in criminal activities, thereby creating lots of insecurity concerns as it is now. What plan do you have to ensure that this country will be a nation of law and not men?
In terms of security, to attract investors, there has to be a rule of law, and people have to abide by them. I am willing to work in harmony with law enforcement agencies so that every citizen upholds the rule of law. I don’t think politicians or government officials should be excluded or go free when they steal public funds and resources because they are in positions of state power. When the poor man steals, he goes to jail or gets brutalized. I don’t believe in that. As a leader, you should set the tone, and as long as I am not engaged in such behaviors, it makes it much easier for me to tackle corruption and be straight in implementing the rules. But suppose the leader is involved in such behavior as we have seen today and in the past. In that case, it makes it difficult because they will not apply the necessary political will to prosecute. After all, they too are involved in such acts. For those practices to stop, it requires someone who is not looking into stealing government resources but someone who will set the proper examples
for others to follow; and if the others don’t fall in line, they will be held accountable. There are so many ways that people can live a great life in this country without getting into criminal activities and looting public resources. I will handle this by setting the proper examples for myself and holding people accountable based on the rules, laws, and regulations. Most of my political opponents do not support what they stand for, and their track records do not support what they preach and do not support the change that the country needs. I find that to be hypocritical. It clearly shows that
all they do is engage in lies and empty talks, and at the end of the day, they want another opportunity to go back into power and do the same old things that this present administration is doing.
What specific weaknesses have you identified to use against your political opponents?
They are upset because they are not doing the right things for this country and the people, and I have a big issue with them because they do not care about the Liberian people. The only time they show up is during the election and start to throw money here and there and divide food. They use our people like experimental subjects, and that is very sad. I do not give out money to people because I want to give handouts; I do it because of our people’s needs. I treat my fellow citizens the same way I treat myself and expect others to treat me the same way. The majority of the politicians do not care about the people. They recycle politicians and want to assume state power and eat. Therefore, their motivation is not suitable for which they wish to take state power, and these are the two major weaknesses of politicians in Liberia. The lies, deceits, and false promises of politicians are
something else. They cannot set positive examples before being elected. When it comes to addressing the bread and butter issues and problems that affect the people and country, they want to take power before handling them. If they genuinely care about the citizenry, they should use their funds, but no, their money is too good for them to use on the people.
When did you dream of becoming a politician?
I have never been into politics before, and during the 2017 elections, nobody heard my name, but there is a set time and place for everything. Like how I was in the United States going through challenges, I always found refuge in school, education, and hard work, and when God got ready to bless me with status, he blessed me. In that same year, he told me to come back to my country. God never inspired me to do this thing, it was last year that God started bringing this to my spirit, and it started troubling me, but I resisted it. When I received the Revelation and Conviction from God, it became more vivid and weighed on me heavily.
Are you in any way determined or discouraged by the fact that people out there are misconstruing your good intention as a negative intention simply because you want a political office, specifically the Presidency? Are you discouraged by that, and they are intimidating you to silence you into submission or kill your dream of becoming the President of this country?
Nobody can intimidate and silence me because my voice is from God, and He is using my voice to speak for the voiceless and the less fortunate people and be the strength of the weak and needy. The voice that I have is more powerful in God than any human being, and because of this, nobody can silence me. However, I feel discouraged when I get misunderstood through cheap and baseless propaganda to assassinate and attack my character, untainted within the political arena. I feel discouraged at times but what has kept me going and focused on my mission is the Liberian people. Because of their immense gratitude for the help they are receiving from me and how they highly appreciate this better alternative that has come into the political arena with a new flavor. This gives them (Liberian people) hope for tomorrow and makes them feel that now is the time they can rally around the PLP party, of which I am the political leader. They are the ones giving me hope and strength to continue doing the things I am doing because I am fighting for them, and the fight is not mine. As long as they continue to tell me to press on for the good of the country, I will do it on their behalf. I don’t care about those fabricated stories against me, and the only time I will give ears to that is when I am doing something wrong, and the stupid stuff about me being into money laundering and drug dealings are all garbage talks. These people make up stuff, if they were using that time to assist the Liberian people sincerely, we would by now be better off, and the lives of Liberian people would have been improved.
How well do you trust your political team?
I trust my political team, I trust all humans, and I have also learned that you can trust people over the years, but you have to verify what they do through their works, which is evidence. That is more compelling than just
according someone blind trust. I have an open mind working with everyone, but at the same time, I believe in performance measures, good work ethics, which are ways that are going to help trust people. Trust is built over some time, so you cannot begin to trust people in a short period. We are in the formation stage of our party leadership, so I would like to trust everyone, which is the right thing to do. At the same time, we will work together and learn about each other and see how it is compatible and in conformity with
our rules and regulations and the decisions we are going to make from that point in terms of trust-building.
How do you hope to navigate this crowded political terrain- and are you prepared to collaborate with any other person or political party to obtain state power?
We are open to discussions with like-minded political opponents and leaders. Still, our primary focus is to build our institution and not just
a political party but an institution that will last. It is about the Liberian people and our country. It is also about patriotism. As long as the other leaders are patriotic and are in the best interest of our country, I don’t see why we wouldn’t work with someone with such character. This is something we are going to do very consciously. We cannot enter a collaboration or coalition with political parties or individuals involved in corrupt practices or who have done hurtful things to the citizens and country. Some politicians have engaged us, and we have engaged others, and I believe that we are all politicians, and we all are vying for the highest office to which everyone has the right to do. But, in terms of building a coalition, there has to be some mutuality. That needs to be made very clear. One way of defining that is by examining someone’s career and what they stand for, including their works, ethics, and their level of patriotism for our country and people.
Why is your party named People Liberation Party?
The name People Liberation Party (PLP) was downloaded to me by God; I didn’t get up and decided to name the party. People means for all, the entire citizenry, and liberation means emancipation from economic slavery and the different kinds of oppression and experiences that our people have been through over the years. The emblem of the PLP simplifies a new beginning. It is time for Liberians to experience a new breath in terms of what they have been going through as a people and nation. This is where
we are, and nobody can honestly say we are satisfied with the affairs of our nation and the conditions of our people. The phrase: “People Liberation” directly relates to the conditions of the Liberian people and country and the need for them to be liberated and become healthier so their lives can be improved and the country as well.
“I trust my political team, I trust all humans, and I have also learned that you can trust people over the years, but you have to verify what they do through their works, which is evidence. That is more compelling than just according someone blind trust. ”
“Politics of Hypocrisy Is About To Change”
…PLP
Asserts; Dedicates Headquarters
A newly established political party, known as the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), has formally dedicated its Headquarters in Congo Town, a suburb of Monrovia, and the induction of its Interim Leadership.
The party, according to its vision-bearer and political leader, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, has come with a vision of sanitizing the political environment of Liberia. It hopes to do this by
liberating the Liberian people from endemic and systemic corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and sectionalism, which have diminished the values of the Liberian nation.
Addressing the crowd at a program marking the formal dedication of the party’s national headquarters in Congo Town, Monrovia, Dr.
Casssell pointed out that PLP is fully prepared to fulfill its mission to liberate the Liberian state and its people from the quagmire of poverty, disease, ignorance, and underdevelopment.
Dr. Cassell, who is widely respected in various communities across Liberia and in the Diasporas as a humanitarian, said PLP’s leadership would ensure that the political elites and other cunning politicians whose sole aims are to ascend to public offices and amass illegal wealth, do not repeatedly victimize, marginalize, and disenfranchise the vast majority of the poor in Liberia.
He made specific reference to the minority community including, but not limited to people living with disabilities in the Liberian nation.
Cassell made it loud and clear that people of the minority community are of concern to the PLP and its leadership because they have professional, technical, and other expertise despite their
condition.
During the occasion, several physically challenged women, perfectly attired in the party’s color green and white T-Shirts, danced enthusiastically to the rhythms of some of Liberia’s traditional songs and drumbeats.
The PLP vision-bearer further asserted that people living with disabilities in Liberia constitute a consistent and truthful voting population. Still, politicians can only recognize them during electioneering eras, something he mentioned the PLP would change.
He maintains that Liberians face systematic challenges that undermine the little gains the country has made since its formation.
“Our economy is still struggling to get back on its feet. Unemployment is a major challenge, and to compound this, companies are still laying off workers. Our people are still spectators in their economy,” he declared amidst resounding applauds and chants of revolutionary slogans by the PLP supporters.
“Our education and health systems are challenged by inadequate domestic resource allocation, limited qualified and trained workforce, and
poor service delivery especially for our rural communities and the most vulnerable and physically challenged groups,” he added.
The famous Liberian humanitarian told the massive gathering that the birth of the PLP is grounded in social justice, economic freedom, and human capital development.
“In this spirit of patriotism, we welcome all Liberians to join hands with the PLP as The Time Is Now and We Are Ready,” he emphasized.
Dr. Cassell added that his team is ready to assume the leadership and transform Liberia through collective and inclusive participation in the country’s governance.
“We are ready to advocate for and defend the rights of the poor and underprivileged. We are ready to lift Liberians out of poverty through values, added agriculture programs, and road connectivity. Liberians will be the drivers and not car loaders. We are ready to bring our private sector experience to the public sector and transform our service into industries to be efficient and effective in the delivery of quality services,” he emphasized.
Established and certificated in December 2020, Cassell pointed out that PLP seeks to become the alternative political party that will do all in its power to liberate the people from economic degradation, education paralysis, health immobility, and agriculture decadence through
inclusive participation of Liberians, irrespective of their County of the origin or social status.
The party’s core beliefs of diversity and inclusivity are based on the conviction that collectivism is the progressive path to move the Liberian nation forward and that the party’s political ideology and/ or manifesto is built on six tenets which include Agriculture, Education, Health and Wellbeing, Employment, and Infrastructure
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Developments, with emphasis on improving Healthcare, Roads, Electricity, Water and Sewer and Human Resource Development.
These tenets, he maintains, are the critical elements in dignifying the lives of the Liberian people. For the country’s development, “To these, we pledge our total commitment,” he stated. He said the PLP is ready to reach out to all Liberians irrespective of their social-political or tribal affiliation to move Liberia forward.
At the historic occasion, the PLP vision-bearer officially inducted the Interim Leadership of the Party.
Those inducted include Mr. Wilmot Paye, National Chairperson, Mr. Tapple E. Doe, vice Chairperson for Administration and Finance, Mr. Alphonso Banda, Vice Chairperson for operations, and Mr. David W. Beyan, Deputy Secretary.
Others are Israel Maryoe, Vice Chairperson for Recruitment and Mobilization; Stephen Vorkpor, Assistant Secretary for Press and Media Relations.
Carlos Tingba Edison, Acting Chairperson of the Youth Assembly, and Christiana Christopher, Vice-Chairperson for the Women Assembly.
Speaking after his induction, PLP Interim National Chairman, Mr. Wilmot Paye, told the surging crowds of enthusiastic PLP officials and supporters that the party will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the well-being of Liberians in its effort to gain state power.
Paye, a respected and tough-talking Liberian politician who is also a former University student leader, made it clear that PLP is fully prepared and ready for political business in Liberia.
Mr. Paye, who is also former Chairman of the erstwhile ruling Unity Party (UP), emphasized amidst tumultuous political battle cries by supporters that PLP will take the Liberian nation by storm and send shockwaves through the spines of the country’s political establishments.
According to the seasoned politician, “PLP is here to reassure Liberians, especially the disadvantaged people, that by God’s special grace, the politics of hypocrisy is about to change and that Liberia has no option except to embrace this new direction.” “After many years as one of the strongest, credible, and most dependable voices of reason,
I separated myself from the Unity Party on Saturday 20, February 2021. As you know, I took this ultimate decision not because it had been
my desire, intention, interest, or wish to leave one political party for another. Still, from all indications, Liberians and the world now know that the noble dreams, vision, ideals, principles, core values, and philosophy conceived by Jackson Fiah Doe Sr., Edward Binyah Kesselly, and William Gabriel Kpolleh nearly forty years ago have been hijacked by greed,” Paye said.
“Yes, the time is now because for too long Liberian political parties along with their founders and leaders have professed to be what they are not. We have assembled here today to reverse this trend,” he stressed.
“Shortly, we will celebrate the rebirth of our nation. The long period of doom and gloom is
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only temporary,” Mr. Paye added.
According to PLP Chairman, unlike some political parties that adopt names and mottos, which their founders and leaders do not honestly believe in, the PLP will be different in conduct, attitude, behavior, actions, operations, decisions, and character.
“Under our chairmanship and with guidance from our Political Leader, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, the PLP will represent its name, motto, vision, philosophy, founding principles, and our core values of Patriotism, Integrity, Accountability, and Transparency. The PLP cannot compromise these values,” Chairman Paye assured.
At the well-attended dedication and induction program, which was also graced by members of the diplomatic community, representative of political parties, and pro-democracy activists and institutions; among others, Mr. Paye said Liberians at home and abroad are yearning for a political party that will live up to the true meaning of its Vision, Philosophy, Founding Principles, and Core Values.
“The PLP is here to sanitize and purify Liberian politics, and the alternative to this is for Liberia to not continue on the path that only leads to poverty and misery,” he declared.
The PLP Chairman noted that politics had been misrepresented for too long. He is portrayed as a vehicle for promoting the selfish ambitions of corrupt individuals whose only motivation for entering politics is to exploit their nation.
“The PLP believes that Liberia cannot continue like this, especially in this 21st Century. This must change! I am not talking about a mere change of personnel,” he stressed.
Paye noted that the same traditional politicians that plunged Liberia into the current mess
it is experiencing could not lead any true transformation.
“Liberia needs a different breed of politicians. We cannot afford to disappoint them,” he stressed. The newly inducted Chairman paid gratitude to
the PLP family for the explicit confidence reposed in him to steer the party’s affairs.
“With faith in God who alone knows the future, I accept this honor and pledge total commitment, unflinching loyalty and allegiance to the ideals, vision, philosophy, founding principles and
core values of The People’s Liberation Party,” Paye declared amidst resounding applauds and revolutionary battle cries by party zealots and stalwart supporters.
Emphasizing “Liberation” as one branding word of the new Party, Mr. Paye went on to define the word in the following context in part “We must never allow members of the self-seeking political class to intercept yet another opportunity to restore hope to our people. THE TIME IS NOW! My dear fellow Liberians, the elections in 2023 must never be about replacing one failing Government with another led by corrupt elements from the past. The People’s Liberation
Party, as our name suggests, is here to emancipate Liberia from the politics of deception—of corruption, nepotism, sectionalism, and tribalism. Our party cannot and will not promote these vices. Patriotism, integrity, accountability, and transparency are virtues that are the minimum standards that those in leadership at national, County, district, chiefdom, township, town, village, and community levels must meet at all times and under all circumstances. We cannot compromise these values, he declared.
“To liberate Liberia requires fresh, new ideas, practical and predictable approaches to tackling the problems of Corruption, Nepotism, Sectionalism, and Tribalism. I know that you are tired of promises that do not match your current attitude, conduct, action, and character. The question is not whether one administration will end in 2023 with the election of another. Let the debate rather be about how different Liberia’s governance system will be after 2023. We must never settle for anything below this.
When we liberate Liberia from the conspiring
thieves that control and dominate our politics, we can change and qualify to become a viable alternative to the political bacteria and virus that continue to infect governance. When we stop
greed and greedy politicians, then we can generate enough revenue to support farmers, schools, hospitals, and clinics, connect our country with good road networks, attract investors, create
more jobs, insulate our courts and judges against political interference, strengthen our army and security agencies.
When we liberate Liberia, instead of being tiny light bulbs that shine on Capitol Hill and grow dimmer within our institutions, we can build political organizations that become floodlights across the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches. That is, when we liberate Liberia, citizens will trust their Government. Of course, public officials will account for their actions and inactions both during and after office. When we liberate Liberia, no Associate Justice or Judge will be unconstitutionally removed. No Associate
Justice or Judge will be actively involved in politics. Justice will be served to all without regard to status. When we liberate Liberia, then the raping of babies, young girls, and women will stop! Our schools will truly become learning centers equipped with all facilities, including playgrounds and feeding centers for children. When we
liberate Liberia, governance will improve. When governance improves, Liberia will become productive and competitive. Lawmakers will not become lawbreakers.
When we liberate Liberia, the current monetary uncertainties will vanish. The Central Bank of Liberia will cease from being a channel for looting donor and public funds. The commercial banks will be worthy of trust, and depositors will use our banking system without the fear of being robbed. When we liberate Liberia, Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of subordinate courts will dispense justice without fear or favor. Liberians will hope again, and their hope will have meaning.
Yes, when we liberate Liberia, political parties will cease from being vehicles through which the selfish agendas of thieves and their associates are promoted.
When we liberate Liberia, Liberian NGOs will no longer collude with elements within the Donor Community to exploit Liberians in the name
of providing services and making interventions that do not address the needs of our people. No funds intended for Liberia and channeled through national and international NGOs will be stolen.” PLP Chairman Paye paid glowing tribute to the “Exceptional humility” of the party’s founding chairperson, Tapple E. Doe. “It is uncommon in Liberia for anyone to painstakingly go through the exacting task of organizing a political party and have another ascend to its chairmanship,” he told the gathering.
About the Vision Bearer
Dr. Daniel E. Cassell is a devoted Christian happily married to Mrs. Bindu Coleman Cassell with six children born into their union. He graduated from the A.M.E. Zion High School on
Benson Street, Monrovia, in 1984, and during the break of the civil war, he was rescued by seafarers and taken to France through the Ivory Coast. He later went to the Netherlands, and after spending about five years in Europe, he traveled to the United States, where he has been for over 30 years now. In the United States, he worked hard towards his education and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology with a minor in Psychology from the Temple University in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Cassell also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from A.T. Still University in Missouri. He also holds a Master’s and Doctorate Degrees in
Clinical Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine from Northcentral University in Prescott, Arizona. Dr. Cassell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania and Licensed Clinical Drugs and Alcohol Counselor in New Jersey.
He has merited National and International Certificates scores as an Advanced Addictions Professional, Certified Co-occurring Disorder Professional, Certified Family Trauma Professional, and Certified Sex Offenders Treatment Specialist.
