The Political Leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, has cautioned the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government of President George Manneh Weah against the infringement of his Constitutional rights due to the different political view he holds against the Liberian Chief Executive.
Dr. Cassell alleged that his decision to hold a different political view from President George M. Weah and his followers is being used by the government to intimidate him and his political party. He said his opposing political view should be no basis for infringing on his fundamental Constitutional rights.
He made the comments at a thanksgiving service held at the historic Benson Street mosque on Friday, October 29, 2021.
Dr. Cassell observed that, instead of addressing the mountainous challenges confronting the nation and its people, the Weah government is busying itself with being repressive and denying him the right to bring into the country his helicopter.
He stated that despite the horrible, appalling, disgusting and shameful state of governance in Liberia, the Weah government has chosen to go after him and his political institution, as evidenced by its resistance to grant his helicopter landing rights in the country.
He maintained that, in addition to corruption being institutionalized and seen as a norm in the governing system of the country, government continues to be repressive on a regular basis.
“In the pinch and despair of all of these, the Weah government has begun to unravel its repressive tendency, with me being the latest victim—with specific reference to my helicopter that has been unlawfully denied a landing permit into Liberia.
“It beats my imagination that a government will deny a citizen the right to bring into his country an aircraft that has met all requirements in keeping with aviation standards, laws, and regulations. Is it because Dr. Daniel E. Cassell opposes George Weah politically and fundamentally,” Dr. Cassell wondered.
Dr. Cassell pointed out that the high level of intolerance being exhibited by the Weah administration should not be accepted by the Muslim and Christian communities.
“This is sheer intolerance and a tendency of dictatorship that must be resisted by all, including the mosque and church of Liberia. What this government is doing to me and others is just how dictatorship crept into and saddled Liberia, and we all know what happened to Liberia in 1989. We all know the consequences of repressing and subjugating others. Such abrasive and hawkish posture on the part of this government must not be permitted,” the PLP Political Leader added.
The PLP and the government, through the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), have been caught in rigmarole, making claims and counter claims over a Bell 430 Helicopter belonging to Dr. Cassell.
The PLP claims that its Political Leader and Vision Bearer, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, through his company, Kwenyan and Associates, met all legal requirements and was given a permit by the LCAA for the helicopter to land in the country, but the permit was surreptitiously revoked for unknown reasons barely a day after it attempted landing in the country.
The party took the matter to the Supreme Court of Liberia, claiming that the Constitutional rights of its Political Leader are being violated. The PLP made specific reference to Articles 11, 17 and 22 of the 1986 Liberian constitution.
But the government has since denied the claim, citing that the issuance of a permit for an over flight and landing right of the helicopter is being reviewed.
“LCAA notes that at no time did Kwenyan & Associates Group of Company request for landing permit to the LCAA, for which they filed a writ of prohibition. The group’s application for an Air Service License is still being reviewed by the LCAA, in keeping with the Liberia Civil Aviation and relevant international regulations, and is pending the fulfillment of all the requirements,” a release issued by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) stated.
However, Dr. Cassell indicated that, despite the numerous challenges and absurd harassment against him and his political party from the government, the PLP remains a “political force for good”.
“We are here to stay and work with the masses of our people in the search for a new Liberia that gives genuine hope to all its people, not a few of its people—a new Liberia that puts socioeconomic dignity on the lives of our people, a new Liberia where good governance is the order of governance and stealing of public resources is no longer permitted in government, a new Liberia that promotes religious tolerance, diversity and protects minorities, a new Liberia where the Church and the Mosque will once again be the moral conscience of the nation,” Dr. Cassell observed.
He added that the PLP envisages a Liberia that chooses faith over fear, peace and tranquility over disunity, malice and instability, and chooses love over hate and optimism over pessimism.
Dr. Cassell, however, commended the Head Imam and officiating cleric of the Benson Street mosque for the holding of the Thanksgiving Service in his honor.
He used the occasion to call on Liberians, despite the lingering difficulties and devastating times painfully dogging and plaguing the nation, to always seek the face and direction of Allah, the Most High.