Staffers Allegedly Loot Town Hall
Power is very sweet because it makes a person proud and respectful in the society, but when it is slipping from one’s hand he or she is desperate for maintenance; writes Ojuku Silver-tongue Kangar, Jr.
On April 15, 2022 Representative CeeBee Barshell ordered the district’s leadership to make a resolution for development and convey a mass meeting. The meeting brought together the leaderships of the 11 communities and 52 blocks of the district, according to Patrick T. Gayflor, Chairperson of the District Development Council (DDC).
With the presence of the press, Representative Barshell’s Office staffers, Bobby Dolo and others presented the money to the district’s leadership and said it was intended for development purpose.
“After the press left, Honorable Barshell sent Bobby Dolo and Ben David for the money and we said, ‘No,’” Gayflor said. “He himself came back later and said, ‘It is my money, give it back to me. That was a political statement I made to the press.’”
But the leadership told him that the only way they could return the US$10,000 was for the Representative to call the press back since the money was given in their presence, but he did not and the leadership proceeded with the development projects, displaying receipts of materials bought. They undertook a market hall construction project along with the installation of culverts, bridges, and so on.
From that time onward, the leadership and the Representative and his entourage have not been in a good relationship as compared to before he gave the money and later requested for it.
The leadership accused Representative Barshell of using his Campaign Youth Chairman, Varney Roberts, whom he introduced to them officially before, for always protesting and disturbing their peaceful gathering at the District Town Hall.
“Last week, the security called me and said that Varney Roberts brought a group of ghetto boys, who asked them out, took valuable items from the building, changed all the locks, used their own locks to lock all the doors and left,” Gayflor said, as he, elders and the youth president stood beside the locked doors and addressed the press in the rain.
At present, Representative-Candidate Barshell has sued the leadership for the US$10,000 he gave the district leadership for development and still requesting for it.
“While the case is in court, Mr. Barshell sent his Youth Chairman, who brought ghetto boys and took away our property and locked the doors, which has denied us entrance to the offices,” the District Youth Chairman, Hamilton Toby, said. “If you stepped on the toe of a hungry lion you must stand tough. Whether Honorable Barshell wins or not, the youths will sue him to give account for all the funds he received on behalf of the district.”
The Youth Chairman accused the representative of the misappropriation of China Union’s US$20,000 for social corporate purpose for the district, and other funds.
On Wednesday, the first hearing of the case between the representative and the district’s leadership will proceed at the court.
“Representative Barshell knows he is smelling defeat, and the citizens do not want his reelection. He is doing that, but we have resolved to vote him out,” Youth Chairman Toby said.
However, the district’s leadership is calling on President George M. Weah, Paynesville City Mayor, the Liberia National Police, Council of Churches, Muslim Council, civil society, and so on, to intervene on their behalf so that they can have access to the town hall.
When contacted, Representative Barshell’s Chief of Office Staff said they were not prepared to speak to that matter.