DEFINING MOMENTS IN ULAA ELECTION DEBATES IN THE TWIN CITIES

By Ben T. Browne

Imagine yourself sitting on the Board of a struggling bank that is in the process of filing for bankruptcy. You are charged with the responsibility to find a new president who is expected to rescue the bank from total collapse. You are presented with two candidates for the position, one is said to be an experienced banker who has worked with many past leaders of the bank, some of whom contributed to the bank’s present situation. The other candidate, though not as experienced in serving past leaders like his opponent, is said to be talented in the systematic and hands-on approach to solving problems like the one presently at the bank.

On September 9th, two candidates contesting for the position of president of the Union of Liberian Association in the Americas (ULAA), Mr. Emmanuel S. Wettee and Emmanuel Toe met in the city of ten thousand Lakes to officially debate for the first time on issues. The candidates were present with some of their principal deputies and supporters. Though the debate started late mainly due to the late arrival of the sponsor, Old Timer Sports Association of Minnesota and one of the presidential candidates, Mr. Emmanuel Wettee, the general atmosphere of the program was cordial and respectful.                                                      

                                     

                                                   WETTI'S TEAM SNAPSHOT

However, one of the highlights of the entire program was the lateness and absence of key candidates.  On the Wettee-Selli team, Mr. Wettee and his secretary, Mr. Isaac Zawolo came in about two hours late. Though Mr. Wettee blamed his lateness on the cancellation of his flight to Minnesota, his Vice Presidential Candidate, Mrs. Georgia Mason-Selli did not attend the debate, something Mr. Wettee blamed on family emergency. On the other hand, while the Toe-Norris team Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates were present and on time, the candidate for Regional Vice President for Northern Region, Mr. Emmanuel T. Davis came in late and was denied his allocated speaking time by the moderator, Mr. Al-Jerome Chede. After a verbal protest from an audience member; Mr. Chede, in consultation with other panelist reconsidered the decision and allotted four minutes towards the end of the program to allow Mr. Davis speak. Mr. Davis later blamed his lateness on a family emergency, asking, “If I cannot serve my family how can I serve ULAA?”

In a related development, the General Secretaries pledged their willingness to work to support their respective candidates for the good of ULAA and the Liberian people. For his part, Mr. Adolphus B. Jacobs said though as secretary he is expected to follow and implement the platform/agenda of his camp, he hopes to work hard to establish and maintain a functional ULAA press. “We cannot just wait for a month to election to have a news or press department that will send out flyers and articles,” he said. Mr. Jacobs also hopes to create a national database for professional Liberians in the Diaspora who are associated with ULAA so that their expertise can be used when needed. He said he also intend to decentralize ULAA and create a Liberian National Day in America. Mr. Zawolo, for his part promised to work hard when elected to change the popular mind set in the Liberian Communities that individuals only use the Union as a spring board to secure governmental positions in Liberia. Adding, “When I joined the Union we inherited the situation of people using the Union to find jobs in the Liberian government, that we will change.”  Mr. Zawolo also used the occasion to praise himself for solving problems in various Liberian communities, skills he said his opponent lacks. “The only conflict my opponent ever tried to resolve ended up in court,” he said.

Meanwhile, since Mrs. Selli could not be present for the debate the moderator give the opportunity to Mrs. Danlette Norris to speak without challenge. Soft spoken and relaxed, she opened her statement by speaking to the audience in various Liberian dialects. She also quoted a famous African writer, who said, “The resiliency is not tested of an individual until he engages a person.”  She said she hopes to engage the Liberian communities on how ULAA can be transformed. “I come today to say with a collective pronoun ‘we’ have come to engage you on how we can transform ULAA from its present state to an organization that will be viable to all Liberians,” she said. She also called on the audience to closely look at the track record of all the contestants and vote for a better ULAA that will represent all Liberians based on issues that are affecting Liberians in the Diaspora.

                          

                                               TOE AND NORRIS TEAM SNAPSHOT

Then came the moment that many in the audience were waiting for, when Mr. Toe and Wettee took to the podiums to say why the delegates should vote for their teams. With Toe's calm and mature but no smile demeanor and Wettee’s UL Palaver Hut style approach, the two candidates answered questions from the audience, panelists, and one another. At one point Mr. Wettee was told by the moderator to remain behind his podium and stop pacing up and down in an apparent mood to mobilize his supporters in the audience, something that is very popular on the campus of the University of Liberia (UL) during political debates.

On the burning issue of Liberian Immigration status (TPS) raised by Mr. Kulah Parker, a resident of Minnesota, the two candidates could not really provide a quick fix solution to the problem. For his part, Mr. Toe said he hopes to change the course by adopting the Rhode Island model that has helped introduce a bill in the U.S. congress. “If we can get the twenty states with ULAA chapters to adopt the RI model, and have their senators sign on, that will be a total of 40 senators.  With the help of other senators the TPS issue will be over, the bill will pass.” On the other hand, Mr. Wettee hopes to re-enforce the present approach by consulting with leading senators to help. “When I am president, we will continue to engage senators and demonstrate and hopefully we will wake up one day and the TPS issue will be history. The picture in my hand shows me in consultation with other leaders in Congress discussing TPS issue,” he said.

On the issue of what the candidates hope to do in working with local chapters in alleviating the social issues that youth are faced with daily in the society raised by Mrs. Minerva Grant-Settro of Wisconsin, the candidates provided hopeful dialog but again not a quick fix solution. Mr. Toe said he hopes to work with local communities in identifying the problems and possible solution. “I am blessed to have as Vice President, Mrs. Norris who is very experienced in working with social issues on community levels, we will engage other people in finding the solution to our young peoples problems,” he added. For his part, Mr. Wettee lengthily discussed his achievement in helping young people in a College where he is an adjunct professor. He also used the time to point out his influence in getting the conjoined twins from Liberia to Ohio for surgery.

On the question of Using ULAA as a springboard for jobs in Liberian government raised by Al-Jerome Chede, both candidates said their aim now is to focus on ULAA and the Liberian communities in the Diaspora. Mr. Toe said as an entrepreneur, his hope is that at the end of his term in ULAA he can start to contribute to the rebuilding of Liberia by providing jobs not taking one. Mr. Wettee, with his hand raised in the air in a swearing position said he does not intend to take any job from the Liberian government.

On the question of what the candidates hope to achieve in the first six months of presidency raised by Momolu Sirleaf, Mr. Toe said he hopes to host an inauguration program that will help raise needed funds for the organization. “I will invite Oprah Winfrey, a Kpelle woman and other permanent Liberians to the occasion to help create awareness,” he said. He also said he hopes to work with various chapters leaders to identify vital issues in the community that help will Liberian in the United States. On the other hand, Mr. Wettee said he hopes to identify professional Liberians such as Doctors, Teachers and Engineers to go to Liberia to provide a month of free voluntary services.

At the end of the debates, both candidates were seen shaking hands. While most people who attended the debate thinks that Mr. Toe's demeanor, consistent and systematic answers to the various questions raised, put him in a comfortable lead, they also contend that Mr. Wettee’s Popularity based on his long services to ULAA may win him the position. However, it is really difficult at this point to say definitively which candidate will win on September 23 in Philly.