The chairman of the ruling Unity Party (UP), Cllr. Varney G. Sherman, has urged Liberians not to change the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the upcoming 2011 General and Presidential Elections.

Cllr. Sherman warned that changing the government may have the propensity to stall the enormous gains the UP-led government has achieved over the last five years.

Cllr. Sherman made the call in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County on Monday, July 26, 2010, when he served as an orator of a separate Independence Day celebration program organized for Grand Bassa citizens at the Buchanan Fairground.

Grand Bassa Superintendent, Julia Duncan-Cassel and other Grand Bassa citizens organized the program to foster unity among the people of the county as they celebrated Liberia’s 163rd Independence Day which was officially held in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.

Bassa citizens in government including National Port Authority (NPA) managing director, Matilda Parker, Deputy Defense Minister, Othello Warrick, Senator Nathaniel Innis, amongst many others, joined hundreds of citizens at the Fairground in Buchanan City where the program was organized. The orator urged his audience to join other Liberians to consolidate the gains the Johnson Sirleaf-led administration has made by embracing continuity of this government.

In his Independence Day Message, Cllr. Sherman called on the people of Grand Bassa to celebrate the progress their government has attained. He stressed that it was not time to change government just for change. “Celebrate the gains you have made and be a proud Liberian like myself,” he said.

The respected corporate lawyer reminded the people of Grand Bassa to remember their recent past where they suffered the wrath of the civil war because they always wanted to change their government.

He wondered what it would be to every Liberian were they to set a new course of action that would turn the country backward and ruin everything that they have gained over the last five years.

The Counselor told advocates for change of government to look at the tremendous transformation that is taking place in the country and weigh whether they should give the government more time to continue these gains.

Sherman challenged Liberians to compare developments that have been recorded in any five years of the last 30 years of their country’s history to the last five years of Madam Sirleaf’s presidency.

“Admit to yourself that why things could be more better if this government had the resources, this country has experienced tremendous transformation during these last five years of this government as compared to any other period of this country over the last 30 years. We are proud to be a part of this transformation. This government is successfully restoring our country and making it even better than what was when it was founded,” he noted.

He emphasized that there was no need to replace the Chief Executive Officer that is using her international influence to attract resources to rebuild the roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, clinics and increasing the salaries and benefits of civil servants, doctors, teachers and nurses.

Cllr. Sherman added “This is just the beginning of a long course of turning our country around and taking it into a new course of human development and technological advancement.

“For sustaining the growth and development of our country, we have to consolidate these gains we have made. Yes, we must consolidate these gains that we have made as our objectives, fortitudes and creed and for political stability and economic development of our country and people.”

Grand Bassa County Superintendent Julia Duncan-Cassel, in her intervention, admonished Bassa citizens to unite, rally their support to the Sirleaf government. She said it was time for the people of Grand Bassa County to embrace the changes that were taking place in their county and the country in general.

For his part, Grand Bassa County junior Senator Nathaniel Innis of the opposition Liberty Party (LP) described Cllr. Sherman as a good man. According to Senator Innis, Cllr. Sherman has distinguished himself as an astute lawyer and a humanitarian, noting “This man taught me at the Law School and he also saved me from trouble.”

Our business correspondent who covered the Buchanan celebration described the city as lively.

He spoke about the added economic advantage the visit of Cllr. Sherman and team brought to Buchanan and reported that businesses were booming in Buchanan City up to Monday, July 26, 2010.

“The special guests from Monrovia including NPA Managing director distributed gifts including toys, money and clothing to family members and friends.

Food and drinks were sufficient at the Superintendent’s compound where people went to share fun and enjoy themselves,” our business reporter noted.
He said the exchange rate between the Liberian dollar and the United States dollar was stable at L$70 for US$1.