Ahead of the much-publicized Lofa County special senatorial election, and the 2023 presidential and legislative elections, former Mayor of the City of Paynesville, Montserrado County, Madam Cyvette M. Gibson has cautioned youth across the Country to seek dialogue over violence in order to prevent Liberia from retrogressing to its ugly past of bitterness.
Madam Gibson spoke in an interview recently following the climax of a national stakeholders meeting held in the Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the auspices of the flagship program of ” The Women Situation Room (WSR), initiated by the Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC), aimed at seeking sustainable peace in Liberia.
The initiative was undertaken by the “sustainable and inclusive peace in Liberia through promoting women; leadership and participation in civic and political life and their strengthened role in conflict resolution’’ in partnership with ZOA-Liberia and with funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding funds, hosted at the Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia.
According to the defeated Montserrado District #9 independent representative candidate, the youths are responsible to uphold the peace beginning with their respective communities and various political parties, disclosing that the youth make up over 60% of the population therefore, they should stand their ground but in a non-violence manner.
“We are relying on the youth to build the nation because we have set the foundation for them to follow, that can only happen when they maintain the peace. The youth now have the stage and platform for them to lay the foundation for their children and not us again because we are leaving” she stated.
Speaking further, the Paynesville Former Mayor pointed out that any attempt for the youth to choose violence, they can rest assured of taking the Country backward, mentioning that dialogue is the only path to keep the peace and rue young generation must embrace peace instead of violence.
“I urge them to dialogue and learn to express themselves peacefully. Have a clear understanding as to what they want and how they want it. However, violence should not be the way to go about doing it. I am having a consultation and we are taking this message of peace to our youth in the communities and political parties to know their right and how to go about it. We have to maintain the peace even before and after elections.”
Madam Cyvette at the same time called on the youth to vote for what is in the interest of the nation and not what is in their personal interest, adding that they should not vote along the sympathy line but what will see Liberia in the right direction for the upliftment of everyone.
Cyvette M. Gibson is the tenth Mayor of Paynesville, Liberia. Mayor Gibson has been a community advocate for many years, working over the past 17 years in women’s empowerment, legal, and city administration in Liberia and the United States. She was appointed as acting Mayor on November 14, 2012; the youngest mayor in the country. Madam Gibson has focused her administration on improving and empowering communities in Paynesville by providing infrastructure, education, access to employment and entrepreneurship, and basic services such as water, energy, sanitation, housing, health, and safety.
Reported by: Stephen G. fellajuah
WhatsApp: +231777015294
Email: fellajuahstepheng@gmail.com
