Amid Reported Shortage Of Country’s ‘Staple Food’, Journalist Jonathan Paye-Layleh Writes President Weah

As issue the of the reported shortage of the country’s staple food, RICE, continues to spread like wildfire in Liberia, a Liberian journalist, and current Liberia Correspondent of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) African Service, Jonathan Paye-Layleh has written the Liberian presidency outlining certain burning issues.

Below is the full text of Journalist Paye-Layleh’s letter to the Liberian leader, President George Manneh Weah:

Dear Mr. President

Good morning, Your Excellency. Instead of you scapegoating the media as presidents have always done in Liberia during crises,  your government should be sincere and explain to the public why there can be millions of tons of  rice in warehouses at the Port of Monrovia but not necessarily available to the consumers.

You are aware, Mr. President, that there are laid-down conditions between the importers and the rice sellers in Asia for the release of rice from the Monrovia Port to the distributors and retailers. Importers don’t just release rice to the market. They must meet those conditions before they release rice to us.

So just showing warehouses filled with rice does not mean the commodity is actually available, sir. No, it is not. Rice is still very scarce and expensive because of those conditions. So please find out why the constraints. This, again, is a free, patriotic and brotherly advice. Thank you.