In a powerful and uncompromising address during the opening session of the Liberian Senate on October 14, 2025, Sinoe County Senator Crayton Oldman Duncan issued a bold call for accountability, squarely placing blame for Liberia’s persistent governance failures on the country’s political leadership.
Speaking with a tone of urgency and candor, Senator Duncan argued that Liberia’s greatest obstacle to progress is not foreign interference or lack of resources, but the actions—and inaction—of its own leaders.
“The Senate floor is not a ground to joke,” Duncan declared. “Our major problem is ourselves. We represent our people.”
Duncan criticized fellow lawmakers for allowing personal interests, political loyalties, and internal rivalries to overshadow their constitutional responsibilities. He described the Legislature as complacent and distracted, while pointing to the Executive Branch for consistently failing to enforce the laws passed by lawmakers.
“The Executive, when the laws are made, they do not enforce them,” he said. “And we, as lawmakers, are equally guilty for sitting quietly while the people suffer.”
His remarks painted a stark picture of Liberia’s governance landscape—where partisanship, corruption, and a lack of accountability have paralyzed national development. Duncan stressed that both the Legislature and Executive share equal blame for the public’s growing distrust in government institutions.
Turning his focus to issues in Sinoe County, the Senator condemned worsening economic conditions and the environmental degradation caused by illicit mining. He singled out certain Class B mining license holders for partnering illegally with foreign operators, whom he accused of exploiting local resources without benefiting the communities.
“These foreign miners come in through the back door, aided by our own people,” he lamented. “They take the gold and the wealth, but leave our land destroyed and our people jobless.”
Senator Duncan’s statement served as both a rebuke and a rallying cry, urging his colleagues to reflect on their duties and recommit to serving the Liberian people with integrity. In a powerful and uncompromising address during the opening session of the Liberian Senate on October 14, 2025, Sinoe County Senator Crayton Oldman Duncan issued a bold call for accountability, squarely placing blame for Liberia’s persistent governance failures on the country’s political leadership.
Speaking with a tone of urgency and candor, Senator Duncan argued that Liberia’s greatest obstacle to progress is not foreign interference or lack of resources, but the actions—and inaction—of its own leaders.
“The Senate floor is not a ground to joke,” Duncan declared. “Our major problem is ourselves. We represent our people.”
Duncan criticized fellow lawmakers for allowing personal interests, political loyalties, and internal rivalries to overshadow their constitutional responsibilities. He described the Legislature as complacent and distracted, while pointing to the Executive Branch for consistently failing to enforce the laws passed by lawmakers.
“The Executive, when the laws are made, they do not enforce them,” he said. “And we, as lawmakers, are equally guilty for sitting quietly while the people suffer.”
His remarks painted a stark picture of Liberia’s governance landscape—where partisanship, corruption, and a lack of accountability have paralyzed national development. Duncan stressed that both the Legislature and Executive share equal blame for the public’s growing distrust in government institutions.
Turning his focus to issues in Sinoe County, the Senator condemned worsening economic conditions and the environmental degradation caused by illicit mining. He singled out certain Class B mining license holders for partnering illegally with foreign operators, whom he accused of exploiting local resources without benefiting the communities.
“These foreign miners come in through the back door, aided by our own people,” he lamented. “They take the gold and the wealth, but leave our land destroyed and our people jobless.”
Senator Duncan’s statement served as both a rebuke and a rallying cry, urging his colleagues to reflect on their duties and recommit to serving the Liberian people with integrity. In a powerful and uncompromising address during the opening session of the Liberian Senate on October 14, 2025, Sinoe County Senator Crayton Oldman Duncan issued a bold call for accountability, squarely placing blame for Liberia’s persistent governance failures on the country’s political leadership.
Speaking with a tone of urgency and candor, Senator Duncan argued that Liberia’s greatest obstacle to progress is not foreign interference or lack of resources, but the actions—and inaction—of its own leaders.
“The Senate floor is not a ground to joke,” Duncan declared. “Our major problem is ourselves. We represent our people.”
Duncan criticized fellow lawmakers for allowing personal interests, political loyalties, and internal rivalries to overshadow their constitutional responsibilities. He described the Legislature as complacent and distracted, while pointing to the Executive Branch for consistently failing to enforce the laws passed by lawmakers.
“The Executive, when the laws are made, they do not enforce them,” he said. “And we, as lawmakers, are equally guilty for sitting quietly while the people suffer.”
His remarks painted a stark picture of Liberia’s governance landscape—where partisanship, corruption, and a lack of accountability have paralyzed national development. Duncan stressed that both the Legislature and Executive share equal blame for the public’s growing distrust in government institutions.
Turning his focus to issues in Sinoe County, the Senator condemned worsening economic conditions and the environmental degradation caused by illicit mining. He singled out certain Class B mining license holders for partnering illegally with foreign operators, whom he accused of exploiting local resources without benefiting the communities.
“These foreign miners come in through the back door, aided by our own people,” he lamented. “They take the gold and the wealth, but leave our land destroyed and our people jobless.”
Senator Duncan’s statement served as both a rebuke and a rallying cry, urging his colleagues to reflect on their duties and recommit to serving the Liberian people with integrity.
