The harsh realities caused by Catherine Rodriguez’s action leading to the alleged arbitrary dismissal of fifteen (15) Liberians who worked for the US Embassy accredited near Monrovia continue to inflict more harm, with lives at the mercy of God.
Rodriguez, former Charge’ d’Affaires at the US Embassy following the departure of Ambassador Michael McCarthy has left the country but with an accomplished mission of enlisting the former workers to possible “death” each, as they are yet to be accorded justice, including receipt of their severance benefits as well as being allowed to work elsewhere.
Verity News Liberia has in its possession dossiers of evidence as well direct interaction with some of the victims whose lives are becoming poorer and wretched than imagined, with survival a scarce actualization in foresight.
“One of our colleagues who has driven more than a million miles while working with the Embassy is near death. After losing his job, in less than three weeks, he had a tragic motor accident and burst his whole left eye. The trauma associated with this particular case is grave,” one of the affected staff told verity in an interview yesterday.
The victim who lost his eye (named withheld) is said to be struggling to feed his family and lacks good medical care as he can no longer afford to pay bills.
It can be recalled that on the 5th of December 2023, Mac Davis, employed then with the US Embassy, allegedly shared a pornographic video on a Facebook Messenger chat room. Facebook, considering its community rules, suspended Davis’s account from function for a specified time, but, going further, the social media platform authorities complained the accused to the US Embassy near Monrovia following a discovery that he worked for the Embassy.
Davis and 14 others were summoned to an investigation, with the Liberia National Police (LNP) Crime Services Division (CSD) fully involved in investigating probabilities of wrongdoing for which the accused should have been held liable but, LNP, having concluded its finding, released thirteen of the fifteen accused due to lack of evidence connecting them to any crime.
Sadly for the thirteen individuals, as well as the other two undergoing further investigation, the Embassy terminated their employment contracts with no indication of reasons responsible for any proven wrongdoing.
“The HR warned Rodriquez that they did not have any ground to terminate our employment but she refused to listen. Every five years there is a security review on character and the Ambassador signs on all these things following formal submission of reports to him or her. So Catherine used it to revoke the security certifications of all of us, even though we did nothing wrong,” a crying victim disclosed.
According to the aggrieved, the handbook, through which every staff is granted rights and privileges, as well as punished on accounts of proven wrongdoings, contains that actions taken against employees who are citizens of the country hosting the US Mission should be based on local laws., not American laws.
“There should be an exit conference to explain to you why you are being fired. We were not accorded any due process,” they told Verity News.
Catherine Rodriguez became notorious for disrespecting Liberian functions. She hit at the pinnacle when she walked out as the the 177th National Independence Day Orator, Dr. Robtel Nejai Pailey mentioned with vigor and determination America’s out-sized influence in Liberia’s transitional justice system, noting that America does not care about the country except to get more of what is beneficial to it.
Rodriguez did not apologize for her action and, to make more mockery of the occasion and Liberia as a sovereign state, issued a press statement noting that the orator was divisive and as such, it was her choice to continue gracing the occasion or walk out.
Many conscientious Liberians who have understood the many troubling impacts of Liberia-America friendship criticized the US diplomat, with some disclosing that her action was disrespectful and had it been a Liberian diplomat in the US exhibiting same posture, he or she could have been issued a persona non grata status (a person who is no longer favored or welcome.)
The aggrieved-dismissed US Embassy staff, a number of whom have worked with the Mission for over a decade, said they lack the means to send their children to school and troubling them more severely is the Embassy’s alleged involvement in preventing possible employers from other institutions, companies and organizations from employing them.
“A high ranking diplomat at the Embassy who is a lawyer reviewed the details of our case and said we were wrongly dismissed and that that should not have happened.”
One of those affected went on asking a thought-provoking question about Liberia-America’s friendship when Liberia’s interest is worth almost nothing.
“Where is this so-called long-standing traditional friendship when Americans think we are worth nothing to them?
We have been out of job since December 8 last year and we are also not allowed to work elsewhere as they continue to deny us reference notations. We did not go to school to exclusively work for them. They do not want us now, even though we did nothing wrong and crimes are not transferable. Before the Police even started the case they terminated our employment. So why did you even bring in the Police? Why shouldn’t we be allowed to work in our own country. This is sad and we seek justice.”
Precedence Case:
In 2010, Verity has in its possession details disclosing that a lady named Thelmon Nyanwah accused Beatrice Brown and Lawrence Blama, both workmates to her then, of allegedly stealing a sum of money from her purse, something that sparked up a call for investigation.
The Regional Security Officer (RSO) then initiated an investigation which ended up with the Police who did not find the accused guilty of any wrongdoing. Beatrice and Lawrence, both now residing in the US were on administrative leave but returned to the Embassy and resumed work when their names were cleared of wrongdoing.
Thelmon who back then accused her colleagues of stealing her money but were not found guilty still works at the Embassy and enjoys all rights and privileges as enshrined in the staff handbook.
Sadly, the same Embassy is said to be denying 13 others the same opportunity continue work and receive all the benefits due them.
Ambassador Mark Toner in Charge
Mark Toner, a former Peace Corp Volunteer in Liberia has returned to the country as America’s Ambassador. Toner, a man with a middle style of diplomacy, something different from Michael McCarthy who was deeply involved with Liberia’s governance issues, chastising on radios and in newspapers corrupt officials of former President George Weah.
According to a reliable source from the corridor of the Embassy, Toner has made request of the full report on the matter involving the dismissed officials.
When contacted, the public affairs department of the Embassy said it does not respond to telephone calls making inquiries on issues involving the Mission.
What’s Government’s intervention?
While no domestic court has jurisdiction over any diplomatic mission, the Foreign Ministry is obliged to intervene; ensuring a thorough research into complaints involving citizens of the country and the foreign missions they serve.
Verity has established from investigation that the Foreign Ministry has been written through the legal representation of the dismissed staff but a redress is yet to come.
“We wrote the Ministry and our lawyers have been engaging but not response has been realized yet. We hope and pray that upon the return of the Minister, Sarah Beslow Nyanti, we will hear from the government. We are suffering and slowly dying,” one of the heartbroken dismissed personnel told Verity.
They have also disclosed that Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, Senator of Monsterrado County and chairman of the the Committee on Foreign Affairs has received a communication acquainting his office of the unfolding. “We hope the Legislature will do something about it, too.”
