Rep. Dennis Vows to Continue Empowering Communities Amidst Tough Reelection Battle

PAYNESVILLE: Representative Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis of Montserrado County Electoral District Four has affirmed her commitment to collaborating with development partners to support local communities. Addressing district residents over the weekend, she highlighted the pressing challenges faced by the district, particularly in terms of road connectivity, including bridges.

Dennis, who is running as the Unity Party’s candidate in the upcoming legislative and presidential elections, emphasized that the deteriorating road conditions in remote areas were adversely affecting local residents. She asserted that addressing these challenges was a pivotal means of improving the lives of ordinary citizens.

Counting her achievements during her tenure as the representative of Liberia’s most populous district, Dennis mentioned several community initiatives, including road construction and bridge-building projects. She underlined the transparency of these projects, with the names of sponsors clearly displayed, ensuring accountability.

“My greatest achievement is community initiatives because they are not in hidden and the community names are there and you can go verify, and the ones I did not do personally, the sponsor name is clearly written. Like the Omega Market and the Duport Road Market on my billboards because I advocated and reminded President Weah,” Rep. Dennis noted.

In response to claims made by opposition candidates in the district that she took credit for projects not initiated by her leadership, Dennis defended her record, asserting that her advocacy as the district’s lawmaker led to government funding for these projects. She cited the annex of the Omega Market as an example, where her advocacy prompted President Weah to allocate funds for its construction, subsequently leading to the development of other markets, including the Duport Road Market.

Regarding projects implemented by the national government, Dennis clarified that her advocacy was instrumental in their execution.

“District Four is seriously challenged, and our greatest challenge is the road and bridges, given the mix of rural and semi-urban areas. So, the challenges are numerous,” Rep. Dennis stated.

She inaugurated the Soul Clinic St. Samuel Bridge and the Omega Point Five Norvlen Town Bridge, with estimated costs of seventy-two thousand and eighteen thousand United States dollars, respectively. Additionally, she broke ground for the construction of a quick-impact bridge project in the Kpelleh Town community in Paynesville, set to commence soon to alleviate the area’s challenges.

Representative Dennis expressed frustration with certain government officials who, she claimed, failed to heed lawmakers’ requests for meaningful projects like roads, which would alleviate citizens’ hardships.

Dennis commended former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for allocating funds in the national budget based on the close relationship between citizens and lawmakers.

Alvin Kanneh, a former legislative aspirant in the district, voiced support for the reelection of Representative Dennis and Unity Party Standard Bearer Joseph Nyumah Boakai, believing it would bring more development to the district. He criticized past district leaders for their poor performance in the rebuilding process.

Meanwhile, residents of the benefiting communities expressed their gratitude for the projects, describing them as a dream come true. They pledged to maintain the bridges, highlighting that the construction had prevented loss of life due to drowning.

Representative Dennis, elected in 2017 amidst fierce competition, has been an advocate for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court and a vocal critic of the CDC government. In her populous district, she has promoted community empowerment through initiatives such as loan programs for small business owners, scholarship provision, and infrastructure development, including bridge and road construction.

However, her critics argue that she has not done enough for her constituents. She faces several contenders in the upcoming election, including her closest rival from 2017, Momo Kamara, and newcomer Lyee Bility of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).

By Emmanuel Toe