In and Out of Monrovia

The first time I visited central Monrovia (where the Ministry of Finance is located), I was struck by the sheer number of people milling around in the streets. The piles of candy on hawkers’ trolleys, the women in patterned, traditional African clothing, and the numerous yellow cabs crawling alongside the pedestrians added splashes of colour to the chaotic scene. Incessant honking, loud pop music from stalls selling cassette tapes and the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives completed the atmosphere. There were visible signs of poverty everywhere – unemployed youths sitting on street corners, elderly women watching passer-bys with tired eyes, dilapidated buildings lining the streets, reflecting the years of war and neglect this country has been through.

A weekend trip to Robertsport (or Robert’s Port), a town in western Liberia in Grand Cape Mount County, showed me a completely different side of Liberia. Just 10 miles from the Sierra Leone border, the town has a population of just 1,500, where most people make their living from fishing. Stretches of empty beach dotted with lone fishing canoes provided picture-perfect scenery, and the luxurious waves there have drawn in adventurous surfers from near and far. Fishermen sporadically ran up the beach, showing us their catch of the day. After the intensity of Monrovia, Robertsport provided the silence and space for me to consolidate my thoughts on the Liberian experience thus far, and gave me the opportunity to take in the natural beauty the country offered.

During our stay, we paid a brief visit to the Superintendent of Cape Mount County, who is based in Robertsport. A Superintendent is an appointed official who acts as the governor of a county, and in the case of Cape Mount, the Superintendent is a kind-looking, well-educated Liberian lady, who welcomed us into her home and talked to us about her hopes and worries. Her utmost concerns are for the future of youths in Cape Mount and for their lack of opportunity to interact with and learn from the outside world. The conversation with the Superintendent transported my mind from the idyllic scenery of Robertsport back to the unemployed youths roaming the streets of Monrovia. Robertsport might have provided the perfect escape from the crowds and noise of Monrovia, but it certainly has not escaped the socio-economic problems that the rest of the country is grappling with.