Liberia Comes to Baltimore
Fri., Jun. 29, 2007 /Baltimore news
still frame from video by Michael Berry
By Babatunde Salaam and Ariel Simspon
At a City Hall press conference June 26, Mayor Sheila Dixon held a meet and greet with Esther Coaline–Warbey, the mayor of Baltimore’s first sister city, Gbarnga, Liberia.
In the Ceremonial Room, illuminated with flashing cameras, the two mayors discussed the similarities of their two cities and their respective struggles.
Mayor Dixon praised the Liberian mayor for visiting Baltimore and talked about potential business affairs. Mayor Dixon believes that the cities need better connections mentioning “we need tighter communties…and strengthening the relationship between the two” and that potentially Baltimore citizens could visit Gbarnga.
The Gbarnga mayor was made an honorary citizen and given a key to the city at which point Dixon quipped, “You’ll never have to pay taxes.” Mayor Coaline-Warbey later spoke in a serious tone of the damage Gbaranga took durring the 1999 civil war which resulted in the deaths of 250,000 Liberians.
When Dixon and Coaline-Warbey exchanged gifts, Coaline-Warbey put an ensemble of traditional Liberian attire on Dixon. As Coaline-Warbey attempted to place a head wrap on Dixon, she stiffened saying, “I should have done the hair thing before I went to the hairdresser.”
After the press conference, our crew caught up with Mayor Coaline-Warbey to ask her a few questions.
She explained how women came to positions of power through democratic elections in Liberia—such as current president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the first female elected head of state in Africa—because so many men were killed in the war that the population is now about 65% women to 35% men. "From 1847 to 2005, all of the positions, men, men, men, men, men...this is a time to try the women. We are encouraging the women right now to be a part of the process in Liberia," she said. She believes women will change the climate of Liberia.
When asked about the changes she planned to make for Gbarnga she responded, “…get one or two garbage trucks to help with the trash….I want my city to be clean, I don’t want my people to get sick.” Much like the officials of Baltimore City, she wants “to get the youth from the streets and encourage them to go to school.”
Edith Kitson-Nyeswah, a member of the Baltimore Gbarnga Sister Cities, said, “[people of Baltimore] can send an old shirt, old pants, canned foods or anything down to City Hall.” She made it very clear that the city of Baltimore has a surplus of resources and oppurtunies compared to Gbarnga. She mentioned that, “the school buildings there don’t have ceilings.”
Those wishing to make a donation to Gbarnga can contact Bong County, Liberia/Maryland USA Educational/Cultural Foundation Inc. at 443-220-6054.