Legislative Sojourn is a Column produced by the Inprofile Daily Newspaper on a weekly basis which seeks to highlight legislators from the fifteen counties and the seventy-three districts on their profile, prospects, challenges and the way forward as to enable the Liberian people get some insight on the lives and workings of those they entrusted to manage the country.
This week edition will feature Maryland County District #1 Lawmaker P. Mike Jurry, who is serving his second term as representatives of the district at the 55th Legislature.
As part of his achievements to gain the people’s trust for the second term, Rep. Jurry said, his relationship with the locals is cordial with his constituents, which he described as one of the key factors credited to his leadership and second term success.
Rep. Jurry, a father of many, told this column that, being a father and a statesman, got some similarities. According to him, it is on this backdrop that he draws his strength to continue working in the ‘best interest’ of the people and the country in general.
On the prospects, challenges and way forward of his district, Jurry boasted of how he has formulated an annual work plan targeting issues that affect or impact the lives of the people.
Relative to human resource developments, he referred to that a key factor to nation building. He said, it from this milieu that “since my election in 2017, I have empowered Liberians and continues to do so through education, vocational skills training and businesses which will enable the beneficiaries to also contribute to nation building.”
For the educational sector, Jurry recalled the ensuing challenges confronting the sector, “however, my district is one of the luckiest in the country,” boasting of qualified teachers, environmentally friendly elementary and secondary schools, which according to him, are gradually impacting the district and the county.
Rep. Jurry explained further that to also improve the educational system “in my district, I have personally provided, and still providing computers, textbooks and scholarships that are currently benefiting over 40-50 students.”
This he said, are done on a yearly basis to students at all levels across the entire district.
As for the health sector, Rep. Jurry said, the issue of healthcare delivery remains cardinal because it is one of human resource development.
“In the district, the healthcare delivery is not 100 percent correct, at least it is one of the best for now in the country, because it has the blissful backing of an international health-related organization, an NGO called Partner in Health (PIH).”
The PHI is currently buttressing efforts of the central government by providing quality healthcare delivery system to the people of Maryland County.
Of his personal contributions to the sector, Rep. Jurry said his office is working along with the county Health Team and other international health partners to ensure that the district gets one of the best health services.
“It is for this; my office has procured medical supplies that will be arriving in country any time soon to support government’s effort to build a vibrant society.
Jurry, has meanwhile boast of over 33 fully functional health facilities currently operating across the district.
On youth and women empowerments, Rep. Jurry said part of his roadmap for the district is to ensure that the people are independently empowered. “As such, my office has constructed one of the leading vocational training institutions for the youthful generation that is currently providing vocational training for over hundreds of young people in various skills.”
And as for the women, according to Jurry, his office has a loan scheme program established during his first term empowering women through businesses.
On other development initiatives, Jurry added that his office formulated a development roadmap since his election targeting mayor challenges, among which are the lack of electricity, good drinking water, couple with the deplorable road conditions.
“We have in recent time, reconditioned roads across the district, made provisions of safe drinking water and the supply of electricity. My office is strongly working in collaboration with the county legislative caucus ensuring that the county water and sewage is restored; also installing solar lights to provide electricity to better the lives of the people who have us the opportunity to serve them.”
Moreover, Jurry expressed serious concern about the low presence of security in the county, thereby instilling fear in the minds of the locals.
The county borders La Cote d’ivoire but cannot boast of a forceful security presence, “which I think, needs urgent interventions to prevent future security challenges.”