Lawmakers Return To Session Today Members of the 53rd Legislature in compliance with their constitutional mandate return to Capitol Hill today, January 12, 2015 to officially begin the 4th Session of that Honorable Body with thirteen new faces appearing in the Liberian Senate following the just ended Special Senatorial Elections. The mandate as provided for in Article 32 (a) of the 1986 Constitution states that the Legislature shall assemble in regular session once a year on the second working Monday in January. Today’s Official Ceremony is expected to be graced by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, members of the Cabinet and Foreign Missions accredited near Monrovia. Others expected to be in attendance include heads of political parties, the Clergy, heads of Civil Society groups, local and international NGOs, eminent citizens amongst others. According to the Chief Clerk of the House, Madam Mildred Sayon, Members of the Legislature will host their Counties’ flags and later gather at the main entrance of the Capitol Building; the Vice President and Speaker will lead the procession to the respective Chambers for the formal opening of the 4th Session. A Joint banquet will be held at the rotunda of the Capitol Building following the formal opening programs in their respective Chambers. At the Capitol Building, all attention will be drawn to the Liberian Senate as thirteen new Lawmakers take up their various seats following their elections in the Special Senatorial Elections held on December 20, 2014 and subsequently certificated by the National Elections Commission on the 3rd of January 2015. The Election statistics disclosed that out of the twelve incumbent Senators in the Special Elections, only two, in persons of Senators Prince Y. Johnson and Jewel Howard-Taylor of Nimba and Bong Counties respectively were overwhelmingly reelected; leaving ten of their former colleagues failing to maintain their seats. However, Senators Fredrick Cherue of River Gee, Cletus Wotorson of Grand Kru and Isaac Nyenabo of Grand Gedeh Counties were the three incumbent lawmakers who did not contest reelection in the just ended electoral process. Fifteen of the thirty seats in the upper House were up for grasp after completing their nine years tenure. A noticeable absence in the House of Representatives is Hon. Francis Paye who was elected Senator of Rivercess County while serving as Representative of District 2 in that county. A By-Election is expected to take place within three months following a notification from Speaker Alex Tyler informing the National Elections Commission about the vacancy in the House of Representatives as stipulated in Article 37 of the 1986 Constitution. “In the event of a vacancy in the Legislature cause by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the Elections Commission thereof. The Elections Commission shall not later than 90 days thereafter cause a by-election to be held; provided that where such vacancy occurs within 90 days prior to the holding of general elections, the filling of the vacancy shall await the holding of such general elections”. However, the following Representatives are among those who lost in the December 20, Special Senatorial Elections. Grand Gedeh District # 1 Representative Zoe E. Pennoh, Maryland County District # 3 Representatives Isaac Roland. Others are Grand Bassa County District # 1 Representative Gabriel B. Smith and Gbapolu County District # 2 Representative Gertrude Lamin. Hon. Dr. Bhofal Chambers of district # 2 Maryland County has filed a protest against the result of the just ended election and the Supreme Court has placed injunction on said result pending its opinion on the matter. During the 3rd sitting of the Honorable House of Representatives, a total of fifty (50) Bills were enacted into law out of one hundred and eight (108) introduced at that August Body. Amongst laws passed were, An Act of the Legislature prescribing the National Code of Conduct for all public Officials and Employees of the Republic of Liberia; An Act to Amend and Restate the Pension Bill of 2014 for Government Officials to include the President, Vice President, Speaker, President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, Deputy Speaker and Members of the Legislature, Elected Chamber staff of Legislature, Chief Justice and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and Members of the Judiciary; An Act Adopting the Nation-wide Life Conservation and Protection Area Management Law of Liberia and an Act to Amend the New Executive Law of 1972 to establish the Ministry of Gender and Children and Social Protection amongst others.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 09:49:00 +0000
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