MONROVIA, January 24 (LINA) -The Liberian Senate has endorsed a recommendation from Nimba County Senator Thomas Grupee calling for amendment of several of its rules.
In his letter to plenary, dated January 21, Grupee indicated that under Article 47 of the Liberian Constitution and the Senate Rules 19 and 14, there is no provision calling for mid-term election of Pro-temp and statutory committees’ chairpersons, but rather their replacement in case of death, expulsion or removal.
Article 47 of the Liberian Constitution calls for the election of the body’s Pro-tempore once every six years and removal from office for cause by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the membership, while Rule 19 calls for election in case the Pro-temp is removed within 30 working days.
Following the reading of Grupee’s letter and a subsequent motion by Bong County Senator Henry Yallah, several senators raised their hands in un-readiness to immediately amend the rules.
They, however, agreed to amend the rules in one month, with the Presiding Officer Vice President Joseph Boakai setting up an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee the process.
Senators Dan Morias and Gbleh-bo Brown of Maryland; Joseph Nagbe and Milton Teahjay of Sinoe; Francis Paye of Rivercess; Jewel Taylor of Bong and Oscar Cooper of Margibi counties argued that there was no need to speedily amend the rules, because there was an existing committee to do so.
Earlier, the body on June 26, 2013 constituted a six-man Ad hoc Committee to review all of its standing rules in consultation with the rest of the membership.
On March 4, 2014, the committee headed by Senator Jewel Howard Taylor presented its first draft, but due to the Ebola health emergency the committee’s work was stalled, according to Senator Morias.
LINA