MONROVIA, November 18 (LINA) -The Joint Conference Committee of the Liberian Senate and House of Representatives has resolved that the National Elections Commission (NEC) conducts the Special Senatorial Election on December 16, 2014.
The decision reached Tuesday was based on the committee’s report recommending that the NEC request to hold the Senatorial Election on December 16 be endorsed by the National Legislature.
Members of the Senate that signed the Committee’s report were Armah Jallah, Clarice Jah and Peter Coleman, while G. Wesseh Blamoh, Stephen Kafi, James Biney, Jefferson Kanmoh, Sekou Kannah, Clarence Massaquoi and Lester Paye signed for the House of Representatives.
It can be recalled that the House on November 11 endorsed a proposal by the NEC for the Special Senatorial Election to be conducted on December 16and forwarded the decision to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
The Senate rejected the NEC proposal on grounds it is not feasible to hold elections in the face of the existing Ebola crisis and in segments as proposed by the Commission, the Liberia News Agency reports.
The Legislative Joint Conference Committee met Monday at the Capitol Building to harmonize the differences in their positions, leading to the meeting Tuesday that endorsed the December 16 date.
According to the Committee’s report, last week’s enactments of the Senate and House of Representatives are inconsistent with a Joint Resolution which they adopted approving a Proclamation issued by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in September suspending the October 14, 2014 date for the conduct of the senatorial election.
LINA