WHY NOT A BOYCOTT? Liberian Lawmakers Deserve Taste of Their Own Medicine

Source: FPA EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVES OF ALL three civil society organizations can do Liberia a world of good by rejecting a demand from the full plenary of the Liberian Senate to appear before the body next Thursday to answer to what senators call concerns about remarks they made in the public recently that members of the Legislature are mentally impoverished by their decision to prepare a joint resolution for the passage of the electoral threshold bill.

RECENTLY, the three groups, the Liberia Democratic Institute (LDI), the Liberia Democracy Watch and the Center for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE) urged members of the Legislature’s action to carve a resolution to pass the controversial Threshold as “cowardice Scheme, Mischievous, ill calculated, illogical, sinister thought and an ill- informed political tactics.

GBARPOLU COUNTY lawmaker, Theodore Momo in a communication to his colleagues declared that he was constrained to register serious and outright dissatisfaction of a particular statement from the Liberia Democracy Watch, Liberia Democratic Institute, Center for Democratic Empowerment and the Institute for Democracy and Development contained in a STAR RADIO major News broadcast week before last.”

IRONICALLY, Senator Momo, in a two-page letter averred that while the Legislature cherishes and welcome the exercise of free speech as a basic and fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution, all must be cognizant of the fact that those rights are accompanied by responsibility and in his words the dignity of individuals institutions especially the National Legislature which he said embodies the national pride and being.

SADLY, IT APPEARS that Senator Momo and his peers are misguided in the sense that they continue to hide behind their seats in the national legislatures and render one poor decision after the next to the detriment of poor and down-trodden Liberians.

SENATOR MOMO should listen to the advice of his peer, Senator Abel Massalley who responded to Momo’s letter by stating: “If you took your water in the bathroom, you undress yourself and you started the bath, and a crazy man went there and took all of your clothes and started to run out of the bathroom, will you follow that crazy man? For me I will not follow you because if you follow the man then all of you will brand as the same group of people.”

IN CONTRAST, Lofa County’s senior Senator Sumo G. Kupee also took the low road in pointing to Article 15 of the Liberian constitution, suggesting that no one has the right to insult him because he is a Senator or an employee of the people. “I am sure you will agree with me that my comments will mean that I am mentally impoverished because those people who have gone through my hands will notice that I am not, including some of the people that wrote it, or I am not speaking because I feel guilty of what they said, but I am speaking because I belong to an institution,” the lawmaker said

THE BOTTOM LINE here is that lawmakers are answerable to the people of Liberia and must never feel that they are in any way, shape or form above reproach or criticisms from those who elected them to their post.

MANY OF THOSE hiding behind “Executive Committees” and “Secret Sessions” will soon face the drumbeats when the 2011 legislative elections comes around. It will be wise for those harboring thoughts of being above reproach to begin having second thoughts about their activities and the works they have done over the past five years.

THOSE WHO HAVE failed to delivered will most likely be voted out of office and those who have worked hard to push laws on health care, education and poverty will be rewarded. Sadly, not many can stand and be counted on issues that matter most to the ordinary Liberian. The body dubbed the “Cold Water” bunch has done itself very little good and the latest attempt to summon civil society groups speaks volumes about the body Liberians put their trust in.
LET THE WORD go forth that serving Liberia and Liberians is a privilege, not a right for any lawmaker, Senator or Legislator. Voters should make that much clear when they cast their ballots in 2011. The Civil Society Groups Summoned next Thursday should begin the process by holding a meeting to decide whether or not they should appear and if possible, or better still, file a motion among themselves to reconsider whether such appearance before a body which has made itself the laughing stock of Liberia, deserves their time .