Written by Moses Wenyou
Source: Star Radio Liberia
Three civil society groups have condemned the concurrence vote taken by the legislature on the population threshold bill.
The groups include the Liberia Democracy Watch, Center for Democratic Empowerment and the Institute for Democracy and Development.
They described the action as unfortunate, mischievous, ill-calculated and intended to undermine the 1986 Liberian constitution.
The Executive Director of the LDW told reporters, reducing the 2008 national census result to mere statistics, useful only for social economic planning reflects mentally impoverished leadership.
Mr. George Williams said the Legislature’s action intentionally quashes Article 80 of the constitution.
Article 80 among other things calls for the reapportionment of constituencies in accordance with a new population following the conduct of a national census.
Mr. Williams told reporters, side-stepping the constitutional provision is a violation of Liberians’ right to adequate representation.
The condemnation comes a day after the Legislature adopted a joint resolution not to use the census result to set the threshold, but that all counties retain their seats with the creation of nine additional seats.
At the sametime, the Liberia Democratic Institute has called on the National Legislature to reintroduce the threshold bill for debate and passage into law.
The Executive Director of the LDI told Star Radio the so-called passage of the threshold bill by the House at its Thursday’s session is unconstitutional.
Mr. Dan Saryee said what the House passed on Thursday was a resolution and not a threshold.
He said while elections in 2011 remain a priority for all Liberians, the constitution must not be brushed aside to satisfy individual political interest.
The LDI boss said it was unfortunate that after two years of debate, no progress has been made on the threshold bill.
Mr. Saryee called on the president to veto the resolution passed by the house as a demonstration of her desire to protect the constitution.
