Written by Julius Kanubah
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Source: Star Radio Liberia
Following over two years of bickering, the Legislature has finally passed into law the controversial population threshold bill.
The Legislature took the decision Thursday after the adoption of a joint resolution not to entirely use the census results to set the threshold.
The Senate first adopted the compromised resolution with the House of Representatives later taking a concurrence vote amidst controversy.
The joint resolution provides for each County to retain the current seats in the House with the creation of nine additional seats.
The nine seats were apportioned with Montserrado benefiting- three, Nimba and Bong- two each and Lofa and Grand Baasa one apiece.
The joint resolution which is to be sent to president Sirleaf for possible approval also provides for the conduct of a fresh national census after the 2011 elections.
Our reporter says, the joint resolution was somehow overwhelmingly endorsed in the Senate compared to the House of Representatives.
Some Representatives including Eugene Fallah Kparkar, Koukou Dorbor and Gabriel Smith objected to the resolution on grounds it was unconstitutional.
Amidst the controversy, House Speaker Alex Tyler described the passage of the threshold bill as a victory for the 2011 elections.
The threshold bill was twice vetoed by President Sirleaf on constitutional and economic grounds and it is not clear whether she will approve the latest.
The threshold bill sets the basis for political representation in the House of Representatives
