Written by Vivian Gartyn & Julius Kanubah
Monday, 02 August 2010
Source: Star Radio Liberia
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has signed into law the joint resolution prescribing an electoral threshold for representation in the House of Representatives.
Star Radio gathered the resolution was signed on July 29, upon the president’s return from the Independence Day celebration in Nimba County.
Presidential Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio told reporters, the president has sent the resolution to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be printed into handbill.
Mr. Badio said the joint resolution may not be the best document, but the President sees it as a guide to the 2011 elections and sustenance of Liberia’s democracy.
The joint resolution retains the current number of representative seats and creates additional nine seats to be divided among some hugely populated counties.
The counties include Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa, and Lofa.
The President calls on all citizens especially those with different views on the resolution to look at what she considers the greater picture and lend their support.
Several civil society groups earlier opposed the passage of the joint resolution describing it as a mentally impoverished leadership and called on the president not to sign it.
‘lawmakers react to President’s decision’
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have emerged from the Legislature over the decision of President Sirleaf to sign into law the joint resolution prescribing an electoral threshold.
Two ranking members of the Senate hailed the judgment of the President, describing it as a fulfillment of her constitutional duty and in the national interest.
Senators Joseph Nagbe of Sinoe and Abel Massaley of Grand Cape Mount said the signing of the joint resolution into law puts to rest the controversial threshold bill.
The two Senators also condemned the offensive comment of civil society groups that claimed the approval of the resolution reflected an impoverished leadership.
Meanwhile, Grand Bassa Representative Samuel Page who was critical of the joint resolution has cautiously reacted to the final signing of the document into law.
Representative Page said the action of the President reflects what he calls the bypassing of the Constitution and a political expedient move.
Our Legislative reporter said lawmakers who opposed the joint resolution including Rufus Neufville have shied away from commenting on the President’s decision.
