BY: Papie Sheriff Kollie, Jr.
The plenary of the House of Representatives Tuesday mandated its committees on ways, means, Finance and Development Planning, Judiciary, Banking and Currency, including commerce and industry to probe accusations bordering on the refusal of several business entities operating in the country to accept the local currency in Liberia in the transaction of businesses especially for the payment of goods and services.
Plenary `s action as triggered by a communication from Bomi County electoral district N0.1, lawmaker Edwin Melvin Snowe, craving the indulgence of the body about the alleged willful and unrealistic refusal of some business entities to accept the local currency as the official medium of exchange in the country.
Representative Snowe`s communication was read on the plenary floor Tuesday January 29, 2018 during the sixth day sitting of the first session of the 54th Legislature.
“I present compliments, and write bringing to the attention of the august body the willful and unrealistic refusal of some business entities operating within our jurisprudence to accept the Liberian dollars as a medium of exchange” Rep. Snowe disclosed.
His communication made reference to specific entities including APM Terminals and BIVAC for deliberately refusing the Liberian currency in exchange of goods and services, hereby resulting into a high demand for the United States dollars, which he said is the only acceptable currency as per the standard of these entities.
The Bomi County lawmaker, who is also chairman of the House’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and member of the ECOWAS delegation; said the situation has caused exchange rate changes that are unrelated to the underlying pattern of trade as well as instability and uncertainty for struggling Liberian businesses and consumers who trade largely in Liberian D\dollars.
“Distinguish colleagues, as the urgency of our intervention into this situation cannot be overemphasized, I pray we take the necessary appropriate actions, in the true spirit of patriotism to end this unjust action against our citizens,” Representative Snowe added.
Following discussion on the matter, a motion proffered by Nimba County lawmaker Larry Younquoi of Electoral District #8 Nimba County was accepted by plenary mandating the relevant committees to investigate claims reported by their colleague and report to the body within two weeks.
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Regardless of Long Stay In House, Speaker Chamber Blunders’ Again
By: Papie Sheriff Kollie,Jr.
Speaker Bhofal Chamber , for third time running has blundered in conducting proceedings of the House of Representative regardless of long stay in the Legislature as Representative, Plebo -Sodoken district lawmaker of Maryland County .
Speaker Bhofal Chamber who came to the helm of Legislative power on a white ballot by members of the 54th Legislature to serve as speaker dismally presided over the proceeding of the House of Representatives, to the disbelieve of many of his colleagues on Capitol hill at yesterday’s session.
Representative Bhofal Chamber has repeatedly made several blunders while presiding over that August body.
It can be recalled during the inauguration of Liberia’s 24th President, H.E. George Manneh Weah , at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville on the 22nd of January 2018, Speaker Bhofal Chamber blundered by calling the session to order without observing the normal legislative procedures beginning with prayer, roll call, reading of the agenda, and adaption of the agenda.
As a result of failure to observe these legislative proceedings, the President couldn’t be sworn in at the exact time because of the alleged blunder by the Speaker who long stay in the legislature has been a waste due to his failure to learn legislative proceedings.
Speaker Chamber, who hurriedly called the joint session to order without observing the requisite legislative proceedings, couldn’t meet up with the time, and as a result he was forced to call for executive session which can’t be done in the public, and the chief of protocol began to call artists.
According to Legislative proceedings, the Speaker is expected to called for a joint session to order at fifteen minutes after twelve mid-day, but instead the speaker called the joint session to order, leaving out key legislative proceedings at 11:19am, as a result the legislators were forced to embrace his blunders.
House Speaker again blundered on Monday, 29th of January during President George Manneh Weah first annual message to the joint Legislature on Capitol Hill, during which time Dr. Chamber who is noted for speaking big vocabularies on his colleagues again blundered causing serious disturbance among his colleagues.
The Speaker again blundered by not following the right Legislative proceedings, but rather attempted to file motion instead of asking for motion from the floor.
Dr. Chamber also failed to call for a roll call and asked the joint Legislative Executive Committees to proceed downstairs and receive the President, but was rather reminded by the chief clerk of some of the basic things should have taken place before the ushering the President for the sole purpose of delivering his annual message.
The blunder which from the expression on the faces of Legislators mainly members of the lower House was seen embrace by the repeated blunders from the long stay legislators who have spent over twelve years and is serving his third term doesn’t know basic proceedings.
