With no effective national fire service in place, Liberians continue to mourn daily for the tragic deaths of many victims and the destruction of properties in uncontrollable fire disasters.
By Ethel A. Tweh
Tuesday, February 27-Liberia’s Vice President Jeremiah Koung who doubles as President of the Liberian Senate, has admonished Montserrado County Senators not to deal with fire disasters here like politics.
Koung’s comment came against Montserrado County Senators Abraham Darius Dillon and Saah H. Joseph’s demand to add to the Senate’s agenda for discussion, of the constant fire outbreaks in the country.
But Vice President Koung told the Senators that the fire outbreaks in the country are a serious issue, and they must be presented to the Senate in writing, not verbally.
“This is a serious matter that needs to be written and dealt with as an agenda item and not on Any Other Business/AOB,” said Vice President Koung.
“This is not politics that we will come here and start flabbergasting for eyes to be on us and at the end there is no result,” he continued.
The Chambers of the Liberian Senate got in disarray as the two Montserrado County Senators insisted on getting their concern included on the day’s agenda for discussion.
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Senator Dillon angrily replied Vice President Koung saying it is not politics and urged the presiding to stop allegedly violating the Senate’s rules.
According to Dillon, even if the issue is placed under AOB or regular agenda, they can still discuss it with importance.
“You are violating our rules Presiding, you are here debating which is not supposed to be like that. Leave the issue on the floor let the senators decide if they want the issue to be discussed or not,” said Mr. Dillon.
He said he stands with his colleague Senator Saah H. Joseph that the issue of fire disasters should be added to the agenda for discussion because it is an emergency in the country.
For his part, Senator Saah H. Joseph made the amendment that the constant fire outbreaks in the country be placed under AOB for discussion and that the Senate look into the matter urgently.
But he said it was a slap in the face when Vice President Koung seized the motion and told him to put it into writing to appear before plenary on Thursday.
“There is nothing as fire disaster before us, put it to writing. We can not discuss what we do not have in front of us; moreover, this is a very serious matter and we will have to deal with it as such,” Koung added.
Senator Joseph recently survived a fire incident that destroyed his residence. His house was gutted by fire and burned down to ashes, leaving him injured. He collected nothing from his house.
