House in disarray

-As Tyler continues to battle his sins
Members of the House of Representatives have for the past weeks being struggling to hold a full session, and Tuesday June 21, 2016, was no exception.

This has been so not because of any political upheavals but for their speaker, Alex Tyler’s escapades. His apparent zest for money and power among others continue to bring the House into public disrepute.
From the US25, 000 NOCAL oil money and now the alleged US75.000 Sable Mining bribe, as unearthed by the Global Witness are most recent allegations that has left the House of Representative in disarray with loyal lawmakers visibly taking sides, though some deals may still be under the carpet.

On Tuesday, members of the House were summoned at the Supreme Court just before their session could begin following a previous chaotic sitting where some representatives from the opposition Congress for Democratic Change or CDC were engaged in verbal insults-with Rep. Solomon George accusing some of his colleagues of taking in marijuana.

Announcing the summon, House Chairman on Judiciary Representative Samuel G. Karmoh informed plenary that the Supreme Court had served a writ of prohibition on the workings of the lower house. Rep. Karmoh further informed plenary that as a result of the writ, Speaker Tyler had gone to the Temple of Justice to obtain further information. 

Thus bringing session, which had only 12 out of the 73 members, something far less than a quorum, to an abrupt closure. But the writ in question is based on a complaint filed before the Supreme Court by Montserrado County Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe. 

Rep Snowe filed the writ on grounds that Speaker Tyler and his followers have endorsed a motion made by Rep George Mulbah that the reduced number of lawmakers present at the time of the motion should constitute quorum for one whole month. Something Snowe said is a violation of Article 33 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution. 

This was the second time the House abruptly adjoined since the released of the Global Witness Report implicating some key government officials including Speaker Tyler, Representative Henry B. Fahnbulleh of Montserrado County, Senators Varney Sherman and Morris Saytumah of Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties respectively. 

Last Thursday, the session of the House snowballed into a total chaos when some members including Reps Solomon George, Acarous Gray, Julius Berrien and Thomas Fallah all of the CDC turned the plenary of the House into a ghetto for and against Speaker Tyler who faces corruption charges.
House Speaker Tyler is alleged to have received US$75,000 as ‘consulting fees’ out of the US$950,000 allegedly dished out by Sable Mining, a British firm.

Speaker Tyler’s alleged involvement in the US$25,000 bribe money from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) in 2015 was a serious controversy under investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC). This almost ousted him.-Edited by Othello B. Garblah