Montserrado County District 16 Representative Dixon Siebo says he has not received any $6,500, as claimed by some senators.Speaking to this paper Sunday, 26 April, Rep. Siebo said for two years now, nothing came to any legislator to run their office or as operations funds, claiming that they have been running their offices from their pockets.
Siebo’s assertions came Sunday as the public here take lawmakers, especially Senators, to task on moral grounds for accepting US$6,500 from the Executive after signing the state of emergency and approving a proposed US$25m stimulus package.
Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon, a key opposition lawmaker, calls it operational cost, but Sen. Prince Johnson, an ally of the ruling establishment, calls it sitting fee.
However, Rep. Siebo wonders why should lawmakers take any money called ‘operational funds’ when there are health issues, saying the timing is wrong and it don’t make sense.
Siebo argues that what happens in the Senate may not happen in the House of Representatives, saying if senators received money, he is a representative and not a senator.
According to Siebo, the two senators are giving different reasons why they received the money because they are apparently misplaced and don’t know issue in the Senate, urging their people to rethink as these senators receive money without knowing what the money is intended for.
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According to Rep. Siebo, legislators have not received anything for this year so they were considering using any allotment that will be made as operation since they have been running their offices from their pockets.
But he tells this paper that such fund has not been made available as at the time of this interview, insisting that he has not received any money.Explaining further, Siebo says lawmakers were taking a break for few days for the Easter when they were called back.
He continues that when they are called back from their annual break by the Executive, they are paid for the month for which they are called.But he explains that they have not been paid for this call, adding that when they sign their approval for the state of emergency, it was clear that any resources that were available should go to the health issues first.
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Siebo believes that what President George Manneh Weah did to extend the lockdown was good, though he says he still has issue with the implementation. He expresses hope that health authorities can deal with this in time.
Siebo says he thinks the lockdown has not been utilized, criticizing the government’s approach of allowing people to remain outside from the morning hours until 3pm as if the virus is at sleep during the time that people are allowed to move about.
He believes that the coronavirus cases in increasing because most of the people that were considered as contacts are being tested positive and that more tests are being done.Siebo concludes that he has created his district corona task force to get rid of this virus.
By Bridgett Milton—Edited by Winston W. Parley
