Members of the Liberian Legislature appear to be left hanging, amidst speculations that they were due for an extraordinary session on Monday, 25 November 2019. Though details of the extraordinary session scanty, information available to this paper indicates that their sitting would have centered around the printing of the controversial new Liberian Dollars Banknotes.
Currently there is shortage of the Liberian dollars on the market with commercial banks rationing payment among depositors.In spite of the printing of billions of new local currency by the previous government, there are more mutilated Liberian banknotes seen on the market.
There have been speculations here that the mutilated banknotes which were due to be burnt at Mount Barclay are the same notes that are now on the market.Finance Minister Samuel Tweah says a short term measure would be to print additional banknotes of the existing legal tender to enable the payment of civil servants for the festive season.
Civil servants here have not gotten pay for months and this has even affected some private businesses. However this has led to so many protests by government agencies and students.Speaking to this paper Monday, a lawmaker name withheld said that they usually receive text messages whenever they’re to have an extraordinary session.
But he says up to Monday, he had not received a text, saying he has only heard it from the public.Meanwhile, a dispatch from the office of the Speaker Bhopal Chambers, says the anticipated extraordinary session has been postponed to a new date to be announced by President George Manneh Weah.
Speaker Chambers says the leadership will continue it’s normal business of governance in accordance with the rules of the House of Representatives, as the Body is on its many break as dictated by Article 32-A&B of the Liberian Constitution.The constitutional provision also countenances the return of the Legislature as the present case is.By Ethel A. Tweh & Bridgett Milton
