LEGISLATIVE SEAT IS NOT TIME BY TIME

Montserrado County electoral district #10 Representative Julius F. Berrian has come down hard against two challengers to his leadership in the district, saying the House of Representatives is not a place for hoodlums or unqualified people.

Representative Berrian is facing serious opposition to his bid for re-election in district#10 with MulbahMorlu and YekehKolubah declaring their intention to unseat him at the polls in October.

But Rep. Berrian contends that the representative seat is not a rotational job, saying “If people who are around here thinking that the Representative position is time by time then it is unfortunate, because we at the level of the legislature don’t joke; that place is for serious-minded people and not someone of tainted character.”

He did not call any name. But the Congress for Democratic Change lawmaker made those remarks last weekend when he appeared on a local radio talk show.

“I can remember the CDC says this government has failed the Liberian people on the issue of electricity. Then it [is] a paradox to see a Congress for Democratic Change man says a CDC man failed, it means the Congress for Democratic Change has also failed technically”, Berrian argued.

When asked how he felt being opposed from within the party as CDC Vice Chairman for Recruitment and Mobilization MulbahMorlu has joined the race for the district seat, Rep. Berrain rhetorically responded, “Who is MulbahMorlu, because I know three Morlu, are you talking about the one who [claimed] he saw President Bush in the corridor while in Ghana or is it different Morlu?”

He said if there to be a check on the performance of CDC lawmakers in Montserrado County, no one can stand up to him (Julius Berrian), saying “If you were to count best four CDC Lawmakers, I can beat my chest, that I am one of them, because my achievements can easily speak to the facts.”

On the challenge from ex-police operative YekehKolubah, the embattled lawmaker responded, “You put Yekeh, you put Julius Berrian, then you say morality and education to see, including intelligence and come up with your score cards to see who will beat his friend, I am not going to dignify or identify with those individuals. I am a lawmaker, and all I can say to you I am re-contesting on the ticket of the CDC come October 2017.”

“Just remove Julius Berrian and put another person; that person will take three years just to learn; I did more than my predecessor in district # 10 and the tangibles are all over the place, and we’re not prepared to give our district to people, who will fail in the execution of their duties.”

Aspirant MulbahMorlu recently declared his intention to contest for the district seat in the pending elections. Speaking at his Congo Town residence, the CDC executive said his intention to contest is to redeem the people of district#10 from underrepresentation, pointing out that since the ascendency of incumbent Representative Julius Berrien, the district has benefited nothing from Capitol Building.

Morlu explained that the incumbent has underperformed in his functions, including representation, lawmaking and oversight, and that it is time for the people to feel part of the governance process by electing him to replace Rep. Berrien.

“Our lawmaker is the chairman of the banking and currency committee at the House of Representatives but the exchange rate today is sky-rocketing. Our exchange rate is in the hundred, what is he doing,”? Morlu asked.

According to him, residents of the district do not want a representative who disconnects himself from the people, adding that many of the lawmakers currently serving at the Liberian Legislature are after the cash, leaving the reasons for which they were elected undone.

Written by Lewis S. Teh – Editing by Jonathan Browne