Maryland County Senator J. Ble-bo Brown descends on Speaker Bhofal Chambers and Senate President Pro-Tempore Albert Chie for allegedly serving as hindrance to good governance.
Speaking at a Legislative engagement organized by the Legislative Information Service and the National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections or NAYMOTE on Tuesday, June 25, in the conference room of the Liberian Senate, Senator Brown notes that the Legislative and Judiciary branches of government seem not to have the level of independence that is required to keep the Executive branch in check.
“The two houses of the legislature which are charged with the primary responsibility of exercising oversight over the executive are headed by individuals who are members and officials of the ruling party, including the House Speaker and the Senate Pro-Tempore,” Sen. Brown asserts.
He says despite the existence of laws for the promotion of good governance, and integrity institutions, there seems to be lack of political will to implement these laws.
Sen. Brown notes that there are several institutions that have been established in post-conflict Liberia in support of the practice of good governance, but they need to be strengthened, rather than weakened.
“The free press is one of the major prospects in our governance system. We must continue to encourage free speech and freedom of the press. Liberians have bitter lessons learnt of many years of bad governance. These lessons should not only serve as deterrence to bad governance, but should give us many reasons why we need to promote and implement needed reforms in the way and manner in which we govern.”
He stresses that the establishment of the Governance Commission that is constantly reviewing and making recommendations for the promotion of good governance is an opportunity that should be maintained and taken advantage of.
He says the dialogue came at the time when the people of Liberia are demanding, and rightfully so, greater responsibility and accountability of their government.
Sen. Brown, who chairs the senate committee on Internal Affairs recalls, “Few weeks ago, to be exact on June 7, thousands of Liberians converged on the Capitol, which is the seat of the Liberian government, to demand urgent reforms and to seek answers to critical national issues relative to the governance of the Liberian Senate.”
He continues that while it may be true that the protest was largely influenced and supported by opposition political parties, the issues raised cannot be brushed aside, as such, the issues represent the core of the nation’s problems.
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He points out that the three branches of government should summon courage in adopting strong political will to implementing serious reforms in the governance of the State.
Both Speaker Chambers and Pro-Tempore Chie, from the governing Coalition for Democratic Change, have come under increased criticisms from colleague lawmakers for poor leadership in the first branch of government. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne
