Sen. Wesseh resuscitates Legislative Modernization Plan

River Gee County Senator, Conmany B. Wesseh, has told participants at a day-long retreat that the Legislative Modernization Plan (LMP) will serve as a blueprint for perfect representation in Liberia.

Senator Wesseh spoke Tuesday, September 1, at the start of retreat for the revalidation of the LMP held at a local hotel in Monrovia. Wesseh, who also chairs the Joint Legislative Modernization Committee or JLMC, noted that the retreat organized by the committee, is the first step in ensuring the revalidation of the LMP by the Liberian Legislature.

The retreat brought together Senators, Representatives and partners, including the Governance Commission, USAID and the National Democratic Institute to review the Legislative Modernization Plan for the Legislature to retake ownership as it had been dormant in the last couple of years.

Senator Wesseh also observed that the LMP will serve as a key tool to enhancing lawmaking and oversight by the Legislature. For his part, the Chairman of the Governance Commission (GC), Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, pointed out that the LMP would re-energize and win the re-commitment of the JLMC members to hold a roundtable conference on modernization of the Liberian Legislature to meet the needs and realities of the 21st century.

Dr. Sawyer stressed that for the Legislature to become a better place, lawmakers should design strategies that would strengthen the institution’s role and responsibility in the governance process, including ways in which legislations are made.

The five-year Legislative Modernization Plan or LMP is a document that had evolved out of more than a year of consultations and deliberations at workshops, retreats, and in the chambers and plenary of the Legislature.

It speaks to a new spirit of participatory democracy in Liberia that recognizes the importance of putting the Liberian people first.  The plan is owned by the Legislature as well as citizens of legislative constituencies throughout Liberia. It embodies, for the first time in the country’s history, the Vision Statement and Mission Declaration of the Liberian Legislature and outlines programs and activities that demonstrate commitment of the 52nd Legislature to effectively execute its constitutional duties and responsibilities.

The Plan is a document in progress, but not all the issues, concerns, interests and programs could be captured, but it is the first. There will be periodic reviews. The JLMC will undoubtedly ensure that revisions include important elements of legislative developmental strategies that may not have been incorporated in the document.

By Ben P. Wesee