MONROVIA : As the National Legislature takes a midyear break, echoes are hovering indicating that that relatively quiet and serene tributary of the Liberian public service has made a steady progress since the 55th Legislature took seat in January this year. The head of the “House of Elders”, as the Senate is fondly tagged, President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, unveiled tremendous strides made by the Upper House in its first six months, including ratifications, amendments, enactments and confirmations, and declaring that her regime at the Legislature is on what she called a “progressive and aggressive pathway”. The Analyst reports.
The Liberian senate is has recessed from official Capitol duties in keeping with law but not without laying solid ground for reform in the next six years.
At an official closing program last weekend, the head of the “House of Elders” indicated that the vision for the agenda for a reformed Senate was developed as a working agenda from the Buchanan retreat, and with the achievements through the work of different committees.
Senator Nyonblee Karnga, beaming with broad smiles, said with decisions made in the last six months of their incumbency at the Senate, “we are happy to announce that the Senate is on a more productive and aggressive pathway.”
Giving a cursory update of official activities during the period, she reflected on the three-day working retreat that was held Buchanan at which time the Senate set the agenda for a “robust oversight, focusing on transparency and accountability, and modernization to include creating an enabling working environment and caring for the wellbeing of our employees”.
According to her, in a very significant way, the Senate reviewed its rules, and made a number of changes including endorsing a provision to confirm all life time positions by 23rd votes instead of a simple majority; endorsing the provision to split the lands, mines, energy, and environment committee and have a new committee call the energy and environment committee in the spirit of adequate division of responsibilities, for a more robust oversight.
“These are in addition to other provisions that were amended and added. The rules will be published upon completion,” she reported.
As a result of the Buchanan retreat, in support of a more transparent and accountable Senate, the President Pro Tempore noted that the Senate has agreed to ensure that more cooperation was given to the GAC’s financial management assessment activities.
“And we have accepted the recommendations to work with the GAC to put in the required systems that will lead to the annual audit of the Senate,” she said, adding: “The CSA was also allowed to do employees headcount, and that report had been presented to the Liberian Senate. We have agreed to work with the CSA to verify their findings and take the necessary actions where needed.
Hon. Lawrence further said: “For our commitment to an opened Senate, our modernization team has been working very hard with my office, and our IT consultant, and IT department on the restoration of the Senate website. Today, I am pleased to announce, that our website is near completion to be launched. While we are working on the digitization of our systems.”
According to her, the Senate was also in conversation with the World Bank, African Development Bank, the national democratic institute, the French Embassy, and EU for support to its reform programs.
“We look forward to capacity-building initiatives for the effective and efficient management of our financial management systems and other modernization programs,” she briefed. “Today, we started the assessment, for the renovation of the old annex.
“The assessment will focus on the leakage and the renovation of the old chambers. We have instructed the modernization committee to work on the plan for the reintroduction of the system for digital voting on the record. That system will be installed in the old chamber as there is no provision for installation of the system in the new chamber.”
In order to improve the working environment and the wellbeing of Senate staffs, the Senate leader reported that her administration procured two new buses for commuting back and forth to work and have paid the arrears to restore the health insurance program.
“By next week our staffs will resume their insurance program,” she averred.
Committee Works
Relative to work of various committee works, Madam Karnga-Lawarence also stressed how the Senate, under the spirit of a more robust oversight, has reported on the operations of three concessions: CTN, MedTech, and Western Cluster. Letters of recommendations sent to the executive for recommendations to renegotiate the CTN contract for more benefits to the Government and reduction in charges.
“The reports and consultative meetings with the President have also led to the decision to reconsider the intense usage of the Bomi highway for the shipment of iron ore by road and to review the western cluster agreement,” she said. “It has been clear from all herrings into the MedTech agreement, that there’s absolutely a non-compliance record and other grave issues that will lead to recommendations to the executive.”
Decentralization efforts
In support of decentralization, the President Pro Tempore reported that Senate has been working on a bill to have a port authority and give autonomy to all the ports in Liberia.
The action, when concluded, will get the involvement the Counties with seaports, and the operations and employment will benefit the citizens in those counties, she said, adding that it will bring more development to the ports.
Senate 2nd Session Report
Reporting on lawmaking, Madam Lawrence said the Senate during its 2nd Session passed on a total of eight legislations.
According to her, the legislations and oversight actions included three ratifications, one amendment, and four enactments, while 393 nominees of the Executive Branch were confirmed.
She also reported that the Senate has got 13 bills in committee rooms.
She thanked various committees for their hard work, as well as the secretariat and chambers staff, the media, central administration, and staffs of the Senators and Pro Temp, wishing all enjoyable Independence Day.
Comments are closed.