The Informer (Monrovia)
Roland Perry
1 June 2011
The Liberian Senate has for the six time in its sixth sitting failed to convene and discuss normal legislative matters due to lack of quorum.
Following an hour of delay, the Presiding Officer and Gbarpolu County Senator Daniel Naatehn, called for a motion to adjourn the Tuesday sitting due to absence of some members of the senate.
In her motion for adjournment, Margibi County Senator Clarice Jah said, due to the lack of quorum, “I move, if I can obtain a second that we adjoin for today’s sitting”.
Senator Naatehn described his colleagues’ action to boycott the senate regular session as disappointing; adding that it is a bad habit to stay away from session during the people’s business.
The Presiding Officer named nine Senators who boycotted the Tuesday sitting including Senator Theodore Momo of Gbarpolu County, Senator Jewel Howard Taylor and Franklin Siakor of Bong County and William Sandee of Grand Gedeh County.
Other lawmakers who were absent from the sitting are, Senator Lahai Lasannah of Bomi County and Senator Abel Massalay of Grand Cape Mount County, amongst others.
This is the six times in its six sitting that the Liberian senate has failed to convene regular session to conduct the people’s business.
According to Senator Naatehn, senators wishing to stay away from session must seek approval from the leadership of the Liberian Senate before during so. He used the occasion to call on his colleagues to return to its regular sitting on Thursday, to do the work of the Liberian people.
For his part Senator Isaac W. Nyenabo described the action of his colleagues as a routine legislative practice. He said “perhaps some of my colleagues are doing the people business in their various counties and did not have the time to be here today”
Article 33 of the Liberian constitution states that, “simple majority of each house shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lower number may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.”
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See the original article here:
Senate Fails to Convene Again