-Women of Gbarpolu say
By Damo Nyanquoi, Voices of Gbarpolu, Gbarpolu County
As the debate for electoral reform continues across the country, some leading opinion women in Gbarpolu County are calling for the reduction in the tenure of the legislative and presidential positions.
They
believe that if this is achieved, it could trigger a holistic
development in Liberia.
Speaking to reporters, the Rural Women President of Gbarpolu County, Madam Bendu
Jah said: “We need to reduce the tenure of the president and representatives
from six to four years while senators from nine to six years.
Madam Jah claimsd that experiences have shown that after elections, most
elected officials pay less attention to electorates and become “bosses on their
own because they have enough time to make up for the next election year.”
Politicians are always fighting to remain in power until their biological
children succeed them when they are old or retired, she said.
“They feel all is good for them and their children but no one else,” Madam Jah
added.
She believed that if her suggestions are considered, Liberia would experience rapid
development in the near future.
The Gbapolu opinion leader is pleading with lawmakers to work in the interest
of their constituents and country to push this recommendation on electoral
reform in any referendum in Liberia.
The gender coordinator of Gbarpolu County, Musu Massaquoi is also supporting
this reform.
She
said, “the tenure for lawmakers is too long and makes them complacent in
power. It makes them feel satisfy and forget about development.”
It is better for the tenures of president and representatives be reduced to
four years, Madam Massaquoi echoed.
“After four years another person can be elected or the same Representative can
also be selected based on their good work,” according to Madam Massaquoi.
If tenures of elected officials of Government are reduced, she said, they will
do all in their power to work for the people they represent.
Like Madam Musu Massaquoi, many of the women of Gbarpolu County including Annie Davis, a teacher at Bopolu Bible Mission High School in Bopolu City are also supporting the alteration in the tenures of president and lawmakers in the country.
The current tenure of the president as provided by Article 50 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia allows the president to be elected and hold office for the term of six years.
At the same time, Article 45 and 48 also provides that senators be elected for a term of nine years and representatives six years.