-Amid Pro Temp’s threat against Sen. Dillon
By Our Staff Writer
Article 1 of the Liberian constitution says “all power is inherent in the people” and it is the people who have the right “to cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.”
The constitution also says that members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are the direct representatives of the people and they are to represent their interest in full adherence to the constitution.
But the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert Chie has indicated that once the lawmakers get elected they are no longer subject to the will of the people and their removal from office is not subject to the will of the people.
Before he could even sit behind his desk at the Capitol Building, the newly certificated Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon was threatened that the people who elected him are now powerless and that he could get kicked out of the Senate by his colleagues if he went out of step.
Speaking during Sen. Dillon’s induction on Thursday, August 15, 2019, Pro Temp Chie warned:
“This is a political house, and here, we do politics; you were elected by the people of Montserrado County, but from today’s date, you belong to the Senate. That is why the framers of the Liberian Constitution stipulates that the power to remove you from here is not with the people, it is with those of us that are here. Only we alone have that power. Here, Mr. Senator, we act beyond party line; act and think independently of party ideologies, whims, caprices and orientations. We are independent here, no party dictates to us. Since I have been here, nobody dictates to us.”
Pro Tem Chie of the ruling CDC party and Senator of Grand Kru County made the threat after Sen. Dillon made a declaration of his assets and urged his colleagues to consider agreeing to reduce their fabulous salaries.
“While a full declaration of my assets will be made following the due process outlined by law, I publicly declare today, as I present to the secretary of the Senate my asset declaration papers in keeping with law; everything I owe is not more than US$75,000, and the process to commence publishing same starts Monday, August 19, 2019.”
In the July 29, 2019 Montserrado County Senatorial By-election, the opposition Liberty Party candidate resoundingly defeated the CDC candidate Paulita CC Wie by 102, 549 to 63,971 votes, in massive win seen as a protest vote against President George Weah’s CDC government.
The people of Montserrado, previously the stronghold of the CDC, appear to be very unhappy with widespread reports of corruption amidst the worsening economic crisis, with inflation now in double digit.
It was in consideration of the current economic slump, that the newly inducted Senator Dillon said on Thursday:
“As a first sign of our commitment to our pledges, I want to publicly announce that considering the current economic situation the country is faced with, I Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County, will only accept a salary in full sum of US$5,000, and any amount over this, will be deposited in an escrow account to go toward social development programs. I urge my colleagues in the legislative, executive and judiciary branches to kindly consider doing likewise so as to save money for other development projects,” Senator Dillon declared to
Sen. Dillon told his colleagues that although it is not required by law to publish their assets “ethics, good leadership, morality should guide us to go beyond what the law says to set good example.”
Article 37 of the constitution does say that vacancy in the Legislature can be “caused by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise,” but the Liberian constitution also says in Article 1 that “In order to ensure democratic government which responds to the wishes of the governed, the people shall have the right at such period, and in such manner as provided for under this Constitution, to cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.”
The constitution also says that all rules adopted by the Legislature shall be in line with due process of law and consistent with the Liberian constitution.
This is what Article 38 of the constitution says:
“Each House shall adopt its own rules of procedure, enforce order and with the concurrence of two-thirds of the entire membership, may expel a member for cause. Each House shall establish its own committees and sub-committees; provided, however, that the committees on revenues and appropriations shall consist of one member from each County. All rules adopted by the Legislature shall conform to the requirements of due process of law laid down in this Constitution.”