-Over usage of Rotunda at the Capitol Building
By Mark Mengonfia- mmenginfia@gmail.com
The Rotunda of the Capitol Building was a center of action when some staffers believe to be from the Liberian Senate showed what was descried by bystanders as a high level of disrespect to Representative Marvin Cole, who co-chairs House of Representatives Rules, Orders and Administration.
The Lawmaker has gone to inquire why the staffer were using the Rotunda of the Capitol Building without his consent, but he met a strong resistance from the staffers who said he had no authority to question them about the usage of the area.
This angered the Bong County lawmaker and said, “you people will not have this program here.”
He indicated that the senate staffers disrespected his office by not officially communicating with the House of Representative Rules, Order and Administration for the usage of the area.
According to him, whenever an individual or institution wants to use the rotunda or the joint chambers of the Liberian Legislature, said information should be provided to all side of the Rules, Orders and Administration (Liberian Senate and House of Representative).
The statement from the lawmaker that the program was not going to be held was like putting gasoline on a burning fire.
The lawmaker and the workers then exchanged bitter words, as they (staffer) vowed to have their program against what the lawmaker has said.
Mr. John O. F. Kangbah is the Home Office Coordinator of Senator Abraham Darious Dillon and he is one of the individuals who organized the program.
In an interview, he said that Senator Dillon decided to have an appreciation program for staffer. They communicated with the Liberian Senate Rules and Order, but to their surprise while they were making preparation for the program to start, “We saw this strange man coming to stop us”.
When he was asked whether he never knew the Bong County Lawmaker, he said “no, I have heard his name but I do not know him in person”.
When Senator Dillon staffer was asked about the action of his colleagues to have boo the lawmaker was right or wrong, he indicated that “they were right, because he deserved.
“And I welcomed it,” he said, as he turned his back and quickly reach for the microphone to make an announcement for the program to start.