By Mark N. Mengonfia- mmenginfia@gmail.com
Nimba County District #8 Lawmaker, Larry P. Younquoi has pointed out that House Speaker Dr. Bhofal Chambers is wrongly proceeding in the running of the affairs of that legislative body.”
Speaking to Legislative reporters munities after Thursday’s session, the Nimba lawmaker said the recent decision by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to reshuffle the committees after one and a quarter year shows a total disregard to their rules and the Liberian constitution.
Thursday’s backlash from the Nimba County Representative is just the latest in a series of criticisms Speaker Chambers has come under from members of the lower House over his leadership style in running the august body. One of those who felled out with him was the late Montserrado County District # 15 Representative Adolph Lawrence before his death. The standoff between the pair got so tense at one point when Speaker Chambers ordered Lawrence out of the House chambers.
According to him, the action of the speaker runs contrary Rule 54 of the House’s Rule. Among other things, Rule 54 states that “ All committee chairpersons and members shall serve for three years, but only the chairperson and co-chairpersons are subject to removal by 2/3 majority vote of members of the House for cause.”
The Nimba lawmaker claimed that the Speaker unilaterally took a decision to reshuffle all of the committees without going through the legal processes. According to him, he served on the committee on judiciary committee and served on the University Of Liberia Board of Trustees, but he was removed.
He indicated that the way the Speaker is proceeding nowadays if the necessary checkpoints are not placed before him, all of the decisions they as the people’s deputies are making could be challenged in court on grounds that his actions are contrary to the 1986 constitution and the rule of that legislative body.
“Our Rule says that once a committee is set, those who are placed on those committees serve for the period of three years after which the speaker can reappoint new committee members, but it is sad that the speaker will choose to reshuffle when we have just gone one year and quarter year?” he inquired.
The Nimba lawmaker also said that the House Speaker has decided to deny communications from some of the members of the House of representatives once it does not sound good to him.
He said “last week Tuesday, this communication was not brought for plenary to take decision, but it was denied after some politics was played , today it was my thinking that it would have been discussed ,but on the contrary”.
Rep. Younquoi has meanwhile, promised to keep pressing and making the relevant engagements to ensure that the Speaker gets back on path with the proper running of the House of Representatives.