PHOTO: Trial Judges Association President
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Liberia- Trial Judges in Liberia have confirmed that they are poised to take legal action against the Liberian government of President George Manneh Weah for Wrongful salaries deduction, but it is not now.
The confirmation comes in a press statement by the National Association of Trial Judges of Liberia (NATJL in a statement under the signature of its President, Judge Eva Mappy Morgan and Secretary General Attorney L. Ben Barco, in the wake of media reports of a decision by Judges.
The salary harmonization exercise has affected the three branches of government—Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. But some members of the Judiciary say that officials of the Executive and Legislative branches still get huge salaries and benefits than Judges, who are restricted from engaging in business activities and have to only rely on their monthly income.
In a press release issued on July 7,2021, the NATJL says it has come to their attention that there is a resolution purportedly from the June 12th NATJL conference making rounds in the media concerning a planned class action against the government of Liberia relative to the questionable harmonization of judges salaries by the government.
The statement says that whilst it is true that there was a resolution drafted at the end of the June 12th, 2021, NATJL salaries.
Such resolution has not been officially released as it continues to be worked on by the resolution committee. So whatever is out there is not, and cannot be the resolution of the herein mentioned conference.
We like to be clear; Judges are sensitive and quite cognizant of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic emergency and the strain it is putting on the government and people of Liberia. Whilst it is true that there is a collective position on the questionable harmonization of judges salaries. It is also true that it would be ill-timed to raise the issue or make demands, however legitimate, in the midst of an emergency that is overwhelming the government the release noted.
This matter of the questionable harmonization of Judges’ salaries will be taken up at the appropriate time, but certainly not in the midst of this COVID-19 emergency currently ravaging the Country. We encourage our colleagues to be patient as we all work collectively to bring the COVID-19 pandemic which is claiming the lives of many of our compatriots under control.
We therefore reiterate that the purported resolution circulating out there is not the resolution of the June 12, 2021, conference because the resolution of the conference has not fully signed, approved and released.
Background to the pay cut controversy
Before the salary harmonization took effect in 2020, they say Judges made five thousand US dollars monthly, but after the cut, they now only receive three thousand US dollars a month.
For the Magistrates, their exact monthly pay is not known by this Reporter, because one of them said it varies. For example, it is learned that before the harmonization, Magistrate from the Judicial Institute class one used to get six hundred and fifty US dollars a month, but after the exercise, they are now getting about 530 US dollars.
There are also non Judicial Institute graduates serving as Magistrates across the country.
The growing dissatisfaction amongst judicial officials over pay cut comes against the backdrop of mounting allegations of widespread corruption in the Liberian Judiciary.
Recently, state prosecutors at the Justice Ministry were on strike for the reduction in their salaries and the refusal of the government to give prosecution funds.