Capitol Hill, Monrovia – President George M. Weah has cautioned members of the 54th Legislature that the government risks losing US$40 million in budgetary support from the World Bank for Fiscal Year 2019/2020 if they failed to ratify several “priority bills.”
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
President Weah named the Trade Facilitation Agreement, Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Power Theft Act and the Customs Code Amendment as some of the bills that need urgent ratification.
The President, during the Presidential-Legislative Retreat, held at a resort in Margibi County recently distributed a matrix of 29 bills and eight revised propositions for a referendum to amend the Constitution of Liberia.
During the national conversation, he stressed that the ‘priority bills’ are some of the important unresolved matters of national interest that require the urgent attention of the 54th Legislature and geared toward the enhancement of the socio-economic interests of the state and its people. Among these, he noted, are financial agreements from which Liberia stands to lose US$40 million in this fiscal year if nothing is done.
In a communication to House Speaker Bhofal Chambers on Tuesday, August 27, the President reminded the Legislature of the significance of the bills and the consequences if they are not passed.
The President wrote: “You may recall that we stressed the significance of these bills to our development agenda during the retreat. Again, let me remind you that our country may lose the amount of US$40 million budgetary support in the current draft national budget for fiscal year 2019/2020 from the World Bank if we relent on passing instruments such as the Trade Facilitation Agreement, LEC Power Theft Act and the Customs Code Amendment, etc.”
He reminded the lawmakers that “we have a commitment to our people, and they count on us to deliver to them. Therefore, we cannot afford to let them down.”
What are the bills?
There are a total of 32 prioritized bills the president wants to be passed. some of them include an Act to Establish the Liberia Standards Authority; the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement; United Nations Convention against illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances, 1988; Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (as amended by 1972 Protocol amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961); Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971; an Act to Establish the Civil Service Commission; Agreement on Investment between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco; and the Bilateral Investment Treaty between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Liberia.
Others are the Agreement between the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of the Republic of Liberia for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income; Financing Agreement – Tree Crops Extension Project II (TCEP II) between the Republic of Liberia and International Fund for Agricultural Development; Loan Agreement – Upgrading of the Konia – Voinjama Road Project between the Republic of Liberia and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development; An Act to amend the Penal Law Chapter 15, by Adding Thereto a New Section 15.88 to Provide for Power Theft; and An act to Endorse the National Youth Policy of Liberia, An Agenda for Action.
Although the President did not state why the World Bank will cancel US$40 million in budgetary support to Liberia, sources closed to the Legislature claimed that lawmakers are under pressure to comply with the Executive.
During the Farmington dialogue, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Bhofal Chambers, on behalf of his colleagues pledged that they would be judicious in passing the bills.
The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Albert Chie, thanked President Weah for the retreat and said they acknowledge receipt of the priority bills and will act upon most of them.
The Legislature adjourns session annually on the 30th of August for ‘Constituency Break’ and resumes work the following year, on the 2nd working Monday in January.
However, cognizant of the shortage of time to discuss these key matters (bills) to facilitate the smooth operations of the government, there are unconfirmed reports that the Legislature may either extend the 2nd Sitting by themselves for two weeks, September 1 through 15, or the President might request an extension of the 2nd Sitting of the 54th Legislature for 30 days, covering the month of September.
Article 32 (b) of the Constitution of Liberia provides that the President shall, on the President’s own initiative or upon receipt of a certificate signed by at least one-fourth of the total membership of each House, and by proclamation, extend a Regular Session of the Legislature beyond the date of adjournment or call a Special or Extraordinary Session of that Body to discuss or act upon matters of national emergency and concern.