Paynesville – Rigmarole between the embattled leadership of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) headed by Alice Yeebahn and Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor is gradually extending to various marketplaces, creating tussles among opposing sides.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah,
Civil Law Court B, in its ruling, mandated the rival sides to revert to status quo.
The pairs are currently before the Supreme Court of Liberia in an ongoing legal battle, following an appeal by the legal team of VP Taylor.
In the face of the appeal to the Supreme Court, Yeebahn has raised grave concern over the installation of a new Superintendent in Redlight Market by the interim leadership of LMA headed by Jerry Jedeh.
Mr. Jedeh was reportedly appointed as Interim President of LMA by VP Taylor following the suspension of Yeebahn, a decision that has since been rejected.
Sources have told FPA that Interim LMA President Jedeh has dismissed the Superintendent of Red Light Market, Catherine Elliot and other officials, a situation that continued to brew tension among marketers.
But Superintendent Elliot has reportedly rejected her dismissal and subsequent replacement by a new Superintendent called Janjay Dennis although legal matters surrounding the LMA is still in court.
Civil Law Court B Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar, in 2018 ruling overturned the Vice President Taylor’s decision to suspend Alice Yeebahn, LMA President; Abraham Barchue, National Vice President for LMA and Larwuo L. Hiama, National Assistant Secretary General of LMA.
“This court says that there is no provision in the 2010 LMA Act or the By-laws and Constitution of the LMA that gives VP Taylor the authority to suspend any elected officers of the Association,” Judge Dumber stated in his ruling.
The court, at the same time, ordered all parties concerned with the LMA saga to revert to status quo.
But Vice President Taylor legal team led by Attorney Paul Harris took an exception to Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar’s ruling and announced an appeal to the Supreme Court which was later granted.
However, Interim President Jedeh under the guard of officers of the Liberia National Police on Monday January 7, 2019, conducted an installation exercise of the new Superintendent assigned by his leadership to Red Light.
Supporters of newly installed Red Light Market Superintendent were seen jubilating, chanting slogans that they are “free from corruption at last”
One of those appointed by the interim leadership as Vice Superintendent for Operation is Gorma Flomo, who noted that the fight to remove Madam Elliot is due to ‘rampant corruption’
“All leaders come from God, that is why you see people jubilating here today. We are not fighting them because we want to get in power, but there were some mismanagement of money and that is why the they decided to suspend Superintendent Elliot, because she refuse to give account of missing money,” Madam Flomo told a FPA.
Madam Flomo noted that the newly installed leadership intends to create a change, most especially in addressing the garbage situation.
“The garbage issue is a problem and we will try to work with government to look into that, because the garbage here in Redlight Market is not only from the marketers but also from various communities around this place,” she added.
“We call on all our marketers to please work with us, so we can work to improve this market.”
At the same time, the Special Assistant to the VP Taylor appointed Interim leader at LMA, Agnes Carter has named the newly installed leadership as legitimate and recognized by LMA.
“I am very much happy today because we have a leader who knows how to take care of the marketers. She is not the type that will sit and allow garbage to take over Redlight Market,” Madam Carter asserted.
“My advice to them is to take complete control of the dirt here at Red Light. Our people are dying from the sickness cause by the garbage. So, I am calling on them to tackle the garbage first.”
But embattled President Alice Gorpu Yeebahn has condemned the installation process on grounds that it was done ‘illegitimately’ and not to her knowledge.
According to Madam Yeebahn, the case is currently in court and there is no reason while appointment of Market Superintendent and subsequent installation should take place.
“The was in court at Civil Law Court B; the joint chamber came down with a ruling and we won the case, but I am not aware of what is happening at Redlight,” Madam Yeebahn said.
“I know Red-light Superintendent to be Catherine Elliot, if they will go to put new people in office, I say no to that.”
She further stated: “The entire leadership are here with me so who put them in office, because it is the LMA President or the Vice President who supposed to induct market superintendents. The people you see over there are creating confusion for LMA.
“We will go through the legal process because the LMA has a constitution. We will go by the LMA Act and constitution that give people right to be superintendent. Anybody who is going into that superintendent office is doing so own their own.”