MONROVIA – Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, has called on President George Weah to expeditiously furnish the Legislature with reasons and modus operandi of the declared state of emergency to enable the Legislature to either accept, reject or modify the terms and conditions where necessary.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
The Senator lamented on Facebook that since the declaration of the state of emergency on Wednesday by the President, the Executive is yet to formally inform the Legislature of the decision for approval.
“The thing here is, and to the best of my certain knowledge, the President has not forwarded anything to the Legislature to be acted upon, to either modify or revoke. At this stage, not much the Legislature can do, because the very Constitution that grants authority to the Legislature to modify or revoke a state of emergency, also grants the President a window of “no later than seven days” to declare a state of emergency before he can present his justification for declaring and measures to be taken and implemented during the said period,” Senator Dillon stated on Facebook.
“It’s been over a month since the coronavirus entered Liberia, IT IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!! World Bank made a commitment of $15 million United States Dollars since March 19 and has paid over half if not all to fight this Virus, there have been many other contributions, some locally, the Government committed $500,000 United States dollars, so we have some money to start, where is the plan?”
Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence, Grand Bassa County
According to him, citizens are confused and do not know what to do and who to run to at this point as many were ill-prepared for the state of emergency.
In the same vein, Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence of Grand Bassa County says though she is supportive of the declaration of a state of emergency, she remains confused about the national response plan.
“It’s been two days Mr. President since you declared the State of Emergency, IT IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!” she stated on Facebook.
Senator Lawrence: “It’s been over a month since the coronavirus entered Liberia, IT IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!! World Bank made a commitment of $15 million United States Dollars since March 19 and has paid over half if not all to fight this Virus, there have been many other contributions, some locally, the Government committed $500,000 United States dollars, so we have some money to start, where is the plan?”
According to her, the Senate has resumed and their offices remain active as they are working from various chatrooms and via conference calls. However, she expressed that little can be done without the national response plan.
“We will immediately go to our chambers when you are ready, to include our inputs. Liberia is waiting because the mandate is not defined properly. It’s chaotic this morning,” she said.
