Liberia: Director of Legislative Information Service Calls on Citizens of Bomi to Reject Reject Saytumah’s Re-election

MONROVIA – Mr. McCarthy Weh, Director of the Legislative Information Service (LIS), has urged the citizens of Bomi County not to re-elect Senator Morris Saytumah as their senator in the upcoming October 10 presidential and general elections.

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By Henry Karmo Email: [email protected]

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In a statement, Mr. Weh emphatically stated that Senator Saytumah has turned the Senate’s Ways and Means into a “CRIMINAL CARTEL” over the past six years. This has adversely affected the knowledge-based information center, as well as other departments, to the extent that budgetary funding for his departments and organs has not been forthcoming.

According to him, Senator Saytumah’s actions have largely paralyzed service delivery by the information center throughout most of his tenure since assuming the chairmanship of the Senate’s Ways, Means, and Finance Committee. Director Weh alleges that Chairman Saytumah has yet to account for $320,000 out of the $350,000 appropriated for the effective operation of the information center, the LIS Department.

Director Weh regrets that even the $50,000 approved by the Ministry of Finance sometime around April of this year for the information center and transferred into the Senate Central Bank’s Account has not been released, while the Modernization Secretariat has already received its share of $50,000.

“God detests greedy, self-centered, and oppressive personalities and leaders; therefore, any leader with insatiable greed for public wealth and perceived as an embodiment of corruption and anti-transparency-and-openness should not serve in the public sector. Such a leader should be self-employed because the public sector is meant for selfless public service that benefits the greater good for the greatest number,” Director Weh declared.

Director Weh also expressed hope that those currently leading the Legislature, lacking a reform mindset and transformational attributes, should not continue to lead the august body into the 55th Legislature. He noted that no leader deficient in reforms and opposed to transformation should steer the leadership affairs at the highest level in 2024 and beyond.

He reveals that the current legislature has received appropriations and allotments of no less than $270 million in six years. Yet, there has been no WiFi installation for internet services, a lack of stationery and other essential office supplies, no transportation services for a greater number of staffers, and other necessities, as it was in 2006 before the crafting of the Legislative Modernization Plan.

“This simply speaks to the fact that the institution is devoid of reform-oriented and transformational leaders, and beginning with the 55th Legislature, there must be a shift in paradigm eagerly craved,” Director Weh asserted.

It is worth recalling that in 2015, during the 53rd Legislature, Director Weh and the LIS submitted a twelve-count reform proposal to the then Speaker and President Pro Tempore under the theme: “Recognizing the Need for Progress, Confronting Challenges, and Proposing Reforms to rebrand and transform.” Since 2015, the bicameral body has been advocating for legislative reform, which has led to some leaders of the Legislature opposing the department’s efforts. However, the Director, now a pastor, remains relentless.

“Should reform-oriented and transformational leaders be elected for the 55th Legislature in January 2024, one can be cautiously optimistic that it will perform better than the 52nd, 53rd, and now 54th Legislature,” Director Weh concluded.