Monrovia – Cllr. Senator Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County has been given another feather in his hat. He was named “Senator of the Year” by Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie on Friday, September 14. This was at a press conference, which had to climax the First Session of the 54th Legislature.
Report by Henry Karmo, [email protected]
In his deliberations during the press conference, Pro-Temp Chie commended members of the Liberian Senate for their dedicated services to the work of the Liberia people.
He claimed that the Liberian Senate did a lot of good works in passing into law lots of legislations with the Land Rights and Local Government bills topping his list.
He singled out Cllr. Varney Sherman, who chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Claims and Petition as the most hardworking Senator of the year, thereby branding him, “Senator of the Year.”
According to Pro-Temp Chie, the Senate Judiciary Chairman worked very hard in making sure that the Judiciary Committee became very active.
According to our reporter, who covers the Legislature, he stated that Cllr. Sherman’s tenacity during debates on the Senate floor and his introduction and sponsorship of bills in the interest of the Liberians did not go unnoticed by Pro-Temp Chie.
It can be recalled that the Senate’s Judiciary, Claims Petition and Human Rights Committee Chairman, during the First Session of the 54th Legislature, sponsored the amendment of the Alien and Nationality Law of Liberia and an Act to ratify the Agreement for the establishment of the Export and Import Bank (AFREXIM BANK)
The Grand Cape Mount Senator was also instrumental in writing the Liberian Senate calling on it to intervene with President George Weah to ensure that there is Pension benefits for Chief Justice and others.
In a communication, addressed to the Plenary at the time, the Senate Committee’s Chairman on Judiciary said, in 1988, the honorable Legislature enacted into law, approved by the President on August 1, 1988 and printed into handbill in September 20, 1988 an act to amend section 13.4 of the new Judiciary Law to provide pension benefits for Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme court of Liberia.
A Senate press release said Cllr. Senator Sherman also introduced a bill seeking the amendment of Article 83 (a) of the Liberian Constitution. The bill is seeking for Presidential and General Elections be held in November instead of the second working Tuesday in October.
Also introduced for consideration is the bill to regulate the eligibility of sitting senators and sitting representatives for ensuing elections during their times.