Monrovia – The Chairman of the Independent Legislative Caucus (ILC), Rep. Larry Younquoi has branded the activities of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Bhofal Chambers as unconstitutional.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
According to Rep. Younquoi, Speaker Chambers’ decision to reshuffle committees of the House of Representatives after one and a quarter year runs contrary to Rule 54 of the House.
Rule 54 of the House of Representatives, among other things, states that: All: “All committee chairpersons and members shall serve for three years, but only the chairperson and co-chairperson are subject to removal by two-third majority vote of the members of the House for a cause. Should the chairperson of any committee for any cause cease to serve, it shall be the duty of the Speaker to appoint a new chairperson in consultation with the leadership of the House.
Recently, Speaker Chambers made a reshuffle on several committees of the House of Representatives, something which has sparked huge debate among members of the House and prompted some lawmakers including Reps. Nagbe Sloh and Yekeh Kolubah to announce their resignation from all committees they are part of.
Rep. Younquoi, in the wake of the Speaker’s decision requested plenary in a communication to prevail on the Speaker to rescind his decision because of its illegality.
He argued that Rule 54 only singles out Chairpersons and Co-chairpersons can be replaced by the Speaker and not members when they have not completed their three years tenure.
Addressing reporters at the Capitol on Thursday, May 16, he stated that his communication has not been placed on the agenda; something he termed as a clever attempt by the Speaker to ignore his concern.
He warned that if the Speaker does not reconsider his decision, every activity of the House of Representative will be deemed unconstitutional.
“I have reminded the Plenary and the Speaker that if we don’t accentuate issues that have to do with constitutionality and legality, most of the decisions we’re taking might end up being challenged in court as being illegal,” the Nimba District #8 Representative warned.
Rep. Younquoi currently serves as Chairman of the Committee on Governance and Government Reform. He was a member of the Judiciary Committee and Board of Trustees of the University of Liberia.
Like Reps. Sloh and Yekeh and some members of the Independent Legislative Caucus, Rep. Younquoi was removed other committees.
He added that despite his removal from the Judiciary Committee and the UL Board of Trustees, he is still being asked to function as member of those committees, something he refused to do until the Speaker rescinds his decision.
He called on his colleagues who resigned from their committees to reconsider their decision as their absence from all of the committees will deprive them of performing their constitutional duties.
“I told most of the members that declined from all committees, the likes of Nagbe Sloh and Yekeh Kolubah. I told them that you do not have to decline. You work through committees. If you don’t work on any committee then it means you are not working. So, we have to remain there and straighten these things up.”