Monrovia – Grand Cape Mount County Senator, Cllr. H. Varney Sherman, in an early move has started lobbying with colleagues at the Liberian Senate to consider voting him as the next President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
“Throughout my experience as leader of LAP and the new UP, I have interacted with the Legislature and acquired extensive experience with legislative proceedings.”
“Culminating my election to the Liberian Senate in 2014 and my subsequent appointment as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 2015 (the fourth ranking position in the Liberian Senate).
These years of experience, I believe have qualify me to serve as President Pro-Tempore and I therefore I plead for your vote and support” – Cllr. Varney Sherman, Senator, Grand Cape Mount County
His declaration of intent was contained in his Flag Day message to his colleagues at the Senate in which he advised that a Senator who only has three years more in office should not be a candidate for the office of President Pro-Tempore.
“Otherwise, there is the possibility that a second election for President Pro-Tempore would be in the middle of the legislative term if that person were to lose his mid-term election bid.”
“The scenario with Hon. Findley, which necessitated the election of Hon. Jallah in the middle of the 53rd Legislature, would be repeated. This would be in violation of the intent and spirit of the Constitution.”
Making his own case as the most suitable to be President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, Cllr. Sherman recalled entering into politics in 1984 at which time he was a member of the erstwhile Liberia Action Party (LAP) in which he rose through its ranks to become the standard bearer and contested in the 2005 elections as presidential candidate.
Cllr. Sherman believes his merger with the Unity Party, serving as its Chairman and helping the party win the 2011 presidential elections, spell out his success in politics.
“Throughout my experience as leader of the LAP and the new UP, I have interacted with the Legislature and acquired extensive experience with legislative proceedings.”
“Culminating this is my election to the Liberian Senate in 2014 and my subsequent election as chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate in 2015 (the fourth ranking position in the Liberian Senate).
“These years of experience, I believe, qualify me to serve as President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate and I therefore plead for your vote and support,” Cllr. Sherman averred.
According to Cllr. Sherman, he will use his practical experience as a politician, knowledge and skills as a lawyer of 37 years and a law professor for five years to make the Liberian Senate a vibrant, proactive upper chamber of the Legislature.
“With me at the helm of the Senate, we will not just rubber stamp draft laws sent to us by the President, but we will originate laws and lobby with the House of Representatives concur with them for onward transmission to the President for signature,” he added.
He added that his personal time would be devoted to researching and drafting law so as to invigorate the law-making power of the Legislature.
Sherman promised to ensure, when elected Pro-Tempore, not to allow what happened to the Democracy Sustainability Act, which was never vetoed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf or published into handbill as required by law.
“Under my leadership of the Senate, we will strengthen the legislative drafting section and information/resource section of Legislature.”
“We will employ at least two competent lawyers to assist with drafting and crafting of law; we will have resource facilities which will have stored all laws before enactment, minutes of legislative debates which show the history of all laws, all laws enacted by the Legislature and other materials which will assist the Legislature in the performance of its law-making powers of the Constitution. This will be both electronic and hard copies,” Cllr. Sherman promised.
He added, “There are so many things that will happen under my leadership of the Senate; I can’t mention all in one email. But it is for these reasons and many more that I present myself to you next President Pro-Tempore.”
“I assure you that as I have done in every capacity in my adult life, both professional and personal.”
“I will serve you well and I will make you proud. I will help to make the Senate a significant and important participant in the democratic governance of our country.”
