Browne Attacks Mills Jones Having mobilized rented protesters and the hullabaloos over the wasteful loan scheme of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Minister Lewis G. Brown of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICAT) has strongly descended and condemned the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Dr. Joseph Mills Jones. Speaking at his regular Thursday press briefing on March 6, 2014, Information Minister Brown ranted against the CBL Governor by stressing that he was using taxpayers’ money to buy votes. Information Minister Browne noted that Dr. Jones was preceding errors as it relates to the lackadaisical way in which he was giving out loans. He pointed out that the National Legislature acted proficiently to have amended the CBL Act or else the Governor could have plundered, looted, decapitated and eluded state resources at the detriment of the suffering masses. The Information Minister mentioned that the economy was being put at risk over the clandestine manners Dr. Jones was handling the loan issues in Liberia. Minister Browne maintained that democracy encapsulates fair competition of ideas not for an individual to hide under the canopy of loans to buy votes from Liberians. He stressed that the amendment in the CBL Act was right, because it prohibits the wasteful and careless spending of state resources. The MICAT boss indicated that Dr. Jones should be the manager of the country’s money and at the same time not use his office to satisfy his political ambitions. Minister Brown revealed that the National Legislature acted swiftly and robustly to safeguard the country’s economy because the Governor of the CBL was resolved, determined and prepared to plunder colossal sum of money to ascend to state power come the 2017 General and Presidential Elections. The Minister of Information pointed out that those who are protesting in favor of the Governor of the CBL have been induced and that their advocacy has financial benefits. He pointed out that they did not join the advocacy for Dr. Jones alone but that they have been influenced and bought. Minister Browne disclosed that no Liberian should use his or her office to ascend to public office but the National Legislature should come out with tougher measures that will protect the state and its citizens. The Chamber of the House of Representatives was in disarray on February 18, 2014 for over an hour, following an intense deliberation and subsequent concurrence of the bill seeking to amend the 1999 Act of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL). It can be recalled that on Thursday, February 13, 2014, the Senate unanimously agreed to amend Part IV Section 13, Sub Section 3 (a-e), Part II Sub Section 1, Section 17 and Part V of the act that founded the CBL. The bill was later submitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence. According to the new amendment, the Executive Governor of the CBL and members of the Board of Governors shall be prohibited to contest political offices, while serving in their respective offices. The amendment also seek not to qualify the Executive and Board of Governors of the CBL to contest any electable office within three (3) years consecutively after the expiration of their tenure or his/her resignation from the CBL. The amendment also called for the Legislature to determine whether or not an impeachment offense has been committed by the Executive Governor or a member of the Board of Governors of the CBL. When such a determination is made, the amendment pointed out that the Legislature shall take the necessary action of impeachment in keeping with the relevant provisions of the Liberian Constitution. The amendment also called for a member of the Board of Governors to be removed from office based upon a bill of impeachment by the House of Representatives for gross breach of duty, misconduct in office, conviction of a felony, and being bankrupt. The amendment also seeks to make the CBL to supply legal tender and banknotes, and coins. The bill calling for the amendment of the CBL Act was sponsored by Senators Armah Z. Jallah of Gbarpolu County, Sumo Kupee of Lofa County and Peter Coleman of Grand Kru County. An attempted motion from Grand Gedeh County District # 3 Representative Alex Grant for the passage of the bill was disrupted by several lawmakers on grounds that they (lawmakers) were not given the opportunity to express their views after the floor was opened for discussion on the issue. Some of the lawmakers that were seen agitating the motion were: Representatives Eugene Fallah Kpakar of Foya District # 1, Lofa County, Thomas Fallah, Munah Pelhum-Youngblood, Julius Berrian, Saah Joseph of Districts # 5, 9, 10 and 13 in Montserrado County, amongst others. The chamber of the house later began noisy when several lawmakers for and against the bill started to move from their respective seats to other parts of the chamber, something that compelled the Presiding Officer, Speaker J. Alex Tyler to ask out of the chamber Rep. Thomas Fallah. However, the situation was later calm down due to the action taken by the Speaker. The motion earlier filed by Rep. Grant was later seconded and unanimously accepted by the plenary of the House of Representatives. Plenary is the highest decision making body of the House of Representatives. Thirty seven (37) lawmakers voted in favor of the bill seeking to amend the CBL Act, 7 voted against while 1 abstained from the process. Following the concurrence, the Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency, Rep. Julius Berrian, expressed serious disappointment over the manner and form in which the matter was handled by the Presiding Officer. According to him, the lawmakers went contrary to Rule 63.1 of the House of Representatives Standing Rules and Regulations. He quoted the rule as saying that: In terms of concurrence on a bill from the House of Senate, a 24-hour notice should be given to every lawmaker in the House of Representatives, prior to the passage of that bill. But to the contrary, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker maintained that no copy of the bill was distributed to any representative, prior to the introduction of the bill for discussion. The CDC lawmaker maintained that the bill should have been sent to the relevant committee to come up with findings and make a report to plenary within a specific time frame in line with normal legislative proceeding. I am little bit disappointed because I strongly believe that we went contrary to our rules. We violated our own rules and secondly, when a bill comes on the floor, all members of the House should receive copies of the bill. But to our utmost surprise, we never saw a copy of the bill. I do not know why this bill was fast-tracked. In my own conscious, I do strongly believe that the bill shouldnt have been passed without passing through committee room, he emphasized. He pointed out: That is a constitutional issue; the constitution is very clear on who contest or who do not contest around here. But my argument is not on that now. My argument is this; it should have gone to committees room; smooth legislative practice wasnt applied there of which we do know; these are my concerns. The committee was ostracized from the process and was not given time to do its job. He said plenary should have seen reason to empower the committee to digest the document for onward deliberation, adding that, we did not see what we were discussing; we did not see what was passed. However, the Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency expressed the hope that several bills, including the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, Decent Work Bill, amongst others that have been languishing in various committees rooms for a prolonged period of time would be passed in the same manner and form the CBL Act of 1999 was passed by the Legislature. Also speaking, Rep. Thomas Fallah termed as wrong the proceedings on the bill. He stated that the Presiding Officer (Speaker Tyler) was emotionally charged in presiding over the deliberation. I am disappointed about the proceedings from the House of Representatives today. Its wrong; we expected this communication to be opened and copies be made to individual lawmaker to peruse this document and make their input. Nothing of such was done. Why be so emotional? What is the problem behind the bill that we cannot send it to committee room or Ad-hoc committee in line with our rules? I think the Speaker is emotionally charged and sentimental. He is proceeding wrongly. Even though majority carry the day, but we as the minority should have had our descending opinion on this matter; and we were denied, he stated. He said the matter surrounding the CBL bill is critical, and therefore, lawmakers needed more time to consult their various constituents. On the other hand, several lawmakers, including Representatives Acarous Gray of Montserrado County District # 8, Francis S. Paye of Rivercess County District # 2, and Numene T. H. Bartekwa of Grand Kru County District # 2 believe that the bill is in the interest of the Liberian people. According to them, the bill is not intended to witch-hunt a specific individual at the CBL, but intended to depoliticize the entity. They said the CBL should serve as a financial institution to protect the economy of Liberia. The lawmakers observed that the micro-loan being provided by the CBL to Liberians across the country is individually-driven instead of institutionally-driven. Meanwhile, the amended CBL bill is expected to be sent to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for signing into law.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 22:10:16 +0000
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