By Grace Q. Bryant
Aggrieved staffers of the House of Representatives and Liberian Senate have temporarily halted their protests in demand of their extra sitting fees and other benefits.
Members of the 54th Legislature yesterday, January 9, concluded the extended session, which lasted for two months, thus paving way for the induction of members of the incoming 55th Legislature.
According to the Legislative calendar, the 6th and final session of the 54th Legislature officially ended on December 8, 2023, and the Legislature should have adjourned since December to prepare for the 55th Legislature, scheduled for the second working Monday in January of 2024.
But Pro-temp Albert Chie, on behalf of the Liberian Senate, announced the closure of the 54th Legislature yesterday, following the end of the Special Session of the last segment of the 54th Legislature.
The protestations were firstly initiated by staffers of the Liberian Senate and lasted for five days, triggering staffers of the House of Representatives to form part of the agitation on day 5of the demonstration.
Furthermore, long demonstrations by these staffers also disrupted normal working activities of the Legislature, precisely the Liberian Senate, jeopardizing normal working activities of that August body.
However, days of agitation by the staffers came to a temporary ebb, following the intervention from both Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, and House Speaker, Bhofal Chambers.
Sen. Karnga-Lawrence, addressing the Senate staffers, expressed solidarity and openly apologized to the staffers for what she termed as the Senate’s failure to ensure proper information dissemination concerning their concerns.
Acknowledging the staffers’ grievances, the Grand Bassa County Senator, who is also the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration, clarified that they have not also received their extra sitting benefits as mandated by law.
She pleaded with the staffers to forgo their protest, assuring them of getting one month of their money between then, January 9, and Friday, January 12, 2024.
In that same vein, House Speaker Chambers also expressed his regret and pleaded with staffers of the House Representatives to let go of their protest action.
Speaker Chambers also assured the group of his commitment in making sure that they all receive their just benefits, same time as the Senate staffers, between then and Friday.
In response, the both Houses’ staffers suspended their protestations, but with a caveat that if their extra sitting is not paid before Friday, there will be no formal opening for the 55th Legislature.
The groups said “We agree to let go our protest, but if our promised funds are not transferred by the Friday deadline, we will resume our protest action on Monday, which is the date for the legislative elections.”
