By Alex Yomah
The Capitol Building, which houses the Legislature, was a scene of chaos yesterday as some aggrieved staffers of the legislature were seen disrupting ceremony marking the endorsement of the Ways, Means and Finance, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Thomas Fallah.
Our reporter covering the Legislature disclosed that there was serious scuffle at the Capitol Building Bye-pass entry between supporters of Representative Thomas Fallah’s Senatorial bid and some aggrieved staffers with each other throwing out jibes.
The chaotic scene which started in the morning, saw strange young folks wearing White T- Shirts with inscription Pro-Fallah vehemently seen overpowered by some aggrieved staffers who were in advantageous position to prevent Fallah’s supporters to enter the Legislature yesterday.
Staffers were heard booing Rep. Fallah’s supporters while accusing him [Fallah] of being the key player of their money that is reportedly missing and maintained that Fallah will not be endorsed on the grounds of the Legislature until their salary issues are addressed.
The most-talked about program marking the endorsement of Representative Thomas Fallah for Montserrado County Senatorial seat for the second time failed yesterday on Capitol Hill. But reacting to the staffer’s action, some supporters believed to be Rep. Fallah’s supporters expressed discontent due to what they called sheer display of limitations.
A supporter of Tomas Fallah who works at the Central Administration at the Legislature, Peter Bledee Sakajiebo, Jr., told this paper that what occurred yesterday is a precedence set, noting that it will be reciprocated. “We believe that equitable distribution of democracy provides freedom of expansion, freedom of affiliations. If Rep. Fallah were to come here to be endorsed, it is the right of the employees to gather and not to be attacked by certain group of folks under the banner of salary,” Sakajiebo said.
He said the issue of salary is a process which their bosses have committed to paying retroactively and there have been no reports that accused Rep. Fallah of being the one that stole whatever salary. According to Rep. Fallah’s supporter, some of his colleagues are politicizing their plights just to score political goal at the detriment of the staffers who are in dire need of their salaries.
“We are not going to sit here and be benchwarmers; democracy should prevail. If others can be endorsed here, Fallah too can be entitled to any employee’s endorsement. Today, as we have been denied by your disruption, no endorsement will happen at this legislature,” Sakajiebo stated.
The program which was organized by some staffers under the canopy, “Conscious Minded Legislative Staffers” announced the endorsement of Rep. Thomas Fallah yesterday (Thursday)-despite threats by some staffers to disrupt any endorsement.
Recently, some staffers of the Legislature threatened to make the Capitol Building a ‘No-Go’ zone if their colleagues or anyone attempts to endorse the House of Representatives’ Ways, Means and Finance Chairperson, Thomas Fallah today.
Staffers’ speaker Charles Brown sounded a caveat to would-be planners to desist or else, there would have been greeted with what he called embarrassing disruption.
Staffers’ caveat stemmed from announcement from some group staffers under the banner “ Conscious Legislative Staffers” who are believed to have come from the House of Representatives that there will be an elaborate ceremony to endorse Thomas Fallah today at the Capitol.”
Legislative staffers have been at their bosses’ throats for clarity of the Liberian dollar component of their salaries which is one year retroactively and according to them that amounted to a demand because they are being made to believe that they have been defrauded.
Mr. Brown said the group of aggrieved staffers is not infringing on employees’ political decision, rather they are pleading with everyone to hold on until their bosses address their delayed salaries by paying them retroactively including their gasoline that was upheld for six months and repay every cents and dollars that were collected from personnel staff’s salaries for insurance retroactively.
“Until then, we are not going to allow rallies or endorsements. Any attempt to endorse Rep. Fallah who is serving as Ways, Means and Finance Committee Chairperson and clothed with the authority of ensuring that our requests are granted, will meet stiff resistance because we will not sit and allow him carry out any political manipulations here,” Charles Brown threatened.