BY Bill W. Cooper
Several aggrieved personnel and Central Administration staffers at the House of Representatives have threatened to stage a peaceful protest at the grounds of the Capitol Building if their 21 months salaries and arrears are not paid by that body leadership.
The aggrieved staffers who were scheduled to embark on their protest action today, had to postpone its protest to Thursday, May 27, as a result of interventions made by Nimba County District 9 Representative, Johnson N. Gwalkolo and Sinoe County District 3 Representative, Mathew G. Zarzar.
The staffers who were seen in fierce, angry and frustrated mood told legislative reporters yesterday, that their protest action was triggered due to the House leadership’s refusal to settle their 21 months salaries and arrears owed them.
According to them, they have on numerous occasions engaged the House leadership and other key committee members concerning their plight without showing any concern for them, something they described as an ‘affront’ and ‘wickedness’ to them as employees of the House.
They wondered, “If the Senate can muster the courage and settle their staffers’ benefits, why is it that the House is still delaying and ignoring the payment of our 21 months salaries owed us?”
“We are entitled to our 21 months salaries and benefits because we worked and labored for it. We are tired with too many excuses and promises because we were told that the harmonization process did not affect us, so we need our money or else, there will be no session on Thursday,” the aggrieved staffers threatened.
In response to the aggrieved staffers, both Reps., Mathew Zarzar and Johnson Gwalkolo pleaded with them to abandon their planned strike action and seek dialogue as a way forward to addressing their plight.
Rep. Gwalkolo who is the House Committee on Rules, Order and Administration added, “Yes, we do owe you for 21 months, bud protesting cannot solve the problem now. So let us all go back to the drawing board to enable us derive at when and how we will pay your money.”
Recently, some staffers from the Liberian Senate staged a peaceful protest by lying-down flat under the vehicle of Pro-temp Albert Chie, demanding the leadership of the Senate to make available the Liberian Dollars-component of their salaries.