By Bill W. Cooper
The Movement Against the Election of Representatives to the Senate of Liberia (MATERSEL) has re-echoed its warning to Liberians not to vote sitting Representatives to the Liberian Senate in the pending December 8 Senatorial Election in the country.
“Do not vote for the entire Representatives’ candidates vowing for the Senate because you have given them a six-year mandate and they have not yet completed their tenure. Any attempts to vote for them, the government will again have to conduct elections to fill the vacancy and that will be at your expense,” the group cautioned.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Paynesville, the group through its chairperson, Richlue O. Burphy, stated that their calls to the citizenry is aimed at protecting the country’s coffers and save the future from the embarrassment of ‘artificial by-elections after the pending December 8, senatorial elections.
According to him, MATERSEL is frantically condemning the ideology of all sitting representatives who are contesting for the Senate thereby describing their behavior as humiliating, lackadaisical and has the audacity of dumping taxpayer’s money into the state of jeopardy.
He explained that they are not fighting the issue of the conduct of wanton by-elections as it is being misconstrued by some in the public rather, the group is saying no to the continuous conduct of artificial by-elections at the expense of the ordinary masses in the country.
MATERSEL’s chairperson explained that when a sitting lawmaker who has nor ended his tenure but wants to contest another seat offer during meaningful electoral outbreak, this puts financial burden on national government using tax payer’s monies for the conduct of said artificial by-elections especially when the people are in abject poverty and are spectators to their economy.
The movement therefore urged all the citizenry who want to see the betterment of the country to reject and resist every sitting lawmaker from the lower house who is contesting for the Senate.
“Already, the electorates they represent are not beneficiaries of their leadership; they do not advocate in the interest of the people and have turned to being misleaders. They watch the people go to bed without meal while extravagancy is the order of their lives. They are in laughter when our kids are being sent home from schools because our kids will compete with theirs; something they see as embarrassment and should not be accepted in their evil thoughts,” Mr. Burphy stressed.
MATERSEL’s chairperson wondered, “What use is it when the elected cannot provide the basic needs (food, shelter and clothing) and functionalities (good governance) of the people? On what grounds are we creating another financial burden for ourselves (taxpayers)?”
He alluded, “Voting any sitting representative to the Liberian Senate is like diverting your taxes that should be used for building good roads, schools, improving the agriculture sector, security and civil servant amongst several others towards the enrichment of elements of backwardness who are plunging state resources through the conduct of ill-fated and unwanted artificial by-elections and as such, MATERSEL says NO! Such tendency should be fought against vehemently as a means of signaling how disenchanted and dissatisfied we’re concerning the subject matter.”
Meanwhile, MARTERSEL through its chairperson further called on the citizenry whose interest it is to protect the country to joint them in speaking against any representative who with want to leave their sitting position and want to contest for the senate by voting against them in the Tuesday senatorial elections.
To date, the 17 sitting representatives eager to elevate to the Liberian Senate are, Thomas P. Fallah, Montserrado; Ivar K. Jones, Margibi; Ben A. Fofanna, Margibi; Prince Moye, Bong; Jeremiah K. Koung, Nimba; Vincent Willie, Grand Bassa; Isaac R. Blalu, Maryland; Edwin M. Snowe, Bomi; Nathaniel N. Bahway, Grand Kru and Mambu Sonnie, Grand Cape Mount Counties.
Others are: Emmerson V. Kamara, Grand Cape Mount; Julie F. Wiah, Lofa; Mariamu B. Fofana, Lofa; Zoe E. Pennue, Grand Gedeh; George S. Boley, Grand Gedeh; Alfred G. Koiwood, Gbapolu and Francis S. Young, River Gee Counties.