By Precious D. Freeman
“When EBOLA and COVID-19 invaded this country and waged wars on us, we showed patriotism, honor and duty to our country and therefore we won those wars. Unfortunately, we are yet to defeat one war that is continuously being waged on us; a war that continues to affect our health and even sometimes takes our lives, destroys properties, besmears and degrades the environmental beauty of our beloved Country,” says Judge George Wah-Harris Smith.
“That war is easier to combat and defeat than EBOLA and COVID-19 and that is the war of littering plastic bags and other dirt in the streets, “drainages” gutters, and other public and private places,” the assigned Circuit Judge at the 8th Judicial Circuit in Nimba County opined.
Judge Smith is however requesting that the Executive and Judiciary combine to prosecute those caught in violation of the Environmental Sanitation Law and City Ordinances.
According to him, the Public Health Law, the Environment Sanitation provisions and the City Ordinances prohibit the disposal of plastic bags and dirt in the streets, gutters, drainages and all public and private places therefore, violation of this law and the city ordinances is punishable by fines up to imprisonment term.
Delivering his charge at the opening of the May 2023 Term of Court in Nimba County, the assigned judge stated that the Legislature has set the stage by providing their contingent of soldiers, through direct and dedicated City Ordinances legislations to battle the war of plastic bags and dirt waged against Liberia.
Cllr. Smith maintained that generally the courts do not go outside looking for cases to judge. It is therefore the Executive that must prosecute violators in court. Though the courts do not look for cases to decide, however, since this war is against all including members of the Judiciary, the courts have direct stake in this deadly war. Therefore, the Supreme Court of Liberia has availed a continent of soldiers, magistrates, on the war front to fight this war against the littering of plastic bags and dirt in the country.
“Accordingly, pursuant to the authority and power granted to the Supreme Court of Liberia by Article 75 of our Constitution to promulgate rules of courts, the Supreme Court has mandated in Rule 6, Rules and Regulations for the Governance of the Magistrate and Traffic Courts, that any Justice of the Peace or Magistrate exercising functions within the limits of cities, towns, and commonwealth districts are vested with jurisdiction over cases, arising under the Sanitary Act of December 19, 1930, as amended, and the City Ordinances,” he reminded.
He continued that Justice of the Peace or Magistrate shall set aside Monday in every week for the trial of all cases arising out of the Sanitary Act and City Ordinances issued from time to time. Such trials shall be summary and judgments shall be rendered and enforced without delay.
“I therefore charge the local and municipal governments and law enforcement departments to cause the arrest and prosecution in the magistrate courts, violators of our Environmental Sanitation Law and City Ordinances,” he maintained.
The assigned circuit judge at the 8th judicial circuit continued that in order for Liberians to prevail in this war, as they did during the EBOLA and COVID-19 wars, the government inclusive of the Legislature and Executive must provide the funding and logistics to battle this dangerous war, the littering of plastic bags and dirt in the streets, gutters, drains, public and private places.
“Also, it is high time that city mayors of Liberia travel abroad to seek technical and logistical assistance from their foreign counterparts, donors and friends of Liberia to fight against this deadly war,” he suggested.
“It is the civic duty and obligation of all citizens and those residing in Liberia to combat the war of littering of plastic bags and dirt in our country,” he emphasized.
FeJAL/USAID Media Activity.
