[allAfrica.com]


Senate Denies Committing Liberia's Soil to America to Fight Terrorism

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
September 14, 2006
Posted to the web September 14, 2006

By D. Sonpon Weah II

The Liberian Senate has vehemently rejected and denied local media reports that
a joint resolution of both Houses of Representatives and Senate has put
Liberia's land, airspace and waters at the disposal of the government and
people of the United States of America to fight terrorism in the world.
The Senate, in its 12th day sitting of a special session presided over by
Senator Blamoh Nelson of Grand Kru County, yesterday distanced itself from the
media reports of a joint legislative resolution committing Liberian soils to
Americans to ably fight terrorism and termed it as untrue.
According to a release issued by the Senate Press Bureau, the Liberian Senate
says at no time has it ever met in joint legislative session with the Lower
House to adopt a resolution assuring open access to the US Government in its
global campaign against terrorism.
"While it is indeed an open secret that the Liberian Senate is in sympathy with
the US Government on the sad event of September 11, 2001 that took away
thousands of innocent lives, and while the Senate also fully supports the fight
against terrorists, let it be clear that the Liberian Senate has no problem
making such commitment but rather the form and manner in which this unknown
joint resolution was adopted and subsequently published in the press", read the
release.
The Senate said it has procedural problem with the joint resolution and takes
serious exception to same.
Earlier, Grand Cape Mount Senator, Abel Massaley; Senator Mabutu Nyanpan of
Sinoe County; and Senator Cletus Woterson of Grand Kru County opposed and
argued for the nullification of the alleged joint resolution on grounds that
the plenary of the Liberian Senate has no knowledge, input and consent of the
document.
Senator Abel Massaley's motion which was seconded by Senior Senator Mabutu
Nyanpan, won majority vote in support of the rejection and denied ever having
passed such reported joint resolution.
Senator Blamo Nelson, who presided, quizzed the Chief Clerk of the Senate as to
his knowledge of such a joint resolution or any document before his desk
regarding a joint resolution, but the clerk responded with a resounding "No".
The session, through presiding officer Blamo Nelson, then mandated the Chief
Clerk to work along with Senator Abel Massaley to prepare and disseminate a
press release refuting such reported joint resolution.
However, the House of Representatives has refuted claims by the Senate that the
resolution was unknown and flawed with procedural errors and other
irregularities.
The Lower House Press Director, James Jensen, said there was no procedural
error on the part of the Lower house in consideration of the proposed joint
resolution, which was introduced by House Speaker Edwin Snowe, Jr. and the
President pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Isaac Nyenabo.
Mr. Jensen said the required procedures in making laws at the National
Legislature were followed, thus introducing the proposed joint resolution to
the plenary of the House of Representatives.
Being cognizant of the procedures, he noted that the House did introduce the
proposed joint resolution, reviewed, discussed, and eventually passed it into
law by an over whelming vote in the Lower House.
He said the Chief Clerk of the Lower House, in a motion, was instructed to
fulfill necessary formalities in sending forward the passed joint resolution to
the Liberian Senate for its concurrence, adding that whether or not the Chief
Clerk James R.
Kaba did as instructed by the plenary of the Lower House would remedy the
contention.
Director Jensen said the Honorable Senate has the legal right to accept,
reject, or amend the joint resolution.
According to him, The House of Representatives has violated no law or
procedure, especially the sovereignty of Liberia in respect of the passed joint
resolution.
The Director quoted Article 35 of the Liberian Constitution, which says, "Each
bill or resolution which shall have passed both houses of the Legislature
shall, before it becomes law, be laid before the President for his/her
approval. If he/she grants approval, it shall become law. If the President does
not approve such bill or resolution, he shall return it with his objection to
the house in which it originated".
Mr. Jensen said the President of Liberia could veto the entire document or send
it back to the house of origination as required under the law and urged the
Senate to engage the issue with sobriety in the interest of the state and its
people.


===============================================================================
  Copyright © 2006 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica
                        Global Media (allAfrica.com).
===============================================================================