‘Error, Violation’

-PUL Vice President Terms Upcoming Congress

By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.

The vice president of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Octavin Williams has termed the upcoming congress announced by the leadership of the PUL as a ‘complete error’ and a violation of the Union’s constitution.

Addressing a news conference Thursday, June 28, 2018 at a local entertainment center in Monrovia, Williams says the leadership of the union has lost legitimacy to hold such a congress, thus, it is now within the preview of the union’s National Executive Committee members.

“Recently the Press Union of Liberia issued a notice and that notice is calling for a mini congress. When you read that notice, you will read the flagrant violation of the constitution of the Press Union of Liberia which we took oath to defend and uphold. So, to sit and allow our friends to violate the constitution without speaking, prosperity is going to judge us tomorrow wrongly,” Williams told journalists at a news conference.

The PUL vice president indicated that Articles 10 and 12 of the union’s constitution which talks specifically about congress clearly point out the issue of plenary during the mini congress at which time members can be able to discuss issues of relevant concern to the union, adding, there was nothing of plenary found within the citation sent out by the leadership regarding the upcoming congress.

The tough talking PUL second person in command further noted that the leadership of the union has already violated the date and time stipulated within the constitution for the mini congress and as such, the leadership cannot in any way hold this congress without the decision of the National Executive Committee.

“We as leadership do not have the constitutional authority to in fact host this congress except the Executive committee members which will have a consultation with us and we will in the end have what we call concurrent resolution to issue a date and time for the hosting of this mini congress,” Williams pointed out.

He narrated that Article 18 section 5 of the PUL’s constitution states among other things that the PUL fiscal period shall runs from October 1 to September and annual registration of membership shall be from November to January 31 and the union’s leadership should at least publish the full listing of register members for the first period in February, something he noted was never done by this leadership under the watchful eyes of President Charles Cuffey, terming this action as a complete violation of the union’s by-laws.

Octavin Williams said he in the past criticized past administration of the PUL and such he would not be a part of any administration that would in return thread on similar path without him standing against such action.

Meanwhile, Williams has indicated that it is his right to as a member of the PUL to contest for any post within the PUL, thus, he would be a candidate for the Presidency in the ensuing elections of the PUL.