By: Washington Tumay Watson-onewash9@gmail.com
MONROVIA-The Chairman of the Liberia Small Arms Commission, Atty. Maxwell T. Grigsby, noted that he is not going to resign his position owing to the fact that the Presidential Mandate calling on all Appointees vying for public offices to quit before April 7 is being challenged before the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Atty. Grigsby is a representative aspirant in District # 1, Greenville, Sinoe County.
Recently, the Liberian Leader, President George M. Weah in adherence to the Code of Conduct, issued an executive order mandating Presidential Appointees who are vying for Legislative Seats in the upcoming October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections to resign before April 7, 2023.
The Executive Order #117 issued is consistent with amended Sections 5.2 and 10.2 of the 2014 Code of Conduct enacted, approved and printed in handbills on December 29, 2022.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Monrovia, the Legal Expert indicated that his holding onto his post does not suggest that he is defying the Presidential Order but to act in conformity with the rule of law.
President Weah acknowledged that the objectives of the Code of Conduct are to dissociate the fiduciary duty of trust, integrity, and loyalty owed by public officials to the people from their personal desires to contest elections at the expense of public resources.
Reminding appointed public officials, the President’s Executive Order states:, “The Act provides that all Officials appointed by the President, including all Cabinet Ministers, Deputies and Assistant Cabinet Ministers, Ambassadors, Ministers Consuls, Superintendents of Counties and other Government Officials, both Military and Civilian, appointed by the President pursuant to Article 56(a) of the 1986 Constitution, and any Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, Assistant Managing Director of Corporation owned by the Government of Liberia, any Commissioner, Deputy and Assistant Commissioner of any Commission established by the Legislature, and any Official of the Government who negotiates and executes contracts, procures goods and services, and/or manages assets for and on behalf of the Government of Liberia, who desires to canvass or contest for an elective public office within the Government of Liberia shall resign his or her position one (1) year before the date on which the election for the post for which he/she intends to contest.”
The Liberian Leader acknowledged that with about seven months to the conduct of elections on October 10, 2023, the amended Act can prevent public officials from contesting in these elections.