Liberia News: Power at Play

Monrovia-As the fallout of the leadership crisis at the House of Representatives continues unabated, the denial of four suspended members of the House of Representatives their December salary by the Majority Bloc appeared to have added another bitter taste to what has now become a complete power play as both sides canvas for supremacy over the other.

The Majority Bloc recently suspended Representatives Frank Saah Foko, Eugene Kollie, Zinnah Norman, and Alex Sonnyboy Noah. The suspended lawmakers are strong supporters of embattled J. Fonati Koffa due to suspected misbehavior.

Using the hiatus of preference by the Executive Branch, the majority bloc stopped the payment of December salary to the suspended lawmakers in the tone of $200 million Liberian dollars, and turned same over to be deposited in government’s account.

It can be recalled that the Majority bloc recently received the blessings of the Executive Branch of government, thus giving them upper hands when it comes to the conduct of legislative business and functions compared to the bloc supporting embattled Speaker, Cllr. Jonathan Fornati Koffa.

While many Liberians do not support the process being used to get rid of the Speaker Koffa, the Executive Branch’s recognition and working with the majority bloc is seen as a big slap in the face of the embattled Speaker and his support bloc.

According to political and legal experts, the fact the majority bloc is navigating its way, appraising and passing the budget in the $880 million United States dollars puts the other side in a very tight and skewed position.

“If they can appraise and pass the budget, suspended and denied their colleagues salary for the month of December, debating and discussing pertinent national issues means a lot,” said a political observer, who also argued that the minority bloc of embattled Speaker Koffa is just nominal, a toothless bulldog still fighting a battle they have already lost.

How long will the power play and showdown continue remains a conjecture at this point in time, but according to analysts the writings on the wall are clear that the majority bloc is far becoming insurmountable and it does not look possible that it will surrender to the minority bloc?

Speaker of the self-styled Majority Bloc, Richard N. Koon, over the weekend confirmed that over two million Liberian Dollars, originally designated as December salaries for seven suspended lawmakers, have been deposited into the government’s consolidated account.

He told Legislative Reporters Speaker Koon that the suspended lawmakers will not receive salaries for December and will remain under suspension for more than three months, in line with the legislature’s decision.

The move for their suspension, which includes the denial of their benefits beginning this month and going forward, was filed by Representative Nya Flomo. The dominant coalition now has seven legislators suspended overall as a result of this judgment.

Representatives Edward Papay Flomo, Abu Kamara, and Marvin Cole were among the first three people suspended. Meanwhile, Speaker Fonati Koffa has received a letter from the majority bloc, which now calls him the “former Speaker,” asking him to submit a list of his staff members.