-For ‘Improper Dress Code’
By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.
The plenary of the Liberian Senate threw out of its chamber the Minister of Public Works, Mabutu Nyenpan for what they termed as improper dress code.
Flashback: Minister Mabutu Nyenpan
The plenary which is the highest decision-making body of that august body took the decision Thursday, June 13, 2019 upon the appearance of Minister Nyenpan in open plenary.
Minister Nyrnpan who is a former Senator was dressed in a long sleeve red and yellow stripy shirt, a muscle armed blue jeans jacket, blue jeans trouser and a black pair of shoes was asked to leave the chamber of the Liberian Senate and reappear on next Tuesday before the full plenary.
Before asking Minister Nyenpan out of session, the plenary of the Liberian Senate burst into complete disarray upon his entry into the chamber which lasted for nearly over thirty minutes
Senators in session had diverse views over the manner and form the Minister appeared in the chamber of the Liberian Senate that even led to the walking out by two senators, Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County and Oscar Cooper of Margibi County.
“look the fourth estate, Senator Cooper’s objection to the appearance of Minister Mabutu Nyenpan, the Public Works Minister in the dress code he came in was improper of a minister to appear before the honorable senate. This is not about my individual taste but it is about the institution and the Senate and as such he should appear before this Senate properly dressed,” Senator Cooper stressed.
Following his thrown out, Minister Nyenpan told journalists that his dress code was as a result of his immediate return from the Timbo bridge where he had gone to inspect.
Minister Nyenpan said he could not go into the field with suit and tie, noting that he only received the communication from the Senator a day before his appearance.
“Yes, I know the dress code of the Liberian Senate but I came to the Senate today out of respect for the Senate but I just arrived from the Timbo bridge one hour ago the very bridge they are talking about,” Minister Nyenpan said.
According to the rule of the Liberian Senate, it is prohibited on the part of any individual regardless of their status, before entering the chamber of the both the Liberian Senate and the House of Representatives should and must be properly attire in coat suit and tie of a proper African dress code.
It can be recalled that the plenary of the Liberian Senate reached a decision last Tuesday to invite the Public Works Minister so as to bring the Senate up to speed with road development in the south-east with particular emphasis on the Timbo bridge between River Cess and Sinoe Counties.
This decision by the Senate was as a result of a communication filed by one of its members, Senator Augustine Chie of Sinoe County bringing to the attention of his colleagues the bad road conditions in the south-east part of the country.
This brings to two the number of times Public Works Ministers have been thrown out. The first was former Minister Gyude Moore at which time Minister Nyenpan was a Senator.
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