-Of ‘Marginalization’
By Reuben Sei Waylaun
Grand Bassa County electoral district five Representative, Thomas Goshua says they didn’t achieve their legislative agenda in the first session of their sitting due to alleged marginalization by House Speaker Bhofal Chambers.
Speaking when he appeared on Okay FM Monday October 14, 2018, the Grand Bassa County lawmaker alleged they were marginalized by Speaker Chambers whenever they disagreed with him on issues as lawmakers.
“Whenever the Speaker perceives that you have a descending view on major issues that are not in his line, he wouldn’t give you the opportunity to speak and when you keep insisting, he asks you to state your unreadiness through your vote.
“You know the House runs on numbers and if you don’t have the necessary number and the proponents will at the end of the day win. It’s not that they are strong, but because the voices of those with descending views were not heard in order to convince their other colleagues,” he alleged.
According to Representative Goshua, they have planned that what happened during the first session at the House of Representatives wouldn’t be condoned by them during the second session when they return from their legislative break.
“We came with the mandates of our people to speak and advocate on their behalf,” he added.
He said it is their rights to speak when the presiding officers erred, saying it is spelt out in their rules.
Representative Goshua revealed that the aggrieved lawmakers have reconsolidated that upon their return from the legislative break, Liberians will see a brand-new legislature.
“We have the legislative reform bloc to ensure that the views of the legislators in the House of Representatives are heard and make significant impact on the lives of our people,” he added.
The Grand Bassa County lawmaker said they are not opposing anybody; their colleagues will support them actively.
“Some people misunderstood our actions to mean that we want to remove the speaker. The Speaker is not the law and gospel and it is spelt out in our rule (Rule 9) that speaker, deputy speaker can be removed by two-third majority for cause. He needs to change his style of leadership if the working of the House of Representatives must move on smoothly.
“We need to bring everybody together. He’s opportune to be the first amongst equal. We all were elected. He needs to see that,” he added.
Efforts to get in contact with the Speaker proved fruitless as his phone rang endlessly, he couldn’t reply to the message sent to him. His Media Officer, Bobby Addison couldn’t be reached as well.
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