Sen. Kaipay ‘Somersaults’ Over Signing Of County Sitting Resolution -Highlights Stakeholders’ Intervention

By Lawrence T. Hoff

Grand Bassa Senator Jonathan L. Kaipay has shifted his Legislative gear regarding the signing of the County Sitting Development Resolution, stating the document will now bear his Signature.

His revelation made known through an August 24 Press Engagement held at his Buchanan Office on the Fairground runs contrary to the previous declaration made on 15, August 2020.

“Our gathering is in furtherance of the ongoing debates surrounding the mandate of delegates to our last County Sitting, buttressed by the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus, relative to the return of road maintenance equipment belonging to this county,” the Senator Kaipay asserted.

The Grand Bassa Lawmaker reversed decision is in response to Citizens’ mixed views in the public; some of whom embraced Senator Kaipay’s previous statement as a further pressure to compel compliance of the Superintendent, while majority believes his position places the county in a “double jeopardy”; thus stressing that other actions could be taken against the Superintendent instead of holding Development hostage.

Such public outcry prompted two Radio appearances of the Lawmaker, both in Buchanan couple with segmented forum held with Zonal Heads, Religious Leaders and other stakeholders amounting to Consultation.

“In consideration of the quest of our people to further their development need through the building of roads, equipping of hospitals and the provision of other social services, I wish to inform our citizens that I am yielding to their calls and will forthwith sign the document for the social development funds, but remain engaged to ensure that our equipment are returned,” he said.

This latest decision comes barely one week after Senator Kaipay to the dismay of the public; pronounced his unreadiness to affix his signature to the Development Resolution owing to the absence of the County Equipment.

It has been a moment of tough exchanges between Supt. Janjay Baikpeh and Sen. Kaipay on Community Radios in Grand Bassa and via Online Television platforms prior to such position statement.

Many individuals in the County have disclosed their worries in connection to how the scuffle is proceeding, pointing out possibility of the Superintendent being legislatively ordered at the Capitol Building before the Senate Plenary; a thought Senator Kaipay said will be recorded as his last decision if the equipment do not return accordingly in fifteen days.

But Supt. Baikpeh has returned the motor grader, the front-end loader and the 966 Machine, with another two remaining, including one Load Bed undergoing mechanical repair and the Dump Truck that is said to be in Sinoe County as proclaimed by Baikpeh.

Though the Senator lauded the return of some equipment, but argued that owing to the fact that the agreement with Varney Karbah has elapsed since May 2020; it is important to ensure that the necessary pressure comes to bear on those responsible for the now unexplained manner in which the county’s equipment issue is being handled, until the items are returned in the shortest possible time.

At the same time, the Legislator appealed to the citizens for fifteen days extension of the equipment return deadline beginning the Press Conference Day, with a commitment to dig deeper through his Senatorial Power along with His colleagues for the appropriate actions upon failure from the Superintendent part.

Providing clarity; Senator Kaipay mentioned as one of the leaders of the county and in consideration of his understanding of the primacy of the people’s interest above all other interests, he would not realistically move in the direction of strangulating development initiatives.

Consequently, a communication has been submitted to the Superintendent, requesting him to provide information as to the locations of the equipment; indicating readiness to facilitate the travel of representatives of civil society actors, citizen groups and other interested parties, to those locations for the purpose of ascertaining the fact of their availability.

The Senator therefore pleaded with citizens to remain calm and supportive in pressing on for the right thing to be done in the best interest of Grand Bassa County.

As it stands, the Senator’s signature increased the number of Legislators to Five, who have signed; thereby making it two-third Majority, as Superintendent Baikpeh disclosed Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence’s willingness to sign immediately upon her return from the United States of America