“She Disrespectful”

-Women Group Describes Rep. Rustonlyn Dennis’ Action Against Them

By Mark Mengonfia

A group of women advocating for the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill were disenchanted on October 4, 2019 over what they called “disrespectful attitude” allegedly exhibited by Montserrado County District #4 Lawmaker, Rustonlyn Dennis.

The women group has gone at the Liberian Legislature to lobby for the passage of the instrument.

The Affirmative Action Bill is an instrument which seeks to allot 21 legislative seats to women, youths and people with disabilities.

The women who have sat for hours waiting for the female lawmaker, met her after regular session outside at which time she was about to board vehicle.

According to our legislative reporter, when members of the women group asked her why their petition was not discussed, she said she was not responsible for that and she already placed it on the agenda.

The petition from the women group seeking the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill was placed on the agenda, but as per their rules, when a lawmaker places a communication on the agenda for discussion and that lawmaker is not around, that communication cannot be discussed.

The angry women after they were ignored by the female lawmaker; some of them were heard angrily saying” this little girl is very disrespectful.”

Some of them openly said that during the election result which brought her into power as lawmaker, they as women group stood by her in her quest to represent women.

“But her action is telling us we made mistake to have campaigned and voted for her. We do not want her to sponsor our bill again,” one of the aggrieved women remarked.

“We will vote against her come 2023,” another angry woman added.

“After she saw us at her office and we waited for her for hours only for her to come out and talk to us in this disrespectful manor and form,” they added.

One of them only identified as Aunt Grace said “We only want for the Affirmative Action Bill to be passed and to allow it go for referendum that is all we want.”

At the time the women openly and angrily vented their anger, Grand Gedeh County Rep. Zoe E. Pennue of Grand Gedeh County and Representative Haja Fata Siryon of Bomi County were the two lawmakers who spoke with them pleading for them to be a little patience as they ( Lawmakers) will ensure that the passage of the Bill.

Rep. Pennue and Siryon said they will work with the Montserrado County# 4 lawmaker and other members of that body to ensure the instrument passes.

Rep. Dennis placed the issue on the agenda, but she was not in session.

“This woman is a traitor and we do not want her to support our efforts again,” they added.

“We only want for it to go for referendum, that’s all we want,” they further added.

Representative Siryon told the women that she has been on the back of the lawmaker to ensure that the issue gets on the legislative floor for passage.

However, Representative Dennis has denied the disrespectful allegations from the women.