The NEWS (Monrovia)
C. Emmanuel Johnson
14 April 2008
Monrovia — Opposition Politician Cllr. Charles Brumskine says the constitutional power given the Liberian presidency was overwhelming and should be reduced to enable other branches of government enjoy their independence.
Speaking Friday in Virginia, outside Monrovia at an intellectual forum organized by the Ricks Institute, the opposition politician said Liberians will not enjoy true democracy unless some of those clauses in the constitution that give the president absolute power were repealed.
Discussing the topic, 'the prospects and challenges of the separation of power in contemporary Liberia', Cllr. Brumskine noted that recent swiping of judges from both the Debt and Labor courts at the Temple of Justice by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was one of several instances where the separation of power in present day Liberia was contravened.
'If the President is empowered to transfer judges from one court to another, then there's no separation of power,' the opposition politician argued.
He also said the issuance of Executive order number one by President Sirleaf which led to the cancellation of logging concessions and the dismissal of a magistrate were also fewer counts of the breach of separation of power.
Cllr. Brumskine, a renowned Liberian lawyer, said the separation of power is intended to ensure that government functions in the interest of the people without interfering in the affairs of another branch of government.
Henceforth, he believes that recent violation by the president is a ground for Liberians to think about repealing the aspect of the constitution that gives the President overwhelming power.
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