-Speaker Chambers urges colleagues
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Bhofal Chambers has challenged members of the House to prioritize the plights of the people in all that they do.
During the official opening of the 6th Session of the 54th Legislature Monday, 16 January 2023, Chambers Speaker said it is a glaring signal for lawmakers to do their work in this 2023 with dedication, commitment, character, and a deep sense of patriotic fervor or alertness.
"Today, we are beginning our 6th Sitting, which is also culminating into the final sitting of the 54th Legislature, as the next second-working Monday of January will be in 2024, at which time, the 55th Legislature shall begin," Chambers said.
The ceremony was held in line with Article 32(a) of the Liberian Constitution.
The provision among other things mandates that the Legislature shall assemble in regular session once a year on the second working Monday in January each year.
"It is my impassioned and/or fervent hope and prayer that we all will meet again in session in the year 2024," he said.
Chambers said as a government, in the year 2022, they experienced some degree of socio-political and economic challenges.
With a constructive governance architecture, he said the Legislature, specifically the House of Representatives, meaningfully and dutifully worked with the other branches of government to realign all programs for the assurance of positive outcomes.
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Chambers continued that as the world looks to security, Liberia has had its share and experience of crisis.
He added that with the engagement(s) and service-oriented passion of his colleagues, coupled with the masterful stewardship of President George Manneh Weah, rapid and positive improvements were generated with qualitative results.
"For the year 2022, the Fifth Sitting of the 54th Legislature, several legislative actions were taken, 65 Regular Sessions, 1 Special Session, 36 Executive Sessions, and 24 Appearances of Ministers/Directors," said Chambers.
He noted that now that the Legislature has commenced its sitting, several legislative instruments such as the draft Nation Budget to the tune of US$777.9 million are before that august body for scrutiny and will be acted upon.
Meanwhile, political analysts believe that lawmakers will be more focused on their re-election bid.
As such, there are suggestions that not much will be done to improve the suffering conditions of ordinary Liberians through the enactment of appropriate legislation.
