The House of Representatives has committed to significant changes in its rules and procedures, aiming to modernize and enhance its legislative processes. During a three-day Legislative Reform Forum held over the weekend in Harbel, Margibi County, 67 lawmakers unanimously agreed to amend the rules and proceedings to align with contemporary parliamentary standards. It is anticipated that the needed amendment will be proposed by members of the House.
The 1986 Liberian Constitution provides that each "House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings," therefore the House of Representatives and the Senate approve their own governing rules of procedure. The courts have interpreted this clause to mean that a new Legislature can adopt the previous Legislature's rules and procedures and can also amend or repeal rules of proceedings of the previous Legislature.
It was against this backdrop that Speaker J. Fonati Koffa initiated and facilitated the retreat -- urging lawmakers to submit proposed rule changes to the Judiciary Committee for review and compilation before adoption by the plenary, the highest decision-making body of the House.
This initiative comes as a proactive measure to improve the House's functions of scrutiny, oversight, and representation. The powerful Judiciary Committee of the House is chaired by Rep. Michael Thomas of Montserrado County District #4.
"I want us to develop a way forward where all of you who have rules' changes to write them down, submit them to Judiciary; Judiciary compiled them and resubmit them to the plenary. And then we will put a committee together to review and go through them and then we can bring it back for adoption," Speaker Koffa said.
The Speaker's decision was unanimously voted upon which countered misinformation that lawmakers would discuss and amend the House's rules which have not been altered since the 53rd Legislature.
The House's retreat, which aimed to foster reform and gain a deeper understanding of its main functions of scrutiny, oversight, and representation, also emphasized the importance of responsive lawmaking and people-centered representation.
The forum, supported by various partners, including the Peace Building Fund, Sweden Sverige, European Union, Irish Aid, UN Women, and UNDP, aimed at fostering legislative reform and ensuring transparency in the House's operations.
Speaker Koffa expressed gratitude for the support from the partners and highlighted the financial contribution made by the House to cover expenses related to the event.
"We remain grateful to the UNDP for its unwavering partnership and assistance," Speaker Koffa stated.
Moving forward, the House of Representatives plans to publish a full financial report and brief the public on the outcomes of the forum. The commitment to transparency and openness in the House's operations was reiterated by Speaker Koffa, reaffirming the institution's dedication to upholding constitutional responsibilities.
Several external partners, including the Carter Center, the European Union, and UNDP-Liberia, have pledged their support for legislative reforms and emphasized the importance of proper scrutiny of the Executive branch.
Robert David Irish, the Project Lead of the Carter Center; Dr. Anna Brzozowska, the head of political and economic governance of the EU, and Anthony Ohemeng Boamah, Resident Representative of UNDP-Liberia separately pledged their support to the Legislature and stressed the importance of reforms in the Legislature and the ensuring that the Executive is properly scrutinized. Gender equality was also highlighted as a crucial aspect of reform efforts.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has revealed that the total amount of US$16,062.50 was spent on the Legislative Reform Forum.
Speaker Koffa noted that this amount covers the Secretariat, Facilitators, Media, and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for members over the three-day event held at the Farmington Hotel in Lower Margibi County.
The financial contribution from the House ensured the smooth operation of key components essential for the success of the event.
It is noteworthy that in addition to technical support, the accommodation and feeding expenses were generously covered by partner organizations, alleviating a significant portion of the overall cost, the Speaker asserted--adding that a full financial report will be published soon.
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"The House of Representatives will also brief the public on the outcomes of the Forum," the Speaker said.
Speaker Koffa reiterated that the House, under his leadership, will continue to uphold the tenets of openness and transparency as members discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
In a separate development, concerns were raised regarding the use of funds intended for electronic locks for the chambers, which were allegedly diverted towards the production of ID cards.
Some members have urged the Speaker to compel Rep. J. Marvin Cole, the House's chairman on Rules, Order and Administration to make a report on the US$75,000 which was intended for "electronic-digitalized locks of the chambers" but was used to prepare ID cards for members and employees.
The representatives urged the Speaker to investigate and address this issue to ensure accountability within the House.
