‘Uncomfortable, Indecent’

-Senator Naatehn Brands Senate’s Chamber

By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.

Some Senators are expressing serious frustration in the leadership of the President Pro-tempore, Senator Albert Chie.

This became visible when Gbarpolu County Senator Daniel Naatehn in open plenary unleashed his anger when he burst out and described the plenary of the Liberian Senate as ‘uncomfortable and indecent.’

“You people are making this place uncomfortable and indecent for us and this Pro-Tempore is behaving like a dictator here on us,” Senator Naatehn said.

Senator Naatehn made the assertion Tuesday, November 6, 2018 during the Third day sitting of the Extra Session of the Liberian Senate in open plenary.

The Gbarpolu County Senator comments come as a result of Pro-Temp Chie trying to plead on behalf of the Economy Management Team (EMT) who appeared before open plenary but refused to adhere to some instructions given them by the plenary of the Senate.

For his Part, Senator Stephen Zargo said that the Pro-Temp is a geologist, adding that the Pro-Temp only studied rocks and as such he behaves like a rock.

“The man is a geologist. The man only deals with rock so that is how he is behaving. When I wanted to be Pro-Temp here you people said no,” Senator Zargo noted in open plenary.

It can be recalled that Senate Pro-Tempore, Albert Chie was overwhelmingly voted to the position of Pro-Temp by his colleagues on a white ballot, after Senator Zargo withdrew from the race and settled to be a member of the Economy Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament.

However, the plenary of the Liberian Senate had invited the Economy Management Team (EMT) to bring up to speed the Senate about the current state of the country’s economy.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Finance and Development Planning Minister (MFDP), Samuel Tweah said that the Liberian Economy is still going through some shocks.

“Today as we stand Senators the Liberian Economy continues to face severe micro economy shock. We are moving from a negative growth territory to earning three percent growth,” Minister Tweah said.

Minister Tweah asserted that the shocks are due to the drastic reduction in the price of some key commodities on the international market like iron ore and rubber among others.

Meanwhile the plenary of the senate has rescheduled the appearance of the EMT for next Tuesday, at which time the team would fully furnish the Senate with all of the happenings within the country’s economy so as to enable them make an informed decision.