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The postbellum period has continued to experience the adaptation of individuals and institutions to good governance modes not simply because of the democracy restored but out of clear convictions that only through the timely responsiveness by the governors to the governed can such be fully attained.
Thus, whilst the three branches of the Liberian government --- Legislature, Executive and Judiciary --- continue to strive in upholding basic tenets of society with no allegiance pledged to a particular administration but one intended to ensure the perpetuity of the nation, hidden truths that once prevailed over the decades are now being vouched by “the people” in truly satisfying their quests to witnessing the equitable distribution of wealth in living normal lives.
Quizzical, though, it may be, that whilst past decades may have witnessed what is often described by the population of “so says one, so says all,” the democratic environment since restored to the nation following many years of debacle has now begun taking its course on participatory basis, allowing individuals to remaining resolute in revealing their aspirations without coercion.
Against this backdrop and not in any way an affront to keeping elected officials of government in power, since they are bound to change based upon the decision-making of the people, the 53rd Legislature at the Capitol, in just less than six months of its sitting, has begun witnessing transformation in the conduct of its activities, with the House of Representatives that has an undeterred Speaker, Bomi County Representative Hon. Alex Tyler remaining to the task and encouraging his fellow lawmakers to become outspoken in the gradual but effective delivery of needed goods and services intended for the upliftment of their respective constituents.
More specifically, having watched the trends of activities of Rivercess County District Number Two Representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Francis S. Paye, who had over the years represented his people at the House on few occasions, aside becoming Superintendent of the Rivercess County prior to his latest choosing, changes have begun occurring in the county that many had long time considered a forgotten one.
Upon the entrance into the democratic House following his election late last year by the people of Rivercess County, he has since begun working his way through in democratically satisfying their desires through advocacies involving his peers, as attested by his first attempt to introducing a bill seeking to compel registered companies operating in Liberia to establish offices in places of their operations in the political sub-divisions, something that was greeted by his peers with acclamation.
The second attempt saw Hon. Paye calling for the appearance of the Minister of Public Works, Hon. Samuel Kofi Woods, before Plenary to provide justification for the delay in completing infrastructural projects in Rivercess County, something that became quite volcanic amongst members, with various complaints coming across the floor but was quelled out of the submission of such complaint to the committee concerned for amicable resolution.
This time around, Hon. Francis S. Paye has written the Speaker, Hon. Alex Tyler, putting forth a complaint from citizens of Rivercess County about the transfer of Rivercess County Revenue Collectorate (510) to that of Grand Bassa (310) with corruptible practices suspected.
Undoubted that the citizens and residents of Rivercess County have continued to remain tax-paying people, howbeit their involvement in small-medium scale businesses as means of remaining supportive of government’s socio-economic activities, it was his desire to have the honorable body cite the Minister of Finance, Hon. Amara Konneh before Plenary to provide justification for the continuing and willful delay in re-establishing the Revenue Collectorate in the autonomous political sub-division that currently has a Revenue judge.
At yesterday’s deliberations by the honorable members over Hon. Paye’s communication, therefore, very dramatic it became out of visible full concurrence with the complaint forwarded for appropriate redress, several lawmakers backed his position in spite the historicity leading to the county been granted county status under Grand Bassa County, with most remaining affirmative that Rivercess County, pertinent as the matter is, should begin to enjoy some level of autonomy.
Coming against the backdrop of the decentralization exercise now being vigorously pursued by the democratic leadership of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, with budgetary appropriations being clamored for in bring rapid socio-economic growth and development to the respective areas, it became overly convincing especially after a Bong County Representative revealed that similar practices were taking place in Salala District, Bong County in which revenue collections were still taking place only to be reported in Kakata, Bong County, consensus was then reached following a motion by a Grand Bassa County Representative, Hon. Gabriel Smith, in spite the fullest support given his communication backed by evidences, that the Committee on Ways, Means and Finance headed by Hon. Byron Brown honorably mandate Finance Minister Amara Konneh, who was just appointed few months ago after serving as Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs, to restore the collectorate in the shortest possible time, as opposed to inviting him before Plenary.
The undercurrent to the above, however, is that whilst some past administrations may have tried to usurp the autonomy of political sub-divisions, based on prevailing realities, Liberia is now a gradually-maturing democratic nation moving towards full maturity.
As such and without becoming archaeological about governance modes that may have been put into place in the past, the flowering and milky stages ought to be seriously guided against infestations that would render the field of harvest husky, thus brushing aside the attributes of the democratic concept bordering on accountable and transparent measures and yielding to corruption, an endemic.
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