NEC Reinforces Lobby For Bill

By: Lewis K. Glay

 

Forum
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

November 16, 2004

 

Though the National Transitional Legislative Assembly remains critical to pass the Electoral Reform Bill submitted by the National Elections Commission, lobby for such passage is continuing.

At its regular monthly press briefing in Sinkor, NEC said it has anticipated the NTLA to pass the bill which it submitted since 30 August 2004, but to no avail.

NEC’s Co-chairman, James M. Fromayan who presided over the recent press briefing said there has been a contemptuous issue regarding the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives, which the NTLA seemingly regards as being problematic.

He noted that the submission of the proposed bill followed series of consultations with political parties, civil society organizations and elections experts from the international community which resulted into the selection of the “Single non Transferable vote” system to be used for the pending elections.

According to him, the allocation of seats for the House of Representatives which has become a “hitch-up” at the NTLA, will be determined by the out come of the voter registration exercise, which will distinctly portray eligible registered voters in every county across the country.

Commission Fromayan said under the system, each county will be treated as a constituency, even though the sixty-four seats in the House of Representatives will be maintained. He furthered that because of the 14 year civil war, many counties are barely depopulated and practically it is not feasible for censor to be conducted before the elections next year.

He then told journalists that while it is true that NEC has engaged a lot of work, the delay in passing the bill at the NTLA is hampering the commission’s work considerably.

Mr. Fromayan said NEC has no special interest in performing its duty other than paving the right path for free, fair and credible elections come2005.

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