Liberia: One ‘McCarthy’ to Another, Critique of Legislators Continues

Mr. B. McCarthy Weh, Director, Legislative Information Service apparently shares U.S. Amb Michael McCarthy’s point of view and has historical data to back it up.

 

 

— Letter by LIS Director McCarthy Weh reveals that US Ambassador Michael McCarthy’s recent report on Legislative priorities highlights a problem that is at least a decade old

The Director of the Legislative Information Service, McCarthy Weh, has lauded United States Ambassador, Michael McCarthy, for conspicuously capturing the Liberian Legislature in his strongly-worded recent assessment report on the performance of the Liberian government. 

In his five-page letter to Ambassador McCarthy, LIS Director Weh described the assessment report as one of the best things that has happened for the Liberian Legislature. 

“This is because it can be used as a resource tool for new lawmakers in aiding them to better serve their constituents,” Director Weh said.

He recalled similar communication written to the Liberian Legislature by former US Ambassador Deborah R. Malac, on  May 1, 2013, in which she informed the Legislature that the U.S. Government was cutting off support to its Legislative Strengthening Program (LSP), which was managed by and through the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The Embassy at the time informed the legislature that its support would remain suspended unless stronger reform and oversight mechanisms were introduced and institutionalized. 

“Prior to considering future engagement on legislative modernization, the United States hopes to see stronger reform and oversight mechanisms in place — such as the Legislature agreeing to be subject to audit by Liberia’s General Auditing Commission (GAC) or Internal Audit Secretariat,” Malac said. 

Her communication further called for “provision of adequate funds for the Legislative Budget Office (LBO) and Legislative Information Service (LIS) in the Government of Liberia’s annual budgets” and urged “significant action and progress toward the rationalization of permanent and personal legislative staff.” 

In her concluding words, published by the  Daily Observer in that May 1, 2013 communication, Amb. Malac opined: “We recognized that the Legislature is a key institution for expressing the hopes and aspirations of the Liberian people, prioritizing and mobilizing Liberia’s development efforts, and providing responsible checks and balance on the power of the executive and judicial branches of government. We regret that current conditions are not more conducive to our continued support.” 

“Interestingly, Mr. Ambassador,” Weh recalled in his open letter yesterday, “upon receipt of such damning letter, its contents did not surface on the floor (Chambers) of either House. After Daily Observer released contents of the friendly-gruesome letter, then Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor, now Vice President, on May 15, 2013 wrote the Senate Leadership through the then President Pro tempore to inquire as to why such letter was not presented on the Floor of the Senate. Interesting account, isn’t? After ten long years, I mean a decade, the legislature is once again under diplomatic-critiquing microscope. This time, it is you, Sir, placing spotlight on the country’s first branch of government – helping Liberians by providing diplomatic critique as did your predecessor for the general good of the State. I cannot just get tired reading your assessment statement as I cannot get exhausted looking over the Daily Observer’s lifting of your predecessor’s letter to the Legislature.”

See McCarthy Weh's Letter on Page …  👉🏾https://docs.google.com/file/d/14HEs8KXXjveQVtNKWIgXmUboUcAeg78j/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msword

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