LIBERIA: LEGISLATURE DELAYS RECESS TO ADDRESS CRUCIAL

UNCLAS MONROVIA 001071

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W-DBANKS
INR/AA-BGRAVES, AF/EPS, EB

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM ECON LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: LEGISLATURE DELAYS RECESS TO ADDRESS CRUCIAL
LEGISLATION

REF: A) MONROVIA 1043
B) MONROVIA 1036
C) MONROVIA 655
D) MONROVIA 599


1. SUMMARY: The Liberian National Legislature has delayed its annual
"agricultural break" by one month, to September 30, at the request
of the President in order to deliberate several bills introduced at
the end of the regular session. Bills before the Senate include
acts to create a Legislative Budget Office, an Anti-Corruption
Bureau, a Governance Commission (ref A),a National Transit
Authority, a National Economic Empowerment Development Trust Fund
(ref A) and the Assets Seizure Act. The Senate is also in the
process of vetting newly appointed cabinet ministers (ref B). The
Legislature is expected to begin its next regular session on the
second working Monday of 2008, January 14. END SUMMARY.


2. The act establishing the Legislative Budget Office (LBO) appears
to be a watered-down version of the Financial Autonomy Act
previously vetoed by the President on constitutional grounds (ref C,
D). The LBO Act seeks to create an office to provide professional
and technical services to members of the Legislature to enhance
their capacity and capability to evaluate budget issues. The LBO
would assist the Budget and Finance Committees of the Senate and
House of Representatives by conducting analysis of the national
budget proposal of the President and preparing reports for the
consideration of the Legislature on an annual basis.


3. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) act would establish a permanent
entity to lead the fight against corruption. The ACB would carry
out preliminary investigations into alleged corrupt practices by
officials and hand over findings to the Ministry of Justice for
prosecution. The establishment of an ACB is a benchmark of the
Staff Monitored Program of the International Monetary Fund.


4. The National Transit Authority Act (NTA) would replace the
Monrovia Transit Authority (MTA) which provided a subsidized public
transport system to the people of Monrovia and, to some extent,
rural Liberia. The new NTA act would seek to create a public
transport system that would serve all parts of Liberia.


5. COMMENT: The decision by the Legislature to delay its recess is
necessary and welcome. The leadership struggle within the
Legislature paralyzed the body for the first half of the year and
the body is struggling to make up for lost time. Indeed, one month
may not be enough to consider the important bills only now reaching
the floor of the House. END COMMENT


6. BACKGROUND: Under President Samuel Doe, legislators passed a
law in 1986 that entitled them to a three-month annual recess,
dubbed the "agricultural break," from August to October. Under
President Charles Taylor, the break was extended by another three
months, from July to January. The original idea was to allow
lawmakers time to tend to farms and encourage their constituents to
cultivate in furtherance of the "Green Revolution" program launched
by Doe. In practice, most lawmakers usually remain in Monrovia.
The 2007 break was initially delayed as a result of the 2007/2008
budget debate and there have been calls from the Executive Branch to
permanently reduce the legislative break to three months.

BOOTH