LIBERIA – The chair of the Senate’s Rules, Order, and Administration Committee, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, has called on the upper House to return from its break to deal with the rice situation in the country.
According to a dispatch from the United States of America issued by the Senate Press Bureau recently, the Grand Bassa County Senator says, she believes that when the Legislature deals with the rice issue at different levels, it will help to save the country and also prevent the situation generating into crisis.
Senator Lawrence stated that though the Executive Branch through the Ministry of Commence is performing its statutory obligation to bring hope to the Liberian people on the situation, the Legislature should also share some of the blames.
She noted that during the passage of the current budget, the Legislature was also proven to be “very weak” in its oversight responsibilities.
She maintained that the Legislature should have had Public and Budget Hearings on the US$11,000,000.00 subsidy for rice importation before the passage of the budget.
Senator Lawrence said it was unfortunate that the Minister of Commence got the approval of the eleven million United States dollars subsidy without giving justification through Public or Budget hearings.
She said, as such, the Executive cannot take the blame alone for the shortage of rice in the Liberian market but the Legislature as well.
Senator Lawrence noted that this was the reason she did not vote to pass the budget.
