The Chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Representative Michael Thomas, has expressed strong support for the modification of the Presidential Transition Bill.
A statement issued on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, says the legislation, developed by the Law Reform Commission of Liberia, aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework that ensures a unified transfer of power between democratically elected administrations.
The bill further seeks to eliminate the historical challenges associated with transitions, thereby safeguarding democratic principles and values while incorporating best practices recognized internationally. Speaking at a daylong public hearing on Capitol Hill, Rep. Thomas emphasized the importance of basing policy decisions on solid evidence.
He advocated for the enhancement of legal frameworks to promote transparency and ensure equal participation in the legislative process. The hearing, convened in the joint chambers of the Capitol, was organized by a Joint Committee on Judiciary, Elections, Executive, and Good Governance, following a recent directive from plenary.
It can be recalled, that President Joseph Boakai, submitted the Presidential Transition Bill to the House of Representatives for consideration and eventual enactment into law. The President highlighted that the implementation of this bill would significantly reduce procedural errors and help avert potential national crises, noting that Liberia has experienced numerous democratic transitions without a standardized legal framework to guide them.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Joint Committee acknowledged the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including the National Democratic Institute of Liberia, local and international NGOs, the National Elections Commission, and civil society organizations, in supporting the review process. Scores of officials, Stakeholders, and International Partners participated in the hearing; they include: ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ, Legal Advisor to the President, Minister of Justice, Governance Commission, Minister of Internal Affairs, Law Reform Commission
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ, the Liberia National Bar Association, Civil Society and Advocacy Groups ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐, CENTAL, National Human Rights Commission, Women NGO of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Federation for Liberian Youth (FLY) ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ, Unity Party, Congress for Democratic Change, Alternative National Congress, All Liberian People’s Party, Liberian People Party, Liberty Party ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, United Nations Electoral Support Program (UNESP), Democracy International (DI), Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).
