…Says they make questionable laws
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) through its National Secretary General Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah has questioned the lawmaking abilities of lawmakers up Capitol Hill who he believes continue to make conflicting laws at the Legislative Branch of government.
Cllr. Varmah speaking Monday, March 18, 2024, at a program marking the formal opening of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County said the Bar seeks to work with the Legislative branch which has the lawmaking authority to do a lot more.
“We observed over the years that the process of lawmaking has become questionable by the fact that there is a conflict of law,” the Liberia National Bar Association Secretary General stated.
He further said, “The Supreme Court has said the authority that the Legislature has to make law cannot be questioned by anyone and so if that authority cannot be questioned, then the people who consumed the law must be involved in the lawmaking process. And because the people are not involved that is why we see conflict of law. Meaning the Legislature will make a law that conflicts with existing laws.”
Cllr. Varmah also blamed the national government for the severe decline in the rule of law in the country.
He said it will take the collective contributions of the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature to do the needful in ensuring that there is productivity and efficiency on the part of the Judiciary.
The LNBA executive expressed concern about the constant issue of corruption in the Judiciary, noting that the only way to address this issue is to have a consultative meeting with justice actors and the executive branch of government to see how corruption can be eradicated or minimized in the Judiciary.
Cllr. Varmah praised Judges of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County for being very efficient and productive in dispensing the law without fear or favor within the Judiciary.
Judge Golda A. Bonah Elliott of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County, delivering her opening address for the March A. D. 2024 Term said during the December A. D. 2023 Term, there were three hundred and fifty (350) hearings in the matters pending before the court.
According to her, most of these hearings centered upon the disposition of law issues, motions for an investigative survey, Divorce and its related matters, child custody, and Summary Proceedings against Magistrates.
Judge Elliott admonished lawyers to file their legal memorandum for the disposition of law issues and do the filing before the date of the hearing.
She noted that this would enable the court to determine the law issues on the day of the hearing instead of postponing any ruling for a subsequent date.
The Judge recounted that at the opening of the December A. D. 2023 Term of the court, she promised to dispense justice expeditiously and fairly, in ensuring that the rights are timely adjudicated, as required by the Constitution.
