CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – The long-stretching debate over the wage reduce of lawmakers is trenching a unique twist as a widely known lawmaker, Montserrado County District 17 Consultant, Bernard Blue Benson alias “DJ Blue,” expressing opposition to the proposal.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
A as soon as celebrated disk jockey, Rep. Blue Blue has threatened to invoke juju if anybody ever dares to cut back his wage as proposed.
The District 17 lawmaker’s risk comes on the heels of newest deliberation on the ground of the Liberian Senate concerning the invoice that intends to cut back their month-to-month earnings from US$8,000 to US$5,000.
The invoice, “An Act Fixing the Month-to-month Remuneration of the Legislature,” was initially launched by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon in the course of the 54th Legislature in 2020 – and now it has resurfaced within the fifty fifth Legislature.
Rep. Blue, whereas expressing opposition to Sen. Dillon’s proposal in its entirety, made a Fb publish through which he issued a risk of sending gowah if the invoice had been to go.
“Anyone reduce my wage I’m sending Gowah… Interval!” Rep. Bernard Blue Benson threatened.
Right here in Liberia, gowah is a kind of non secular or supernatural ailment that causes swollenness of the leg, throat or a number of the physique components. It’s not a medical analysis in Western medication however an sickness idea rooted in cultural explanations of illness.
His publish was broadly circulated on social media, particularly on Fb with a number of customers of the platform expressing combined views – majority expressing disappointment along with his place on the talk.
Lawmakers Sad With Proposal
Within the eyes of many Liberians, this can be a superb proposal on the assumption that the cuts will allow the federal government obtain a few of its key priorities in key areas of well being and schooling; nonetheless, many lawmakers see it otherwise – voicing vexing feedback on the matter.
Other than Rep. Blue, many lawmakers within the Home, although haven’t come to the general public glare, see this transfer of lowering their wage not as a necessity, however an assault on private privilege.
In a tense briefing from Methods, Means, Finance and Finances Committee Chair, Senator Prince Moye, disclosed that whereas the FY2026 draft nationwide finances nonetheless displays the present US$8,000 wage, the proposed US$5,000 determine can be integrated into ongoing finances discussions.
However as an alternative of welcoming the replace, senators murmured, whispered, and questioned, one thing that signifies displeasure with the prospect of incomes much less.
Senator Joseph Jallah of Lofa overtly mocked the method:
“Who will signal it? You and who will signal? Your one will signal it. The place is the invoice?”
Senators Simeon Taylor and Crayton Duncan of Grand Cape Mount and Sinoe Counties respectively additionally expressed considerations, whereas Senator Emmanuel Nuquay demanded that the invoice be uploaded within the Senate’s digital chatroom for visibility.
Dillon: “It Takes Braveness to Minimize Your Personal Pay”
Talking after the sitting, Senator Dillon additional made his case for the discount, arguing that formalizing lawmakers’ salaries via legislation would finish exaggerations and assist the federal government save not less than US$4M yearly.
“We perceive the feelings and sentiments, however a referee can’t give himself a crimson card. It takes braveness to say, ‘Within the curiosity of the nation, I’ll cut back my wage.’ Any of my colleagues who say we should always make lower than US$5,000—I’m prepared. However let’s make the legislation,” the Montserrado County Senator added.
A Retrospective Take a look at Former Rep. Acarous Grey’s Proposal For Minimize In 2029
In 2019, then-Montserrado District #8 Consultant Acarous Moses Grey proposed a ten to twenty% discount in lawmakers’ advantages, together with home, journey, and medical allowances as a part of an effort to ease strain on the nationwide wage invoice.
Former Rep. Grey on the time argued that the federal government was below immense monetary pressure and that lawmakers needed to lead by instance. He even prompt merging the nationwide census with the 2020 senatorial election to cut back spending.
Whereas his proposal generated headlines, it quietly died in committee room and by no means reached the Home’s Plenary – highest resolution making physique of that august physique for vote.
Mr. Grey’s failed 2019 proposal and Dillon’s struggling invoice considerably ship out a sign that the target of saving the federal government out of hundreds of thousands would possibly by no means be achieved – many expressing considerations and asking the nation’s most typical query: “Will it maintain”?
Why Are Lawmakers Rejecting Proposal?
Amid public sentiments, lawmakers have persistently resisted this proposal because of what they declare as excessive calls for from constituents for college charges, funerals, and social obligations, the necessity to preserve “respectable residing situations” and political fears of showing weak or financially constrained amongst others.
