MONROVIA – Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has known as on the Mayor of Monrovia, John-Charuk Siafa, to strictly implement the Monrovia Metropolis Ordinance Legal guidelines to assist clear the capital of plastic waste and different rubbish.
By: Victoria G. Weseh
Her remarks have been made on Monday, June 16, 2025, throughout the opening of the Civil Legislation Courtroom in Montserrado County.
The Chief Justice burdened that legal guidelines exist already to deal with littering and loitering, and that it’s now the accountability of metropolis authorities to implement them with out concern or favor. She famous that if a vendor is seen surrounded by plastic waste and refuses to wash the realm, the legislation should be utilized and penalties imposed accordingly. She emphasised that the courtroom will assist any lawful motion taken by the Metropolis Mayor throughout the scope of his authority to implement sanitation legal guidelines.
She additional acknowledged that the Supreme Courtroom has persistently dominated in favor of the Ministry of Public Works when it prohibits development on public alleys, ordering demolitions in such circumstances based mostly on authorized requirements.
In accordance with her, the courtroom respects the skilled judgment of the Ministry and acts accordingly when properties are constructed illegally.
Additionally talking on the occasion, Civil Legislation Courtroom Choose Cllr. George W. Smith inspired the Metropolis Mayor to put in rubbish bins in communities and public areas. He mentioned doing so would eradicate excuses from the general public and make it simpler for the courtroom to implement the Environmental Sanitation Legislation.
Choose Smith additionally urged Mayor Siafa to attraction to President Joseph Boakai for enough funding within the nationwide funds to assist metropolis cleansing efforts, noting that sanitation is a key a part of the president’s ARREST agenda.
Choose Scheaplor R. Dunbar, presiding choose of the Civil Legislation Courtroom Annex, raised issues over the development of huge industrial buildings on wetlands and waterways, which he mentioned contributes considerably to flooding in lots of communities.
He referenced the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) Act of 2002, which provides the EPA authority to evaluate and approve improvement initiatives based mostly on environmental influence research. He questioned whether or not the EPA is correctly conducting these assessments earlier than granting approval for development in delicate areas.
Choose Dunbar urged the EPA and related authorities businesses to stay vigilant of their statutory duties to guard the setting and stop disasters corresponding to flooding. He highlighted the significance of guaranteeing environmental legal guidelines are enforced to safeguard communities from the influence of unregulated development.
He additionally addressed persistent challenges going through the courtroom in land-related circumstances, particularly ejectment issues. He identified the growing difficulties encountered throughout investigative and cadastral surveys ordered by the courtroom.
The Liberia Land Authority (LLA), empowered by the 2016 LLA Act, is chargeable for adjudicating land disputes and conducting court-ordered surveys. In accordance with the choose, investigative surveys are important for figuring out the rightful possession of disputed properties.
Choose Dunbar famous that the courtroom has adopted a coverage of requiring all ejectment circumstances to endure investigative surveys by the LLA. These surveys, mixed with different trial proof, help jurors in reaching well-informed selections.
Nevertheless, he lamented that surveyors, law enforcement officials, and courtroom officers are regularly met with hostility and generally violence from events or complete communities trying to impede the surveys.
He condemned these actions as unlawful and counterproductive, emphasizing that obstructing surveys delays justice and complicates courtroom proceedings. The choose burdened that such acts should stop and warned that people who intervene with survey operations threat authorized penalties.
Moreover, Choose Dunbar known as for the LLA to ascertain standardized, reasonably priced charges for court-ordered investigative and arbitration surveys. He argued that leaving charge dedication to particular person surveyors is problematic. Setting clear and cheap charges, he mentioned, would assist events in litigation funds appropriately and velocity up dispute decision.
He urged the general public to cooperate with lawful processes and reminded them that obstructing surveys harms their very own circumstances. If events need their land issues resolved shortly and pretty, he mentioned, they have to enable the courts and their technical companions to carry out their duties with out interference.
