Press Union of Liberia Alarms at Justice Ministry’s Chicanery
-Freedom of Information and Other Media Laws Stymied in Parliament
(Monrovia - 20 August 2009) The Press Union of Liberia says it has been reliably informed that the Justice Ministry is requesting the withdrawal of the three bills currently before the Legislature for its input.
PUL in a reaction says it is utterly dismay that the Liberian Government would raise such arguments at this time after so much work and resources have been put into the drafting of the laws with the full participation of the Ministries of Information and Justice.
While charging the House Committee on Information for the unwarranted delay in reintroducing the bill in plenary, the Union says the latest development exposes the government’s deception to the partnership on the laws and seems to be a part of a larger conspiracy to lock the bills in committee room.
The Union reveals that it will not withdraw the laws, but if the Justice Ministry has any additional inputs to make to the laws, they have the option to do so through the legislature and forget about the bills been withdrawn.
The Union says it is aware of the counter lobby against the bills by people who want to protect their vested interest and was not altogether surprised by the distraction from the Justice Ministry.
The statement reminded the lawmakers of the challenge to them from US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to ensure that the democratic process works and calls on the legislature to stop sleeping on very important bills that speak to the democratic governance of the country.
The Union argues that The Freedom of Information Act, The Independent Broadcast Regulator and the Bill to transform to a Public Service Broadcaster which were submitted to the legislature since last April, are not for the exclusive empowerment of the media and should be seen as a compliment to government’s efforts for greater openness and accountability.
In a separate development, the PUL has commended President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for appointing one of its former officials – Cllr. Bedor Wla Freeman to serve as Chairman on the National Human Rights Commission.
Though it acknowledges the composition of the entire Commission, the Union says it is particularly honored that President Sirleaf would recognize the exemplary qualities of Cllr. Freeman to choose him from among other qualified Liberians for this very critical national assignment.
