REPRESENTATIVE TARPONWEH HOSTS LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUENCY ENGAGEMENT WITH HUNDREDS OF HIS FIRESTONE CO

Margibi County, September 20, 2021: Representative Tibelrosa Summoh Tarponweh met with hundreds of his constituents Saturday, September 19, 2021 to provide a frank update on his workings at the Legislature and within his Constituency.

During the interactive gathering held at the Garzon Reserve in Firestone, Representative Tarponweh stood at the front of an audience of his constituents for more than three hours fielding questions and listening to concerns.

The Margibi-Electoral District One Lawmaker’s interactive legislative engagement, captioned “Face Your Representative”, allows his constituents to meet and interact with him. It first began on September 4, 2021, when over two hundred residents from fifteen communities along the Redlight-Kakata Highway gathered within the Goshen Community to discuss and ask detailed questions about the progress of the District.

The Saturday gathering in Firestone left most attendees excited, many expressing appreciation for the opportunity to individually speak to their Lawmaker.

Updating his constituents about his achievements during the period under review, Representative Tarponweh disclosed his support for the passage of key bills including the revised anti-drug law bill, the amended anti-human trafficking law, the bill seeking for the establishment of War & Economic Crimes Court, among others.

The Margibi County District One Lawmaker used the forum to properly explain the significance of a bill he recently proffered before the Plenary of the House of Representatives, which seeks to amend sections of the Decent Work Act of Liberia.

Representative Tarponweh highlighted his role in advocating for workers’ right in Firestone, thereby vowing to continue such “fight”.

Commenting on projects undertaken by his office and the Government of Liberia, he named the ongoing construction of a two storey market structure in Boys Town, the reconstruction of the Du-River Bridge in Firestone, the construction of the Garzon Reserve Clinic in Firestone, the ongoing construction of the Duazon Police Station in Duazon, the construction of box culverts across the District, the construction of over forty-seven handpumps across the District, among others.

“After our workings at the Capitol Building, we must return to report to you. That reporting must not only be done within a specific area once in a year, but I am developing a method so that we can reach you in various parts of our District. Two weeks ago, we were having similar discussion along the Redlight-Kakata Highway in our District. These interactive discussions with our people are important”, Representative Tarponweh explained.

“Our being at the Legislature, I supported many important bills which include bills to strengthen the law against drugs abuse and human trafficking. I am also one of those first Lawmakers who signed the bill seeking to establish the War &Economic Crimes Court. In June this year, I submitted a bill seeking to amend parts of the Decent Work Act of Liberia. Some parts of this law are not in the interest of the workers. Concessionaires have been reneging to honor their obligations to directly pay retirement benefits to their retired workers, using chapter 22.1 as their reliance. When this bill is passed, employers will start to directly pay retirement benefits to their employees”.

William Y. Foday, a residents from Division two in Firestone asked, “ What is the program have you setup to empower women and youth”?

“We appreciate you for organizing such a unique forum. We [firestone workers] favor the bill seeking to amend parts of the Decent Work Act. It’s in our interest. But don’t you think the Executive branch of government will fight against the passage?”, John Saye, resident of Division one in Firestone enquired.

As suggested by many of his constituents during the discussion, Representative Tarponweh stressed that women and youth empowerment remains one of his major focuses under his leadership.

The United Women of Division #16, The Sure-Way Women in Duazon, the Boys Town Market Women, Kpahyou Town Women, the Garmaymu Women and other women within the District are currently benefiting from the Lawmaker’s women empowerment scheme which is supported by millions of Liberian Dollars.