BEDELL
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Ambassador H. Dan Morias is
the most recently elected Senator of Maryland County. He was elected in 2011.
He replaces Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott. Interestingly, the Ambassador came from
prison and shot himself straight to the Liberian Senate.
The Maryland Congressional
Caucus has a membership of two Senators (John Akel Ballout & H. Dan
Morias), three Representatives in the Lower House (Isaac Roland, Bhofal
Chambers and James Biney).
Isaac Roland represents The
Karluway District which combines Karluway and Barrobo into one. He was elected
in 2011. So he’s new on the proverbial block in the Caucus. Currently, he’s the
Secretary of the Caucus.
Bhofal Chambers represents The
Pleebo/Sodokeh District. He was elected 2005. He served for six years. In 2011,
he went for re-election and won. By the time his second term ends, he will have
served for twelve years in Congress.
James Popee Biney is the
longest-serving congressman. Computing his service time, he’s been in Congress
over fifteen years. He went for re-election in 2011 and won. Add the six years that
he is expected to serve in this term to the fifteen years he has already served
and you will have him served for 21 years.
The Maryland Congressional
Caucus has been a contested ground; it has not been a friendly territory for
all of the Congressmen and woman from the onset. It has been hostile to itself.
All things considered, this
particular Caucus is the most academically educated one since the beginning of
time of the institution of the caucus concept in the Liberian Congress. This fact
should mean much to this current Caucus and its leadership!
The last chair of the Caucus
was Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott. But the Caucus was a troubled institution.
This troubleness of the
previous Caucus during Cllr. Scott’s chairmanship cannot be entirely attributed
to her leadership style. It was largely due to the lack of unity and
understanding in the Caucus that the members developed outside of the Caucus
and improved in the Caucus.
Could she have healed the
condition of the Caucus’ paralysis? Probably so. But the membership had been
drastically polarized. It was totally ripped apart at the hinges. It was at an
extend of being unredeemable.
Today, Amb. H. Dan Morias has
taken the mantle of leadership. All things being considered, he has his work
cut out for him. Even though he has shown a great level of leadership in the
Liberian Congress when he acted in the stead of the ProTemp. He remarkably
performed to expectation. But performance in the Liberian Senate is one thing;
performing as the leader of The Maryland Congressional Caucus that is ripped
apart at the hinges is another thing. Unlike the Liberian Senate, the Caucus
had been in deeper trouble long since in terms of personal relations amongst
its entire membership.
This is where the NEW trouble
could develop:
2014 Midterm election is at
the doorstep of Amb. Morias’ emergence as chair of the Caucus. He has to
balance his leadership strategies and be able to choose whom to support during
the Midterm election or all hell will break loose again.
The current Senator, John
Ballout is seeking re-election. He is the Advisor to the Caucus. He once served
as chair of the Caucus.
Sen. Ballout’s first cousin is
Bhofal Chambers. Chambers is a Representative in the Lower House. He has
declared his intent to seek the Senate also. That means he will be running
against his cousin for political power. As the current Cochair of the Caucus, Chambers
has all rights to expect the Chairman’s support for his bid for the Senate.
Equally so, the Chairman enjoys his rights to support whomever he wishes except
that his decision could damage him politically.
The newest Representative on
the Caucus, Isaac Roland. Understandably he is jumping into the race too for
the Senate. As current Secretary of the Caucus, I’m sure he will expect his
current Chair to support him.
All of these Honorable men and
Amb. Morias do work together currently. As their leader, come 2014 Midterm
election, if he does not play ball well and the Caucus breaks up under his
leadership, projections are the Caucus will remain splintered for a protracted
period of time. It might take the Second Coming to redeem it!
All we can do is to wish Amb.
Morias all the luck he needs to make good of a rotten Caucus getting to be good
again for the common good of all Marylanders far and near.
I am Thomas G. Bedell, a
volunteer worker; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia and a victim of
police brutality.
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