Speaker Koon Threatens Salary Deductions for Absentee Lawmakers

By James T. Brooks

MONROVIA, June 2 – Members of the House of Representatives have been issued a stern warning against truancy after the body failed to secure a quorum on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, bringing legislative functions to a grinding halt.

After hours of waiting for the day’s session to commence, the absence of a significant number of representatives prevented the House from meeting its constitutional mandate. The lawmakers’ failure to show up triggered swift backlash from the public, with many citizens criticizing the action as a flagrant lack of commitment and dedication to executing the business of the Liberian people.

Reacting to the development, House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon sounded a strong caveat to legislators who consistently stay away from their parliamentary duties. Speaker Koon made his position clear, stating that representatives will face direct financial penalties if their refusal to prioritize their legislative responsibilities persists.

“I want to caution those legislators, if they continue on this path, we will start going towards salary deduction for some reasons for not being able to do the Liberian people’s work on time,” the Speaker warned, addressing the growing trend of lawmakers failing to show up for session punctually.

Due to the lack of a quorum, Tuesday’s session was officially canceled. Under Liberian law, the legislature cannot legally conduct official business without a baseline number of members present, as mandated by the country’s highest legal framework.

Article 33 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution explicitly states: “A simple majority of each House shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lower number may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.”

Following the Speaker’s public reprimand and the mounting wave of public outrage, the burden is now entirely on the absentee lawmakers to adjust their posture and submit themselves to legislative sessions on time, or risk facing unprecedented cuts to their official compensation.