Africa-Press – Liberia. The House of Representatives of the Liberian Legislature is expected to get its second electronic voting technology system to strengthen public trust and display governance through transparent voting.
Representative Nathan W. Biah, Sr., of District #3 of Rhode Island, on Tuesday, in the Chamber of the House of Representatives in Monrovia, made the commitment in order for the Liberian House of Representatives to practice modernized Legislative practice through voting.
The electronic voting technology can include punch cards, optical scan voting systems, and specialized voting kiosks (including self-contained direct-recording electronic voting systems, or DRE). It can also involve the transmission of ballots and votes via telephones, private computer networks, or the Internet.
As it is done in the United States, and other parts of the world, Congressmen and men or Parliamentarians vote electronically to promote transparency and accountability.
If Rep. Biah fulfills his commitment, it will be the House’s second electronic voting equipment. The first was installed in 2014 by the National Democratic Institution (NDI) as part of efforts to modernize the Liberian legislature.
Since the installment of the e-voting equipment in the Liberian House’s chamber, it has never been used. Currently, the House votes through ‘yea or nay’ or via head-counts.
Meanwhile, addressing the House of Representatives, Rep. Biah also indicated that his visit as part of the Bicentennial is geared towards rebranding the Educational Sector of Liberia. He urged the House of Representatives to help President George M. Weah in the rebranding of the educational sector.
As chair on the Education Committee at the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Rep. Biah noted that it is imperative that the Liberian Legislature take critical steps to ensure the sector remains vibrant.
He urged members of the House of Representatives to “behave” honorably as Lawmakers whenever they are in session because everything they do in the House chamber, is seen or heard via social media. He even indicated that some of his colleagues asked him about some behaviors exhibited by some lawmakers in the chamber of the Liberian Legislature.
Rep. Biah is a native of Nimba County. Born on December 4, 1971, he grew up in Monrovia, Liberia. At age 20, he escaped the violence of the Liberian civil war by walking nearly 90 miles to freedom. After arriving in Providence, Rhode Island, he passed the GED and worked in a factory.
He studied criminal justice and earned a degree at Rhode Island College in 1999 and then a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Rhode Island in 2007.
After teaching math in Providence middle schools and high schools, Representative Biah is now the principal at Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School in Providence. His wife, Thumbelina, is a teacher at Esek Hopkins Middle School in Providence. They are the parents of three children: Nathan Jr., Natalie and Natasha.
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