Judge Wants Implementation of Environmental Sanitary Law
The Resident Assigned Circuit Judge of River Gee County, George W. Smith has called on the Executive and Judiciary branches of government to implement the Environmental Sanitation law amended on December 19, 1930
According to Judge Smith, the laws was amended by the house of legislature and senate who saw the need to keep cities across Liberia clean from plastic waste, water pollution, inorder to protect the health of the Liberian people.
Judge Smith noted that inorder for these laws to be implemented local authorities like the city mayor and city council, the police and law enforcement officers, should arrest and prosecute those who drop dirt/garbage, plastic bags/bottles and other refuse in the streets and public places.
“For instance, disposing of dirt/garbage such as plastic bags/bottles, in our streets, roads, gutters, drains, creeks, water-course, and other public places in our Country, does not only spoil, besmear, befoul the beauty of Liberia and endangers our health, but it also endangers our marine resources, the fishes in our waters, and undermines our soil and agricultural production considering length of time it takes for plastic bags to dissolve” he lamented
Section 21.3 of the Environmental Sanitation Law authorizes and mandates the local authorities, and the police to arrest individuals who are caught disobeying the City Ordinances and upon release, should pay a fined of US$100.
He furthered that Liberians must also learn to be patriotic citizens, urging them to observe the December 19, 1930 law on city ordinance. Judge Smith said patriotism means a citizen’s love for, honor and duty to his or her country.
“One who is patriotic and loves his or her country will not spoil, besmear and befoul its beauty and endanger the health of its people” he said.
Delivering the Judge’s Charge at the August Term of Court. Judge Smith said, patriotic citizens of Liberia are under duty to honor and respect the law along with City Ordinances issued from time to time by the city or municipal government.
He added: ” some of us continuously violate this law without being punished such that the violation of this law and City Ordinances seems to be a normal way of life now”
However, Section 5.1 of our Public Health Law imposes a punishment of US$100 maximum fine on people who drop dirt in the streets and other public places. They can also be punished under the City Ordinances.
