Pres. Weah Nominee, Karnley Suffers Senate Rejection

The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has declined on the confirmation of the nominee for the Managing Director post of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA).

Voting on the record Wednesday showed seventeen Senators voting to reject nominee Karnley, one voted in favor, while five Senators abstained.

The majority decision to reject the LAA Managing Director-designate was triggered by a report from the Senate Standing Committee on Transport headed by Gbarpolu County Senator Daniel Flomo Naathan.

In its report to Plenary, the Committee acknowledged that the nominee lacked the requisite academic qualifications and experience to provide supervision over the LAA, especially the Roberts International Airport (RIA) that has drawled the attention of the public in recent months.

The Committee further indicated that the Airport needs a Managing Director that has the academic qualifications and experience to handle the structural management crisis at the RIA.

As such, the Committee believes that nominee Karnley is not suitable for said position.

Following the vote, Sinoe County Senator J. Milton Teahjay filed a motion for reconsideration, to be tried in three session day. But said motion was in minutes withdrawn by the Sinoe County Senator on grounds that he is unable to obtain the numbers to overturn the majority.

Recently, the Senate floor was a scene of laughter and uneasiness when the Roberts International Airport Managing Director Designate Mr. Darlington karnley, shamelessly denied obtaining a master’s degree in aviation science contrary to pronouncement by the government of Liberia, in May 2022.

However, responding to a passage in the Act establishing the RIA, and read by Montserrado county Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, that says “the nominee for said position should obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree or above prior to nomination”, admitted that he doesn’t hold a bachelor’s degree, but rather a certificate in Aircraft maintenance.

His response was contrary to the executive mansion release on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, by President George Weah when he nominated Mr. Darlington T. Karnley, as Managing Director of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA).

In the Press Release, the Executive Mansion stated that Mr. Karnley has “a rich background in the field of aviation and is a master’s degree Candidate in aviation management from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Philadelphia.