Bomi County Senator, Edwin Melvin Snowe, Jr. is urging Liberians mainly politicians, to stop politicizing the Muslim and Christian holidays bills introduced by him. He called on the Christian and Muslim communities, including politicians, to embrace the bills and avoid playing politics with the instruments, which are currently before the National Legislature.
Senator Snowe has introduced three bills, entitled, “An Act Creating Eid al-Fitr (End of the Holy Month of Ramadan and Festival of Breaking Fast) as Public Holiday”, “An Act Creating Eid al-Adha (Abraham’s Day) as Public Holiday” and “An Act Making Easter Monday a Public Holiday”. The first reading of the three bills was done on Thursday, June 3, 2021 in open plenary during the 37th day sitting of the fourth session of the Liberian Senate.
Following the reading of the bills, a motion was made by Senator J. Milton Teahjay that the religious holiday bills be placed on the agenda for next Tuesday’s session, when the second reading will be done and debated.
Senator Snowe told reporters after the introduction of the bills that the Muslims in Bomi who voted for him as senator in the December 8 midterm senatorial election made a request to him to introduce a bill granting them a holiday in Liberia. According to him, the introduction of the bills is part of the campaign promises made during the midterm senatorial election.
The Bomi County Senator explained that he has received several threatening text messages from some prominent citizens of Liberia questioning his introduction of the bills. He further disclosed that certain popular pastors have started visiting individual senator offices expressing their opposition to the bills. Senator Snowe has vowed to remain committed to ensuring that the bills are passed by the Liberian Senate.
He asserted that most countries around the world with Christian and Muslim populations have the ending of Ramadan and Abraham’s Day as holidays; therefore, Liberia should follow the example of those countries.
The Senate Chairman on Public Works and Infrastructure Committee and head of Liberia delegation to ECOWAS Parliament cautioned politicians to support the bills and stop the politics. He wondered why people are rejecting the bills when Christians and Muslims are peacefully living together, and sometimes in programs Christians are allowed to offer the opening prayer and Muslims do the closing prayer.