BUCHANAN (Jan. 16,2026) ~Senator Gbehzohngar Findley has strongly defended his decision to vote against the Port Autonomy Bill, describing the legislation as a “bad bill” that offers no real benefits to the people of Bassa or Liberia at large.
Speaking on the matter, Senator Findley said his position has been consistent from the beginning. According to him, the bill failed to provide any guarantees for local representation, ownership, or management, despite claims by supporters that it was in the interest of Bassa.
“The bill has nothing in it that guarantees benefits for Bassa,” Findley said. “There is no clause that says anyone from Bassa must be on the board, in management, or even considered. I challenge anyone to show me one sentence in the law that proves otherwise.”
The senator pointed to the President’s decision to veto the bill as further confirmation that the legislation was flawed. He noted that while some lawmakers criticized the President for the veto, the action clearly showed that the bill was not ready to become law.
“The President himself saw that it was a bad bill and sent it back,” Findley said. “So I was right to vote against it.”
Findley also rejected arguments that the bill promotes meaningful reform, explaining that it simply maintains the existing structure where the President appoints the board and management, leaving local communities without guaranteed input or control.
He stressed that true reform would require privatization, local ownership, and clear social and economic benefits for host communities—none of which, he said, are addressed in the current law.
“As a legislator, my duty is to read the law, raise concerns, and vote based on the interest of the people,” Findley added. “If a bill does not address those concerns, I will vote against it. Once it becomes law, it is no longer a debate—it is binding.”
The Port Autonomy Bill remains a subject of national debate as it is before the President for the second time following the President’s initial veto.
