By Ragan M. Conteh
The postponement of Parliamentary sitting, that was supposed to have taken place on Thursday 7th May 2020, has again bothered many, especially Dr. Prince Harding who was recently appointed by President Maada Bio as Chairman of National Commission for Privatization (NCP) but yet to be approved by lawmakers.
Rumors from the corridors of the Chairman and Leader of the SLPP have it that, the Chairman was supposed to have been approved as NCP Chairman by the whole house of Parliament on Thursday 7th May 2020 and that the sudden postponement of the Parliamentary sitting is being considered as a setback for his approval as NCP Chairman.
According to the release, the Office of the Clerk of Parliament wants to inform Hon Members of Parliament and the general public that, the sitting of Parliament scheduled for Thursday 7th May 2020 has been postponed to Thursday 14th May 2020 in the Chamber of Parliament at 10:00am.
Therefore, according to the release, Hon Members of Parliament are so informed that the last adjourned date has been deferred to Thursday 14th May 2020 at 10:00am in the Chamber of Parliament.
Some opposition Members of Parliament also frowned to have heard such news, because Parliament has enormous responsibilities to carryout, especially the pending approval of the State of Emergency Regulations, approval of Presidential nominees as well as debating on pertinent national issues dealing with development and ending COVID-19 in the country.
It could be recalled that Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella has vehemently criticized the Government for failure to prepare the Regulations that will help legitimize the State of Emergency proclaimed by the head of state.
Parliament, before it went on recession recently, agreed to debate the Regulations that guide the operations of the SoE. But since then they have heard nothing about the presence of Regulations in Parliament.
The Hon Member of Parliament from Kono District, Hon. Saa Francis Bhendu, pointed out that they are very worried about the failure by authorities in government to present Regulations for possible approval.
He said, as an opposition working to help government to end COVID-19, he wants the government, through the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, to present the Regulations in the Chambers of Parliament for approval.
Many Members of Parliament, from the opposition, frowned at the release to postpone the sittings that most MPs were of the view that, the resumption of the sitting will enable MPs in the both sides to debate and approve Regulations, approve Presidential nominees and other bills tabled in Parliament including the Auditor General’s Report.