By Ragan M. Conteh
MP’s and spectators who have been following parliamentary proceedings have confirmed to this medium that the current fifth parliament is weak. MPs said for the past one monthMPs from both sides of the aisles are conspicuously absent from parliamentary proceedings due to their political campaigns.
The Speaker of Parliament, Dr Chernor Abass Bundu has time without number said, members in the House of Representatives from both side are in the habit of being absent from parliamentary sittings, adding that at the end of his tenure, he will give awards to MPs who are punctual.
Dr Bundu have also expressed dismay with the manner in which MP’s are conducting themselves during sittings, adding that MP’s who effectively represent their people will be honoured in their constituencies.
According to the Speaker, the MP’s who are not effective will not be fortunate, adding that MPs are in Parliament to represent their people, and that it is not a place for jokers.
The speaker has assured that those MP’s who work well and represent their constituent will receive blessings from Parliament and will be recognised at the end of the day by being in the Sixth Parliament.
In the last two weeks, both MPs from the ruling party and opposition are not effective in proceedings as many abandon their work for their political interest.
One of the SLPP MP’s said since last month many APC MPs have not attended parliamentary sittings because they prefer more of the lower level elections than attending parliament of national interest.
He said only some of them (SLPP), C4C and NGC MPs that are able to form corium in the Well of Parliament and continue with Parliamentary sittings.
Many MP’s according them are busy on either their personal activities or their political issues thereby abandoning issues of national interest.
Some APC MP’s who spoke to this medium said there presence in the Well is always overlooked by the regime.
They said, ‘if even all of us present, what the SLPP want is what they are doing. If we want to resist on bad legislations, they are not hesitate to send us armed police officers to throw us away.’
According to the opposition MP when they are present it is as if they weren’t because the current parliament is not adhering to constitutional matters but rather they do what they deem fit for them.
The MP representing Constituency 059, Hon Abdul Karim Kamara has informed Nightwatch that the current Parliament under the New Direction ‘is doing things on their own without due procedures’.
‘We have been thrown out of Parliament thrice, we are beaten, molested, locked up in cells and nobody talks,’ he said.