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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 13:25:27
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Foroyaa Editorial
THE PRESIDENT HAS NO POWER TO APPOINT THE SPEAKER
The press release from the Department of State for Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly issued on 2nd February 2007 states, among other things, that the Honourable Mrs. Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay has been appointed Speaker of the National Assembly. According to the GRTS news broadcast the appointment is done in accordance with Section 88(b) of the constitution, as amended in 2001. The fact of the matter is that Section 88 (1) (b) makes no provision for the election of Speaker. It simply states that in addition to the elected members "The National Assembly shall comprise five members nominated by the President."
The provision of the constitution that deals with the office of Speaker is Section 93. It states that "The Speaker of the National Assembly and Deputy Speaker shall be elected by the members of the Assembly from among the nominated members."
It states that "The Chief Justice shall preside at that election of a Speaker." It is therefore clear that the press release from the Department of State for Foreign Affairs does not speak the language of the Constitution.
Foroyaa advises that since the Attorney General is the Principal legal adviser of the government, before such announcements are made, which require the quoting of the constitution, he/she should be consulted to save the government from embarrassment. To announce the name of the Speaker before the National Assembly Members sit to elect one is to undermine their integrity. In short, if they act as announced many people will begin to see the parliament as a rubber stamp of the Executive. This would be a very unhealthy beginning for the National Assembly. We hope the Department of State would inform the public of the error in its press release.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 014/2007, 5-6 February, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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