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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Feb 2007 : 13:07:59
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SIDIA JATTA AND THE C. J. AT THE N/A
GONE ARE THE DAYS OF IMPUNITY
The Chief Justice took his seat to preside over the election of speaker. Section 99 of the constitution dissolved parliament a day before the first session. Hence there was no speaker or deputy speaker.
The constitution made it a requirement for the speaker and deputy speaker to be elected before any business is conducted during the first sitting. The Chief Justice is empowered to preside over the election of the speaker before he/she hands over to the elected speaker. The constitution makes it a requirement for the speaker and deputy speaker to be elected from those nominated to be members of parliament. To select a speaker, the standing orders of the National Assembly calls for four procedures to be followed.
First and foremost there must be a proposal made by a member of parliament that a particular nominated member be elected.
Secondly, the person must have a motion that the person he or she proposes take the chair as speaker or deputy speaker.
Thirdly, the proposal and motion must be seconded.
Furthermore, if another person is proposed and the motion for him/her to become speaker seconded, the Chief Justice shall cause the Independent Electoral Commission to conduct election. If only one person is proposed and seconded he/she shall be automatically called upon to take the chair of speaker.
The Bantaba Syndrom at the Assembly
The main problem of the opening session is the partisan nature of the gallery. The gallery did not give the National Assembly the quietness and serenity it called for in standing order 40. Standing order 40 is categorical in asserting that "Clapping shall not be permitted in the Assembly." Hence Hon. Tombong Jatta rose to nominate Hon. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay to be speaker there was uproar from the gallery. Sidia Jatta rose to object to the uproar and further referred to standing order 2 paragraph 3 as the procedure to be followed. He also pointed out that the nomination of Hon. Jahumpa had taken place even before the sitting.
The Chief Justice expressed his agreement but added that the failure to adhere to the procedure to the letter did not make the process fatal.
In her address she mentioned that the days of impunity are gone. In this regard we must ask: Will the partisan character of the gallery continue? Will the executive continue to make decisions that the National assembly is exclusively empowered to make? Will the praise singing continue in the National assembly? Will GRTS continue to focus on the MPs of the majority as it did during the first session? The future will tell whether the days of impunity are gone.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 017/2007, 12-13 February, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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