By Crispina Taylor
Parliament on Tuesday deferred a debate on a report by the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development due to the absence of representatives of the relevant government departments.
The report had been laid in parliament on 17th February this year.
It`s the outcome of oversight visits by the parliamentary committee to local councils in the headquarter towns in the eastern and southern districts of the country. The committee also visited Koinadugu, Portloko, and Kambia districts in the north.
Abu Koroma (APC), chairman of the committee, expressed disappointment that representatives of the concerned MDAs did not show up.
No specific date was scheduled for the debate.
MP Koroma raised concern that absenteeism has become “a standing precedent” in the House and he vowed that in such a situation they would not go ahead with the debate.
“If the deliberation went on it’s just like we are talking to ourselves and it makes no sense because the people concerned are not present,” said MP Komba Koydeyoma (SLPP), in support of the move to postpone the debate.
Majority leader of the house Ibrahim Bundu requested that the office of the Clerk of Parliament made inquiries to ascertain if the MDAs were actually properly informed prior to the session. He noted that if they found out that the MDAs concerned had been sufficiently informed and failed to turn up for the celebration when they would be guilty of contempt of parliament.
(C) Politico 13/10/15
