Members of Parliament on both sides of the House yesterday frowned at the phase two restrictions of covid-19 especially for MPs that want to travel from Freetown to the provinces.
The MPs murmured among themselves that they should be the one to make laws for the Executive and not the other way around as done by NARCOVERC.
According to Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Abass C. Bundu the issues concerning this second wave of the COVID-19, they engaged with NACOVERC officials for MPs t come to Freetown for them to attend parliamentary sittings as they ha adjourned in December.
“At the end of our engagement with NARCOVERC, it was agreed that some measures to be put in place but some of these measures that were suggested are that every Member of Parliament traveling from up country must be tested negative before traveling to Freetown. Also subject to the curfew any MP that might have essential function to go should secure a pass from NARCOVERC,’’ he said.
He said during this lockdown all MPs coming from the province should produce their identification cards for those that do not have their official vehicle Number plates and those that already had the number plate will be allowed to pass the various check points.
He stated that for that stays within Freetown; NARCOVERC is willing to give a quota of E-pass to MPs and some few staff of Parliament adding that all oversight functions by parliamentary committees outside Freet9wn must be put on hold till further notice whilst those that are to be conducted within the city be carried out.
Deputy Speaker, Hon. Segepor S. Thomas said there is need t negotiate properly with officials of NARCOVERC further stating that “Although they did their best but their best was not enough for this House. As Members of Parliament, we deserve the uttermost respect and it is only in Sierra Leone that you will see when throwing dirt at us that the public is all over the place are happy but when it comes to giving us our entitlement or respect then they begin to look at certain indices. We will not accept it until the right thing is done”.
However, Dr. Bundu argued that they negotiated with NARCOVERC officials to secure a safe and better travel from their various constituencies and “having secured that and now that you are safely here we can now revisit the conditions give to us yesterday but the best place to do it is not in this well. Allow us to engage with NARCOVERC to get things right since we already have them in our midst”.
Leader of the opposition, Hon. Chernor R. M. Bah said this issue of restrictions is very sensitive hence should be treated as they might not come to the House for next two weeks.
