By: Melvin Tejan Mansaray
Minutes after his announcement as the new Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Honorable Matthew Sarh Nyuma called on Pressmen in the Chamber of Parliament to criticise him justly as he is a public figure. “I have no fear in journalists writing about me, I am a public figure, criticize me but do it justly, where I read and say this is true, don’t criticize where I will have to defend my fundamental human rights, ” he said. Hon. Nyuma was speaking on the role of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, an independent media outfit of journalists from across different media entities in the country that report from Parliament. In his maiden interview with members of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery (SLPPG), Hon. Matthew Sarh Nyuma was asked about his plans for journalists covering Parliament and what are his expectations from them. In response, Hon. Nyuma said, he understands that there are pending executive election and has received information about confusion around the said issue but hope to find out more about the situation when he is properly seated in office. “I will promise you that we will have a good and cordial relationship and will have a practical and professional journalism. I believe all of us should work on the same page because we have our indifferences but in terms of propagating , do your professional job,” Hon. Nyuma said. He however emphasised that Parliamentary Journalists should report the procedures by way of avoiding premature publication promising that, “I will work with you if you are ready to work with me on basic principles and procedures.” The Leader of Government Business however stressed, ” I cannot allow you to go beyond the principles and procedures, if you want to work with me, you work with the guiding principles.” He also assured journalists of an open door policy but urged, “some times you have to gauge the mood, we are all humans, we are not perfect. Sometimes you will come and have a jackpot but other times not.” Hon. Nyuma said, “I have no fear in journalists writing about me, I am a public figure, criticize me but do it justly, where I read and say this is true, don’t criticize where I will start to argue, I have my fundamental human rights and I will defend myself.” He however looked forward to a very comfortable and palatable relationship with the Media. Apparently, May 3rd every year is observed as World Press Freedom Day and the year 2020 theme focuses on “Journalism without Fear or Favor.” Interestingly, this year’s commemoration is engulfed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Sierra Leone Parliament, the Press Gallery and the Administration are grappling with issues around ethical reporting, preventing the spread of coronavirus and emerging issues. A release by the Deputy Director of Communications in Parliament attracted open criticism for its inclusion of the photograph of a certain female journalist whose photos were in public domain with claims that she works for Parliament. According to a counter press release by the Press Gallery, the attaching of the female journalist’s photo in Parliament’s public notice was uncalled for and put the life of the journalist at risk, a notion also dismissed by the Parliamentary administration. This climate has spawned fear among some journalists who have been asked to reapply for fresh media accreditation to cover Parliament. While the Parliamentary administration argues that it is part of measures to curtail large gatherings of people at the parliament to prevent coronavirus, other journalists believe it can be a ploy to purge the Gallery off critical and independent parliamentary reporters. At the moment, the Parliamentary Press Gallery has a beleaguered Executive which has refused to hold fresh elections after it staged a coronation, a debacle that is yet to be resolved by SLAJ and even the Parliamentary administration. ” Although the Sierra Leone Parliament is relatively open to journalists, sometimes our work is impeded by the invoking of certain Standing Orders and Sections of the Constitution that bars the Press from witnessing or even reporting on critical matters of public interests. There are laws in Parliament that regulates the Press that are not in concert with the spirit and letter of Section 11( Obligation of the Mass Media), of the Constitution of Sierra Leone,” a Senior Parliamentary Correspondent said.
