Concord Times (Freetown)
Mariama Kandeh
28 November 2008
opinion
It was no surprise to me when I read on allafrica.com and Awoko online publications that members of parliament in Sierra Leone are craving for a pay rise and have even called off parliamentary sessions until the minister of finance David Carew consent to increase their salaries. I was not aghast because politicians of Sierra Leone , as the case with many other countries particularly in Africa , do not seek the interest of the people but themselves and their families.
As the Godfather of democracy Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America said 'nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power'. Politicians will promise you gold when they want to get to the seat of power and refuse you grass when they assume it. In just over a year since the All Peoples Congress (APC) government came to power, dramatic events have been unfolding and whenever the public questions it, President Koroma will weave himself off the knot. What a crafty politician he is! At first it was President Koroma that reportedly demanded a significant increment in his salary, a claim which his government denied leading to the resignation of Secretary to the President Sanpha Koroma. Whether he was a scape goat or not only God and the government know. These MPs are the same people that were making huge promises to their people that when they assume power they will make a magical change in the lives of the people.
However, the people's situation has not improved in any form instead it is worsening. Majority of Sierra Leoneans live on less than a $1 per day. Most children go to school on foot, covering miles mostly without food in their stomachs, while others keep dying from curable diseases including malaria.
Majority of women die during delivery as the maternal and infant mortality rate of the country keeps sky rocketing. Watching Sorius Samura's documentary on BBC's Panorama last Monday, tears roll down my eyes as I discerned that one of the major causes of Sierra Leone 's backward status is corruption and man's nefarious attitude towards his fellow man. Why have the MPs not asked the ministry of health the reason for the sale of drugs meant to be supplied free of cost to poor people? Why have they not held the executive responsible for the supply of filthy water from Guma pipes? Why have they not asked why the intermittent supply of electric power after the current government promised an uninterrupted supply of electricity? Majority of Sierra Leone 's population lack pure water, power supply and food. The agricultural sector is in crumble with a very high percentage of food wastage due to lack of vehicular feeder roads. Majority of these MPs
that are seeking pay rise do not live in their constituencies thus know little or nothing at all about the deplorable lives in the constituency they claim to represent.
In the capital Freetown , the drainage system is appalling especially around areas like Lumley, Campbell Street , Dillet Street ; Guard street et al. The situation of people in slums is even more serious. Kroo bay and other slums are the worse place for people to live. Sadly, their lives are at risk without any politician listening to their cry. Their situation becomes cataclysmic during the rainy season with frequent disastrous floods taking place in those areas.
What are the MPs doing about their people? Is it just about winning elections? Is it just about salary increment? We are tired of hearing about plans with out implementations. Now, the people want to know what implementations have taken place in their respective constituencies.
The issue of sexual assaults and other forms of domestic violence which are more prevalent in the rural areas are of serious concern to the people. For Kono district, I sometimes wonder whether there is any administrative hierarchy for that part of the country. The whole district is gradually turning into a pit with indiscriminate mining activities going on. Where thus are the MPs seeking the people's interest for them to demand salary increase? I think the government should also provide the report card system for MPs, so that they can present to people projects that they implement annually instead of them getting free money for no work done. The state of civil servants and many other professionals is terrible leading to a mass exodus of professionals from the country.
What the legislature should do along side the executive is to work towards developing the country. The educational sector is in the drain with mass failure in public examinations and the government is doing nothing to investigate the reasons for that. Teachers do not receive their salaries on time and text books meant to be given free to pupils are sold in the streets with authorities concern giving deaf ears to the realities on the ground.
The problem of domestic violence and child trafficking is on the increase in the country and while policies have been mapped out to tackle these problems, such as the three gender bills, little is being done to implement these policies. Corruption is abysmal in Sierra Leone and is being practiced in every nook and cranny of our society. What are the MPs doing to truncate its progression? Instead of them asking for big pay rise they should first judge themselves on whether they deserve any.
Conversely, the problem of arm robbery is of grave concern particularly at this time of the year. Many people have lost confidence in the police who many believe work in connivance with arm robbers and pick-picketers who become active during the holiday season.
MPs are supposed to be ambassadors of their respective constituencies but the recent local council elections were a manifestation that the country is deeply divided on political lines. MPs must stand out to be neutral when it comes to bridging differences among the people, by putting aside their political, tribal and regional affiliations and unite the people. This divide has the propensity to create a deadly war situation and Sierra Leoneans are not prepared to replicate the cruel war.
Unfortunately, galvanizing solutions for our unprintable problems seldom strike the minds of our so called politicians. All they consider very important at this trying time in our history is to get salary increment, live flamboyant lifestyle, drive expensive vehicles and splash filthy waters from potholes in the center of cities or their constituencies on the poor and gullible voters.
Apparently, politicians should remember the mistakes their predecessors did that led to Sierra Leone 's 10 years of carnage. The uncompromising lack of job opportunities for young people is severe and very worrisome. Many young people float around town without jobs. Both past and present governments have been promising to prioritize the provision of jobs for youths, yet this has not materialized. The minds of the youths are bitter for politicians. They feel let down, used, misused and abused by our politicians. These MPs mingled with the youths during the electoral process and make them their enemies immediately after.
It is the right of any citizen of a country to get access to employment. If the MPs can make such a serious demonstration for salary increase, what do they expect the over five hundred thousand unemployed youths to do? What do they expect members of the Police, Army, teachers, nurses, doctors and other civil servants that are collecting pittance as salaries to do? It is evident that the lack of job opportunities for young people has resulted to the increase in prostitution and arm robbery.
Child labor and child prostitution is also a concern to the people. What is the legislature doing to protect the future of Sierra Leone ? These children are the future of the country. If we leave them to perish in the hands of wicked people today, am afraid Sierra Leone will head for doom. Let the MPs map out strategies to change the lives of their people instead of jumping into making selfish hasty decision by calling off parliamentary sessions for pay rise.
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President Koroma, you are my favourite President that Sierra Leonean Youths have ever produced.I know there can be a dialogue in every dispute. President Koroma go to Parliament and negociate.If they insist in stopping Parliamentary sessions, the Youths including the entire Citizenry will vote them out of Parliament in the next round. What i have come to observe from this Parliament, is that they portray too much of their Political banners in Parliament, instead of enacting or amending Laws that will protect Sierra Leoneans. I commend this Writer. A pay rise? Are you not satisfied with the one you corrupted President Kabba's Government with?
Why you entertain the silly notion that EBK is not in bed with the parliamentarians is beyond me: look, dude, it is the same crowd of soupists.
Do you imagine that those parliamentarians are not cognizant of the tiffy, tiffy 'policies and practices' of the insurance salesman? They want in, that's all; and, under the logical and empirical structure of soupism, ain't a thing wrong with that.
Get real!
Cheers.
The MP'S are entitled to salaries equal to their responsibilities. They have the absolute right to demand a salary raise if infact, what they are receiving is pittances. But what the MP'S cannot and must not do is to shut down the work of the people for which they had aspired and campaigned to be elected to serve,for the flimsy and myopic reason that their demands and desires have not been met or fulfilled. The MP'S ought to know better. They know the state of the country and the procedure to follow under THE STATE SALARIES, PENSIONS, GRATUITIES, AND OTHER BENEFITS ACT 2003 which provides for a STATE SALARIES COMMITTEE handling every salary assessment question from the president and his cabinet to the judges and the MP'S. The committee is made up of the speaker of the house as its chairman,the two leaders of the political parties in the parliament, one paramount chief member of parliament, one independent member of parliament if any,the minister responsible for finance, the minister responsible for labor and industrial relations,and with the clerk of parliament as secretary of the committee.The committee determines questions of assessment of salaries by a simple majority vote but, "shall have regard to" the "state of the economy of the country" and the "gov't's ability to pay" for such salaries and benefits assessed.The process further is that, assessment made by the state salaries committee must be submitted to the president for "consideration" and "comment" if any, and "transmitted" back to parliament. Therefore,if the minister of finance, be it him or the president agreed with the MP'S demands, but, begged to defer the "raise" issue and expressed substantial fear about the state of the country's economy, and the fact that given other vital problem areas of the country that are yet to be attended to, as amply itemized by Ms. DARAMY, author of the articulate article, the gov't may not be able to pay the salaries of the MP'S, Should not ignite a hullabaloo by any chance. Work hard MP'S TO LIFT UP THE COUNTRY!
Point of correction the name of the author of the article is MS. Kandeh and not MS. Daramy.My fault.
The most stupid lines ever. can the writer try to draw proper semblance.
Well, it all begins with the Government and her administration. There's a proverb which says; if you show a man how to fish rightfully, he will continue to fish with productivities; but if you don't, he will tries but it will take time to do so. The APC Party have being doing this for decades knowing that only very few highly educated people who are Sierra Leoneans are currently in Public Services but acted the same way as the Government itself. Main reason, there are not enough honesty, faithful and patriotic Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone who are bound and not scare to sacrifice for the sake of the country and to show the bad and unpatriotic behaviours of those who are drastically destroying their own country. Where in the world have you seeing a government official who tends to be patriotic towards his/her country but continue to destroy his/her country, only in Sierra Leone. I won't blame those who are doing it; that's why they don't want to take steps to educate Sierra Leoneans about such situation of their wrong doings. Sierra Leone education is one of the MOST worst education. If Sierra Leoneans are being told in schools about such bad behaviours of our criminal and government official, I can assure you that such a evil behaviours will stop and the country will develop as they politicians promise. What a shame to those Sierra Leonean Politician who preach development for the country but keep filling up their pockets. May the Almighty Lord help them someday!!!!
In my last rebuttal to the MP'S salary increment,I vehemently refused to buy the idea that they should be given a pay raise. Now these very MP'S are out of their seats in parliament,is the country going about the nation's business? If yes,then these so-called MP'S have proven not to useful as without them,the government is still going on normal. These MP'S are creating a very dangerous precedent for the other sectors that have always being yearning for a pay raise;if all other sectors can decide to lay their tools/services,what will be effect on the country. I will recommend for the executive branch of the government to let loose these so called MP'S and continue to manned the affairs of the nation probably a better result will be produced or we replace them with representatives from all works of life and experiment a different approach to the governance of our beloved country. Thank you.