Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698835121759.pdf (Sierra Leone)
OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ (HANSARD) ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT SECOND SESSION-SECOND MEETING TUESDAY, 18TH MARCH, 2014 SESSION – 2013/2014 1 OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ (HANSARD) ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT VOLUME: II NUMBER: 15 Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Fourth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House Held on Tuesday, 18th March, 2014.

2 I. II.

PRAYERS CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR TUESDAY, 11TH MARCH, 2014.

III.

MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENT AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE PROPOSER: HON.

LEONARD S. FOFANAH SECONDER: HON.


KOMBA E. KOEDOYOMA 3 THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Official Hansard Report of the Proceedings of the House _____________________________________________________________ SECOND SESSION-SECOND MEETING OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ Tuesday, 18th March, 2014.

The House met at 10:00 a.m. in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown.

I. PRAYERS [The Clerk of Parliament, Hon.


Ibrahim Sulaiman Sesay, Read the Prayers].

[The Deputy Speaker, Hon.

Chernor R. M. Bah, in the Chair].

The House was called to Order 4 II.

CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR TUESDAY, 11TH MARCH, 2014.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, we go through the record of Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 11th March, 2014.

HON.
HON.

CLAUDE D. M. KAMANDA: Mr Speaker, before the correction of Votes and Proceedings, I rise to make the following corrections on the Order Paper.

Instead of Honourable Leonard M. Fofanah, it should be Honourable Leonard S. Fofanah.

Also, instead of Eric ‘T.’, it should be Eric K. THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, you’ve heard the corrections from the Chief Whip.

We now go through the record of Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 11th March, 2014.

Page1?

Page2?

Page3?

Page4?

Page5?

HON.


EMMA KOWA: Mr Speaker, Page 5, Roman iii.

Nomination is spelt wrongly.

THE SPEAKER: Mr Clerk, please take note of that.

Thank you very much Honourable Member.

Any more correction on Page 5?

HON.

KOMBA E. KOEDOYOMA: Mr Speaker, I want us to go back to Page 4.

Let us look at the second paragraph, under the ‘Statement by the Clerk.’ Look at the last sentence.

I propose it to be ‘which reads’ and not ‘with the.’ THE SPEAKER: Did you say the second paragraph?
HON.

KOMBA E. KOEDOYOMA: Yes Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: You are correct Honourable Member.

Mr Clerk, please take note of that.

Page 5?

Page 6?

Page 7?

Page 8?

Page 9?

Honourable Members, there being no further correction, can somebody move that the record of Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 11th March, 2014 be adopted as amended?

HON.

MABINTY K. SILLAH: Mr Speaker, I so move.

5 THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

ALLASAN JERO KAMARA: I so second Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any counter motion?


Honourable Members, it has been moved and seconded that the record of Votes and Proceedings for Tuesday, 11th March, 2014 be adopted as amended by the House.

(Question Proposed, Put and Agreed to) III.

MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENT AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE PROPOSER: HON.

LEONARD S. FOFANAH SECONDER: HON.


KOMBA E. KOEDOYOMA THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, before the Deputy Majority Leader starts his presentation, I am sure all of us know that today is a very busy day.

The book of Condolence for the former President, Dr Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabba will be opened at 11:00 a.m., at the SLPP Office in Freetown.

There are Members of Parliament who will have to be in that Office.

Therefore, today’s debates will be guillotined.


I am hearing the word ‘rebel leader.’ He is not a rebel leader.

I used the word of Honourable Member from Masiaka.

Mr Deputy Majority Leader, I want you to make your presentation as fast as possible.

HON.
HON.

LEONARD S. FOFANAH (Deputy Majority Leader of the House): Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that the Third Report of the Second Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service be adopted by the House and that the recommendations contained therein be approved.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I present to you the Third Report of the Second Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service.

6 1.
6 1.

Introduction Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service, alive to its Constitutional responsibilities, met on Monday, 10th March, 2014 and interviewed five Presidential nominees for appointment as: i. ii.

iii.

Chairman, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Board; Chairman, Monument and Relics Commission and Members, Monument and Relics Commission.

2.
2.

Procedure The Committee maintained strict adherence to its established procedure throughout the deliberations.

The nominees were interviewed on their educational background, track records in pertinent work situations, declared assets, tax obligations and their vision for a successful and nationally productive tenure of office.

3.
3.

Third Sitting of the Committee on Monday, 10th March, 2014 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the following nominees were interviewed: i. Dr Abdul B. Karim, Proposed Chairman, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Board; Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Dr Abdul B. Karim is an Associate Professor, Fourah Bay College, and University of Sierra Leone.

Mr Karim has been (2009-2013) the Chairman of the Radiation Protection Board.
Giving an idea of what he would do if approved by the Committee, Mr Karim said that he would help to: “regulate nuclear activity in the country, provide leadership for nuclear safety and security, get the other Members of the Board to work assiduously to bring good Governance into the authority, seek the welfare of staff and protect the environment and humanity.” Reacting to the Committee’s concern about advanced countries using Sierra Leone as a dumping ground for nuclear waste, Mr Karim said that there were international laws to 7 guide against trans-shipment and export of radioactive materials to other counties.
He said that Government has put mechanisms in place for regular checks at the Quay to know what is going out and what is coming in.

Mr Karim said: “We even ensure that mining companies that are exporting ores that may be radioactive are properly scanned to ensure that they do not have radioactive materials above the expected safety levels.

Scrap-metals for export are also scanned to ensure that radioactive substances are not exported to other countries.
With regards to the importation of radiation, the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority are there to ensure that imported nuclear materials are registered for authorization and licensing to operate.

The authority also undertakes regular monitoring of such importers to ensure that they conform to regulatory standards.” ii.
Ms Isatu Smith, Proposed Chairman, Monuments and Relics Commission; Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Ms Isatu Smith is well known to be passionate about Cultural Heritage Management and has been involved in preservation and conservation issues for about two decades.

She has recently been admitted to a Masters Course in Cultural Heritage Management in a number of universities in the United Kingdom for the 2014/2015 academic year.
Isatu Smith has had a long association with the conservation and management of Bunce Island, a historical site, and was the Deputy Coordinator, Bunce Island Project, 2011- 2013.

Giving background knowledge of the Monument and Relics Commission, Ms. Smith said that she has been involved in heritage management issues for about twenty years.

The nominee informed the Committee that she had worked as Education Officer for the Sierra Leone-Gullah Kinship Association… - (Interruption).

THE SPEAKER: Order!

HON.


LEONARD S. FOFANAH: She promised to strengthen ties between Sierra Leone people and the Gullahs in South Carolina and Georgia, in the USA.

The Gullahs, she went on, were descendants of slaves taken from Sierra Leone, because of their rice growing 8 skills, to work in plantations in the American Colonies.

The Association, she said, was trying to preserve the remains of slave trade activities on Bounce Island.
“That was how I got myself into heritage management and preservation since 1994.

I also worked very closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs during those years.

So, I believe that it is in recognition of my passion and knowledge that the Minister of Tourism has thought it fit to ask me to chair the ‘Monument and Relics Commission so that I could replicate my work, in heritage management and preservation on Bunce Island, onto other historical and cultural heritage sites.” iii.
Mr Charlie Haffner, Proposed Member, Monument and Relics Commission; Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Mr Haffner is a Theater Artist and a household name in Sierra Leone.
He is predominantly a playwright, songwriter, oral historian, tutor, actor, composer, consultant, founder and Director-General of “Freetong Players International (FPI) Theatre Group.” The nominee has about 28 years experience in Community Theatre Arts activities in and out of Sierra Leone with his “Freetong Players” taking its creative rhythms and artistic expertise to USA, Scotland, Denmark, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, China, Canada, Poland and many other countries on the African Continent.
Mr Haffner is also the Producer of the acclaimed Radio Soap Opera “Atunda Ayenda”.

He is also founder and Chairman of two important annual festivals: Tangains Festival and Jaamafest and International Council of Folk Festival and Folk arts, Sierra Leone Chapter.

Responding to the Committee, Mr Charlie Haffner made a solemn undertaking to continue promoting the cultural heritage of his native country with love, devotion and a determination to leave a lasting legacy.
“To this end, I want to inform this Committee that me and my family, my wife, my son and daughter who is now a lawyer, we are all Members of the “Freetong Players.” iv.

Madam Kitty C.S.

Fadlu Deen , Proposed Member, Monument and Relics Commission 9 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Madam Kitty is an acclaimed teacher in classical music who, since her retirement as Principal, Ballanta Academy of Music, is now engaged in teaching piano, voice and theory of music.
She has also worked in other institutions of learning in Sierra Leone that include: 1992 – 1999, Principal, Lecturer and Head of Department, Performing Arts, Milton Margai College of Education; 1977 – 1985, Lecturer in Music, Milton Margai Teachers College; 1997-1975, Lecturer in Charge, Music Department, Women Teachers College, Port Loko; 1970-1973, Teacher, Our Lady of Guadalupe Vocational Secondary School, Lunsar.

The nominee promised to work to the best of her ability for the success of the Commission.
v. Mr Milton Augustine Koroma, Proposed Member, Monument and Relics Commission.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Mr Koroma is the Director, Human Resource and Administration Officer at SIERRATEL.

He also served as Principal at the St. Francis Secondary School Makeni from 1993 – 2009.
Giving his knowledge on the Monument and Relics Commission to which he has been nominated, Mr Koroma said, “it is basically a Commission that has been put in place by Government to help preserve our cultural heritage, historical monuments, relics and cultural assets for posterity.

Mr Koroma promised to work assiduously and with devotion for the success of the Commission.

4.
4.

Recommendations Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee adjudged the following Presidential nominees to be suitably qualified for their proposed appointments and are recommended to the House for approval: i. ii.

iii.

Mr Abdul B. Karim, Board Chairman, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Board; Ms Isatu Smith, Chairman, Monument and Relics Commission; Madam Kitty C. S. Fadlu-Deen (Dr), Member, Monument and Relics Commission; 10 iv.
v. Mr Charlie Haffner, Member, Monument and Relics Commission; and Mr Augustine Milton Koroma, Member, Monument and Relics Commission.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Third Report reflects the unanimous decision of the Committee.

I therefore move that the Third Report of the Second Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service be adopted by the House and that the recommendations contained therein be approved.
Signed and presented by Honourable Leonard S. Fofanah for Honourable Ibrahim R. Bundu, Chairman THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

KOMBA E. KOEDOYOMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I rise to second the motion.

(Question Proposed) THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I would not hesitate to use the gavel.

I hope you know what that means.

HON.

FRANK KPOSOWA: Thank you Mr Speaker.


I feel greatly relieved this morning to have before us people of caliber nominated by the President to oversee the affairs of the Monument and Relics Commission.

I have said this over and over again in this Well that if this country is to give the attention it should give our heritage, believe you me all these talks about bad economy would have been laid to rest.
This is because we have in our possessions studies to show that Sierra Leone is blessed with touristic sites like the Bunce Island.

If we spend about $5m on the renovation of Bunce Island, this country would be earning over $62m per year.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, please allow the Honourable Member to make his presentation.

HON.
HON.

FRANK KPOSOWA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when you look at what we have at Bunce Island, as against what the Senegalese have at Gori, we have more to offer than the Senegalese have.

The only difference is that Gori Island is closer to Dakar.

11 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the issue of heritage is very important and is treated very seriously in most countries in the world, especially in the advance countries.

Today, we see our successive Governments paying lip services to heritage issues.
For instance, some houses in the East-end of Freetown and Wilberforce should be protected.

In the USA, these houses are put on the federal list.

They don’t alter their exterior at all.

They are strengthened since they help to tell our history.

We have the old Fourah Bay College building at Cline Town.

What is it used for today?


With the qualifications of the nominees we have before us, I am not excessively optimistic, but I am of the opinion that they are going to upgrade the attention this country has been given in the past.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, another issue that we should be addressing here is the management of our archives.

Today, for e.g.
Today, for e.g.

the first speech made by Sir Milton Margai, when this country was attaining independence from Britain we can’t access it today because of poor record management system.

We can’t access it in this country today because it was only stored in one place.

But I think we should be given the management of our archives more attention.

I am not going to say much because of what we already know about the people who are going to manage these institutions.
I want to use this opportunity to appeal to my colleagues to approve their nomination.

Thank you.

HON.

AMADU FOFANAH: Mr Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the nominees before us this morning.

Mr Speaker, the two institutions these nominees are going to manage, the Relics Commission and the Nuclear Safety Radiation Protection Board are very important institutions for the furtherance of good Governance and for the prosperity of this country.
I am saying this because as the economy is growing, investors are coming into this country.

And Mr Speaker, if investors are coming into this country, we need to look at the Radiation Sector.

From the details submitted by the Appointment Committee about Dr Abdul B. Karim, I am sure he is not a stranger to this particular institution.

He will do his best so 12 that we would get what this country deserves.

This country deserves these important people.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for members of the Relics Monument Commission, they should know that the Commission has a role to play in terms of preserving our culture.

Culture is a way of life; and this way of life is our attitudes.

We have been talking about “Attitudinal and Behavioural Change.” I am sure that the nominees before us this morning are people with the knowledge to serve this Commission, especially Mr Charlie Haffner.
I will pay special tribute to Mr Charlie Haffner.

Mr Charlie Haffner has been working in this field for so long and now he has been given the opportunity by the President to serve in this Commission.

And I am sure that with all the knowledge he has mustered over the years, both nationally and internationally would be used for the benefit of this country.

He was once my Director and I know him very well.

I am sure with all this knowledge he will contribute a lot to this Commission.
We need to pay attention to our tourism.

If we do that tourists will come to this country.

They would have to pay before visiting any tourist site.

This will increase our revenue generation in this country.

I want to thank His Excellency the President for this wonderful team to serve in these Commissions.

The President is a listening President.

The last appointees that were here last week, the Minority Leader was talking about gender.

I am sure two of the nominees are females.


This shows that Dr Ernest Bai Koroma is a listening President (Applause).

We thank the President for listening to the cries of Sierra Leoneans.

I thank you Mr Speaker.

HON.

ANSU J. KAIKAI (Deputy Minority Leader of the House): I thank you Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Order!

HON.

ANSU J. KAIKAI: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I rise to beg the indulgence of the House to speedily ratify the nominees before us this morning.
The reasons are stated in the Report of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service.

I am a 13 Member of the Appointments Committee and I took active part in vetting the nominees before us.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members on my right, let us listen attentively to the Deputy Minority Leader.

The murmurings are too much.

HON.


ANSU J. KAIKAI: Mr Speaker, when I read about Dr Abdul B. Karim, I started wondering how somebody from the Biological Sciences be a Chairman of the Nuclear, Safety and Radiation Protection Board.

But after his presentation, I was satisfied that Dr Karim is well grounded.

With his educational experience, coupled with his practical experience, I can say without equivocation that he is fit to head this Commission.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for those nominated to serve in the Monument and Relics Commission, I have no scintilla of doubt that they will perform.

They are professionals in their own field; and they gave us enough reasons for them to be nominated to this House.

After a careful look at the only woman among the nominees, I became more and more satisfied.

She is even over-qualified because here is the woman who graduated from the University of Lights, who survived in both Europe and the United States.
The man who actually discovered a lot of the monuments in this country, Joe Okpala, had given her enough impetus for her to be nominated for this position.

Mr Speaker, I became more and more satisfied when I came to realise her association with Joe Okpala, a very good friend of mine.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the rest of the nominees are qualified to serve in the various positions they have been nominated to serve.
We should not waste more time in approving their nominations, specifically Mrs Fadlu Deen.

I have tremendous respect for her because she has contributed so much to this country since she became a Sierra Leonean by marriage.

I am calling on my colleagues on both sides of the ayes to please ratify the nominees before us this morning.

Thank you.

HON.

LEONARD S. FOFANAH (Deputy Majority Leader of the House): Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on behalf of the Appointments 14 Committee, I want to thank not only the Members who have contributed to this debate, but all the accolades we have received this morning.

I equally hope that the nominees are satisfied with what they have heard this morning.

They should be proud of their various experiences and knowledge, as simply put by Chairman of the Tourism Committee, Honourable Frank Kposowa.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to inform members of the Tourism Committee that Bunce Island has far more attraction and advantages than the Gori Island the Honourable Frank Kposowa was referring to.

For fact that Bunce Island is very close to the high seas is a major attraction for tourists.

I want to thank Honourable Frank Kposowa for the comments he made.

I want to assure him that we would take those comments into consideration.
I want to only say that the appointment of these eminently qualified persons by the Government of Sierra Leone underscores your statement that Government should take the Monuments and Relics Commission very seriously.

I am sure that if the Government was not serious about it, it would not have put such eminently qualified people in those positions (Applause).

I want to assure you that we will continue to put your comments into consideration.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Honourable Amadu Fofanah has said it all.

And I want to say that we will take his comments into good part.

He spoke about Charlie Haffner, one of the nominees present here this morning.

Everybody knows in this country Mr Charlie Haffner.

We have no doubt that he would do wonders after approval by this House.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Honourable Ansu J. Kaikai, a member of the Appointments Committee, raised important issues.
Honourable Ansu J. Kaikai is not only present for this debate; he was also in the interview panel.

During his submission to the House, he highlighted almost all the issues the Committee thought about the nominees.

I want to assure this House that if the Appointments Committee finds any future nominees unqualified, members of this Committee would not hesitate to disqualify him/her.

We would not bring them before this House for approval at all (Applause).
With 15 that Mr Speaker, I move that the Third Report of the Second Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service be adopted by the House and that the recommendations contained therein be approved.

I thank you (Applause).

(Question Proposed, Put and Agreed to) (Motion of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service has been ratified).

THE SPEAKER: Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the entire Parliament, I wish to congratulate you on your new appointment.
The former Speaker of this Honourable House, Honourable Abel N. B. Stronge, used to say: “Failure is not an option.” I am sure, as the Acting Minority Leader has said, it would be very difficult for them not to succeed, considering the caliber of people that have just been approved today.

Madam Fadlu Deen and Mr Charlie Haffner are not new to most of us.

I don’t know much about the Chairperson, but for her to be made the Chairperson, it means she is not only qualified, but credible and trustworthy.
I want to admonish her about the numerous challenges she would have to face.

I wish all of you well in your new endeavours.

MR IBRAHIM S. SESAY (Clerk of Parliament): Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, item IV on the Order Paper is ‘Special Announcement.’ I announce the death of Alhaji Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabba, former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone which sad event took place on Thursday, 13th March, 2014.

The remains of the former President will be laid on Friday, 21st March, 2014 in Parliament.
Foreign dignitaries are expected to attend.

The list, however, of foreign dignitaries expected to attend the funeral would be supplied to us by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There is other announcement relating to the death of the late Honourable Alhaji F. M. Jabatie, a former Member of Parliament from 1967-1973.

This sad event took place on Tuesday, 11th March, 2013, at the Choithram Memorial Hospital, Hill Station, Freetown.
His remains will be conveyed to his home town, Kpetewoma, Bo District on Saturday, 16 22nd March, 2014 for burial on Sunday, 23rd March, 2014.

Signed by Honourable Brimah Conteh.

Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, shall we rise and observe a minute of silence prayers for those departed?

(A minute of silence was observed).

May their souls and those of the faithful departed rest in perfect peace.

HON.
HON.

CLAUDE D. M. KAMANDA: I rise on Section 119(4) of the Constitution, in tandem with Standing Orders 76(b) and (d).

With your leave Mr Speaker, 114(5) states: “Parliament shall debate the report of the Auditor-General and appoint where necessary in the public interest a Committee to deal with any matter arising therefrom.” The two key words are ‘debate’ and ‘deal.’ Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the PAC has been doing a very good job for this country.
But it will interest you to know that in different quarters or in different places we have attended, they still question the actions of people in the report or institutions.

Mr Speaker, in Section 119(5), there is a mandatory clause that says: “Parliament shall debate…” I want to ask that this House revisit this clause and see how best we can reschedule or debate the report of the Auditor-General.

We should start naming and shaming institutions so that we compliment the work of the PAC.
This is because when the PAC looks into this report and come out with a report, this report is taken to the Attorney-General’s Office.

A copy is also taken to the President’s office.

And at the end of the day, no action is taken.

But clause 119(5) of the Constitution states that we should debate and a Committee to deal with that report.

Again, S.O.76 states that the Committee should report again to Parliament and see how best we look into that report.
I want to urge that in order to complement the effort of the PAC, we use this clause in the Constitution to debate the Auditor General’s Report, Thank you.

MR LAMIN YANSANEH (Table Clerk): Message from the head of the Commonwealth.

The message reads: “In July this year, the opening of the 20th Commonwealth games will be marked by the arrival in Glasgow of the baton that started its journey from Buckingham Palace five months ago.
Many of us are following closely 17 the news of the baton relay as it passes through the 70 countries and territories whose teams will gather for the games.

The images bring vividly to life what we mean by the Commonwealth Family.

It is wonderful to see the warmth, shared endeavour and good- will as the baton is passed through the hands of many thousands of people.
Affinities of history and inheritance from the past are strong yet, we are bound together by a sense that the commonwealth is a powerful influence of good for the future.

People of all ages from different cultures are weaving an ever-growing network of links which connect us in our diversity and our common purpose.

It is this unity that is expressed in this year’s theme: Team Commonwealth.
While national teams will be concentrating on the competition in August, Team Commonwealth will have a longer focus, working together to achieve a more enduring success.

Experiences of life defer widely throughout the Commonwealth; and we each make contributions from very different view-points.
But we are committed to the same goals; together we offer each other encouragement and draw strength from this mutual support, understanding that we belong together and are able through team work to achieve far more than we could do alone has always been at the heart of our approach.

For all of us, this is now captured in the Commonwealth Charter, which sets out the values and principles which guide and motivate us.
This year, more children and young people are participating in Commonwealth Day Celebrations.

Advances in technology enable us to reach a greater number of young people in schools, online, using the ‘Commonwealth Class Initiative’ and through events in local communities where the Commonwealth Flag is being raised.

I am delighted that in this, the year of team: Commonwealth we will be working to build a brighter, united future in which every one of us can play a part and share its rewards.
(The House rose at 10.48 a.m. and was adjourned until Tuesday, 25th March, 2014, at ADJOURNMENT 10.00 a.m.) 18