Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698838535220.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 THURSDAY, 20th FEBRUARY, 2020 SESSION – 2019/2020 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: 35 Second Meeting of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House Held on Thursday, 20th February, 2020.

2 CONTENTS I. PRAYERS II.

RECORD OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING, HELD ON THURSDAY 13TH FEBRUARY, 2020 III.

LAYING OF PAPER [A] THE LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS HON.
SIDIE M. TUNIS INDEPENDENT POLICE COMPLAINTS BOARD [IPCB] ANNUAL REPORT, 2019 [B] THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION CABINET DECISSION TO ESTABLISH THE SIERRA LEONE FOREIGN SERVICE ACADEMY AND PROPOSAL FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SIERRA LEONE FOREIGN SERVICE ACADEMY.
[C] THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY THE NATIONAL FERTILIZER REGULATIONS, 2020 THE NATIONAL FERTILIZER REGULATORY AGENCY ACT, 2018 [ACT5 NO.4 OF 2018] STATUTORY INSTRUMENT NO.3 OF 2020 IV.
GOVERNMENT MOTION: THE MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE RATIFY THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENT WHICH WAS LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON TUESDAY, 29TH OCTOBER, 2019: THE G7+CHARTER 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 FIFTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ Thursday, 20th February, 2020.
I. PRAYERS [The Table Clerk, Mrs Bintu Weston, Read the Prayers] The House met at 10:30 a.m. in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown] [The Speaker, Hon.

Segepoh Solomon Thomas, in the Chair] The House was called to Order 4 Suspension of S.O 5[2] COMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would like to make correction on the Order Paper, under item III[b].

It should be ‘Construction of the…’ please do the necessary correction.

Thank you very much.


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

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Mr Speaker, I rise on S.Os 26[1&2].

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, please hold on.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder to the Motion for amendment?

HON.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS-LAMIN: I so second, Mr Speaker.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I have not seen the Minister of Agriculture.

I would also like to make this amendment.


THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS-LAMIN: I so second, Mr Speaker.

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: A counter Motion, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: A counter motion?

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Yes, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, we have made it very clear in this Well that whenever there is a document relating to any Ministry, if the substantive Minister cannot avail him/herself, a senior member of the Ministry should represent the Minister.
If that is the case, we should not renege on what we said in this Well.

If we continue that way, they will always persist in laying document without their presence.

Mr Speaker, in as much as I agree with the Leader of Government Business to lay the document on the Table, the Minister should understand that it is not just about laying the document, but their presence means respect for this House and the document they will be laying before Parliament.
5 THE SPEAKER: I totally agree with you, Honourable Member.

We have been saying this time in time out in this Parliament.

We would not continue in this direction at all.

Thank God the Minister is here.

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to withdraw the amendment I had suggested earlier because the Honourable Minister is now here.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much, Honourable Member.

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I rise on S.Os 26[1&2].


I will not bore this House to read, but we are kindly asking the Speaker to adjourn the House, so that we can go to Committee Room 1 to deliberate Section 74[4] of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, I agree with you, but in the circumstance, I want to plead that we do the needful.

I am aware of the assignment the House gave to execute.

I am sure this sitting is not going to last for more than thirty minutes.
Let us transact today’s business before we go to Committee Room 1 and report to you accordingly.

Of course we have all the time to discuss 74[4].

We are definitely going to Committee Room 1 after we would have adjourned the House.

We have all the time to move a Motion in respect of S.Os 74[4].

HON.

Dr MARK M. KALOKOH: Accepted, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you Honourable Member for your understanding.

II.
II.

CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTART SITTING HELD ON THURSDAY, 13TH FEBRUARY, 2020.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, we go through the record of Votes and Proceedings for the parliamentary sitting held on Thursday, 13th February, 2020.

As usual, we go page by page.

Page 1?

Page 2?

Page 3?

Page 4?

Page 5?

Page 6?

Page 7?

Page 8?

Page 9?

Page 10?


If there is no correction or amendment would somebody move for the adoption of the record of Votes and Proceedings for the parliamentary sitting held on Thursday, 13th February, 2020 as presented?

6 HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: I so move, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: I second the Motion, Mr Speaker.


[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Record of Votes and Proceedings for the parliamentary sitting, held on Thursday, 13th February, 2020 has been adopted as presented] III.

PAPERS LAID [A] THE LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table of this House the Independent Police Complaints Board [IPCB] Annual Report, 2019.

HON.
HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, the Leader of Government Business has just laid on the Table of this House a Report from the IPCB.

We have no objection to that, but the Police with a recent report that we just read in the local tabloids about the state of the police.

I am sure if a document is brought to this House from that institution, we need them to be here.

I am saying this out of a personal experience I got with the Police.
This is an IPCB Report and the Police are becoming something else in this country.

I am saying this based on my personal experience I had with them.

I was hit by an unidentified vehicle, but it will amaze you to know that I got a call from the Police Force only on the eighth day after the incident.

When the incident happened on that day, my vehicle slept at the Aberdeen Police Station.
Mr Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to state exactly what I think about the Police and why they need to be here whenever we have a document relating to that institution.

THE SPEAKER: I know, Honourable Member.

What do you want to do?

Do you want to move an application that this document be debated?

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: That is what I want to say and I am using this as a prelude to move a Motion.

I was just trying to state why a Motion to debate this Report is necessary.
On that note, I move that the Independent Police Complaints Board Report, 2019 be debated.

Thank you, Mr Speaker [Applause].

7 THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: I so second, Mr Speaker.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [The Motion to debate the Independent Police Complaints Board has been carried] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Hassan A. Sesay, you have to insist that during the course of the debate, the presence of the Police is necessary.

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Definitely, Mr Speaker.


THE SPEAKER: Mr Clerk, please take note.
[B] THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION MR SOLOMON JAMIRU ESQ [Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, with your leave, I beg to lay on the Table of this Honourable House the following Paper: Cabinet Decision to establish the Sierra Leone Foreign Service Academy and Proposal for the Ratification of the Agreement with the People’s Republic of China on the Construction of the Sierra Leone Foreign Service Academy.
[C] THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY HON.

CHERNOR M. R. BAH: Mr Speaker, before the Minister does, I know the decision rest with you, but I will be very happy if after laying the Paper we can still get the Minister to be with us for another thirty minutes before he leaves.

THE SPEAKER: Certainly, Honourable Member.

HON.

CHERNOR M. R. BAH: Thank you very much Sir.

THE SPEAKER: Mr Minister, after you would have laid your Papers, you have to wait for the next thirty minutes.

HON.
HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: I want to plead on behalf of the Minister.

8 THE SPEAKER: No, Honourable Member.

I want the Minister to wait because when Members of Parliament go to these ministers, they keep them outside [Applause].

I may another add thirty minutes to make it one hour instead [Laughter].
MR DENIS K. VANDI [The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table of this Honourable House the following Papers:  The National Fertilizer Regulation, 2020;  The National Fertilizer Regulatory Agency Act, 2018 [Act No.

4 of 2018]; and  Statutory Instrument No.

3 of 2020.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, before we go further, I wish to recognise the presence of two visitors who are here with us.
They are here to assess the Parliament of Sierra Leone against CPA Democratic Bench Marks.

At this stage, may I recognise the presence of Anthony Staddon, a consultant at the CPA Secretariat; and Anna Scheistel a Programme Manager at the CPA Secretariat.

You are welcome to the Republic of Sierra Leone Parliament [Applause].

HON.

CHERNOR M. R. BAH: Mr Speaker, the Minister can take leave of us.

THE SPEAKER: Mr Minister, you can go with the leave of the Leader of the Opposition [Laughter].

IV.
IV.

GOVERNMENT MOTION: THE MINISTER OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MR ROBERT CHAKANDA [Deputy Minister of Planning and Development]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratify the G7 Charter that was laid on the Table of this House on Tuesday, 29th October, 2019.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the House might be aware that the G7 group was established in 2010, as an inter-governmental organisation of conflict affected countries to help achieve peace and stability through peer learning in the areas of one peace and state building, and advocating for better engagement therein.
The G7 comprises Afghanistan, Burundi, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic 9 Republic of Congo, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Solomon Island, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo and DMA.
The current Chair of the group is Sierra Leone, represented by Dr Francis Kaikai, the Honourable Minister of Planning and Economic Development and the Deputy Chair is Afghanistan, represented by Dr Nahids Salabie, the Deputy Minister of Policy of the Ministry of Finance.

The Headquarters of G7+ is housed in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the G7+ Charter was adopted at the third ministerial meeting of the G7+ held in Lome, Togo on 30th May, 2014 and it was approved by the Cabinet of the Government of Sierra Leone in January, 2015.

For the Charter to be legalised, it is incumbent upon member states to ratify it by their respective Parliaments.
The ratification of the Charter will support the setting up of proposed G7+ parliamentary union that will serve the G7+ member states because of the following reasons:  G7+ will become a globally recognised body that can influence decisions at the United Nations and other global entities;  working as a block to provide strong voice and the negotiating power that will benefit member states.
This could led to an increased in allocation of resources to member states and to Sierra Leone as Chair;  strengthen lobbing for increased allocation of resources from International Financial Institutions providing support to G7+ countries;  increasing Sierra Leone visibility and global leadership in international forum and the benefit accrued as a result; and  enhance national acceptance and collaboration from key stakeholders on matters relating to peace and national cohesion.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it is important for me to outline major achievements of the G7+ since its formation.
These are:  the adoption of a new deal for engagement of fragile states and its peace building and state building goals; 10  peer learning cooperation funded on pillars of solidarity and voluntarism;  the G7+ has become a platform for negotiation or negotiating the principles of engagement with donors;  securing a standalone goal on peace building and state building within the global agenda 2030.
Goal number 16 on just inclusive and peaceful societies;  regular engagement of the margins of the United Nations Assembly, high level weak to consolidate the voice of conflict affected countries on related matters;  the G7+ has become an interface on the debate related to sustainable peace and conflict prevention;  develop and operationalise a concept of cooperation among conflict affected countries known as fragile to fragile cooperation, to facilitate sharing of tangible experiences;  establish a G7+ foundation to further consolidate and provide sharing of country experiences that can help in achieving peace and stability; and  the G7+ obtains observer status at the United Nations General Assembly on the 18th December, 2019.
This is significant for Sierra Leone which is currently the Chair of the group.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in view of the benefit of the G7+ to the Government of Sierra Leone, I wish to move that the G7+ Charter that was laid on the Table of this Honourable House on Tuesday, 29th October, 2019 be ratified.

I thank you all for your attention [Applause].

[Question Proposed] HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: I am sure this document is not controversial; and therefore, there is no need to debate it.
The document has been laid in this Well for quite a while now and if there is anything wrong with it, it could have been raised and Honourable Members would have moved for a debate.

Thus, I want to ask my colleagues to hastily ratify this document because we know the G7+ group has established a membership that has been read by the Minister.

All of these institutions, or organisations are geared towards achieving the developmental goals, which I think 11 we are trying to pursue.
Once again, Mr Speaker, I want to ask my colleagues to hastily ratify this document.

We must use that opportunity to benefit our country and the group itself.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much, Honourable Member.

Mr Leader, I respectfully ask you to allow the Deputy Leader to conclude because he wanted to say something [Laughter].

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker for giving me this opportunity to wrap up.
The whole issue of G7+ in our country emanates from the civil conflict we had.

This was expressed by the Minister when he was talking about composition of the G7+ Charter.

We went through civil war, but we are trying to strengthen our democracy.
In the days of Napoleon, it was usually said that ‘in time of war, they are ready for peace and in time of peace, they are ready for war.’ At this time, we are not ready for war; we are ready for progress and development as clearly enshrined in Article 2 of this Agreement.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, with your leave, Article 2, Sub-Section 4 reads: ‘‘Promote good governance and effective institution and to assist each other in development within our member states in the sphere of politics, public administration, decentralisation, natural resources, economic and finance.’’ What I cited is not for us to be ready for another war, but to strengthen the institutions we have in this country.
In modern democracy, we believe in strong institutions and because of that, it is good for us to be part and parcel of the G7+ Charter.

In fact, the Agreement talks about information on the secretariat and we are going to be part of the secretariat.

So, this Agreement is very good for this country.

We can also share our experience with other countries, so that can learn.

We believe that conflict is a backward development in modern democracy.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to state here that there is no controversy in this Agreement.

I want to thank all of you for accepting the fact that this Agreement is very good and we can use it to develop our country.

We can also use it to work with other member states that have just experienced conflict.

It is good for us to have such 12 Agreement and I want to thank the Leader of Government Business for attending the summit on this particular programme.
We discussed it few days ago that it is good for this country.

I am sure there will be parliamentary network in this regard.

In fact, Honourable Peter Musa Moigua is the Chairman of that Committee.

Please give him a round of applause [Applause].

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and God bless us all.

THE SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Minister, have you got anything to say?

MR ROBERT CHAKANDA: Mr Speaker, I want to thank this Honourable House for giving a strong consideration to this Agreement.
Therefore, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratify the following Agreement which was laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 29th October, 2019.

Thank you very much.

[Question Proposed, Put and Approved to] [Government Motion by the Minister of Planning and Development has been approved] HON.

VERONICA K. SESAY: Mr Speaker, I stand on S.Os.

23.

I want to bring this issue under S.Os.

23 for the first and the last time.


It is becoming a habit and I have received many complaints from Members of the Female Caucus with regard the humiliation they usually receive from their male counterparts.

The male parliamentarians should see us as sisters, friends and colleagues.

They should give us the maximum respect we deserve because we are here as partners in development.

We are not voted to be intimidated or insulted.


If they are doing this to female colleagues, they will likely do same to me tomorrow.

I am not ready to take this issue kindly.

I decided to flag this issue up, so that you can be informed and take immediate action.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Honourable Rebecca Yei Kamara was insulted a month ago.

Again, the Honourable Emilia L. Tongi was insulted a week ago in Bo.
I am going to write an official letter to the Speaker and the Leadership of this House, so that the necessary actions are taken.

I believe that women can make and unmake.

We can break and make.

I want you to know that we are here to work together.

We are here for you to protect us and that is why we are fighting for the affirmative action of the 13 30% quota.

We are 17 in this House, but we should not be intimidated and humiliated at all.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker [Applause].


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Veronica K. Sesay, I thank you very much for exercising the kind of maturity by not naming the individuals who did what you have just reported to the House.

We would not want a repetition of this and we do not want the public to know that this is happening in Parliament.
Thank God you did not mention the names of the individuals, but I would advise Honourable Veronica K. Sesay to write a formal letter of complaint to the Privilege and Ethics Committee in this House, so that the Committee can investigate and report accordingly.

I will take this opportunity to encourage Honourable Members, especially male Honourable Members to be very careful when we deal with our female counterparts.

They are supposed to be protected, guided and supported.
It is not our place to begin to intimidate or humiliate them at all.

I personally would not take kindly to any male Member of Parliament insulting a female counterpart [Applause].

I am not being judgemental at this stage, but as men, we are expected to be very strong and to protect our women.

I would like the Honourable Member to write a letter of complaint to the Committee mentioned above, so as to address this issue accordingly.

HON.
HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it is with deep concern that I report to you a very sad incident in my constituency.

Two weeks ago, there was a fire disaster at Kinder-Dara in the Konmarah Chiefdom.

Forty eight [48] houses were burnt down and a child died in the process.

I personally went there with some clothes and food items for the affected villagers and the security men being deployed in the area.
There is an allegation that unknown men on a motorbike lit one of the houses which led to the disaster.

My fear is that I am not sure this matter is treated with the concern it deserves.

This is because nothing has been done to help the victims and there has not been any progress as to know the cause of the inferno.

I want to use this podium to appeal to the sons and daughters of Konmarah, home and abroad, to come to the aid of those victims in that village.
I also call on the humanitarian organisations to come to the aid of those people.

14 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when I arrived in the village, I thought there was nobody around, but after five to ten minutes, people started coming from the bushes.

They were using leaves to cover themselves and trees as a form of shelter.

Mr Speaker, apart from the help I am asking for my people, I want us all to take this as a concern, especially for the wild bush fire in this country.
I am not sure Kinder-Dara has been the only village that has suffered from infernos.

There was another fire disaster that destroyed plantations in other areas in this same chiefdom.

The people lost their cashew plantations and there was also another village called Sorimankaya.

Mr Speaker, even though I offered some assistance to the affected people in my constituency, I am also advocating for more assistance.

Put yourself in the places of those people.


I want to appeal to all Sierra Leoneans who are opportune to help my people.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Foday Mario Kamara, I advise that you inform the Police in respect of the allegation of arson against some individuals that you said were on a motorbike that lit the fire.

You also have to report to the Office of National Security [ONS] for some relief services.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, they are all aware sir.
I spoke with the Local Unit Commander [LUC] in Kambia and the Paramount Chief.

THE SPEAKER: Please make follow-ups and inform us accordingly.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker for this opportunity.

Mr Speaker, I stand on S.Os.

23 to talk about two points.

The first point relates to the current development at the Emergency Hospital.
You would recall that the said issue was raised here by a Member of Parliament regarding the threats involving the continuous existence and operations of Emergency Hospital.

As we speak, the most important department of the Emergency Hospital, which is the Children’s Department, has been closed.

The Emergency Hospital provides free quality medical service to the Government of Sierra Leone and by extension to the people of this country.
I am not 15 sure if the President is even aware of this development, but in our own capacity as Members of Parliament, it is our responsibility to inform him in the event he is not aware.

Under his watch, this hospital is closing and the most important department is now closed.

Had it not been for the guidance provided in S.Os.

21[1h], I would have invoked S.Os.

19 to comply with Section 38, Sub-Sections 1&2 of the 1991 Constitution.
However, I can provide an alternative solution instead of taking the dangerous path.

You can agree with me that the reason for this maybe is because the representation of that constituency, which is constituency 110, has no voice in Parliament for the past six months.

The people of that constituency have no privilege for their concerns to be aired through their representative in Parliament.

Out of hundred and thirty-two [132] constituencies, it is only constituency 110 that has no voice in Parliament.
It can be voice of the people or voice of the court.

It does not matter and it is all provided for by the Constitution.

Voice of the court and voice of the people are permitted.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, are you aware that this matter is Sub-judice relating to that hospital?

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: That was why I said I would not invoke S.Os.

19.

THE SPEAKER: Are you aware?

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: I am aware of that and that is why I refused to invoke S.Os.

19.
19.

In fact, I have even prepared my document, but I withdrew the document because I advised myself.

However, I can provide an alternative solution if it is permitted.

For the purpose of operations of Emergency Hospital, the relevant Committee could summon the Minister of Health and Sanitation and the Hospital Management to come and explain why the Children’s Department was closed.

THE SPEAKER: Hold done, Honourable Daniel B. Koroma.
I asked you because I am personally not aware and I want to believe the majority of Members are not aware.

The question is, are you aware?

Maybe you are aware of the closure of that particular department, but unaware of the fact that this matter is in court.

Are you aware, 16 Honourable Member?

If you are not aware, then bring any information because as representatives of the people, we can bend backwards to aspect certain things.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker that was why I proposed earlier that the relevant Committee is brought on-board.

If there is another matter in court relating to Emergency Hospital, then I think my subsequent suggestion will not work.

The only matter I am aware of is the one regarding representation of the people around the Emergency Hospital; i.e., the people of Constituency 110.

I am not aware of another court hearing in respect of Emergency Hospital.
THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, make your application.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

So, I move that the relevant Committee summons the Minister of Health and Sanitation and the Administration of Emergency Hospital to look into the underlying reasons for the closure of the Children’s Department.

That is my application.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: I so second, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any counter Motion?


[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [The Motion to summon the Administration of Emergency Hospital and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation by the Committee on Health and Sanitation has been carried] THE SPEAKER: Mr Chairman of the Health and Sanitation Committee, please ensure that you summon the Minister of Health and Sanitation and the Administration of Emergency Hospital to a meeting and submit a report to Parliament.
It is very important because this has to do with the welfare of our people and we all know that the Emergency Hospital has been providing free medical services for past ten years [Applause].

So, we should be concerned as Members of Parliament representing our people.

The Hospital is about to close down and we cannot allow that to happen.

We deserve to know what has happened.

17 HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.


On the issue of Emergency Hospital, the last time we got the information from the former Honourable Member, the Committee made a frantic effort and we went to the Hospital.

The findings were tabled in this Well for the closure of the Paediatric Department of Emergency Hospital.

I am aware of it and what the Honourable Member said was nothing but the truth.

I consulted the Minister and he told me about the closure of that department.
When I asked for the reasons behind it, he said Emergency Hospital is meant for Orthopaedic and trimmer cases.

The Paediatric treatments, which they were giving, were very good for this country, but then they decided to just concentrate on their speciality.

This was the major reason for the closure of that department.

I want to inform the Honourable Member that the Ministry officials were summoned to appear before the Committee today.
So, if you have any issue to put across, you are invited to be part of that particular meeting today.

Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, when do you think a report of your findings will be presented before this House?

HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: After meeting with the Minister, I will table the report.

THE SPEAKER: When, Honourable Member?

HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: Pretty soon, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: No, Honourable Chairman, please give me a definite time line.

HON.
HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: I promise to present a report on the 3rd March, 2020.

THE SPEAKER: On the 3rd March?

HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: Yes Sir.

THE SPEAKER: Do you think there will any sitting around that date?

HON.

MOSES B JORKIE: I will lay it on the table of Parliament.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much and please ensure that you do the best for God and country.

18 HON.

MOSES B. JORKIE: I will, Mr Speaker.


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, immediately we adjourn this sitting, let us go to Committee Room 1 for proper reporting.

Please ensure that colleagues who are outside the Well are informed.

[The House rose at 11:30 a.m., and was adjourned to Thursday, 27th February, 2020 at ADJOURNMENT 10:00 a.m.] 19