----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy Mensah" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 2:46 PM Subject: [unioNews] GHANA: Parliamentary Objectivity Friday, November 14, 2003 <H3>Parliamentary Objectivity</H3> The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Freddie Blay, was reported in our last Wednesday edition to have charged parliamentarians on the African continent to move away from the negative reputation as rubber stamps, factionalists, fratricidal infighters, peddlers of ethnicity and instead assume the front row as partners, and advocates and implementors of good governance and poverty alleviation. He, however, reportedly observed that "how parliamentarians would discharge this large responsibility is the biggest challenge for our country and for democracy in Africa." These are really harsh words, and perhaps if these had been uttered by an ordinary citizen, depending on the context, that person could or might have been cited for contempt since the description could lower the esteem of the honourable members in the eyes of the average citizen and bring them into opprobrium. But, these were stated by the First Deputy Speaker at the launch of the African Parliamentary Poverty Reduction Network in Tamale. As the sole representative of the Convention People's Party (CPP) in Parliament, Honourable Freddie Blay has at one time or the other come under acidic attacks from his party members and supporters for taking certain positions on government policy which he considers to be of national importance but which the CPP considers as a sell-out of the sovereignty of the people of Ghana. Only recently, Dr Edward Mahama bemoaned the tragedy of his party as its MPs have tended to ignore the position of their party when it comes to certain government policies. In the case of the National Democratic Congress, now and then, you hear some of their MPs coming under attack for saying certain things that are complimentary of the government. On the issue of parliamentary boycott to register a point or state a cause, when the New Patriotic Party was in the minority, its MPs resorted to it and each time they did, their friends in the majority NDC laughed at them for not appreciating the value of democratic debate. Since the tables turned and the NDC became the minority, anytime that they have boycotted proceedings in Parliament, they have been mocked by the NPP majority. Only recently, during discussions on the draft bill on Freedom of Information, an MP said when his party was in government he felt that the exemptions were too many but now that his party is in the minority he feels that the exemptions are too few. What is it that makes for such extremities although the facts remain the same. That is where some people suspect that there might be something fundamentally wrong with party politics. <B>We must begin to appreciate the fact that the problem does not lie with party politics, but our understanding of what must be done with power and authority in a multiparty setting. Often, MPs are coerced or encouraged to toe uninformed party line on every matter that comes up for debate. We the people who criticise or applaud them for what they do, indirectly sacrifice the national cause. Until we change such negative attitudes and allow our parliamentarians to act objectively and seek the best interest of all rather than our individual parties, provisions such as "laws that are reasonably required in the interest of national security, public order, public morality and for the purposes of protecting reputations, rights and freedoms of other persons" will remain meaningless mirages and illusions. We as a people, through our Parliament and elected representatives, often fail in coming to a common understanding of how to define these concepts because of our partisan interests. We need to change our attitude towards MPs who act objectively and independently in the interest of national cohesion, unity and democracy; otherwise, no meaningful or functional solution will be found to the challenge of how parliamentarians would discharge their responsibility to advance the cause and course of democracy.</B> Copyright © 2000/2001 Graphic Communications Group Limited ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/DKgolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> lllll QUOTATION: "All of us may not live to see the higher accomplishments of an African empire, so strong and powerful as to compel the respect of mankind, but we in our lifetime can so work and act as to make the dream a possibility within another generation" -<html><A HREF="http://members.aol.com/GhanaUnion/afrohero.html">Ancestor Marcus Mosiah Garvey <i>(1887 - 1940)</i></A></html> llllllllll * //\\//\\ unioNews Newsgroup //\\//\\ * * http://members.aol.com/GhanaUnion * * We're One People * * Join the Chorus * - African Union Shall Succeed - ===================================== A luta Continua! To subscribe to this group, send an eMail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe from this group, send an eMail to: [log in to unmask] Your use of Yahoo! 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