Presidential & Parliamentary elections 2007
The role of Members of Parliament
The main job of Parliament is to hold the government to account. Your constituency will have one Member of Parliament who can question and challenge the government’s policies to defend your interests.
This is done in a number of ways. Parliament has open debates about certain issues. It also debates specific legislation the government is proposing for Sierra Leone’s development. Most legislation can only be passed if a majority in Parliament votes in favour of it. There are also Parliamentary Committees which continuously review general areas of the government’s work, for example, law, finances, foreign affairs and the appointment of public officials.
The Constitution protects the right of Members of Parliament to speak openly and freely in Parliament, as long as they do not insult or tell lies about other Members.
Parliament is regulated by a person called the Speaker, whose election is approved by its Members. It is the Speaker’s job to chair debates. They must remain impartial, and are not allowed to vote on new laws.