The President of the Female Caucus in Parliament, Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay, representing Constituency of 094 in Moyamba District, said anything that has to do with a shadow Parliament is opposition. She also added she would not participate in the female shadow Parliament with former MPs, councilors and other women.
Hon. Sesay is currently the longest serving MP in Parliament. She said, “The shadow Parliament women should have met with us – the current sitting female MPs – to discuss the way forward before the launching or any public activities.”
She said they are the ones representing women in Parliament by raising issues and making meaningful contributions on Bills and channeling issues pertaining women when they come to Parliament.
“To me when you say ‘shadow’ it means ‘opposition’,” she said. Some of the members in the shadow team, especially the former MPs, were with them struggling with the female MP’s Caucus in the previous Parliament. They were unable to succeed, so after stepping out of Parliament they are now forming their shadow Parliament for training current female MPs.
“If you are working for women we should all work in the same direction. But what I’m seeing is duplication,” she maintained. She explained they had the 50/50 Group, Women’s Forum and other organizations that have been coming to Parliament to help and promote togetherness.
According to her the Executive of the Female Caucus did not know about any shadow Parliament until a day before the launching. Hon. Sesay said no one approached them or explained anything to them.
The President of the Female Parliamentary Caucus said she and the Executive refused to participate in the shadow Parliament launching because they had no idea about the project.
“Establishing a shadow seems as if we are not doing anything or are not capable of doing something,” she said. “It is undermining our operations. If the shadow group was sure of what they are doing they should have come to me, as the President, to see how best we can operate in the interest of promoting women.”
According to her they are willing and ready to work with any organization that is genuine in the work in promoting women, but setting up of any shadow Parliament will renders them dormant as active MPs.
AMK/30/6/18
By Alhaji Manika Kamara
Monday July 02 2018.
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