By Binta Jaiteh
The National Assembly of the Republic of the Gambia is hosting a delegation of Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) of the Parliament of Sierra Leone on a three-day study visit on the review of pension, salaries, gratuity and other benefit acts of Sierra Leone.
Hon. Quintin SaliaKonneh, Member of the Sierra Leone Parliament for 007 Constituency in the Eastern Region said the delegation is scheduled for engagement with The Gambia National Assembly to explore the provisions of retirement benefit schemes, policies and acts to guide the visitors in drafting the Sierra Leone Statutory Instrument.
Momodou A Sise, clerk of the National Assembly noted that the Parliamentary Service Commission of Sierra Leone of the Gambia’s resolve to share holistic knowledge on processes and procedures involved in drafting a statutory instrument of this nature.
He was speaking during a courtesy call by the Sierra Leoneans in his office in Banjul on Tuesday the 1st of March 2022. Noting that the purpose of the visit, Hon. Quintin added that the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) in its powers has the responsibility of setting the conditions of Service and the retirement benefit of Members of Parliament through a Statutory Instrument every five years.
“The Commission is in the process of developing a Statutory Instrument that looks at the retirement benefit of both retired and sitting Members of Parliament including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament”, he said.
The meetings in Banjul are punctuated with interactive discussions on the various provisions of Laws and policies of Retirement Benefits for MPs. However, similar delegations consisting of a Commissioner and a Secretary from the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Service are in Ghana, and Uganda for the same purpose, according to Hon. Quintin.