By PASCO TEMPLE :
Three Sierra Leonean Legislators who are also members of the global Parliamentary Network have arrived in the United States of America to attend this year’s Global Parliamentary Conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters on 1900 Pennsylvania Avenue North West Washington DC,
They have also arrived to attend this year’s annual World Bank /IMF Spring meetings of the Boards of Governors of the IMF and the World Bank Group scheduled for April 10-12 2016 and 12th – 17th April 2016 at World Bank Headquarters on 1818H Street North West, Washington DC.
“Each spring, thousands of government officials, journalists, civil society organizations, and participants from the academia and private sectors, gather in Washington DC for the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.
Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma of constituency sixty two (62) in the Tonkolili district representing Mile Ninety One (91) area, Hon. Lahai Marah of Constituency Forty Five (45) representing Naya Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District and Hon. Shekuba Amani Sannoh of constituency one hundred and twelve (112) representing Western urban (Lumley, Juba, Spur Road) arrived Saturday evening and registered on Sunday April 10th, 2016.
The trio were the first to arrive from Sierra Leone and take care of business, because there program and activities started Sunday April 10, 2016
“At the heart of the gathering are meetings of the IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committee and the joint World Bank-IMF Development Committee, which discuss progress on the work of the IMF and the World Bank Group.
“Also featured are seminars, regional briefings, press conferences, and many other events focused on the global economy, international development, and the world’s financial markets.
The Board of Governors for each institution consists of one governor from each of the institutions’ member countries, typically the finance minister, central bank governor, or minister of development.”
“During the Annual Meetings, the Boards of Governors decide on major policy issues related to the future work of the two institutions, which are subsequently implemented by their respective Executive Boards”. Said Hon. Shekuba Amani Marrah leader of the delegation.
According to him, the meetings of these institutions fall within their mandates as parliamentarians, because they are directly related to members of institutions we oversight at committee levels.
In a brief Interview, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma said they are in attendance to participate and make meaningful contributions to the Global Parliamentary Conference and continue with the spring meeting.
“We will attend a conference on the status of the Health sector and in particular the status of the implementation of the Post Ebola recovery, where I will make presentation on the Health system with emphasis on post Ebola Recovery Health plan in Sierra Leone.
“I will also dilate on the importance and effect of IMF budgetary support and make suggestions where necessary.” Said Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma.
According to Hon. Lahai Marah, “we are also here to make a case for increase accountability. “We really want International Nonprofit organizations to be a subject of scrutiny when it comes to the disbursement of moneys given them for certain projects in our Country.”
“For example, when the Country was battling with Ebola, the world made financial contributions in hundreds of Millions of Dollars. “The impression given was as if the moneys were directly handled by the government of Sierra Leone: but in actual fact, they were not accountable to government.
“So we are yet to know how much good their intervention has been to government.”
Hon. Shekuba Amani Sannoh said we are going to look at our relationship between the Bretton Woods institution and hold talks where necessary on the terms of disbursements relating to loans and grants and the methodology regarding disbursements.
Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma is a member of Agriculture, Forestry & food security Committee, Deputy Chairman Committee on Transparency& Accountability, Internal Affairs, and Tourism& Cultural Affairs.
Hon. Lahai Marah is a member of the Public Accounts Committee, Water Resources Committee, and committee on Social Welfare, while Hon. Shekuba Amani Sannoh is a member of Education, Trade, Works, Housing Infrastructure & Information Communications committee.
