Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 July 2021:
The obsession of many prominent Sierra Leoneans in public life taking on the title of “Honourable” has been dealt a big blow today after the country’s parliament decided that only elected members of parliament and Judges can be called Honourable.
The Speaker of Parliament, ‘Honourable’ Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu has today Wednesday 21st July 2021 ruled, that the title Honourable should could only be used by persons who are serving or had served in elected offices, or who are serving or had served in the superior court of judicature, or conferment of such title by Parliament.
Such persons he said include the President, Vice President, persons who are serving or had served as MPs – past and present – regardless of serving as ministers or not; persons who are serving or had served the superior court of judicature; and persons on whom such title is conferred by Parliament.
Therefore, persons other than the above, when appointed to serve as Ministers and Deputy Ministers should be addressed as “Mr. Minister” or “Madam Minister”.
A motion was moved and seconded by the Leader of Government Business and the Deputy Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma and Hon. Bashiru Silikie for onward submission to the executive branch of government for consideration.
Analysts say that this ruling is going to cause a lot of unhappiness and pierce many self-inflated egos in the country, especially among former and current senior government functionaries.
For heaven’s sake, why does the typical Sierra Leonean’s thirst for personal title or distinctive name so unquenchable ? Most, if not all government ministers are qualified thieves, they don’t even know their job description. In the midst of this, they want to be referred to as HONOURABLE; they cannot even spell the word to help them look for its meaning in a dictionary. I ask all members of this democratic forum not to break ranks and tell them the meaning. For once let them do an ounce of work.
We have had EXCELLENCIES, HONOURABLES, DOCTORS, MADAMS , GENERALS in leadership positions whose success has only been personal enrichment and diabolical thievery, they have no conscience. Whenever someone comes along like Her Worship Honourable Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer, who epitomises progress, they develop jealousy and hatred for them. The Mayor deserves to be referred to as Honourable on top of all her other titles. She has integrity. Ministers? They can go to the opposite side of heaven for all I care.
Yes,amazing that this incredible thief and corrupt speaker who has been contributing to the destruction of our country for decades now is still some how not only in power, but is today, the speaker of parliament. That said, personally, I am glad he addressed this. It is less him trying to bring up something petty and more trying to put a stop to ridiculousness that has beyond gotten out of hand. So thanks to him. I don’t think it stops the losers from still seeking to be addressed as honourable, but now that an edict has been issued, hopefully, these losers will be ignored when they seek to be addressed as honourable.
Sankoh welcome to the Sierra Leone Telegraph readers’forum. As you are new here, please be warned that we do not allow profanities on this forum. So I have removed them from your comment. Please be warned.
I am rolling over with laughter. Oh Sierra Leone, where do we find this people? Firstly, the legislative arm of government submits a bill to the executive arm for consideration. I thought it was the other way around. Now my member of Parliment is the Rt Honourable David Lammy, however I call him Mr Lammy. Secondly, what is this obsession with titles? The only person you are required to address by a title is a medical doctor. Example: Doctor Jones. I see in Sierra Leone, people are calling themselves Ambassador Sesay, Engineer Kallon. This is a breach of etiquette.
An engineer should be addressed as Mr Maria Brewer does not style herself as ambassador. The reasoning is simple, as the correct title is Mr Sankoh, the Sierra Leonean Ambassador to Ecuador as the title is a preserve of the country not the individual. The lunatics have taken over the asylum. Hello Driver Johnson!!
What is more interesting, the service or the class?
Once again Dr. Abbas Bundu, is creating a storm out of a tea cup. The ordinary families struggling to make a living don’t give two finger what the titles of elected and none elected cabinet members carries with them. But since he has open a Pandora box of who deserves to be called a honourable, and who is less deserving to carry such grand and outdated title we might as well dig deeper and find out the meaning of the word honorable. Usually the title is associated and used by high officials, and children of the nobility and elected members of Parliament. To be a Honourable according to the definitions “Has to do with people and actions that are honest, fair, and worthy of respect. An honorable person is someone who believes in truth and doing the right thing-and tries to live up to those high principles” Now clearly none of our corrupt ministers in the Bio appointed cabinet will pass if they put them through the integrity test for openness, and doing the right thing for our country and its people .
On the other hand I think majority of our elected representatives should be called dishonorable Members of Parliament . which is defined as, “showing lack of honor or integrity, ignoble, disgraceful, cheating, having no honor or good repute, unprincipled,” Sierra leone is full of contradiction. Dr Bundu epitomises everything that has gone wrong in Sierra leone. I grew up hearing about Dr Bundu, and still at his ripe old age, when most of his peers have hung up their political playing booths, figuratively speaking he is still acting like a centre forward on some days when he wants to upset the opposition. Goal keeper when he wants to stop Dr Kandeh Yumkellah coming up with ideas of how team Sierra leone can be in a win, win situation if we allow mass political participation.
And sometimes Dr Bundu is acting as a coach involve in team, or committee selection of MPs. And some times popping up in the Wells of the Sierra Leone Parliament acting like a ref. With his Red and Yellow cards in his back pocket ready to issue them at the drop of a hat to unruly fellow MPs that some times act like hooligans, throwing punches at each other. Now that’s what is called dishonorable members of Parliament.
This is exactly why I have always insisted that the old Dinosaur Abass Bundu has to pack his belongings and find something else to do – He has outlived his usefulness; Seriously, will these people ever stop giving priority to trivial and insignificant things and do something productive in the interest of our poor hungry people just for once? Geez! Who the hell cares who is calling who Honorable – this is pettiness in its worst and most appalling forms; My Goodness when will these people begin to take their obligations to our nation seriously?
Inshallah this poor country of ours will not crumble into dust because of the barren, unfruitful leadership qualities of the President and Abass Bundu – That will not be the legacy left behind by the SLPP for millions of our descendants yet to come – Abject humiliating poverty that will keep them in shackles and chains by loan sharks for centuries still to come will be very hard to swallow – It will certainly not be their portion in the corrupt and wicked
world…Inshallah.