By Amin Kef Sesay
A letter from the PR Department of the Sierra Leone Parliament has henceforth instructed members of the press wishing to cover Parliament to apply with a CV, photocopy of all relevant documents, and present academic qualifications of at least a Diploma in Mass Communications from a recognized University.
The applicant should also forward a photo copy of a valid ‘operational license’ granted by the Independent Media Commission and must be a registered member of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) among others.
The letter from the Deputy Director of information /Public Relations in Parliament also demanded that the said journalist must have practised for a ‘number of years’.
The documents must be submitted at the Despatch Section of Parliament not later than Wednesday 20th May 2020 to facilitate interview. SLAJ and the IMC will form part of the Accreditation Committee.
Meanwhile, after the closure of applications for media accreditation to report on the proceedings of Parliament, the Office of the Clerk of Parliament reports receiving 28 applications for both print and the electronic media.
Parliament wants it to be known that an accreditation to report on the proceedings of Parliament is not a paid job, but a qualified privilege granted by the House in light of professionalism and accurate reporting on its proceedings for the consumption of the public.
