By Alie Turay
Parliamentary Committee on Appointments yesterday screened presidential nominees for the Independent Media Commission (IMC) to act as Chairperson and Commissioners.
The Independent Media Commission is a regulating body set up as an independent institution to regulate media institutions and practitioners in the Sierra Leone.
The Presidential nominees are Williette James to serve as IMC Chairperson, James Bola Williams (Jay Willie), Patricia Ganda (Star Radio), Francis Sowa, and Dauda Musa Bangura to serve as Commissioners.
During the interview session, the Chairman of parliamentary appointment committee Hon Ibrahim Bundu said the interview session is based on the information provided by the nominees in relation to their qualifications and requirements as well as from other sources.
He said they are not there to intimidate anybody but to actually check to ensure that they have the right people for the job.
As the nominees came in to face the panel one after the other, the Committee spent over 45 minutes grilling the nominated Chairperson Williette John on her relationship with the Media and how she intends to handle them.
In her reply , she stated, “I know how to deal with recalcitrant journalists” she said.
The other female Commissioner, Patricia Ganda told the Committee members that she will work according to the IMC Act and Code of Conduct and will be objective and fair.
Jay Willie assured the Committee that his popularity among his peers will not hamper his functions but will infact help in making them understand their responsibilities.
Other nominated Commissioners, Francis Sowa and Duada Bangura all spoke in the same vein.
In a related development yesterday, the former Mayor of Makeni city Moses Sesay also faced the Committee as appointee Chairman Sierra Leone Ports Authority and was interviewed within a short while.
