By Aminata Phidelia Allie
A 5-day professional capacity enhancement training for staff of the Political Parties’ Registration Commission has started at the Leone Lodge in Freetown.
PPRC Chairperson, Justice Tholla Thompson observed that “as a regulator of the political environment in Sierra Leone we are always looking for ways of capacitating our staff to be more effective in our role”.
He stated that the training programme aimed at Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE), which he said was a key course towards achieving the overall goal of the commission.
Justice Thompson went on to explain that key modules in the course included political financing, disclosure and regulations mediation, electoral dispute resolution, effective political education, media and elections.
He said they were being closely guided by the principles of accountability, inclusiveness and responsiveness, and observed that the training would help their staff perform stipulated roles and responsibilities “in an efficient manner, particularly to become more citizen-oriented, responsive and accountable in the performance of their functions”.
The PPRC boss also said the opportunity would enable them perform their advisory, support and coordination functions, thus improving on their responsiveness to political parties’ concerns.
He expressed hope that the training would “create a pool of cross-trained employees that can automatically fill the gap when an employee unexpectedly leaves the Commission, accepts a transfer or a promotion and that our staff will be better equipped to serve our political parties and Sierra Leone as a whole”.
Lead facilitator, Theophilus Dowetin said that it was necessary, from time-to-time, for the commission to familiarize itself with new happenings.
He, however, stated that the training was not in any way to suggest that the PPRC was operating below standards, noting that “there is always room improvement”.
Politico 03/08/13
