The Former All People Congress Public Secretary 1, who has moved to the Sierra Leone Peoples Party, Hon. Robin Falley has endorsed the Proportional Representation (PR) System or District Block System that has been pronounced and ordered by president Julius Maada Bio and the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone respectively, for the conduct of the 2023 multi-tier elections.

Given his opinion on the importance of the PR System to this media, Hon. Falley explained that the PR System is a system that describes an electoral system in which the distribution of seats in parliament corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each political party or individual, “is a better system”.

He noted that the system is vitally key as a necessary and reasonable option in the present democratic process, adding that it does not only provide for inclusive governance and national cohesion, but it will also enable a greater variety of candidates to be elected and also even allow more sober-minded minority parties to gain representation in parliament.

He further said that the PR System offers alternatives to First Past The Post and other majoritarian voting systems, which tend to be biased in favour of larger political parties or groups.

“PR system tends to offer a better chance of representation to smaller parties, groups, or even independent candidates. PR System with a deliver fairer treatment of minority parties and independent candidates” he said.

Hon. Falley stressed that under the PR System, fewer votes are wasted as more people’s preferences are considered since it potentially offers greater and more- representative choices to voters.

The APC Publicity Secretary 1 forecasted that if the PR System is effectively used would reduce government spending of the limited resources on bye-elections.

He admonished various political parties in the country to fully accept the decision of the electoral commission as mandated by the constitution of the country.

Hon. Falley pointed out that political parties, particularly the ruling SLPP, carefully listen to the views of the various constituents when preparing their party’s list of elected representatives. He added that the true choices of the people with the calibre to provide effective and efficient representation are captured to avoid weakening parliamentary representation and also weakening the link between the MP and his or her constituents.

Faley carried on to say that the PR System rarely encourages a majority for one political party and would provide room for a greater consensus in policymaking.
Hon. Faley called on his former party to stop complaining.

He said, “They should go back to the drawing board and start putting the party together for future elections since the 2023 General elections is a non-starter but an election that will be won with a landslide victory by president Bio.”

The Former Member of Parliament for constituency 007 in Kailahun district who is on record as one of the best parliamentary debaters in the history of the Sierra Leone parliament and who as well until quite recently was a strong and popular Publicity Secretary for the main opposition APC party.