Category: Laws

The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion Act, 2021 [No. 3 of 2021]

The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion Act, 2020, establishes the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion in Sierra Leone. The Commission is empowered to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts and promote sustainable peace. Key points of the Act include:

Establishment of the Commission: The Act establishes the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion as a body corporate with perpetual succession. It grants the Commission the authority to acquire, hold, and dispose of property and perform necessary functions.
Composition of the Board: The governing body of the Commission is a Board, consisting of the Chairman and eight other members, including representatives from various regions and interest groups. Members are appointed by the President based on their knowledge in peacebuilding and conflict management, subject to approval by Parliament.
Qualifications and Tenure: Board members must be citizens of Sierra Leone with high moral character, proven integrity, and expertise in peace and conflict resolution. They serve a term of three years, renewable once, and may be removed for various reasons, including misconduct or incapacity.
Meetings and Decision-Making: The Board meets at least once every two months and may convene special meetings as necessary. Decisions are made by a majority vote, with the Chairman having a casting vote in case of a tie. Proposals agreed upon by a two-thirds majority outside of formal meetings are considered valid.
Recording and Reporting: The Board keeps minutes of its meetings, which are signed by the Chairman. An annual report of the Commission’s activities is prepared and submitted to relevant authorities.
Overall, the Act provides a legal framework for the establishment and functioning of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, emphasizing its role in promoting peace and unity in Sierra Leone.

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The Appropriation Act, 2021 [No. 2 of 2021]

The Appropriation Act, 2021 authorizes expenditure from the Consolidated Fund for the services of Sierra Leone in 2021 and related matters. It came into operation on January 1, 2021. The Act grants the President a sum of nine trillion two hundred and fourteen billion two hundred and six million four hundred and sixty-six thousand eight hundred Leones for 2021, specifying its allocation and expenditure in the attached Schedule. This amount is declared to be charged upon and payable from the Consolidated Fund. The Act empowers the Accountant-General to disburse funds for specified services upon the Minister of Finance’s order, up to the allocated amount. Any unspent balance at the end of 2021 will not carry over to the following year

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TERRAPIN LTD V BUILDERS SUPPLY CO. (HAYES) LTD (1967) R.P.C 375. 84-15-375

Summary of the Case: Terrapin Ltd v Builders’ Supply Co (Hayes) Ltd (1967) R.P.C 375
Fact:
The case involves the Defendant constructing prefabricated buildings based on the design specified by the Claimant. The Claimant provided manufacturing details and technical specifications to the Defendant for this purpose. However, at the conclusion of the contract, the Defendant began selling its own prefabricated buildings that included elements from the Claimant’s design.
Issues:
The key issues in the case revolved around the Defendant’s actions of using the Claimant’s design specifications to create and sell their own prefabricated buildings without authorization.
Ruling:
The ruling for this case can be found in the Reports of Patent, Design and Trade Mark Cases, Volume 84, Issue 15, dated 19 October 1967. The judgment was made regarding the actions of Builders’ Supply Company (Hayes) Ltd and others in relation to Terrapin Limited.
For more detailed information, you can refer to the following sources:

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