What prospects lie ahead in 2010?
The government of President Ernest Bai Koroma recorded some successful achievements in the year just gone, mainly in the area of providing “Clean Electricity” to parts of Freetown and its environs. It was as a result of his intensifying efforts that the remaining 5 percent or so of the Bumbuna Hydroelectric project was completed. We are not enjoying the hundred percent electricity which however continues to be the main propaganda item in the government’s list of achievements. Beyond that it would be interesting to learn in which other area this government would justify its bogus claim of fulfilling its election pledges. Admitted that the Anti Corruption Commission has been given more teeth by the ability of direct prosecution, yet the Attorney-General still has his “Sword of Damocles” in the form of the power of nolle prosecui hanging over its head. Still, it is progress and the young and dynamic ACC boss must be commended for being steadfast in some areas.
Whether Tejan-Cole admits it or not, some cows in the present regime remain sacred. Ah yes, I must personally congratulate his Excellency for his stand on environmental protection, especially of the very rich biodiversity Gola Rain Forest or what remains of it. I hope and pray that the declaration of Gola as a National Park will form part of the President’s priority agenda in the first half of 2010.
Much rhetoric continues to be the backbone of the Attitudinal Change agenda although there still seems little to show for it. My friends at the African Champion opened the new year with admonishment to the opposition SLPP to change our attitude. I must confess that I was neither impressed nor amused with the contents of the commentary. Who is more in need and in dire one at that of attitudinal change than the APC government and their protagonists? What was the degree of political tolerance of this government throughout 2009? Was it not a dismal record of thuggery and violence against the opposition and its supporters? Did the visit of the President to the APC headquarters and its Xmas party, or the attendance of the SLPP leadership at the APC convention constitute the kind of attitudinal change or tolerance that we deserve?
Political cartoonists the world over target public figures as the main subjects of their profession. Any peculiarity in frame or appearance is picked upon and lavishly exposed to the public. Perhaps because of President Koroma’s prevarication at the time, that astute publisher Sylvia Blyden published a caricature of his Excellency with horns protruding from his head. From the fuss and hostile reaction it invoked one would have been led to believe that either Sylvia had asked for the President’s head or declared him an animal. Former British Prime Minister Ted Heath was once asked for the difference between an Accident and a Tragedy, he replied that an accident was when Harold Wilson then leader of the opposition Labour Party fell over the Pier at Southend into the sea. He said that a tragedy was when someone rescued him. Who would dare commit such heresy in Sierra Leone?
As an opposition it is our responsibility to point out the shortcomings of this government and to criticize their every action which we feel is not in the interest of the people or of the country. That, we will continue to do relentlessly without fear.
The SLPP leader had addressed a letter to his Excellency in which he raised issues of concern. Unfortunately the letter and its contents were treated with levity and dismissed with a wave of his Excellency’s hand. How could an allegation of a duty-free duty waiver of up to a million United States dollars extended to a private company, or the contract for a government to government arrangement be given to the same company who then sells the commodity at prevailing market price be dismissed as cheap politics? Our Members of Parliament will support or criticize fearlessly according to what the government puts on the Order Paper
Much has continued to be said and written about the late Sierra Leone statesman Dr. Salia Jusu Sheriff who died on December 19, 2008. What I forgot to mention in my tribute in Parliament was how he was maligned for many years after the 1967 general elections. Sir Albert Margai had sponsored a very strong independent candidate against Salia who all the same won the Kenema South constituency seat and again in a bye election when the same candidate then became the official APC candidate.
When Kai Samba and Luseni Brewa who were denied party symbols under Sir Albert, but who nonetheless won their seats, refused to declare for the SLPP, Sir Albert flew to Kenema to plead with them to change their minds. Kai Samba refused to meet Sir Albert, let alone speak to him. Salia had pleaded with Brewa who remained adamant and demanded Sir Albert’s resignation from the leadership of the SLPP. At the Kenema meeting Salia had merely urged Brewa to say something which the latter failed to do. His “Brewa ndakpei yeppeh” (Brewa man speak) was later used as propaganda against him by members of the SLPP, not the APC. There are two living witnesses who were at that meeting at which I was also present.
The same kind of elements within our party today had spread the wicked lies that former President Tejan-Kabbah had voted for Ernest Bai Koroma in the Presidential run-off elections of September 2007.
For those still obsessed about Puawui’s age, when 666 Salia Jusu entered the Bo school in Form one in 1943, 592 Sama Banya was already a pupil there in standard five. Salia left school at the end of 1946; he and Dr. Peter Tucker from St. Edwards School were the only candidates to bag Grade one in the Cambridge School Certificate examination that year. He taught me arithmetic and introduced us to “Stocks and Shares” with its various jargons. He was truly a great man in stature and in his deeds.
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