Unwarranted, unnecessary, and insulting reference

The government of President Ernest Bai Koroma has conceived the idea of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) to increase the revenue base of the country and thus mobilize much needed funds for development. In spite of its initial muddled explanation leading to misconceptions and doubts many including the business community have come to accept it as a reality. The consuming public, up to 80 percent of which is illiterate, as well as a large chunk of the literate ones have yet to fully understand, let alone appreciate its necessity and ultimate benefit for all.

The problem for most people right now is with the implementation, especially the clumsy manner in which it took off. People continue to ask for more education on the matter while others argue that because of the very depressed current economic atmosphere, that 15 percent may be initially too high and that a starting figure of 5 percent would be a wise decision. I understand that detailed discussions are continuing even as the scheme is being implemented.

A business friend of mine was explaining it to one of his customers last Saturday in a most impartial and objective manner, which suggests that many are willing to give it a try. Â We are aware of the involvement of our development partners in our post war budgetary management to the extent that they contribute over 60 percent of its content. But does that entitle DeFID, World Bank, EU, ADB to make an appeal directly to the people over the head of the government, urging them to support the proposals for tax reform? Is that not an impertinent and unwarranted interference in the affairs of the country? Since when and where else has such gross impertinence been perpetrated by a donor community? Should they not confine themselves to pressing the government with their “Bench marks” which is the new name for “Conditionality?”

It is most likely that the initiative for this came from DeFid and the EU, both members of the regime change group of 2007. The APC government may gloat over such interference now, but it would be naÃ¯ve of them to assume that it will be they who will be in power after 2012 and that therefore such blatant interference is in place. The shoe could always be on the other foot.

One could have blown me down with a feather when I read the citation in the letter addressed to me by Idrisa Conteh, former Editor of the Concord Times newspaper, who is one of the organizers of an Award Ceremony that took place in Santana House yesterday. I looked to see the expression on the face of my friend Olu Ritchie Awoonor-Gordon whom I have met only once in my 104 years. Readers of the Peep satire may recall that according to Olu, my writings are so boring that they send him to sleep; and yet he never misses a single edition. However I learnt with sadness that he was seriously ill. I join his many colleagues and friends in whishing him a speedy recovery. “… In recognition of your outstanding performance as Sierra Leone’s most prolific writer of all time” was what the citation read. But as I listened to Idrisa reading my hair would have risen if it were not for the fact that it is fluffy and not straight. I occasionally had to press my head to prevent it from busting. I occasionally pinched myself as well to confirm that I was not day-dreaming. Yes, truly someone is watching all the time. Like I said at the ceremony, no thanks of mine can enough show my gratitude to the organizers for such high consideration especially for sharing the limelight with my friend and former literary adversary Mohamed Koroma formerly of the African Champion newspaper and now a very high performance deputy minister of Health and Sanitation, as well as with the chairperson of the Independent Media Commission IMC, Bernadette Cole.

I gave a few interviews afterwards as well as advise budding journalists on what are the ethics of the profession. I also realized that I had quite a wide readership. Even my very distinguished “nephew” said to me once that he reads my column and to think that we still embrace when we meet just as I do with all his ministers that I have known over the years, speaks well of our degree of tolerance at the personal level, sadly not at the group. Yesterday’s ceremony was quite moving for me and I will cherish the memory for long. Thanks also to my editors who let their readers to share my thoughts and opinions.

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