Is Sierra Leone's
development being crippled by a lack of
political vision?
Austin Thomas
7 November 2011
Proverbs chapter 29 verse 18: 'Where there is no
vision, the people perish'. I believe that the
ideas, determination and wisdom that a leader has,
will lift his people from decadence to prosperity.
His innovation and determination for success will
bring prosperity.
But to what extent can we hold our political leaders
in Sierra Leone responsible for the poverty, poor
health and the ineffectiveness of our governments in
bringing much needed respite for the majority of
Sierra Leoneans living in poverty? To a large extent
- many would say.
What is ironic is that our government officials
regularly travel the length and breadth of this
mother earth, and in many of the countries they
visit they are likely to see development and
progress. They see happy people in those countries,
and do they ever stop to think why those people are
happy and the role played by their respective
government in creating that happiness?
Perhaps not – but what is evidently clear is that
our leaders are seriously lacking in vision,
commitment and strong leadership, to be able to turn
Sierra Leone around from years of decadence to
prosperity.
Yet their passion and desire to rig elections, fill
their pockets through corrupt means, build grandiose
mansions and drive expensive luxurious cars at the
expense of the poor is overwhelming.
Today, the lack of affordable housing is one of the
biggest problems facing Sierra Leone. Despite an
abundance of land, there is a serious housing policy
vacuum.
 |
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With a government that is solely
preoccupied with encouraging investment
in the exploitation of the country’s
mineral resources - diamond, gold and
iron ore, not much effort and priority
is being given to encouraging investors
that will build new towns and cities,
which could ease the burden of poor
quality and inadequate supply of
housing. Such a policy could also open
up the country for sustainable spatial
development. |
Reading stories and articles about current
developments in Sierra Leone has left me in serious
doubt, as to whether the change we advocated for in
2007 was for economic and social progress, or change
for its own sake.
The SLPP party ruled for 11 years, yet they lost the
2007 elections because they were overrun by crooks
that degenerated into a caricature - promising to
take the country to higher heights, and to liberate
the creative genius of the Sierra Leonean society.
Along with the snowballing fiscal problems that
some of my media colleagues have cited, I would also
add the very discouraging rise of 'state nannyism'
introduced by both SLPP and APC.
For example; Kabbah was famous for his "no one will
go to bed hungry by 2007", whilst President Bai
Koroma responded that "this is a new APC that has
come to alleviate the sufferings, but you have to
judge me after 36 months". The PMDC leader Charles
Margai trumpeted his "positive change" mantra.
Although both promises from the former and present
governments offered hope to the people in 1996 and
2007 respectively, their lack of long term vision
and their patronizing attitude toward the voters,
are responsible for the state of the nation today.
Political movements need a vision. SLPP in 1997
accused APC of destroying the fabric of the country
during their 24 year rule and for lacking vision.
Today, there is little evidence of president
Koroma’s government being any different to the APC
of old.
Equally, the 11 year reign of SLPP did usher in
major improvement, especially with respect to public
and civil institutional building after the war, and
the building of democratic governance structures.
But this was not enough for the people of Sierra
Leone, hence they voted for change.
In this present dispensation, it is now clear that
government is not the solution to our problem. The
government is the problem.
With the abject poverty destroying the
lives of people in the provinces,
Sierra Leoneans ought to be reminded that the
government did not create the provinces; the
provinces created the government. So why should
these areas be subjected to such gross
underdevelopment and impoverishment?
The provincial towns and cities are largely
responsible for deciding winners and losers at
general elections. But what have the politicians
done in return to alleviate the sufferings of those
people?
Is it not remarkable that the vision of
parliamentarians was to award themselves a $4,000
monthly salary and a Le45 million jeep – along with
luxurious homes in Freetown, rather than residing in
their provincial constituencies?
Where there is no vision - the people perish.
The first task of any political party seeking power
and wishing to address the suffering of the people
is to formulate and advance their vision as to how
they will achieve this – without political rhetoric.
Potential presidents and politicians must advocate
change based on their vision, long before they
achieve political victory. They must be able to
translate their vision into sound policy proposals,
and effective governance structures for
implementation of policies, programmes and projects.
After 50 years of independence, most Sierra Leoneans
have lost faith in our politicians, and many would
prefer to relocate to greener pastures.
Some Sierra Leoneans think that the persistent
mismanagement of the country’s affairs is simply
down to the lack of human resource capacity. But
what is evidently clear is that the country is now
being used as a 'guinea pig', by all kinds of NGOs
and donor agencies experimenting with new systems
and models for the implementation of donor funded
projects.
Many of these programs in the country are based on
the notion that poor governance is due largely to
incompetence, ignorance, lack of visionary leaders
and inadequate infrastructure.
Certainly Sierra Leoneans are suffering from poor
governance, inadequate judicial and social
infrastructures, and insufficient number of
expertise - due to migration and brain drain. But
these short comings cannot explain the abuse and
misuse of state power in the country.
Sierra Leone has quite a good number of
administrators, accountants, good lawyers and other
professionals. What we need is a leader with clear
vision; who is innovative and capable of turning a
forest into a city, a river into a dam, iron ore to
iron, diamonds and gold to jewelleries, a failing
economy into an engine of growth, and to once again
return Sierra Leone to become the Athens of Africa.
The current budgetary procedures - including
provisions for checks and balances in the management
of the country’s public sector are adequate. But the
fact remains that our rulers are flouting the
Constitution and administrative procedures that are
relevant to the actual workings of government, with
impunity.
Abuse and misuse of power and authority have nothing
to do with the lack of human resource capacity,
although it must be said that far too many of our
senior government officials and ministers are
incompetent and inexperienced.
The lack of administrative or intellectual expertise
to formulate and properly execute policies that
promote economic growth has never been the major
problem. Quite simply, the leaders have acted out of
parochial and self interests - in total disregard to
administrative best practice and laid down
procedures.
Similarly, we should not see reactionary economic
policies and practices of the government as stemming
mainly from lack of knowledge of economic theory, as
many of the post-independence economic policies and
actions that have been implemented were deliberately
aimed at serving the interests of those in power.
Why was the railway stopped in the country? What
benefit did we gain by hosting the OAU conference in
the 1980s – costing Hundreds of Millions of Dollars?
Why is the Sierra Leone Selection Trust (SLST) model
a success in managing Botswana’s diamond, yet a
failure in Sierra Leone?
Political elites have benefited enormously from
the economic misfortunes of Sierra Leone. Not
surprisingly therefore, they prefer to maintain the
status-quo - as chaotic and depressive as it is for
the majority of Sierra Leoneans.
Let us not think of our leaders are puppets or
buffoons, because we always say it is not the
leader’s fault but those who are behind them. Rather
we should see them and their actions from the
perspective of the interests they serve.
Doesn’t the president understand that education is
the backbone of any country’s development? Was he
forced to choose 60% of his cabinet from Bombali
District? Does he not understand that increasing
taxes such as GST, despite inheriting a struggling
economy in 2007, will lead to increased poverty? I
doubt it somehow.
Where there is no vision - the people perish.
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