Sierra Leone – what the newspapers say after the cabinet reshuffle?

4 Comments

1. Sahr Maturri, you seem to know the respective personalities or dispositions of most members of President Bio’s team – I hope you are right for the sake of the progress of the nation. Personally I have deep-rooted trouble trusting most of our public figures because of what history has taught me as recently as when Ernest Koroma was in power. One only need to glance at the despicable revelations coming out of the Commissions of Inquiry to support my position.

   If APC had retained power a year ago, all those now being convicted by ACC of looting the nation’s resources would have continued with their diabolical actions. Now they have come up with the slogan “de gron dry” to make Sierra Leoneans believe that all their economic and social woes should be blamed on the Bio government.

   Rather sadly, a good many of us do not have the mental capacity to ask the all-pertinent question – who sucked the water out of the ground? For Allah’s/God’s sake Bio has just been in power for 12 months – how is it possible for him to solve complex and diverse problems of a full decade plus, which APC hatched while in power? Where is our sense of fairness?

   It is indeed an exemplary thing that the Telegraph is doing, by letting Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad know what thee headlines of the local newspapers are. From what I can see, some of the newspapers have to be careful how they use words. “Reshuffle” means to reorganise or rearrange, etc. It is not synonymous with “sack or “fired”.

   Allie Kabbah was not sacked but reassigned. Those officials who are no longer members of the government are the sacked ones.

   Many thanks to the Telegraph.

   Reply

   • As you rightly said Santhkie, it is very difficult to trust most of our politicians. The same with me.
     What made me trust people like the former VP Sam Sumana and Mr. Tamba Lamina, is because, these gentlemen are FAIR and INCLUSIVE. That I know for sure. They can work with other politicians across the divide.

     Chief Sam Sumana for example, employed/recruited SLPP partisans whilst he was VP. He gave them jobs to the anger of some APC supporters. He was a friend of one of the potential SLPP presidential candidates Dr. Anthony Soyei(Kakpis). May his soul rest in perfect peace. Chief has a lot of friends who are SLPP party supporters. A lot of political assets indeed. This behaviour unfortunately was not welcomed by some APC GENTLEMEN. Everyone knew what happened afterwards.

     Mr. Tamba Lamina is going to do the same. He is going to reach out to everyone. I hope SLPP supporters would not be annoyed if he starts approaching APC supporters/colleagues as Chief Sam Sumana did. History will not repeat itself this time around in my view.

     What we presently lack Santhkie is, trust in our politicians and a situation where our politician are willing to work with each other across the political divide and deliver on their promises. The only way to start solving this problem and building trust is, to vote for people or appoint ministers who can work with their colleagues on the other side of the political spectrum and deliver the goods.

     By the way, I admire politicians who are fair and work in a bipartisan way. Our politicians must learn to know that, they can’t get all what they want. They have to always negotiate.

     But you are right Santhkie. Trusting politicians in Sierra Leone these days is like playing LOTTERY with a probability of one out of one trillion. Nearly impossible.
     Thanks a lot Santhkie for your observation. I appreciate that.

     Reply

2. Mr. Sahr Matturi, where is it stated in the president’s press release or in any other correspondence coming from State House that Mr. Raymond d’Souza George has been appointed adviser to the president on Krio affairs? Why do you like injecting tribalism into national issues? Do you think it is okay for the president to have advisors for each of the twelve or more ethnic groups in the country?

   Reply

3. Indeed. As the editor was rightly asking and I quote ‘So what are the newspapers reporting in Sierra Leone today?’ The newspapers – from PROVINCIAL TIMES to AWARENESS TIMES (TIMES TO TIMES) seem to be divided just like the NATION in my view. They all have different opinions on the same topics. Why should the NEWSPAPERS not speak with one voice when it comes to national issues. This just tells you how we have APC, SLPP, NGC, C4C, etc backing newspapers. Let them try.

   I would have loved to see the President form a government of NATIONAL UNITY. But that did not happen this time. Maybe later. Ministerial appointment is the sole prerogative of the President. NICE. Moreover, I have been asking the President to show leadership and forget about party politics when it comes to problems of NATIONAL INTEREST.

   For example, the recent land disputes in Freetown and the APC party MP’s walk out. Although the president did not come out and announce and explain something concerning these recent issues, he did something very wise by appointing Mr. Tamba Lamina as Minister of Local Government and trying to make Mr. Raymond d’Souza George adviser on KRIO affairs.

   If you look at what was happening recently, the president needs people/advisers who are FAIR, HONEST and TOUGH in making key decisions. The POLICE and the ARMY are headed by very FAIR and HONEST men in my view. Congrats to former President Koroma for appointing them POLICE and ARMY CHIEFS.

   Now, the ministry of local government and rural development is going to be headed by another FAIR, HONEST and TOUGH man appointed by President Bio. President Bio left both the ARMY CHIEF and the IG untouched when he took over. DEFENCE and INTER NATIONAL SECURITY was maintained throughout his first year in office. Nice one. Now, with Mr. Tamba Lamina added to that mix of people responsible for our NATIONAL SECURITY, the country will start to move forward in many fronts, especially PEACE, SECURITY, STABILITY and NATIONAL COHESION.

   If you want to have a peaceful reign in any democracy and Sierra Leone in particular, then, you have to appoint the NO YES SIR MEN in DEFENCE, POLICE and ministry of local government and rural development.

   In my view, President Bio has found the solution not only to the recent walk out and the land disputes but, to many other problems that had lead to this division of the nation. I am very certain that President Bio is going to work with both Mr. Raymond d’Souza George and MINISTER Mr Tamba Lamina to solve this land dispute headache. Thereby putting this whole COLONY and PROTECTORATE issue behind him. You can just see from the comments how this PROTECTORATE AND COLONY issue has started popping out. Not good.

   Mr. Raymond d’Souza George will investigate the KRIO’s concern and MINISTER Mr Tamba Lamina will investigate both the KRIO’s and the PARAMOUNT CHIEFS’ concerns. The head of the POLICE and MINISTER Mr Tamba Lamina will work together to bring a FAIR and NEUTRAL police OPERATIONS involving civil demonstrations and political party supporters unrest, be it SLPP, APC, C4C, NGC etc or combined.

   But make no mistake, these men are NO YES SIR men. Which means, any decisions they will make will be FAIR, DECISIVE, TOUGH and not based on any BIAS. This is going to be a recipe for peace and NATIONAL COHESION. Although President Bio did not come out publicly to say something which usually upsets me, I congratulate his position and LEADERSHIP qualities this time.

   The president does not have to please anyone, but people will criticise him if he upsets them by not coming out to address issues of concerns to them. Thank you very much Mr. President and GOD BLESS YOU. GOD BLESS everyone involved with the SAFETY of the people of Sierra Leone and NATIONAL COHESION. AMEN AND AMEN.

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