By Milton Margai
Cross-checking information and hearing the other side of the story is good journalistic practice. A journalist must not take sides; hence it is important to cross-check information wherever possible. Two or more sources are better than one. The role of a journalist is to present different sides of a story objectively and leave the reader to reach informed conclusions.
Nevertheless, our public servants do not help journalists in this regard. It is a frustrating encounter trying to get information (of public interest) from them. They seem to be operating in a web of secrecy. It is easy to get propaganda materials from them, but not so the issues that matter. The Freedom of Information bill is useless if the secrecy continues.
Asking for information is not trying to catch anybody out. It is just to make sense of the issues as they arise. It is to cross-check information for accuracy and objectivity. It is to hear the other side of the story. When you encounter a wall of silence from any party, it causes a ‘strain’ in reporting.
If your job is to disseminate information and to engage with the public, you must do so readily and willingly. If you have nothing to hide, why are you reluctant in divulging information? Why the wall of silence? Public servants must endeavour to engage with the public, through journalists, and to perform their role of serving the public.
Sometime this year, I logged on to the Open Government Initiative (OGI) to engage them and cross-check some information. I filled out the online form and received an acknowledgement that someone would get back to me. They never did.
Months down the line, a friend of mine who works closely with the government and whom I had expressed my frustration to, came back to me and informed me that the server was down for months. It is Understandable! It happens sometimes. Nevertheless, they did not have the courtesy to relay this information to me. I was disappointed.
The OGI was set up to encourage people to engage with the government. They pledge to bring the Sierra Leone government to the people and the people to the government. However, in this instance, they have failed in encouraging me to engage with the government on issues of national interest. Is it all rhetoric? What is the point then? The initiative is brilliant but if it does not do what it promises to do it becomes a propaganda tool.
In the second instance, I contacted the Sierra Leone High Commission here in the UK to cross-check some information relating to the controversial Portland Place which, according to a source, they were planning to get back. The source quoted the High Commissioner, Eddie Turay, so I called the office to confirm.
I spoke to Ediatu Stevens in the information department at the Sierra Leone High Commission in London. She was pleasant during the initial conversation, but went on to promise something she could not or would not deliver. She promised to come back to me but never did. I could only shake my head. I expected much from our mission abroad.
Almost two weeks ago, I contacted the Communications Director at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation regarding junior doctors' pay, and an alleged corruption involving fuel and top-up allowances. Sidie Tunis promised to get the information from the relevant people but never came back. He could not deliver what he promised.
The role of a public servant is to serve the public. It is that simple. They are not serving the public when they are tight-lipped about issues of national interest. They are not serving the public if they refuse to corroborate or genuinely refute allegations. They are not serving the public if they make promises that they cannot keep.
As you can see, this does not only happen in Sierra Leone. It happens abroad also where our people are placed to serve the Sierra Leonean community. This would suggest it is ‘cultural’ rather than the location. The wall of silence transcends our borders. It makes it seem as if it is in the Code of Conduct for public servants to keep a tight lip.
Break down those walls of silence. The people demand honesty, they demand openness and they demand to be served. On behalf of the people, I hope it is not much to ask.
(C) Politico 24/07/14
