ISSUING EXECUTIVE ORDERS: THE PEOPLE'S CONCERNS
We honestly need some education on this matter of De Pa issuing Executive Orders. We know he has enormous powers conferred on him by the constitution. We know he could move mountains as long as those mountains are found within the borders of this Land That We Love. But the same constitution puts limits on those powers. In some cases those powers are exercised by other people by means of statutory regulations.
We also know that Executive Orders are normally issued to facilitate the work of the state in emergency situations. As we said in the beginning, we need some education on Executive Orders because we believe that it should be issued sparingly. But now we hear a lot about Executive Orders being issued by De Pa even for timber exports. And as far as we know, only one company benefitted from the EO. These days we see a lot of processed timber packed inside that shed at former Hastings airfield. Can we also have EO to export them? We are Sierra Leoneans too.
Again, we can't question an EO but since that power is exercised in our name, can we ask, most respectfully, why only one company benefitted from the EO? In the light of this incident and in the name of transparency - a major hallmark of democracy - can the people be told how many Executive Orders have been issued and for what since De Pa came to office in 2007? That's not too much to ask for even with the Access to Information law still on the shelves. One final thing, can an EO be issued so that our children would eat one hot meal a day in school? Good idea eh?
MAKENI MAGISTRATE COURT NEEDS URGENT ATTENTION
We have had cause recently to visit the Magistrate's court house in Makeni several times and the young magistrate there has left a lasting impression on us. He comes to court on time and works late into the day. There are few adjournments - well at least on those days we were there. Things move fast in that courtroom.
But there are problems. The place is unbelievably bare. We peeped inside the magistrate's chambers and we were very disappointed. With electricity flowing in Makeni, why can't a man as important as a magistrate have air-conditioning system in his office? We have been to the offices of corrupt local council officials around the country and have seen how they are set up. So why can't the state do that for all our courtrooms where people go to seek justice?
This in very serious. Look at that courtroom where Oscar Pistorious is being tried for murder and look at any of our courts in this country. Please send us your comments. South Africa is a great country, but even half the sophistication of that courtroom is enough to make us feel proud but usaiba. Aaaaaaayyyyy Salone.
The roof of the Makeni magistrate court building on the Mabanta Road end is flying off. It's been like that for a long time. We shall visit the place again at the end of August to see what the rains would have done to the building.
As far as the main law court building in Freetown is concerned, we don tire for write. One gets the stench of urine and raw faeces coming from the holding cells from a mile away, the courtrooms are packed full all the time, well-fed rats roam the gutters and all that. Can we really get justice in that place?
TRANSCEND CRIES ON RADIO BUT LET'S FACE THE ISSUES
Today you have a mining plot, tomorrow the plot has been taken from you and passed on to somebody else.The next day the plot is returned to you and your license is cancelled. What is all this. And we were treated to this bizarre breakfast radio in which an official from a mining company called Transcend cried out for help against his own minister.
The minister refused to speak to the media - in fact he is the most reclusive minister anywhere in the world. But we understand why he cannot put himself up for scrutiny by his own people. The question about Kotoka International Airport might just appear. Hahahahahahaha!
So the ministry issues orders cancelling licenses and when people ask questions, the minister refers them to poor National Mineral's Agency. We are not even sure the NMA is treated with any respect by the ministry. Don't ask us why they set it up; they had to meet donor requirements. Simple!
The NMA is just like many other statutory bodies set up by De Pa. They are rendered powerless because the big guys can't stand being told they have no power to do certain things. The rest is watching these institutions easily accuse them of being "toothless bull dogs" but refuse to understand that they were created only for donors.
Let Transcend leave NMA alone and continue crying if they are scared to let the tree fall at the Ministry of Mines. Kingho remains the king as long as high barb is the guy in China land.
FLAGSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN TROUBLE AGAIN
For how much longer will De Pa's spin doctors continue to hold up Wilkinson Road as the pinnacle of De Pa's development aspirations for Salone? We ask because, we notice that the engineering on which that project was undertaken was not at all top-of-the-range. Look at the mess in the general area of Indian Temple and Big House. The rains keep bringing huge piles of rubbish on the road causing a partial close down of the road to vehicular traffic.
Let's not confuse things here. We love Wilkinson Road and we think whatever work was done on that road opened up the terrible traffic that many had to deal with daily on that road. But the hype around it distracted many from what was being done with Wilkinson Road.
The company which constructed Wilkinson Road and all those involved with the engineering design and all that should hang their heads in shame over an output like that.
See also what is happening to the patched work done on the road leading to Fourah Bay College. It's as if De Pa has a quarrel with FBC. The same Wilkinson Road situation is happening there after every rain. Didn't the engineers see that coming?
And, our question about De Pa's relationship with FBC is worth exploring. The patchwork ends just after the bridge from the Model end and from the Leicester village end, the job stops about three hundred yards from the campus. The same distance on both sides. The campus is completely ignored. Let's not talk about electricity on that campus - nar so so generator. That's for another day.
Let De Pa's spin doctors put their hands up and agree with some of us that Wilkinson Road is good but it is not exactly what they say it is.
DE PA CAN DO NO WRONG IN SALONE. REALLY?
When things go right in this country, we all praise De Pa. We talk about his vision, his wisdom, his patriotism, his commitment and his generosity. When things go wrong, we blame THE PEOPLE AROUND DE PA. We even make excuses for him: De Pa was not told, De Pa was given the wrong information, De Pa was misled, De Pa can never authorise such a thing - aaaaayyyyyy Salone.
The thing is, we live in a country where nothing has changed even after 50 years of independence. We excused Stevens, Momoh, and Kabbah. Now it’s De Pa’s turn. We are good at worshipping the leader. And we know why.
Talking about 50 years of independence, what is happening with our case against the secretariat that organised that BANGER SHOW AT KORTRIGHT? How long is this case going to last in the courts? 50th anniversary has been in that court long before ECOBANK/NRA came along. We hope our suspicion is wrong. Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.
Watch out for subsequent editions of Politico on this 50th anniversary case.
(C) Politico 02/07/14
