GUINEA EBOLA ATTACK THREATENS SALONE BUT HOW HAVE WE RESPONDED?
Our neignbours in the Republic of Guinea are under attack by the dreaded EBOLA virus. Scores of lives have been lost and the prediction as to what will happen in the coming weeks, is not looking good. On this side of the border we can only pray for God to take direct control of the situation and spare the lives of our brothers and sisters in Guinea. some of Guinea's other neighbours have closed their borders but should Sierra Leone do the same? Can we afford that?
Anyway, medical authorities in Sierra Leone are not very clear on whether EBOLA has entered this country. The Liberians say they've been attacked and they've called for help. Our response to the EBOLA threat is likely to take this very familiar pattern. Let's start:
MINISTRY OF HEALTH - They always start from outright denial and end up on their knees when it becomes totally impossible to hide from their own people. The rainy season is around the corner and cholera is always a possibility at the beginning of the rains. If you think we are lying, please keep your eyes and ears open. As for the EBOLA virus, they denied anybody had been killed, only to come back a few days later to say a 14-year old boy in some part of Kono had died of EBOLA. Even there, they suggested he died in Guinea. We believe them. But hasn't he infected any of those who took part in his burial.
Next we got the feel good story of three or two American doctors coming to Sierra Leone to "study the situation" and our ambassador in the US stealing a photo opportunity for good measure. There's also talk of a task force having been set up and teams being dispatched.
The tragedy of our health service is that all the senior doctors are in air-conditioned offices "managing projects" while junior people do the actual work in the hospitals. The big men (and they are mostly men), are now waiting for big money to "fight EBOLA".
But for bad prosecution, the Gavi Alliance case would have opened our eyes to the reality of what we call health care delivery service.
CIVIL SOCIETY ACTION ON EBOLA - We will soon hear on radio about a "civil society" group with the name we have proposed. It will surely be chaired by somebody who we all know is in social activism for money but we are too hypocritical to challenge him. He has so-called coalitions that don't exist, his grasp of the issues is extremely poor, his communication skills unacceptable and he flip flops all over the place but continues to make money. This is his moment.
JOURNALISTS AGAINST EBOLA - Well, inevitably there would be a "Sensitization Workshop" in the coming days in some place for journalists on the EBOLA issue. After the event, the journalists would form a sub-group with the title above. Then they will be affiliated to SLAJ and they will work close with the EBOLA Project Manager in the ministry of health and that bling bling lady would be called upon to formally open three more workshops in the North, East and South of the country. Only God can save the people from a disgraceful EBOLA death.
"SOME JOURNALIATS SMELL LIKE RAW FISH" - THEO NICOL
THIS IS OUR VIEW.
Our dear Deputy Minister of Information and Communication was invited last week to formally launch this year's state of the media report, titled: A Year of Crackdown. We believe the organisers were very pleased he turned up somewhat in time to do the job, quite different from the way he treated the last IMC AWARDS at Bank Complex. But we can imagine how embarrassed the organisers were about what the minister said about journalists.
Here we reproduce some of what Theo Nicol said, with our views clearly marked out.
Theo Nicol - newspapers have "very bad layout, extremely poor content"
POLITICO- Well sir, we remember your days as editor of AYV newspaper. We have just looked at copies then and now. We recognise some of what you have just said in the editions of you time just after a very brief content analysis.
Theo Nicol - Some newspaper owners "are going around us (meaning politicians) for money to do certain publications".
POLITICO - There's no way we can challenge that. But we urge you to be specific next time. There are many people in the industry. Assuming what you said is correct, we urge our colleagues to do according to what Joe Hills said "Mind who you run to when you go beg for help".
Theo Nicol - "There must be academic requirement for entry into journalism like it is for Law and Medical practice?
POLITICO - We refuse to be drawn into a debate that was concluded in the 70s. The minister however says he was among the 80 wise people in Nigeria who laid the foundation on which Nigerian journalism rests today. Congratulations sir, but we know the challenges facing the trade out there.
We shall also refuse to comment about doctors and lawyers. We plead with you to re-examine your conscience and then conclude that academic qualification is just a small part of what makes for good practice. Check the qualifications of the serial killer Dr Harold Shipman. How about those bankers who almost crashed the world economy? Do you remember one of your headlines in the respected Premier News "Yank this munku minister"? What's the qualification required to be a minister?
Theo Nicol - "Many people think journalists are not ethical, they like Kongosa (back-biting) and trouble making"
POLITICO - Come on Mr. minister, stop this cheap, below-the -belt attack on the media you say you still belong to - "Kongosa, trouble making and unethical behaviour" are characteristics of those looking for your kind of job.
We have just been listening to our secret recording of a conversation with a senior ruling party official just days before the party's Mayoral candidate was elected in 2012. Interesting stuff.
In the event of any lawsuit against us for what we are doing now, we will offer no evidence in our defence apart from that recording.
Theo Nicol - "Journalist must always have cheap deodorant costing Le 20, 000 because some of them smell like raw fish...I mean both male and female, in fact I gave one of them who had come to interview me some money to by a cheap deodorant".
POLITICO - How low can you really go just to attempt to disgrace the young men and women who fought so hard to keep this nation together while you were part of the 80 wise men re-building Nigerian Journalism? The more we listen to you, the more we are convinced you have some deep-seated anger against all Sierra Leonean journalists. You mean we "smell like raw fish"?
Those journalists who sat through that insult should win Oscars for being the best pretenders the world has ever known.
Theo Nicol - "Government has not arrested any journalist since it came to power. It is ordinary people who felt aggrieved that reported to the police and in some cases took the cases to court"
POLITICO - Classic and well rehearsed government line eh? So, on whose behalf did the whole national prosecution office come to court and wait for hours to listen to a 26-count charge against Independent Observer journalists? On whose instruction did lawyer Manley Spaine bring the case to a close by insisting that the journalists plead guilty on the first count?
So any Joe Munda from Wonde Kambawama Santigie Kamara from Kamakwei can go to the CID and report that some newspaper had published absolute lies about them and the whole state prosecution service would take up his case, the way they did when Jonathan Leigh and Bai Bai Sesay were arraigned? Why didn't we see those lawyers prosecuting the alleged rape case involving former deputy education minister Mahmoud Tarawallie? O Theo Nicol, try another trick please.
You see we are used to what Theo Nicol did at the SDI program - SLAJ members cross over to become politicians and once in office turn their fire on journalists-we are used to that.
Didn't IB Kargbo describe Criminal and Sedition Libel laws as "essential to maintain the peace" and then cast doubt on the guilt or otherwise of Fatmatta Hassan (Who was now a distinguished member of the APC) over the killing of Yansaneh?
The same IB Kargbo led a candle light procession of journalists protesting Yansaneh's killing and calling for the repeal of the same law he now describes as "essential to maintain peace". "Leh we dae hammer dae go" because we know that "Mortal man nor to God".
(C) Politico 03/04/14
