JUSTICE DELAYED - ALMOST DENIED - AT LAW SCHOOL
Look what we have here. The Sierra Leone Law School is in a mess of its own making. We are scratching our heads thinking just how this once enviable school will redeem itself from the awkward position it's in at the moment.
For weeks, a separate group of their students had been complaining about injustice and the total corruption of the examinations system which has resulted in the greatest injustice suffered by students throughout Sierra Leone, even worse than the large scale seizure of GCE results in the 80s.
We have this bizarre situation created by people from whom much is expected, apparently corrupting an examination which has left in tatters whatever was left of the credibility of the Law School. The Law School needs more than a dive in River Jordan to survive the wrath of the people. This is a story that will run, run and run. So let's fire the opening shots by asking a few questions:
1. How was it possible that students who didn't pass their exams found their names on the official list of grandaunts and actually received certificates and wigs?
2. How far back now should we go to investigate whether this was a one-off incident or a systemic betrayal of the people's trust in an institution that means so much for justice delivery in Sierra Leone.
3. How has such Kukujumuku attitudes impacted the quality of the legal profession in this country?
4. Will all those students who are involved in this elaborate fraud on our nation be ever readmitted into the same school? Doesn't that constitute a case for the CID? Surely cancellation of results alone should not be it.
5. How will the authorities handle the social dislocation caused by this incident? For example, a man or a woman, leaves home in the morning as a lawyer going to court and returns in the evening as a layman or even a nobody, having been stripped of their certificate. What if they were already engaged in litigation, having received huge fees from an unsuspecting client? This is very serious.
6. Why have people in the highest offices in the judiciary still not resigned in shame? We warn them that we shall deal with this matter exhaustively.
7. At no time in the history of this country has the legal profession found itself facing so much negative publicity, than since Umu Tajen Jalloh took over as Chief Justice. We have nothing against her, but as citizens, we are free to say we find it extremely difficult to believe she has ever been truly in charge. WE will return to this soon.
MAKENI COURT PRISON OFFICERS BADLY NEED REAL UNIFORMS
When Sanpha Bilo spent millions of leones recently celebrating 100 years of the prison service, there were many in the prisons department who were uncomfortable with the charade. We too complained that the immediate and vital needs of the officers and indeed the inmates of our jails were being sacrificed for Bilo to make a big show. A big show it was for the few officers who paraded themselves in the foreground of the Miatta Conference Centre and letter enjoyed a good meal. An example of being KING for a day.
But what about those prison officers at the Makeni Magistrate's court? They are a pathetic lot. They put on what Bilo calls a uniform. Apparently, Bilo is the only Sierra Leonean who doesn't feel ashamed that our prison officers are that badly dressed. At one point during our recent interaction with them, we thought one of them was himself a prisoner on remand. All their uniforms are worn out and they come in different shades; They have no boots and at least two of them were in first century flip flops on duty. If Bilo thinks we are making this up, let him quickly visit Makeni on a normal working day.
Munu, the policeman, has a lot of problems to deal with but his officers in the same court are always smartly dressed. Why Bilo, Why? The point is, this is not just a Makeni problem. We have seen prison officers in such bad condition inside Freetown. But we are worried that even those in the Seat of Power are worse off. Please give them their new kits now.
A nice house at Regent, a big centenary celebration - with lots of food and booze - are all fine, but the welfare of the men and women running the prisons should be a priority. Let them have real uniforms to make them look smart, good housing, and a respectable pay. What is difficult about that?
When Bilo achieves that, he can then go away into the sun "singing thy praise" O Almighty De Pa.
SLAJ'S LOUD SILENCE OVER THEO NICOL DIATRIBE IS SHOCKING!
We are not prepared to allow Theo Nicol to get away with his diatribe against journalists even though our darling SLAJ is pretending they never heard him speak, nor have they read, word-for-word, what he told a media event to launch SDI's media report for 2013. That indifference is as shocking as the Theo diatribe is appalling!
Theo must never allow himself to even dream that all journalists would simply ignore his unwarranted attacks against their profession and personality, or would be so scared of his new-found power and wealth - never mind how - that they will allow him to do as he pleases. We will fight this until we get an unequivocal apology from the minister. So these are early days yet.
We warn SLAJ that if they bury their heads in the sand on this matter because of the personal friendship with Theo Nicol, the whole situation could spiral out of control. We have passed on an audio recording of the whole speech to many radio stations and many are now awaiting further instructions on what to do. This total disrespect for journalists - especially from someone who claims to be one of our own - must stop.
Theo Nicol's attack on journalists is completely unprovoked. He was invited to launch a report that spoke of the government cracking down on the media. That was the issue. How was it then possible, in launching a report like that, that Theo Nicol created a space from which he described both male and female journalists as people who "smell like raw fish"...who should "buy cheap deodorant" and all that. This is a stupid statement from a minister.
We call on SLAJ to condemn the minister for his behaviour - more aptly misbehaviour - and make a formal complaint to his boss, De Pa. Even a powerful politician in good countries like the UK and US would have resigned by now, if he woke up one morning and suddenly described his party members as people who "smell like raw fish" and must quickly buy "cheap deodorant". We wonder what he will say of his colleague ministers in future.
But look at our situation: the next minute, Theo Nicol called a news conference to make another of those long, boring, mindless and misguided statements about government this and that (always tailor-made for TV), with some of his "raw fish" and "cheap deodorant" journalists in attendance. Let SLAJ take the lead now.
ATHLETICS MEETINGS OR CARNIVALS: WHAT'S GOING ON IN SALONE?
Somebody should really explain what is going on with annual athletics meetings in our schools these days. May be we are a bit old-fashioned but we remember that some of the best athletes in this country came from schools - the names are many but we recall Walter During, Akabi-Davies, Denton Guy-Williams, Umaru Kabia and all those people who went on to make Sierra Leone proud. But like everything else in Mama Salone, athletics meetings are now like carnivals.
At the stadium the other day, we saw dozens of ice boxes and food flasks all over the place. Instead of cheering the runners, those up the stands are normally having a party. The stadium is normally a wreck of rotten couscous, fish and meat, with hundreds of plastic containers of cheap soft drinks littering stadium. Food selling is not contained in a few areas as was the case.
At a time when the stadium has few cleaners and water is normally a scarce commodity, even the presidential stand is normally a total mess. Let's not even talk about the toilets.
The day we stopped trying to do a carnival out of every small event is the day the much talked about turnaround would begin. It's as simple as that.
We were at the Bo School sport over the weekend. As is typical these days at house athletics meets, hardly was anyone paying attention to the athletes struggling to put up their best performance on the dug-out tracks. It was all singing and dancing by some uncontrollable pupils clad in blue and black dancing in the sidelines and having nothing to do with the sports meet. Our country is sinking, and fast, and in all aspects of its human resource development it would seem. Development is in the human capital, and not all about road construction.
(C) Politico 08/04/14
