CHIEF SIDIKIE WANTS BIG MONEY FROM GOVERNMENT
We read the other day that Chief Sidikie will soon press the Government of Sierra Leone to pay big money to him arising out of that totally needless case at the ECOWAS court for his removal from office by King Messi. In fact his lawyers may already have filed papers requesting a huge amount of money from our consolidated revenue.
Now this is getting serious and as ordinary citizens of Sierra Leone we have to say what we have been saying all along that our country is broke and we have other priorities. In fact recent events having to do with Chief Sidikie and King Messi and the utterances of the chief after the verdict have helped us reach a decisive position on whether to pay even a penny to Chief Sidikie.
1. We remember Chief Sidikie telling the world he wasn’t worried about money and that all he wanted was to have a verdict that said his dismissal was illegal. So why is he bothering us now with such crazy cash demands?
2. We also know how many votes he stole from the Red Camp in particular by simply appearing to be the great statesman who was only after the truth and not cash. So why come back to us after a year to say this was really about cash all along.
3. We warn the Principal not to be stampeded into paying any money to Chief Sidikie considering the amount of money we need to meet our basic needs. How dare the Principal divert money meant for school feeding to pay Chief Sidikie?
4. The disgraceful sacking of Chief Sidikie was not done in our name. This was an internal Red Camp cold that caused the rest of the country to sneeze. So having returned in all but name to the Red Camp, why can’t the Chief ask King Messi to apologize and pay the cash?
5. We know the Chief needs hard cash to keep his NEVERLAND ESTATES running in both Freetown and Konoland but the people are definitely not interested in throwing bundles of cash at a problem created by one man playing God. Seriously chief, don’t you still have some savings? Not even from the timber sales!? Hahaha
INQUEST FOR MUSTAPHA: IS THE IDEA DEAD NOW?
One of the first things Margai did in his very brief period as Government Lawyer was to approve an inquest into the controversial death of a man called Mustapha in a fire some years ago. Since Margai was thrown out of office we haven’t heard a word about that inquest. Now therefore, we believe Principal should tell the nation something about the issue. Pretending as if everything is fine with the Mustapha family and that they now have closure on that issue is false. Otherwise we will conclude that this was Margai project. Here is why we believe this inquest must go on:
1. Let the family of the late man get closure on this issue. As long as that fire incident is considered suspicious there will be continuous cry for justice.
2. The people of Sierra Leone who have been following this case with interest want to be sure there were no death squads going around this country killing people.
3. If that Coroner’s inquest confirms what people have suspected all these years, then we will expect trials and convictions for murder, arson and other offences. Besides they call this New Direction and TALK en DO. You have talked about the inquest, now go ahead and do it.
4. The longer we delay this inquest the more time we are providing to those behind it to flee the country or take further steps to further conceal their crime. And those steps may include doing something to people who knew something.
5. The last time we saw a Coroner’s inquest in this country was in the case of journalist Harry Yansaneh. Recommendations were made by the Coroner for some people to be prosecuted. As soon as the mother of those people switched to the ruling party the matter died and the Coroner is still recovering from the series of administrative attacks he suffered. Here is an opportunity to do a proper inquest and implement its findings.
FREE QUALITY EDUCATION IS GOOD BUT LET’S SCRATCH THE SURFACE
There is no doubt that the significant investment in education the nation has now experienced under the new government’s Free Quality Education program is something worth celebrating. The government has put some money back into the pockets of parents all over the country. But while we celebrate we should not forget to look just below the surface to see if the monies saved by parents are really going into other services in the home which we believe is the real aim of the program. When we scratched the surface, here’s what we found:
1. The teachers and school authorities have devised new techniques to discourage parents and cause them to have some doubts about the Free Quality Education program. They use their agitation for an increase in salaries as a smokescreen to effectively down tools for several hours in a school day.
2. Ceremonial uniforms are all over the place again – it’s compulsory in many schools and parents are required to buy from the school so no need trying to look for bargains on the streets. Our concern is government (-assisted) schools. Those who choose to send their children to private schools do so with their eyes and pockets wide open. They can deal with those scandalously high fees.
3. Athletics sports meeting have become something else these days. Apart from buying games tunics, parents are themselves spending good money preparing varieties of food and drinks as if they are preparing for wedding parties. We are keeping an eye on those school development funds that have suddenly become extra active.
4. Dash cards and sponsored walk papers are increasing in number and frequency. It’s beginning to look like every parent of every pupil has one in their bag. We attend to them every week. Also, can anybody tell us why children have to graduate in elaborate ceremonies at every stage of their education these days – from prep to nursery, nursery to Class ONE, primary to junior secondary and then to senior secondary…graduation, graduation and more graduation. What is happening baaaaa!?
5. The minister in charge of basic education is recognized as a professional teacher who also really understands trade union matters but the fact that this is happening on his watch is something we don’t understand. Trying to accommodate these attitudes to make school authorities happy will not be tolerated by the rest of the people. Otherwise the purpose of Free Quality Education is defeated.
THEFT AT SLFA AS THE QUEEN RETURNS TO WORK
Somebody at the SLFA is trying to pull a fast one on the people of this country by apparently staging a so-called theft at the SLFA secretariat just a few days before the queen is due to triumphantly ride to Kingtom, majestically, to resume her controversial and unnecessarily extended mandate. We will not fall for this nonsense given the circumstances around the so-called theft. And please, this is not an attempt to prejudice any investigation now being undertaken by the police. We understand some security personnel have been arrested for questioning.
From what we know of what is supposed to have happened at the SLFA we have some issues to raise here:
1. How did the so-called thieves get hold of the keys with which they entered the offices of the Premier League Board?
2. What were they looking for in that office?
3. Could it be that they were actually looking to enter the office of the General Secretary to embarrass the person who’s been manning it since the suspension (now reinstated) of the holder of the position, thereby painting him as being opposed to the return of the queen?
4. In fact we hear that the General Secretary who just returned to work from the courts has so far refused to even enter his office let alone take part in a smooth handover which was well arranged. Why was that?
5. Is this not a wicked plot very badly executed and for which all those holding copies of the key to that office should be called to book?
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