NON-Ebola DEATHS ARE NOW A REAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN
We know these are desperate times in Sierra Leone. In the last five months, we have lost to Ebola more than 300 of our compatriots, including highly skilled medical doctors and other health workers. When we first heard about the disease in DR Congo, it sounded very distant - a world away from peaceful Sierra Leone. Now several months into an Ebola attack, we have no idea what's happening. We are just praying and waiting for God to act against Ebola.
In the midst of all this, it seems people with other easily treatable diseases are dying because our health care system is unable to cope. When people turn up at health centres, they find no health workers to attend to them. We are talking about people suffering from malaria and the ubiquitous typhoid fever. We were told this morning that a man who was stabbed in a brawl was taken to hospital but found no doctor or nurse to help. He eventually died. This is getting very serious.
We stress again that we absolutely understand what Ebola has done to our health care system. But we cannot understand why even under Ebola attack our compatriots should die of easily-treatable malaria and typhoid. We have reached a stage where people are not going to hospital anymore. That's serious and alarming.
We suggested the last time for all satellite clinics in Freetown to be fully fumigated and reserved for normal health care matters where people could go for treatment. The status-quo looks like we have surrendered to Ebola even as we talk about fighting the disease. This is very urgent!
IS SALPOST HIDING SOMETHING BEHIND THAT HUGE BANNER?
Can SALPOST please now explain what that huge Chinese-made banner is doing at their main entrance? We thought this was part of one of those activities they celebrate worldwide every year with the International Postal Union but the longer the banner has remained in place, the more we have been asking ourselves this question: Is this not a facade behind which something not so great is hidden?
Ok SALPOST is a very troubled organisation, we know that. We hope and pray that one day they will behave like established post offices in countries like UK and US where some of our ministers worked for a living before returning home to political goodies.
If you're wondering why we are so concerned take a walk from the Sam Bangura Building on Gloucester Street and raise your eyes towards SALPOST. It looks very nice from the front but see how ugly the rest of the back is. SALPOST is looking like a white-washed grave that appears very bright outside but is really full of the bones of a dead man. Well there are no dead bodies at SALPOST but the inner part of the building is not as shiny as it looks outside. Hahahahahahaha!
By the way, has the Manager's office been repaired now after that mysterious fire incident? He said his personal effects were damaged in the fire, right? Has the state paid for them? Where are the police now with their "investigation"? They just bury things under this word - "investigation".
The truth about SALPOST is that they have a big, nice building they cannot properly maintain and hardly anybody misses them in terms of their services. Why can't they rent their building out to those who can maintain it? SALPOST can then become glorified Landlords. Is that helpful?
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SOME OF OUR SWASAL FRIENDS?
So there was this press release this week from the Sport Writers' Association of Sierra Leone stating the organisation's position on the media response to the war on Ebola. It basically towed the good line of its parent body SLAJ. Not a bad idea. But there was this paragraph:
"SWASAL dissociates itself completely from a pseudo-sport organisation calling itself Sport Journalists Fighting Against Ebola, which has sent out countless number of letters to various institutions, organisations, associations and individuals soliciting funds in the guise of procuring so-called equipment to distribute to inhabitants of remote communities to prevent the Ebola virus disease. SWASAL strongly warns all its members intending to be part of this dastardly act to desist forthwith or face the consequences..."
This is why we want to know whether there is something seriously wrong with some SWASAL members. How can anybody attempt to strike it rich using this deadly disease called Ebola? We suspect some people are doing so but we have no firm evidence to name and shame. The SWASAL statement says "countless" letters asking for support have been sent out. This is truly shameful.
We kindly ask those who are behind this scam to step forward now to be indentified and shamed. While our brothers and sisters are dying, a few so-called sport journalists are busy trying to steal money from the people. When found out, those people should be immediately expelled from SWASAL and SLAJ in a very public manner. Shame!
RIGHT HAND VEHICLE COUNTDOWN: LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO
We have about three days more to 1 September, the day set aside by Logus Koroma, Minister of Transport and Aviation to clear all Right Hand Drive vehicles from our roads. This was his deadline and he considered all the issues in reaching this date. He worked with the Road Transport Authority, the police and all those having a stake in the affair. And as a minister he did that on our behalf.
Now Ebola, or no Ebola, the law is the law and everybody must comply. We have heard people say because of Ebola the action must be put on hold. We totally disagree. Why didn't they ask for all police stations and courts to be closed because of Ebola? Aren't people being imprisoned daily?
Besides Logus must take this seriously because his political career appears now to be firmly tied to the way this Right Hand Drive thing concludes. Remember, Logus started the THIRD TERM AGENDA campaign. Now that is dead in water. He also went to Lumley and other transport hotspots in the morning to organise rush hour traffic but that again collapsed with the propaganda objectives in tatters. Logus came back from one of his many trips abroad to mildly rebuke the acting minister for approving a contract to buy those HOUSES ON WHEELS for government ministers. Now he has this challenge. And he has no option but to carry it out.
We hear that he is already trying to pass the responsibility to the police saying that the policy has been agreed by government and that it is up to the police to take action. Please sir, we will not accept that. You must be in front. Do it the same way you did the following:
1. You personally went into the engine room of the ferry to see it at work, despite not being an Engineer.
2. You also organised the transport queues at Lumley. Hahahahaha. You called it hands-on
3. You went to Bo to sign your own performance contract with the institution under your cover. That could have been done in Freetown without any retreat and big spending.
4. You went in person to inspect the Mamama site for your new airport.
Hey Mr. Minister, we can count a lot more including your long and, frankly, sometimes boring radio interviews which could have been done by your PRO. But on this issue, we are with you. Get on with it. Long Live Logus.
WHERE ARE THE WEDDING BELLS
It is crystal clear that Ebola is bad and dangerous. It is a genocideur. But we never thought it would subdue our nation to the extent that weddings bells sound no more. When was the last time you saw or heard about a couple getting married? The for-better-or-for-worse vow no longer applies as no one wants to be with the other in Ebola times. Love is in coma. Lord, may we beat Ebola before love dies.
(C) Politico 28/08/14
