GREEN MOVEMENT LOWER LEVEL ELECTION WAHALA
After many court battles, endless meetings with a PPRC which doesn't see anything wrong in the ruling party, open street confrontations and the killing of one of their own, the Green Movement is holding what they call LOWER LEVEL ELECTIONS across the country. They are electing party officials in wards, zones and constituencies. It should be a major step towards putting the party together again. But inevitably, the Green Movement is back to its game - shouting and crying. Let’s keep our eyes open because we will not be surprised if one part of the contest gets a court injunction to stop the election.
Already, some in the Green Movement are predicting the downfall of their opponents at the main conference where the party leaders and presidential candidate are elected. Well, we can only say there are interesting times ahead.
We have read a lengthy press statement from one of the factions in the party, taking issues with their Chairman. Frankly, we are very fed up with Green Movement grumblings. If we put all their press releases in the last fours in one basket, that will be a mighty basket.
There are certain things the Green Movement must know:
1. If they flunk this chance to tell the people they can be trusted to do serious things without rancour, they will almost certainly never get another one.
2. Even those long-suffering diehard supporters who still believe in the Green Movement will finally give up and go elsewhere.
3. Press release issued by them would become worthless pieces of paper that journalists would simply toss into bins.
4. They would surely send themselves into at least TEN more years on opposition benches.
5. And all those Green Movement founding fathers would be turning in their graves.
OVERFLOWING DRAINAGE SYSTEM THREATENING DILLET STREET
The other day we drove along Dillet Street just off Campbell Street and saw a total mess. There was a large amount of dirty water flowing from the drainage system from the top of Dillet Street, near the Mende Church wall down to Fergusson Street. We stopped briefly to see that the gutter near the church is blocked off by rubbish, most of that domestic waste deliberately stuffed into the system.
We have highlighted Dillet Street because it is particularly serious. But look around Freetown and see all the domestic waste dragged on to the main roads every time it rains. We have a big problem with waste management In Freetown.
From time to time we’ve been calling attention to the same situation between the squatter camp at Pademba Road and the PWD Junction area by the same Campbell Street. It’s worse today because the whole entrance to PWD represents a shame to the good people of this city.
Once in a while we see a few young boys taking rubbish out of the gutter to clear the waterway. The tragedy however is that they pack the rubbish near the same gutter waiting for other people to clear and deposit at the main dumpsite. That never happens until the rubbish is washed into the same gutter once again. Nothing makes sense anymore in this business.
AND NOW THE OTHER SIDE OF EMERSON BOCKARIE
So music maestro, Emerson Bockarie is now doing some charity work as well? We’ve seen pictures on social media of the musician distributing food and other materials to those we normally call VULNERABLE PEOPLE. Not bad for a man known for his songs that normally ruffle political feathers. The trouble is, we are not clear from the pictures who the beneficiaries of this first wave of Emerson largesse really are. But we have no doubt the pictures are not what Kan Kan Kan calls CUT EN PASTE. They are genuine!
We want to know the beneficiaries because we are trying to gauge just when Emerson will reach our corner of Freetown. We hope it happens before the end of Ramadan so we too can enjoy a good meal at the end of fast month.
I. Why is Emerson doing this now? Is he telling the nation he doesn’t just know about the suffering of the average Sierra Leonean but he also cares?
2. Is he responding to some ruling party social media warriors who once asked what he had done for the people besides singing about politicians? Should he feel compelled to do this? Where will this end?
3. How was he able to identify the initial beneficiaries? Is there any political correctness in the selection process?
4. How did Emerson convince himself that distributing bags of rice was the best thing to do for poor people? That’s what some politicians do daily but the people are now hungrier than the day Emerson first entered a studio.
5. Is Emerson thinking about investing some of his huge profit into education? Our children need high quality education. Yes they need food to survive but education will take our children to the next important step in life. Emerson should think about that.
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE KILLING AT ABERDEEN
The people of this country have to stand firm and tell the Munu Boys to come out with clear statements and concrete action to convince them that they (the masses) are capable of dealing with crimes around Aberdeen beach. We are talking particularly about the killing of young girls in that area, after raping them.
Sierra Leoneans easily forget even the most important things as they go about trying to deal with the challenges of life. But how can we lose three young women in the same area over a very short period of time. And aren’t we concerned that there may be a local equivalent of the Yorkshire Ripper hanging along Lumley and Aberdeen to harm our children. Munu boys have to prove to this nation that they have what it takes to investigate such killings.
The initial noise and press releases that appear in the days following the discovery of a dead body at Aberdeen beach, easily dies down after a few days. The reality is that the sooner we cracked all the cases so far, the better for the credibility of the police and the confidence of the people in the police. WHEN WILL THAT BE? NA GOD SABI! rest in peace, fellow compatriots.
(C) Politico 29/06/16
