BELEAGUERED MAYOR TO FACE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER
Tolongbo people have not said a word in reaction to the silly statements their Mayor made about Mende people in that leaked audio that has gone viral. We stated in this column in the days following that leak that Tolongbo will NOT condemn their Mayor for showing so much hatred towards a particular tribe in this country. Their strategy is to hope and pray that the whole thing dies out quickly. This issue will not die as easily as they imagine.
We recall for the second time that a certain COACHIE MANSARAY who had defected to Tolongbo from the Green Movement stood on the balcony of Tolongbo headquarters and told the world that Mende people are “STUPID”. The Tolongbo people assembled there that day cheered him on. We also note that even after a few newspapers picked on that in the days following that event in 2012 and called on Tolongbo to reprimand Coachie Mansaray, they simply ignored the media. We don’t know what has since happened to that overzealous convert but this is just to demonstrate that Tolongbo people do not intend to take any action against Aki-Sawyer. They will now have to live with the political consequences.
We now turn to this possible meeting between Aki-Sawyer and Tamba Lamina. We read the statement from the Local Government Ministry yesterday and our reaction is that it did not convey the urgency we expected from them especially when they stated that the Mayor’s silly comments have profound implications for national cohesion and security. We are waiting for the outcome of that meeting. We know why Tolongbo dismissed their Mayor of Makeni even when they were in opposition and we also have the full story of how they removed Mayor Emerson Lamina from office on bogus allegations that were rejected by their own investigating panel.
We have asked Aki-Sawyer to resign because people holding public office should always serve in the interest of all. They should not hate a group of people because of what they are.
THOSE NINE MINUTES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
A landmark trial is underway in Minneapolis. The racist police officer who killed an unarmed black man is on trial and we believe he should be convicted and banged up for a very long time.
We are neither lawyers nor police officers but we know that no police manual teaches that it is normal policing to nail a man already in handcuffs to the ground by his neck with your knee and keep it there until the man is suffocated to death and also, to ignore persistent cries of “I can’t breathe”. The world has never been the same since that racist police officer killed George Floyd.
We have listened to opening arguments as the trial got underway. We are extremely happy with the way the case for the people is being put so far but we are also under no illusion that we may end up leaving the court without getting a conviction. No matter how much money is paid to the family as compensation, we want that police officer in jail. Nothing justifies the killing of an unarmed man, already handcuffed in the way Floyd was killed.
We call on all the good people of this world who hate racism and police brutality to pray for the soul of George Floyd and for justice to prevail in that courtroom.
THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC POLICE OFFICERS ON OUR STREET REMAINS THE SAME?
IG Sovula told us the other day that he would reduce the number of traffic officers on our roads. We thought that was a way of telling the country that he was totally fed up with his Force for Good always being called the most corrupt institution in this country. Survey after survey brings that out every year so we see why Ngor Sovula announced decision as a way to change the narrative.
The report we read said the number of traffic police officer will be drastically reduced but as we write nothing has changed. Why the IG made that announcement knowing he wasn’t ready remains a mystery to us.
So while we continue to wait, it makes sense to make some comments about the whole affair:
1. We have an IG that now accepts that there is some truth to the yearly survey conclusions about corruption in his institution. Corruption exists everywhere but his boys, and they are mostly boys are the most corrupt – particularly those in the traffic division.
2. How does Ngor Sovula know that the daily BOOKING FEES now being collected from Okadas Kekehs and taxis will not continue? This tax collection is a very powerful system. Simply withdrawing a few officers from the streets will not break it sir. All the lawlessness by commercial transport operators is a direct result of that daily booking fee. The Sovula boys simply turn a blind eye after collecting the cash.
3. Ngor Sovula, people complain a lot about traffic officers because they see them in action daily but those operating in your police stations are al not covered in glory. Are you going to remove them too? We will not say anything about those serving the judiciary as prosecutors.
4. We expect the few officers remaining on the streets to be very fierce in the collection efforts. They will raise the daily BOOKING FEES because they will still be committed to helping their colleagues withdrawn from the frontline. In fact, the officers might even bribe their bosses to assign them to the field with the promise to share the goodies they get on the roads with them.
5. If Ngor Sovula wants to fight corruption, he should do it on all fronts in all units. Picking on the traffic officers because the public cries about them collecting chicken change on the streets is wrong. What about those who finger big money exhibits from their high office at police headquarters? Are they sacred cows?
GENTO GROUP ABANDONS HILL STATION ROAD AGAIN?
What’s really going on at Hill Station where Gento Group sprung to life in the last few weeks and attempted to clear that mess of a construction work they did only a few years ago? After clearing the surface of about a mile or so, they appear to have withdrawn from the place and the road has gone worst in the last two weeks. We’ve been waiting for an explanation but it would appear as if in their usual style, Gento Group is saying that they owe the good people of Sierra Leone zero explanation.
We have to be very honest to say we actually blame the Sierra Leone Roads Authority under King Messi and King Messi himself. The work that Gento Group did at Hill Station was surely certified by the SLRA at the time as good value for our taxes and King Messi’s government accepted that. Now, in the few years since the King left State House, the road is in very poor shape.
On behalf of the good people of Sierra Leone, we call on Bayuku to move in on Gento Group now and let them know our patience is running out. We woke up one morning and saw workers from Gento Group clearing the surface of that section of the road and thought action was being taken at last to end our suffering.
Bayuku has no choice now but to call the big men at Gento Group to his office and tell them to go back to Hill Station and work.
Having said that, we should also ask Bayuku to give Gento Group all the funds set aside for that road without any delay. When we pay taxes, we expect good roads.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (31/03/21)
