CLEAR THIS ABANDONED VEHICLE FROM THIS JUNCTION NOW
We don’t know who is responsible for this but this idea that people can abandon their rotten vehicles on the road like this for years with nobody raising a finger is simply unbelievable. We have observed this truck parked at the entrance of the famous Bo Inn on Torwama road in Bo for more than a year. It’s beginning to look like a normal thing now on that road, just like a road sign. In fact, some Okada riders now designate it as a drop off point.
The truth is that it is in the interest of the owners of Bo Inn and a new restaurant also near that junction to do everything to clear that vehicle from that place. Guests going into Bo Inn more often than not miss that junction because the sign board directing the way to Bo Inn is completely covered by that abandoned truck. Apart from that, some guests have complained that they are afraid of being attacked by criminals who may use that vehicle as a cover to pounce on them. We believe that’s a legitimate point to make based on the assumption that people going to the guest house have good money to spend.
Because we have published this today, the authorities now have no excuse but to clear this place. They cannot now pretend not to know about this danger. We are on this case.
NEXT TIME EE LIONS TURN UP AT SOUTHERN ARENA…
The dust appears to be settling over the disgraceful conduct of East End Lions players at the Southern Arena recently. It’s almost as if after the social media apology by the goalkeeper and the statement by the club, many have decided to move on. We believe that the football administration is making a huge mistake. Let’s accept the apology as one step and then take further action against EE Lions and their players otherwise we would be opening a floodgate to misbehavior - apology syndrome. The EE Lions case would become a reference point. In other words if no action was taken against EE Lions, why should other teams be different.
Maybe the authorities in Southern Arena should organize a brief orientation for EE Lions and possibly other clubs when next they arrive at the arena to teach them how to behave while there. Or they can be given a small leaflet during protocol meetings explaining the dos and don’ts in their environment.
Southern Arena can also flood the area reserved for visiting teams with CCTV cameras and tell them during protocol meetings that BIG BROTHER was watching. If that technology proves expensive then they can simply put more wardens in place when EE Lions are in town.
We are waiting for EE Lions to be fined for failing to control their fans and warned that a heavier hammer could fall next time. We also expect their goalkeeper to be fined and suspended. The European football governing body has just charged the Roma coach for calling a referee a disgrace. Danger is coming. This is world football and the rules are the same. Let’s act.
WHY ARE PEOPLE THREATENING VIOLENCE OVER JUNE 24?
We can clearly see now that people have set up a cottage industry that specializes in fear mongering and inciting actual violence on our streets because they have this feeling that June 24 may not go their way. In these days of social media, they go on facebook and Whatsapp and within minutes their cold and cruel words are shared with other platforms by their friends and others who enjoy such rhetoric. These days even some of our colleagues in the media who should know better are part of this industry.
We appreciate the work of SLAJ and their partners to fact-check some of the most outrageous claims now being made by even mainstream politicians but the fact remains that they can’t really deal with all the issues and statements made in small communities that never reach the media. Community leaders and heads of political party organs have a very important role to play.
We have also read press statements from the SECURITY SECTOR, calling attention to such incendiary statements. The truth is there are dark forces at work and they are bent on doing all within their power to delegitimize the coming elections and throw the country into a constitutional crisis. Their hope is that the international community will step in at that point calling for so-called inclusive government which will open a way for them to enter government. Many Sierra Leoneans see this as wishful thinking but we are sure this is their game plan.
As far as we know, Sierra Leoneans are going out on June 24 to elect their leaders. We will not be surprised to witness sporadic acts of violence in a few places but the results will be declared and people will move on and live a normal life.
Threats of violence will continue on social media. In fact it will intensify in the coming weeks. We urge our people to stand firm and be calm. Long Live Salone!
THE BATTLE FOR FREETOWN OPENS: OUR CONCERNS
We now know that our old friend Mayor Kemokai is back in the race to return to City Hall in Freetown. Tolongbo refused to put her on the presidential ticket. That tells us she definitely has unfinished business in this city. She is facing a really strong challenge this time from a businessman called Gento. Unlike Papa Ray, a quiet theatre artist and University Lecturer, Gento is a Freetown guy who grew up in the deprived communities of Eastern Freetown. That means a lot in terms of what happens on June 24 in the Mayoral race.
The east of Freetown is packed with people who would normally vote Tolongbo and Gento was closely associated with the RED MOVEMENT until recently. He probably doesn’t want people to talk about that but our job is to put things in their proper context.
Again, Tolongbo people won’t like to hear this but this 2023 race for Freetown City Hall will go a long way, a very long way indeed. Anyway, our concern here is what those of us who live and pay our taxes in
Freetown are looking forward to in this city after June.
1. We want some order in this city. It begins with something as basic as how we park cars in this place. The new Mayor should find a place to park cars in the Central Business District. The council is losing a lot of money to street boys who collect money from people entering the CBD for business. Besides, those boys live on the streets. They do everything on the streets and we take the consequences of that recklessness. We cannot continue like that.
2. Street trading cannot be allowed to take place on every street corner. We have to set apart designated areas for such an activity. This should be an issue that all parties must approach with a clear conscience. This idea of using those ordinary street traders as political football is old fashioned and retrogressive.
3. We need a CLEAN FREETOWN. We have no choice. We will keep dropping ideas here until we enter the polling booth on June 24.
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