IN SALONE AND USA LIKE SEPTEMBER 11, LIKE JANUARY 6
The two dates quoted above bear a lot of significance for our two countries – Sierra Leone and the United States of America. Things may not have happened exactly in the same way and we have no intention to downplay what happened in the USA especially on 9/11, all we are doing here is to note the two dates and what they represent for the democratic aspirations of our country. For example on 9/11 in the USA the most outrageous attack and killing of thousands of people took place. The ordinary people in that country were attacked and killed by OSAMA BIN LADEN and his gang. We will not accept any explanation for that outrage. That incident changed the world completely.
In Sierra Leone, we just had our own 9/11. A group of people sitting in Western capitals that are constantly exploiting social cleavages back home managed to push a handful of young people to the streets of Freetown to confront the police as they embarked on what the police say was an ILLEGAL DEMONSTRATION. Officially two people are reported dead. Many others are now going through the courts charged with various offences.
On the reverse side of things on January 6 1999 RUF rebels entered Freetown and killed thousands and abducted many. In the USA pro-Trump people smashed their way into Congress to stop Biden being declared winner of the last election.
There are serious issues but we hope the democracy in both countries will be strengthened in the aftermath. The forces of law and order MUST prevail.
IS THERE A WAY BACK FOR HARRY MAGUIRE?
Harry Maguire, a senior player for the England football team who plays club football for Manchester United has reached a new low in his football career. In a friendly match against Scotland in the last few days, Maguire who came out as a substitute scored a cheap own goal at a time when England was leading by two goals. In the immediate period following that goal, Scotland pressed to equalize. Anyway, Kane scored another goal and settled some nerves.
Actually, Scotland fans roasted Maguire as he entered the field prompting coach Gareth Southgate to blast the treatment of his main defender. Anyway, Maguire has endured a lot recently. He’s been stripped of the captaincy at Manchester United and dropped from the starting formation. All around the world, Maguire has become the subject of conversation with many now saying openly that the man has been stealing a living at Manchester United.
Hope Maguire reads the next few lines of this piece because this is all we can offer:
1. Brother Maguire should please leave Manchester United and return to Leicester City. That’s his natural home. The people love him and do not expect him to perform at the highest standard every week. They know he is human.
2. The next step would be to voluntarily step down from his England role. We just want him to avoid the light of publicity and rebuild his career.
3. Another action would be to visit Sierra Leone so we can do some traditional cleansing. We know how to do it. Maguire was never the best article when he joined Manchester United but he wasn’t this bad. There’s a lot we can do.
WHO IS RUNNING THE MAMBO WATERFALLS ATTRACTION?
We visited this nice place the other day just to get away from all the noise of the city center and to relax. Sometimes it’s just great to move out. Mambo Waterfalls is a good place to hang out and have no hesitation to recommend that place to those that have not visited. We spent about two hours at the place and we observed certain two main things that we want to bring to the attention of those that are concerned.
1. We had no problem paying to gain access to the place. We do that all the time at one or two of our beaches but we didn’t like the chaotic nature of how the money is collected and the way those who collect the cask relate with visitors. They definitely need some training. From the look of things they make some good cash in that place but when we looked at the ticket there was no sign that the NRA had anything to do with that business.
2. That place needs some cleaning and organization. We don’t want to push into details but we just believe that the place can be constantly cleaned up and let there be somebody to talk to visitors about what’s going on there. Those who can read should read this.
On our way back we observed that the guy who collected the money from us was gone and the place was free for all. It’s almost as if he came there to get enough money to feed his family for the day. Anyway, long live Mambo Waterfalls.
CHIEF MINISTER CLEANS UP YOUYI BUILDING
Rasta Sengs has been going around a few places over the last few weeks getting a feel of what it is like outside the walls of the Big House. That’s not a bad idea at all. The guy has been to Ataya locations in Freetown, he’s visited the main Correctional Center in Freetown, checked out workers at Youyi Building, that’s the main block housing many government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and he played a key role in cleaning up the compound alongside other politicians and supporters. Sengs is projecting the image of this man who swings easily out of office to make sure things are done properly.
It is our hope that he will press this attitude on as we go into weeks and months because as with everything, we suspect there will be bumps on the way. On that cleaning exercise, we have a few comments to make. That’s our contribution to the effort by Rasta Sengs and others to project a good image of the country.
1. Why did it really have to take a man in the position Rasta Sengs finds himself to clean Youyi Building? Is it that those big government people in that building daily are blind to the fact that filth was creeping on one of the most important buildings in this country?
2. Even after the much publicized cleaning exercise Youyi Building still needs cleaning. It’s easy to see that those people who generate the filth are still around the place. Rotten cars are still there. We can’t really say anything about that dirty water in what was designed to be a nice fountain.
3. Maybe Sengs should ask all the Ministries and Agencies in that building to return all the monies they claimed from the government to cover cleaning. There are cleaners paid by the government to do the work. Maybe we should sack them now or monitor them strictly going forward. It makes no sense to keep paying people at the end of every month for doing sweet nothing.
4. So when is the next cleaning exercise? We suggest the Chief Minister returns to the area close to his former office at New England. A huge slum has developed near the former SLBS/TV building and there are rotten vehicles abandoned along the road leading to the Social Welfare Ministry. It’s just unacceptable to allow that situation to continue in an area as important as that. We are watching.
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