GUINEA AND LIBERIA SNEEZING AGAIN: WILL SIERRA LEONE CATCH COLD?
We warn Kotor Wurie that we have reached a point in the nation’s preparation for a possible nasty fight against COVID 19 where we will not encourage any sloppiness. In fact we want zero excuses from a ministry and a minister who told us only a few weeks back that they were on top of things in all departments – from precautionary quarantining of people to isolation for treatment and all that. So why do we now have to wake up to news of absolutely shambolic quarantine operations at Lungi Airport hotel?
We are horrified because despite the fact that so far no case has been announced in this country, even with our neighbors struggling to contain COVID 19, the signs are that we will be in very serious trouble if we joined the list of infected countries right now because Kotor Wurie is saying one thing and producing something completely different. This is no laughing matter and Kotor must RESIGN now and make way for somebody who is willing and able to do the job for the good people of Sierra Leone. We don’t want another Miatta Kargbo kind of minister who, with Ebola taking hold told the world there was no crisis in Sierra Leone. We say this for the following reasons:
1. What did Kotor Wurie actually show Principal when he visited recently? Surely Principal didn’t see that mess of a quarantine location at the airport hotel. It’s nice having photo opportunities with the president but this is the Year of Delivery. No Jokes.
2. Kotor Wurie announced that he would quarantine people from certain countries with certain amount of cases. He didn’t say he will create a prison. What obtains in that place looks a bit like an open prison for people at the end of their sentences for not too serious offences.
3. Why can’t Kotor Wurie call in the military to run these centers? They are disciplined and would think about the consequences of not carrying out the orders of their superiors. We gave Kotor this job to do and he has blundered after the first step.
4. Why has Kotor Wurie not sacked those who were supposed to run things at the airport hotel? Was anybody put in charge at all apart from those who drove the people from the airport?
5. If we get any case as a result of the negligence at the Lungi airport hotel, we will hold Kotor Wurie personally responsible and sacking him will be just one option of many we will call for against him. Lonta!
COVID 19 vs. THE FOLLOWING SECTORS
SIERRA LEONE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
Hundreds of thousands of flights are now grounded all over the place. People are losing jobs those whose livelihoods depend on servicing that industry are beginning to feel the consequences of COVID 19 passing through our planet. In this country located in this corner, the airlines are stopping their flights here partly because of the measures we have put in place but also those that apply in those countries where COVID 19 is busy causing havoc.
In fact, contrary to what is normally the case, Sierra Leoneans are calling for our borders to be closed down right now. So we ask: what’s the job of people who work at an airport when there are no planes landing and taking off? Even the great United States is speculating as to how long it will take the world to defeat COVID 19. This means we have now entered a period of uncertainty and job losses. We have to watch this sector carefully.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES
In the last few years China and Dubai had become destinations of choice for many Sierra Leonean business people. And we are not just talking about million dollar businesses. We are talking about the everyday Abacha Street women who would put their cash together and send one of their own to China to load up a container and ship to Freetown for dozens of people.
As soon as China was attacked by COVID 19, they all pulled back. They have lost money and the rest of us have lost a vital supply line. Regional destinations are not yet badly affected but traders are terrified at the policy which requires that they be quarantined for two weeks when they turn up at some airport.
If we begin to experience shortages in some basic commodities, we must understand that from the point of view of the effect on business transactions of COVID 19.
Even at the best of times our hotels and other such places are not doing well in terms of the number of visitors that go through their doors. Things will get worst in the coming weeks when these restrictions take hold in Sierra Leone.
SIERRA LEONE PREMIER LEAGUE, LA LIGA, ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE ALL DOWN
We are well and truly in the period of absolutely boring weekends. The football leagues of Europe have all been suspended by a few weeks but very few people believe those leagues would resume on those dates set out by the football associations of Europe.
We don’t yet have a case in Sierra Leone but with recent restrictions on large gatherings announced by the government, it is clear that the league is off for now. It also means that going to the beach where large numbers are always expected is also off for many people. So we’ve been trying to think about what would happen if this situation is not contained in the next four weeks or so.
1. The debate is on as to whether Liverpool would be crowned as champions when it was still mathematically possible for them to be beaten to that position. How will that also affect the bottom end of the table? In other words which teams will be relegated or promoted from the lower division?
2. We are also thinking about whether Odion Ighalo will stay in Manchester United. He was brought over from COVID 19 country to do some job in the absence Marcus Rashford for a period of six months. That contract may be extended depending on his performance on the field – how many goals he bangs in and how many times he assists others to score. With the league now suspended, how much opportunities will this guy have to prove himself before his deal runs out? Or is the counting of his days at Manchester United also on hold now?
Subscription to DSTV will suffer badly once more because many people are hanging in there for football despite the huge cost and erratic service people get once they decide to have primary and secondary decoders on any service.
ENTER THE WORLD BANK
We understand the World Bank is giving out some good money to countries in Africa that are being heavily affected by COVID 19. There is no country in Africa that is not affected whether they have reported cases or not. We believe the New Direction should put this money into sectors most affected. We also call for the cash to be well monitored because we don’t to see parliament, the ACC or another Biobele Commission looking into how COVID 19 money was spent as it was with Ebola.
Principal please don’t start receiving cheques from organization supporting the fight against COVID 19. Let everybody pay into the bank and we will send them THANK YOU letters. Please you have a lot of work to do.
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