MOTOR DRIVERS’ UNION ACCUSED OF FAKING PASSENGER MANIFESTS?
We received a press statement from the Road Safety Authority the other day about their decision to end cooperation with the powerful Motor Drivers and General Transport Workers Union because the leaders of that organization were busy faking passenger manifests contrary to a key aspect of the fight against COVID 19. The very thought of the SLRSA cutting off contacts with the Drivers’ Union is too scary to contemplate given the role both organizations should play to ensure the safety of passengers all over the country.
This is a really drastic decision taken by the SLRSA and we suspect they’ve been compelled into doing this. Even more drastic is their call for the leader of that union to be recalled from the board of the SLRSA where he holds a statutory membership. This is really serious. According to the statement, the union has been producing fake manifests in large amounts and selling them to their members and that has affected the revenue stream of the SLRSA which sells its own manifests to the union on a cost recovery basis. Here’s what we think:
1. We know that ultimately the head of that union is responsible for the actions of his members but for the SLRSA to hold Bah so personally responsible and to have even asked for him to be recalled from the board suggests the SLRSA is absolutely sure he has a direct hand in the alleged faking of manifests.
2. It is possible that some criminals operating from dark corners of the underworld are the ones churning out these so called fake passenger manifests. Has the SLRSA ruled that out possibility out?
3. By asking the union to withdraw their president from the board the SLRSA appears to have gone too far. All they have to do is prove the allegations against the man and his members will act. A tainted man will have no place on the board but inserting that in the press statement at this stage is like condemnation before trial.
4. By the way, how much money did the SLRSA lose in this so-called fake passenger manifest racket?
PROLIFERATION OF DRUGS: HOW SAFE ARE WE?
We have the Pharmacy Board that oversees or monitors the activities of the many drug selling stores across the country. There were times the board conducts inspection of these pharmacies and takes action against those they believe violate their regulations. That unfortunately has not been seen or heard of lately. We wonder why.
What has actually stimulated our curiosity or concern the more, is the influx of medicines of every name, creed or colour that are being sold over the counter to people desperate for a cure in this our challenging health system. What is even so frightening is that you go to a pharmacy for example and ask for amoxicillin they will sell you something not even of the slightest similarity in name to what you’ve requested. No explanation why there is no amoxicillin written on the pack and should you desire one, you will be told ‘’it is the same’’. You ask for Imodium, they just drop in front of you pills with no name to match the diarrhea suppressant.
Unlike what obtains in even some developing countries, antibiotics are sold here without any doctor’s prescription, opening the way for damaged organs like liver, heart and kidney, over time. We know the primordial focus of the Medical and Dental Association is seeking the interest of its members but issues like this reckless importation and selling of these medicines must be checked.
As for our people at the pharmacy board, is it not against the law for a worker to own a pharmacy? It is like working for a large company dealing in shares and at the same time having your private trading in shares as well, with someone else pretending to be owner. Pilfering and diverting shares to one’s private entity are intertwined here, and so a board worker with a pharmacy can be tempted into doing. One can grasp why pharmacies are having a field day!
MADAM MAYOR PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT FALLING ADVERTIZING BOARDS
Let’s assume that our Mayor of the SUN hasn’t seen some advertising boards located in different parts of the city that are almost falling off now following days of heavy rain and wind in much of this country, let’s also assume that those that have direct responsibility in terms of dealing with the problem we are highlighting here are also not aware of the dangers posed by these falling advertising boards. So against that backdrop, we hope they now know what’s happening in parts of this city they govern.
We’ve seen such advertising boards in at least three places where commuters converge during rush hour. We are now in the middle of the rainy season and if action is not taken now to pull these boards down we will hold madam Mayor of the SUN and her people responsible for any destruction that may occur as a result of those boards being blown away during the rains.
We know that those who erect those boards actually pay some amount of money to the FCC. It is therefore the responsibility of the council to make sure nobody is hurt as a consequence of their inability to act when they absolutely need to.
SLFA MAKES STRANGE OFFER TO CLUBS
The Sierra Leone Football Association has cancelled the COVID-19 disrupted Premier League and has taken the unusual decision of asking clubs that have the resources and are ready to represent the country at the CAF Club champions and Confederation cup competitions next year to do so, as the Association categorically stated it could not finance any of the competitions. This is uncharacteristic of Isha Johansen’s administration to leave matters in hands of clubs! We understand three clubs namely EE Lions, Kamboi Eagles and Bo Rangers are already having meetings amongst themselves to decide the two that would eventually play in the continent’s club competitions. We are not impressed though because only clubs with financial muscles could do so. This is absurd because they would be there as representatives of the country by default.
The first round of the league was almost ended but there was a whole full second round remaining. In football the second round could have seen teams beefing up with the signing of players and only at the end of the season could we have known those qualified to represent us. And for this interestingly strange drama that is being played out, clubs taking part in the competitions would be going there not as champions or runners up but just to fill the void!
Who was really behind the mess up or double standards that prevented Lions and FC Kallon from participating in the two CAF club competitions last season following the most successful league in over 5 years? The dreams of youngsters to showcase their talent on a bigger stage were thwarted by people whose presence in Salone football has become intolerable. And having a flawless Congress sooner than later, would be a big step forward in bringing back sanity to the game.
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