Relaxed COVID 19 measures demand compliance
The relaxation of the curfew and temporary lifting of the ban on inter- district travel announced by Principal has got quite a positive reception in many quarters. In fact when Principal’s motorcade swept past people at the busy Wilberforce aka Bottom Mango area, just few hours after announcing the easing of restrictions at a presser on Tuesday, he got quite a warm reception from bystanders, commuters and market women. That largely suggests that despite the greater level of public compliance to the restrictive measures instituted to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country, people barely have to contend with the inconveniences occasioned by the alteration to their daily lives.
The lorry parks are now full with people travelling the length and breadth of the country, and as for the new curfew time, women selling prepared food in particular, relish a return to relatively brisk business once more. But as we experience these relaxed measures we have to be reminded of the stark reality that COVID- 19 is still with us and not yet gone. That therefore demands that we should not drop our guard just yet. We still have to encourage the practice of social distancing, wearing of face masks and doing constant hand-washing. The truth is, Principal has been quite considerate enough, but that ought not to be taken advantage of though. We therefore expect the Police and other security personnel to even step up their enforcement of the COVID – 19 regulations. There are some bars or beer parlours that still ignoring social distancing and people can be seen sitting very close to each other. Don’t drop your guard please.
Rainy season Stalls Limkokwing – Regent roadwork
Work on the Limkokwing to Regent road by the Chinese was in earnest and attracted a lot of commendation for thoroughness. There is so much significance attached to the road itself; upon completion it would connect and enhance a smooth drive linking Wilberforce and Jui. This is a vital road for especially commuters as that means travelling from the West of the capital to suburban east Freetown within thirty minutes, thereby avoiding the traffic gridlock and hassle one was bound to encounter travelling from west to east using the normal PZ through Kissy road route. In short, the Wilberforce- Jui route is a favourite of commuters these days, even though the stretch in- between, which is Limkowing to Regent, is yet to be fully constructed.
Well the Chinese had just finished applying the first layer of coal tar and have decided to complete the work after the rainy season. They have done quite a magnificent job so far, with people particularly impressed at the quality of reinforced concrete erected on the sides of the road to prevent flooding or washing into the road of boulders and mud from the hills on the sides. It is expected that work will be completed by the end of this year. Sounds good indeed!
Where are the old Government Buses?
Remember the mid-size buses imported into the country to cushion the plight of the Freetown populace years ago? That was during the reign of King Messi. In reliving the whole event, it generated a lot of fanfare then, praise singing et al, all quite customary of the Red camp vuvuzela. They boasted that only King Messi can do it. But the arrival of the buses also sparked a lot of controversy with critics apparently zeroing in on the cost of the vehicles which they claimed was inflated and even questioning the true number and quality of the fleet. Top officials of the Red camp were at pains to debunk the charges and their spin doctors lurched into full gear as they contrived arguments about how great a bargain they got for what they said were efficient and reliable buses.
Well we must not forget that soon after their arrival, some of the vehicles broke down. And as they say, the true number of the buses may never be known. Well now to the present, the buses were plying the routes of the Western Area when Principal took charge and were seen for quite a while. But they have not been seen on our roads for some time now. The public is really at a loss over what may have happened, as those buses that moved around really helped commuters. People would certainly appreciate information from the Transport Ministry about the situation with the buses.
FCC Must Build More Public Toilets
A frequent Western visitor to Sierra Leone has always stated that the country has all it takes to become a tourist paradise but highlighted a number of areas we need to address properly to make it happen. And one particular fault line he mentioned was the lack of public toilets in the city. We cannot agree more with his viewpoint. Let’s forget about tourists in the first place; public toilets are a must in cities and towns in even developed countries these days. One can count the public toilets within the business district area of this our capital and they are not encouragingly hygienic at all. Also in visiting any of them you are in the first place put off by the often thuggish and intimidating looking men in care of those places. Which woman would dare go to such toilets with all the ever growing reported incidences of gender based sexual violence. The conditions at those public toilets are a smack on the face of basic hygiene. Imagine the much vaunted desire for a tourist influx and the embarrassing state of no good public toilet in downtown Freetown. Even citizens coming to town often face very uncomfortable experiences when wanting to attend to nature’s call. Some are even turned away when in desperation they go to private residences to ease themselves.
Clean and safe public toilets must be seen all over Freetown. We hope public toilets are an integral component of the much publicized Council plan to transform Freetown. This is a historical city which many would love to see but can be turned off by such a simple necessity as a public toilet. Council is collecting taxes from the people and must be seen to be equally concerned about the needs of the taxpayers. Yes we have pristine beaches, breathtaking mountains and promising wildlife that many people would want to see. But as we pride ourselves in all of these, we have to keep those simple things as public toilets well and truly erected all around Freetown which is the first port of call for all tourists coming to Sierra Leone. We need public toilets please FCC!
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