Gauging Public Opinion on Government White Paper
Principal may have officially laid bare the White Paper on the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) but as was to be expected, the rumbling goes on. As could be expected also of a democracy people have their varied views on the very report itself. Well the purpose of the COI was to send home that strong message of accountability for public officials and to put an end to the reckless pilfering of state resources.
Well the debate is on and one could see just how much in this age of internet and social media, the attention this COI has generated. There are those who just believe people in the previous administration did nothing wrong and that the whole thing is a witch-hunt. Others though were saying that those found culpable must face the penalties. The other day a commercial bus with its radio on with discussions on the White Paper, got its passengers locked in arguments that were generally very civil though they had divergent views on the whole issue. It was morning rush hour and as the vehicle headed for Wilberforce from Jui, the debate went on, sometimes with a bit of humour.
There was this middle age man with obvious lineage to the Red Sun, telling others seated by him that a particular individual who held very senior cabinet positions in King Messi’s administration was not found wanting. The man giggled as he recounted the former official’s shady past but he and another younger man pointed out that the official’s name would never be included because he is now seen in the company of senior people in Principal’s administration.
Then the witty fellow again said he hadn’t heard the name of another former top Red Sun man who switched sides days before the run-off, to which another passenger corrected him that the indvidual’s name was also included in the list of people with issues to address. The answer was received with another round of giggling as the fellow blurted ‘’Na wan dae nar mafia’’.
Some people even with their political allegiances still amuse themselves with the whole saga. A much younger man cut in, ‘’ Leh dem prime dem” or to say let them be forced to produce embezzled money. Some people with all their political allegiances still find time to be humorous about the White paper whilst others see it differently.
Let us also note that there are people serving in Principal’s administration that should have by now stepped aside because they too have a case to answer as clearly stated in the White Paper. Let us put country first and allow the process to take its due course; party politics is secondary to national interest.
And we can only advise that people maintain the peace as there is room for redress through our courts. Our country needs development at this stage and not bickering. Really it is quite disheartening to hear some people oppose the setting up of the Inquiry in the first place; their excuse being for this administration to let everything pass, as if to say governance is about dubiously slicing the national cake in turns. Principal’s very administration is quite aware too of the probing that might await them when they would have exited the political stage, hence the exigency for proper stewardship. COIs are nothing new to Sierra Leone; the ones before this have seen the confiscation of property, though down the years some ended up in the hands of the very corrupt owners again under unwarranted arrangements hinged on political expediency, and often hidden under the fake excuse of national reconciliation. The people are watching!
Watch out for the robbers posing as Taxi drivers
We want the public to know that there are very dangerous guys moving around posing as taxi drivers. These are men who will pick up unsuspecting passengers mostly at night. The trick is they would place two other passengers in the car to give the semblance of normal people travelling as well. Their usual preys are women and would be let in the back seat. As the car gathers speed the other guy seated in the back would take out usually a huge knife and then directly points it at their victim.
Together with the driver and the other person seated at the front they would spew chilling words and invectives, threatening harm to their captive. The frightened passenger would then be forced to part with money, phone and any other possession they want. The driver would then ease on the pedal for the victim to be pushed off the cab. In some instances, their victim would be violently thrown off the moving car as happened along the Bai Bureh Road in Wellington some time ago. The lady survived her ordeal but was left seriously injured.
The robbers would always ensure they have a woman accomplice in the car to win the trust of their victims that it was a normal taxi with ordinary passengers. During this period of COVID-19 restrictions a lady was held at knifepoint by a woman in a taxi cab as the driver and the other male in the car joined in threatening her. She gave everything she had, including her slippers. Another woman was severely beaten and robbed. She was so depressed for losing all her business money that she went on a binge that night to drown her pain and sorrow, much to the consternation of her husband. So women in particular have to be very careful in getting into cabs at night. Even if you see a woman there, count on your instinct and be overly conscious. Our Police should get patrol cars on our busy city streets to help curb the menace posed by criminals in taxi cabs.
That Vaccination of Pets for Rabies
Monday 27th September was World Rabies Day and here in Sierra Leone health workers found time to explain to the public about the relevance of the day. We also heard that the vaccination of a targeted figure of 20,000 cats and dogs against rabies was conducted to mark the day. To be honest, we are short of veterinary doctors in this country and the few that are around, get auxiliary support from people who are mostly volunteers .The profession is not given the recognition it deserves and as such many shy away from studying veterinary medicine because they see the job less attractive. The other day, we heard of harrowing stories of dogs biting people in Karene district, left, right and centre. Sadly the people had to travel all the way to the regional capital Makeni to get treatment at a very high cost. The rabies medicines can only be kept in a refrigerator, which the health centres do not have. Dying from rabies is not only painful but wretched to see. Gone are the days when people from Council would swoop on neighbourhoods seizing dogs not under the control of their owners. Now our streets are packed with these animals and their poop. Our Councils want taxes paid yet they do not even consider addressing issues of this nature anymore.
Well we hope our Veterinary people will really carry out this vaccination process and help in saving lives across the country.
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