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EDITORIALS
Schulenburg & Sierra Leone Opposition Party Propaganda
Just as this paper was going to press, in came an Opinionated News Dispatch from Patrick Muana, one of the SLPP opposition writers, in which he plays around with recent Report of U.N. Secretary-General (on Sierra Leone), to mean that President Koroma has embezzled 20 million dollars meant for Youth Employment. The twisting of the words of the U.N. Secretary-General by the opposition SLPP is not surprising to many because SLPP knows that with Michael v.d. Schulenburg being Ban Ki Moon’s man here on the ground, they can get away with writing a whole load of hogwash concerning the United Nations.
Jan 24, 2012, 17:20
EDITORIALS
This is not Press Freedom but Political Suicide in Sierra Leone
Now, the Africa Confidential which Dr. Sama Banya of SLPP cites as credible, has erroneously published that the President’s other brother Sylvanus Koroma was the person awarded the contract to do the Kailahun road. The notorious Sorie Fofana reproduced the Africa Confidential article verbatim saying Sylvanus Koroma was awarded the contract to do the road. This is not true by any stretch of the imagination. Not even satisfied with that, Africa Confidential and Sorie Fofana went on to mislead that the money for the road had been embezzled with the work not done. That again, was not true. - Similarly, Trade Minister Dr. Richard Konteh has been publicly alleged by Sorie Fofana to be building three houses at the same time alongside other fallacies some of which we know to be so wrong. For example, Konteh has never stayed in Virginia and we know for a fact that he built his first Mansion at Kaningo Riverside as far back as the year 2001 when he just returned from Germany. His second house in Makeni was built as far back as 2005 and by the time he was appointed Minister in 2007, he had already embarked on building the current Mansion at Nomba 9.
Jan 16, 2012, 15:01
EDITORIALS
Check the Lost Generation of Sierra Leonean Children in the Diaspora!
How would patriotic citizens feel if a native of your country tells you in a foreign land that speaking your local parlance would hinder your ability to fluently speak English or any other foreign dialect? Disrespect for one’s cultural identity would obviously shock all patriots!It saddens me that many Sierra Leonean families residing in the Diaspora, especially those in the United Kingdom, are disappointingly encouraging their siblings not to speak their mother tongue.Research conducted has unveiled a very startling statistics. Half of Sierra Leonean children born in the UK cannot speak any of their parents’ dialects.
Jan 16, 2012, 14:09
EDITORIALS
Twenty-12 Should Be Year of Positive Resolutions in Sierra Leone
What is your resolution for Twenty 12? This is the question we should ask ourselves NOW. Only positive resolutions will factually better the lives of EVERYONE in Sierra Leone. This is why the Awareness Times is dedicating this editorial to all Sierra Leoneans here and in the Diaspora who plan to exhibit HONESTY, LOVE and above all PATRIOTISM in their resolution lists for Twenty 12.
Jan 11, 2012, 17:20
EDITORIALS
Sierra Leone's 2012 Elections: Sharp When and for Whom?
Not wishing to be left out, some of the smaller parties are claiming that by 7am, the mood will be one of which the voters will be gearing up to go and vote for neither APC nor SLPP as the two main parties have failed the country... As 2012 looms in the horizon, the main players are busy singing their 2012: Sharp songs whilst media houses are preparing their tools to adequately cover the whole of 2012. May 2012 come in and go peacefully leaving Sierra Leoneans with the best set of leaders from the lot.
Dec 28, 2011, 16:20
EDITORIALS
Police Plan to Ban Right Hand Vehicles is Untimely!
One does not need to be a vehicle examiner or expert to discover the uselessness of imposing blanket ban on all vehicles that are right handed. It is like chewing more than the mouth could munch. This is exactly what the Sierra Leone Police are planning to do! If the police have their way regarding the imposition of this envisaged ban on right hand vehicles, then the hardest hits will obviously be Sierra Leoneans residing in the United Kingdom where majority of right hand vehicles are originating from!
Dec 7, 2011, 17:18
EDITORIALS
Ernest Must Desist From Taking Unnecessary Risks!
It is often said that a risk is only worth taking if the reward is justified! But when the risk taken far outweighs the justification, then it is unworthy to take such a risk! This truism is attributable to His Excellency President Ernest Koroma who took an unnecessary risk by allowing bike riders to escort him to State House, the seat of power. President Koroma is unquestionably the most popular and loved Sierra Leonean leader ever. He is only in par with the late Prime Minister Sir Milton Margai in terms of love and popularity. That is why it does not surprise onlookers in Freetown when they recently saw President Koroma being accompanied by proud bike riders along the streets of Freetown.
Dec 5, 2011, 12:20
EDITORIALS
The Hate Tirade in Sierra Leone is Baffling and Unhelpful!
Since the Aljazeera television documentary broadcast about the timber bribery scandal last week, unpatriotic Sierra Leoneans have blindly jumped on the bandwagon of deception to unleash vile threats and hate filled innuendoes on patriotic Sierra Leoneans who have continuously questioned the real intentions of the ill fated Sorious Samura documentary. The Sierra Leonean cameraman-turned-journalist, Sorious Samura who contributed in no small way to the filming of the documentary in Sierra Leone, has made things even worse for failing to take advantage of the Awareness Times’ interview request to give his own side of the story.
Dec 1, 2011, 17:24
EDITORIALS
Restoring Meteorological Services is a Step Forward
The restoration of meteorological services in Sierra Leone is not only a giant leap in to the future but it also highlights the astronomical pace at which President Ernest Koroma’s APC government is striding towards developing this country. Sierra Leone is one of the very few countries that does not have 24/7 meteorological facilities. This is understandably so because of the decade long bloody rebel war that devastated the infrastructural facilities that once housed our country’s meteorological offices. What is meteorology? It is the study of motions and phenomena of atmosphere, especially for weather forecasting.
Nov 29, 2011, 16:00
EDITORIALS
Sorious Samura Sham Did Surprise Foreign Investors!
The mixed feelings and hasty conclusions from Sierra Leoneans and foreign friends following the recent Aljazeera Television sham broadcast on alleged bribery & corruption directed at Sierra Leone’s Vice President Honourable Alhaji Sam Sumana’s office has taken a different dimension for the better... As we are also showing in this edition, nowhere in the video is evidence of illegal export of timber shown so why did Al Jazeera claim Sorious had uncovered multi-million dollars illegal export business going on under the nose of the Government? Where did Sorious uncover the export of illegal timber from our oceans? Maybe in his hotel bath-tub? Because we saw no timber being exported. All we saw were containers at the Water Quay moving around! Most interestingly, Sorious made no mention of the herculean efforts of ACC and President Koroma which have stemmed export of timber from the country. There was no objective reporting. Everything was pre-fixed. Sorious even used his brother-in-law Abdul Sinah to help him do the dirty job and presented Sinah to the world as a neutral person when Sinah is a well known opposition activist. How much was Sorious paid to do this dirty job? Was it worth it?
Nov 28, 2011, 12:04
EDITORIALS
Africa Investigates! - Sierra Leone Sorious Samura Should do the Honourable Thing to Save Aljazeera
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| Curtains in actual room where the Transaction took place are floral with a STRAIGHT topped line. In the Al Jazeera video, the CURTAINS at the back of Alex Mansaray are curvy at the top, differently coloured (purple & yellow) and have NO floral pattern. However, the criminal juxtaposition which show Alex Mansaray supposedly licking his lips as the dollars change hands in the room, has created an impression as if the dollars changed hands in the room with the curvy topped CURTAINS. |
We also stated in an Opinion that AlJazeera video showed one of the aides to Vice President in the room as dollars bribes were counted. Well, we later retrieved a copy of the video and carefully perused it over and over. We are disappointed with Sorious to find contrary to the LIES he aired over Aljazeera and had issued in the form of a Statement, no monetary transaction happened inside Offices of VP. Rather, the transaction took place inside Momoh Konte’s 37 Percival St. office shown on this page. It was a scene shot inside Konte’s office which got shamefully and most criminally juxtaposed by Sorious Samura in connivance with Al Jazeera, next to an actual room inside VP’s Tower Hill office.
Nov 25, 2011, 02:16
EDITORIALS
The SCSL Visit to Rwanda for Verification is Great, But Not Enough!
It is now becoming crystal as day break that the Special Court for Sierra Leone SCSL is obviously unmoved in its resolve to make sure that the relocation of the Sierra Leonean prisoners in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, remains irreversible. For me personally, I do think it is unwise in the long run for these 8 Sierra Leonean war crime prisoners to finish their sentences in far away Rwanda.
Nov 25, 2011, 01:50
EDITORIALS
The Kelfala/Rodney Racism Claim is Political Correctness Gone Mad
One peculiar aspect of the Sierra Leone Football Association is its 24/7 busy schedule. If SLFA is not busy slugging it out with the Sports Ministry, they will be busy trying to the stop our national football team, the Leone Stars from falling apart. Or SLFA will be busy organising the football premier league and so forth. There is always something positive or negative to talk about SLFA. I must confess! I am rarely comfortable with the way football is run in this country. But this time round, I have the full belief that the recent David Tam Baryoh’s radio Monologue comments made by Mr. J.S. Kelfala, the Acting President of SLFA, questioning the nationality of Mr. Rodney Michael, has no iota of racism in it.
Nov 24, 2011, 23:56
EDITORIALS
Kissy Mental Home Workers Need Ernest’s Blessing!
A government that listens to its people is a vital characteristic of good governance. But listening to their wishes alone is not sufficient. It is far better for a government to listen keenly and then act positively sooner rather than later. What is inadvisable is to disregard their plights with a wave of the hand. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation is regrettably becoming a non-responsive entity, if the vital issues recently raised by employees of the Kissy Mental Home are anything to go by. Communication experts say employees are the most important stakeholders in any institution! It is therefore wise to always make your workers happy!
Nov 23, 2011, 17:06
EDITORIALS
Govt. Must Mend the Minds of the WIA Ex-Soldiers!
The last thing that peace loving Sierra Leoneans want as we trudge towards the November 2012 General Elections is to see more protests in the country! Peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the elections in Sierra Leone must be the primary focus of the government. But entertaining continuous strikes for whatever reason without reaching an amicable solution is bad publicity for the government. Nipping such endless protests in the bud as soon as possible is the best government can do to mend the minds. Endless strikes normally pave the way for chaos and unrest.
Nov 21, 2011, 12:50
EDITORIALS
One People or Real People vs. Unreal People?
Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) was borne out of a desire to ensure that rather than One Protectorate & One Colony being ‘two hills which will never meet’, a political platform should instead be created wherein every region and every ethnic group could see themselves comfortable. It was a labour of nationalism and patriotic work to ensure an outcome of ONE COUNTRY made up of ONE PEOPLE. SLPP was borne out of the sweat of the likes of one of the greatest pioneers for African Women’s Liberation, Madam Constance Cummings-John who shunned her Creole brethren to team up with provincials from East, North and South.
Nov 21, 2011, 12:48
EDITORIALS
For 300,000 Children Out of School is Unthinkable!
Education is one discipline in Sierra Leone that has recently hits the headlines for many wrong reasons. Is it because the Education Ministry has very incompetent personnel to man the affairs of education in this country? This is the one million Leones question on the lips of concerned citizens. The Awareness Times is concerned about the growing number of protests from lecturers, teachers and students for variety of reasons, all pointing towards the Education Ministry at New England. It is either salary increments, poor facilities in educational institutions or about aggrieved teachers venting their anger for being victims of the hierarchy.
Nov 18, 2011, 17:12
EDITORIALS
Sierra Leone Needs More Stars Like Dr. Idriss Sesay!
We welcome any positive contribution made by Sierra Leoneans to augment nation building. Whether residing here or in the Diaspora, we consider Sierra Leoneans who strive to minimise the problems of their compatriots as stars, especially at these trying times. As one top business executive said recently, a good business person is one who doesn’t think too much about Money! Rather, a good business person is one who always seeks the interests of his/her customers, neighbours, and the people. Luckily, we have a few of such people within our midst.
Nov 17, 2011, 17:20
EDITORIALS
Welcome to Business Friendly Sierra Leone
The arrival of over 300 international investors in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, is a milestone as it brings hopeful news for all progressive Sierra Leoneans. We at the Awareness Times do wholeheartedly welcome the guests to our beautiful, peaceful and business friendly country. We are aware of the significance of these investors who are coming to our country to participate in the Business Investment Forum which is expected to commence today November 15, 2011 at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown.
Nov 15, 2011, 20:12
EDITORIALS
Elton Johns, George Michaels Are Not Needed Here!
When British musicians Elton John and George Michael are mentioned, one thing comes to mind. Homosexuality! This is their common denominator. Many upright Britons do not admire their life styles though secretly they love their albums. I am one among millions who do not admire these two millionaire musicians. Neither their lifestyles, nor their albums can thrill me. That is why when the British Prime Minister David Cameron told African leaders, including President Ernest Koroma, to support ‘gay rights’ in their respective countries, or stand the chance to forfeit British aid, I felt disappointed.
Nov 14, 2011, 12:46
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