POLITICS The Blame Game....Is President Ernest Koroma a Victim? Posted by Winston Kabia (Winakabs) on Jun 16, 2008, 17:55

Ernest Koroma is blamed it seems for everything under the sun.  While I appreciate that many of his actions (or inactions) has resulted in ‘U-turns’ and policy compromises – one has at some stage got to balance this by pointing out what is probably not his fault. For example, fuel costs are too high so everyone blames the president.  To my knowledge, the president has no say in the cost of a barrel of crude oil so when it jumps from $80.00 to $140.00 in a matter of months, how can we lay the blame for this at his door?  It seems everyone jumped on this bandwagon but did not ask a simple question like, ‘why is it that the whole world is also facing the same problem?’  Surely the president is not so great that he has managed to influence the whole world!  Of course he can mitigate this hardship by lowering the fuel duty, but then face the problem of not having raised sufficient funds from taxation to do other things.

Winakabs...thought provoking piece

We all know that the ‘credit crunch’ started this process of blame some time back and still continues.  The USA and its finance sector made all the monumental errors, and guess who gets blamed for the ramifications of that yes, the president.  Every other country is blaming their presidents for the crunch they feel. So this is not exclusive to us Sierra Leoneans to blame the president. 

Food prices around the world are going up dramatically, so who is to blame?  Yes you’ve got it, the president.  Lawlessness among our young people carrying out violence on their fellow countrymen and guess who gets the blame, not us – but the president. The frequent Okada accidents in the city and guess who gets the blame, yes, the president.

There comes a time when the good people of this country will have to use their common sense and not be misguided by the media and politicians from across the board. Let there be a real and genuine debate on the issues and then to find a solution that is good for the country.  To my knowledge I have not heard or seen one practical policy statement from Momoh Pujeh that would or could solve any of these international problems.  Yet leaders of my party – the opposition – seem to think that it’s a free for all and it’s time to let our president have it with both barrels.  There is such a thing as integrity and honesty and I thought that was going to be the new age of politics.  Unfortunately, it seems politicians and many in the media just don’t get it that their actions can damage our country. 

What I want to see from my party, the opposition, are real practical solutions.  To be honest about what we can do, and areas where we know that due to international events beyond our controls, we can do nothing (as does the present government).  If the debate is not grounded in such reality then it is only a matter of time before it comes back and bites us where it hurts.  Now some of you might say that’s bad ‘Karma’ and serves them right. Interestingly, this Hindu word ‘Karma’ has all too often been misused by those who have so little knowledge or appreciation of its real meaning.

Sharon Stone recently made a public statement in which she appeared to blame the earthquake in China on its ‘bad Karma’.  In fact Christian Dior has now pulled all advertisements featuring Stone from stores across China.

Some of you might recall that some years back Glen Hoddle had to resign as England manager when he made similar remarks about disabled people and their Karma.  It seems there are just too many people who want to use Karma to promote their own views, and just as many who don’t understand what it is all about.  Hence the confusion and the media up roar, especially in the UK, each time it comes up.

Coming back to our national politics and the blame game, the challenge is on for our party through the local elections to show that we can do things differently; that we have unique policies and, that our actions actually do make a positive difference to the wellbeing of all the people.  We will have to show how we can give practical support and empowerment to the mass unemployed communities across the country.  In particular, the jury is out on whether they will bring out policies that will help remedy the errors of the past or just carry on pretentiously. Time is ticking and let it be clear to all parties; the votes of the mass unemployed and the poor will determine who comes into State House at the next general election.

Let us start pointing the finger at everyone, including self, that we have not given to our country what ‘She’ deserves.  We cannot expect miracles overnight but with prudence in our criticisms of other’s policies we should have in hand a recommended positive alternative. I have seen no such!!