VIEWPOINT Sierra Leoneans....Time For More Patriotism And Commitment Posted by Joe Sawan on Aug 4, 2008, 16:42

Micro-state Sierra Leone is not an enigma now and has never been.  On the contrary, this small state’s level of achievements has received some modicum of international acclamation over the years.  Sierra Leonean born, Dr. M. Jones of the “Nerica rice” fame is internationally known.

From being dubbed the “ATHENS OF AFRICA” south of the Sahara to the availability of an abundance of mineral resources to being recognized for the country’s administrative capacity that provided qualified resources to the West African states of Nigeria, Gold Coast (now Ghana) and the Bathurst Gambia, to being blessed geographically with good recreational facilities coupled with an excellent climate for agriculture to establishing an accommodating culture that assertively promotes religious tolerance and created the post rebel war environment for free, fair and transparent elections in 2002 (General and Presidential) (Paramount Chieftaincy) 2004 (Local council after 32 years), 2007 (General and Presidential) and 2008 (Local Council), Sierra Leone appears to be grasping for some forms of her glorious past.  It is not an easy task because some of the events that have happened since the attainment of independence in 1961 appear to be non positive and anti-development.  These events, which are catalogued in the ensuing paragraphs, are definitely not Sierra Leone progress friendly.  It is, therefore, significantly essential for Sierra Leoneans to adopt an additional posture of patriotism and commitment in order to help facilitate a positive re-branding of the country.  National Development is both inclusive and collective responsibility. It is the view of many in the international community that Sierra Leone is in the midst of a negative fix, which gives the impression that some people are cynical about Sierra Leone.  The country has not helped the assessment by continuing to occupy the cellar in the United Nations Development Index.  In a radio interview on FM 96.2, voice of the handicapped, President Ernest Bai Koroma lamented over the circumstances that created the situation for a plane loaded with 700kg of cocaine to land at the Lungi International Airport.  It is concern of this type expressed by His Excellency, the President that makes people to be cynical about Sierra Leone.  Where are the patriotic citizens?  Where  are the committed and serious minded Sierra Leoneans?  Will they agree to serve Sierra Leone if called upon to do so by President Koroma?  Indeed, all capable hands are needed on deck now.  Hard work is an essential ingredient of national development.

The great diamond robbery (an investment disincentive) , the brutal and devastating rebel war that elicited the support of ECOWAS/ECOMOG, the United Nations through Unamisil’s 17,000 troops and other bilateral partners, the 700kg cocaine saga with the potential for a serious destabilization of the country, the discontinuation of the Railway, the killing of Kula Samba, the Paramount Airlines helicopter crash in which 24 supporters of the Togolese national team lost their lives, the RUF invasion of Freetown on January 6. 1999, the gas explosion on Free Street in which several lives were lost, the arrest and trial of the Civil Defence Force hero, Chief Sam Hinga Norman and the seeming unprovoked killing of some Fullah business people gave cynical media practitioners, political leaders and development experts the opportunity to continue to view Sierra Leone negatively.

The spillover costs associated with the above incidents are quite enormous in the sense that it highlighted the inadequacies that would drive away the gutsiest investors from a country that needs positive recognition for the strides she is making.  In essence, Sierra Leone needs patriotic and serious minded citizens that would help to promulgate the view that the country is investment ready because she is safe, secure, stable and legally conscious.  There will be no haven for drug traffickers, rebels, ineffective, inefficient and anti good governance leaders and the criminally inclined.  Sierra Leone is unequivocal about the dire need for development. What is really clear is that patriotic and deeply committed Sierra Leoneans would not encourage drug traffickers to infiltrate their country no matter what the financial incentive.  Also, using poverty and illiteracy as excuses to encourage the trafficking of narcotic drugs in Sierra Leone is anti national interest.  Incidentally, the drug money that is usually injected into an economy is fools money because it could be easily with drawn from circulation in the event of the discovery of the drug syndicate.  Drug money is both an injection and a leakage; the leakage has grave devastating consequences on an economy.

It could be discerned that Sierra Leone needs committed and patriotic Sierra Leoneans to champion the cause of development.