Subject: War On Theft Lip-Service
From: THIEF
To: All
Date Posted: 13:39:51 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
War On Theft Lip-Service
Wednesday, 27th June 2007
UN Report:

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s declared war on corruption stopped during her inaugural address when she identified the plague as public enemy number one, according to a secret UN report.

During her inaugural address, the President declared: “Throughout the campaign, I assured our people that, if elected, we would wage war against corruption regardless of where it exists, or by whom it is practiced. Today, I renew this pledge.

Corruption, under my Administration, will be the major public enemy. We will fight it. Any member of my Administration who sees this affirmation as mere posturing by yet another Liberian leader to play to the gallery on this grave issue should think twice.

Anyone who desires to challenge us in this regard will do so at his or her personal disadvantage.

The Report: “Although the President has promised a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, the public is well aware that few civil servants have been penalized and there does not appear to be a strong, coherent policy beyond the President’s inaugural address to implement such penalties…”

The report says there is widespread corruption at many levels of the society and within the bureaucracy: “Throughout Liberian society there are complaints that civil servants continue to ask for bribes to complete even the most basic of services—even just to pay ones tax…” The Auditor General, Mr. John Morlu ll, has labeled the Government as three times more corrupt than its predecessor, the Charles Gyude Bryant interim regime.

His statement has caused stir within the country, with some demanding evidence.

The report said the Government’s credibility was enhanced by the indictment of former chairman Bryant and some of his officials on corruption charges, but the case has been stalled before the Supreme Court, since Mr. Bryant contends he cannot be tried as a former head of state.

The report however said the Judiciary is “in desperate need of reform.” It said Chief Justice Lewis “has rejected using international colleagues as either interim judges or lawyers, although he has supported the Public Defender program.”

It added that, “Without functioning courts, accountability is impossible.”

Subject: THE ONLY COLORED NEWSPAER IN TOWN
From: BEST NEWSPAPER
To: All
Date Posted: 13:30:07 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
The only colored newspaper in town.

Subject: Re: THE ONLY COLORED NEWSPAER IN TOWN
From: CORRECT
To: All
Date Posted: 13:51:16 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Indeed

Subject: Famous Firsts. Huh!
From: Bambay Lans Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 13:02:06 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-71-197-104-25.hsd1.ca.comcast.net at 71.197.104.25

Message:
African-American Firsts: Government
Local elected official: John Mercer Langston, 1855, town clerk of Brownhelm Township, Ohio.
State elected official: Alexander Lucius Twilight, 1836, the Vermont legislature.
Mayor of major city: Carl Stokes, Cleveland, Ohio, 1967–1971. The first black woman to serve as a mayor of a major U.S. city was Sharon Pratt Dixon Kelly, Washington, DC, 1991–1995.
Governor (appointed): P.B.S. Pinchback served as governor of Louisiana from Dec. 9, 1872–Jan. 13, 1873, during impeachment proceedings against the elected governor.
Governor (elected): L. Douglas Wilder, Virginia, 1990–1994. The only other elected black governor has been Deval Patrick, Massachusetts, 2007–
U.S. Representative: Joseph Rainey became a Congressman from South Carolina in 1870 and was reelected four more times. The first black female U.S. Representative was Shirley Chisholm, Congresswoman from New York, 1969–1983.
U.S. Senator: Hiram Revels became Senator from Mississippi from Feb. 25, 1870, to March 4, 1871, during Reconstruction. Edward Brooke became the first African-American Senator since Reconstruction, 1966–1979. Carol Mosely Braun became the first black woman Senator serving from 1992–1998 for the state of Illinois. (There have only been a total of five black senators in U.S. history: the remaining two are Blanche K. Bruce [1875–1881] and Barack Obama (2005— ).
U.S. cabinet member: Robert C. Weaver, 1966–1968, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Lyndon Johnson; the first black female cabinet minister was Patricia Harris, 1977, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Jimmy Carter.
U.S. Secretary of State: Gen. Colin Powell, 2001–2004. The first black female Secretary of State was Condoleezza Rice, 2005—.
African-American Firsts: Law
Editor, Harvard Law Review: Charles Hamilton Houston, 1919. Barack Obama became the first President of the Harvard Law Review.
Federal Judge: William Henry Hastie, 1946; Constance Baker Motley became the first black woman federal judge, 1966.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice: Thurgood Marshall, 1967–1991. Clarence Thomas became the second African American to serve on the Court in 1991.
African-American Firsts: Diplomacy
U.S. diplomat: Ebenezer D. Bassett, 1869, became minister-resident to Haiti; Patricia Harris became the first black female ambassador (1965; Luxembourg).
U.S. Representative to the UN: Andrew Young (1977–1979).
Nobel Peace Prize winner: Ralph J. Bunche received the prize in 1950 for mediating the Arab-Israeli truce. Martin Luther King, Jr., became the second African-American Peace Prize winner in 1964. (See King's Nobel acceptance speech.)
African-American Firsts: Military
Combat pilot: Georgia-born Eugene Jacques Bullard, 1917, denied entry into the U.S. Army Air Corps because of his race, served throughout World War I in the French Flying Corps. He received the Legion of Honor, France's highest honor, among many other decorations.
First Congressional Medal of Honor winner: Sgt. William H. Carney for bravery during the Civil War. He received his Congressional Medal of Honor in 1900.
General: Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., 1940–1948.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Colin Powell, 1989–1993.
African-American Firsts: Science and Medicine
First patent holder: Thomas L. Jennings, 1821, for a dry-cleaning process. Sarah E. Goode, 1885, became the first African-American woman to receive a patent, for a bed that folded up into a cabinet.
M.D. degree: James McCune Smith, 1837, University of Glasgow; Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first black woman to receive an M.D. degree. She graduated from the New England Female Medical College in 1864.
Inventor of the blood bank: Dr. Charles Drew, 1940.
Heart surgery pioneer: Daniel Hale Williams, 1893.
First astronaut: Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., 1967, was the first black astronaut, but he died in a plane crash during a training flight and never made it into space. Guion Bluford, 1983, became the first black astronaut to travel in space; Mae Jemison, 1992, became the first black female astronaut. Frederick D. Gregory, 1998, was the first African-American shuttle commander.
African-American Firsts: Scholarship
College graduate (B.A.): Alexander Lucius Twilight, 1823, Middlebury College; first black woman to receive a B.A. degree: Mary Jane Patterson, 1862, Oberlin College.
Ph.D.: Edward A. Bouchet, 1876, received a Ph.D. from Yale University. In 1921, three individuals became the first U.S. black women to earn Ph.D.s: Georgiana Simpson, University of Chicago; Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, University of Pennsylvania; and Eva Beatrice Dykes, Radcliffe College.
Rhodes Scholar: Alain L. Locke, 1907.
College president: Daniel A. Payne, 1856, Wilberforce University, Ohio.
Ivy League president: Ruth Simmons, 2001, Brown University.
See also Milestones in Black Education.

African-American Firsts: Literature
Novelist: Harriet Wilson, Our Nig (1859).
Poet: Lucy Terry, 1746, "Bar's Fight." It is her only surviving poem.
Poet (published): Phillis Wheatley, 1773, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. Considered the founder of African-American literature.
Pulitzer Prize winner: Gwendolyn Brooks, 1950, won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry.
Pulitzer Prize winner in Drama: Charles Gordone, 1970, for his play No Place To Be Somebody.
Nobel Prize for Literature winner: Toni Morrison, 1993.
Poet Laureate: Robert Hayden, 1976–1978; first black woman Poet Laureate: Rita Dove, 1993–1995.
African-American Firsts: Music and Dance
Member of the New York City Opera: Todd Duncan, 1945.
Member of the Metropolitan Opera Company: Marian Anderson, 1955.
Principal dancer in a major dance company: Arthur Mitchell, 1959, New York City Ballet.
African-American Firsts: Film
First Oscar: Hattie McDaniel, 1940, supporting actress, Gone with the Wind.
Oscar, Best Actor/Actress: Sidney Poitier, 1963, Lilies of the Field; Halle Berry, 2001, Monster's Ball.
Oscar, Best Actress Nominee: Dorothy Dandridge, 1954, Carmen Jones.
Film director: Oscar Micheaux, 1919, wrote, directed, and produced The Homesteader, a feature film.
Hollywood director: Gordon Parks directed and wrote The Learning Tree for Warner Brothers in 1969.
African-American Firsts: Television
Network television show host: Nat King Cole, 1956, "The Nat King Cole Show"; Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman television host in 1986, "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Star of a network television show: Bill Cosby, 1965, "I Spy".
African-American Firsts: Sports
Major league baseball player: Jackie Robinson, 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers.
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Jackie Robinson, 1962.
NFL quarterback: Willie Thrower, 1953.
NFL football coach: Fritz Pollard, 1922–1937.
Golf champion: Tiger Woods, 1997, won the Masters golf tournament.
NHL hockey player: Willie O'Ree, 1958, Boston Bruins.
Tennis champion: Althea Gibson became the first black person to play in and win Wimbledon and the United States national tennis championship. She won both tournaments twice, in 1957 and 1958. In all, Gibson won 56 tournaments, including five Grand Slam singles events. The first black male champion was Arthur Ashe who won the 1968 U.S. Open, the 1970 Australian Open, and the 1975 Wimbledon championship.
Heavyweight boxing champion: Jack Johnson, 1908.
Olympic medalist (Summer games): George Poage, 1904, won two bronze medals in the 200 m hurdles and 400 m hurdles.
Olympic gold medalist (Summer games): John Baxter "Doc" Taylor, 1908, won a gold medal as part of the 4 x 400 m relay team.
Olympic gold medalist (Summer games; individual): DeHart Hubbard, 1924, for the long jump; the first woman was Alice Coachman, who won the high jump in 1948.
Olympic medalist (Winter games): Debi Thomas, 1988, won the bronze in figure skating.
Olympic gold medalist (Winter games): Vonetta Flowers, 2002, bobsled.
Olympic gold medalist (Winter games; individual): Shani Davis, 2006, 1,000 m speedskating.
Other African-American Firsts
Millionaire: Madame C. J. Walker.
Billionaire: Robert Johnson, 2001, owner of Black Entertainment Television; Oprah Winfrey, 2003.
Portrayal on a postage stamp: Booker T. Washington, 1940 (and also 1956).
Miss America: Vanessa Williams, 1984, representing New York. When controversial photos surfaced and Williams resigned, Suzette Charles, the runner-up and also an African American, assumed the title. She represented New Jersey. Three additional African Americans have been Miss Americas: Debbye Turner (1990), Marjorie Vincent (1991), and Kimberly Aiken (1994).
Explorer, North Pole: Matthew A. Henson, 1909, accompanied Robert E. Peary on the first successful U.S. expedition to the North Pole.
Explorer, South Pole: George Gibbs, 1939–1941 accompanied Richard Byrd.

Subject: Afsatu
From: Dont do it
To: All
Date Posted: 12:17:00 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
I hear the APC is thinking of making Afsatu Kabbah Ernest's running mate. Don't do it! The name "Kabbah" is political suicide in Sierra Leone these days especially for such a high position. Afsatu is a good lady and will win in her constituency where people know her very well but not nationally. Don't even think of it!

Subject: Re: Afsatu
From: ASKING
To: All
Date Posted: 13:31:44 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Is this the same fsatu who was one time Minister of Housing under Kabbah's SLPP gov't?

Subject: Re: Afsatu
From: Almamy Seray-Wurie Si
To: All
Date Posted: 12:57:27 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: hsl14.cait.osr.columbia.edu at 156.111.18.69

Message:
She can do it...
did you forget that her name also means AL-Kabbah where pilgrims meet annually

Subject: IS ERNEST KOROMA RUNNING FOR PARLIAMENT IN ADDITION TO ..???
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 11:42:08 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
If Ernest is so confident that he is going to win the presidency, why is he also running for parliament????
Hahaahahahaha.....doubting himself and his APC's chances?????????

-----------------------------------------
By Jonathan Leigh.

Tuesday (today) was the deadline for political parties to submit to the National Electoral Commission names of aspirants intending to contest the August 11 Parliamentary election.

24 hours to the expiration of the deadline, National Electoral Commission Outreach and Public Affairs Officer, Miatta French disclosed that none of the parties had complied but was certain they would do so by the close of business on the last day.

The Secretary General of the two major parties; Jacob Jusu Saffa of the ruling SLPP and Victor Bockarie Foh of the APC gave an undertaking that they were going to beat the deadline.

Last night, Foh confirmed he had submitted 112 names of aspirants to NEC. Included in the party’s list for parliamentary seats is their leader and Presidential candidate, Ernest Bai Koroma(photo) who is currently a parliamentarian and leader of the opposition in parliament.

Miatta French says they are working on a very busy and tight schedule and after the submission of the list, it would be forwarded to all the twelve districts where nominations will be conducted on July 2 after which the ballot papers will be printed in a country abroad. She did not name the country .

Subject: Corrected - for TONY BLAIR
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 11:06:33 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Tony Blair will certainly go down in history as a great prime minister of Great Britain.

From a German acquaintance, a good friend of a friend - a modern day German European Industrialist
( Fredrick) who when I asked him about UK & Tony Blair ( after we had discussed the 2nd World War – this was at a Cuban Restaurant in Stockholm after being thrilled by the Esbjörn Svensson Trio at a concert at Nalen on 17 February, 2005) - he launched into fulsome and I must say ( after two glasses of wine) unexpected praise of TONY BLAIR , who he intimated had brought Margaret Thatcher’s Britain into the modern age , modernized and digitalized the factories he said , no more hand-written bookkeeping on ledgers etc, and got for her (Britain) a more competitive edge and even greater influence in the European Union. There is not a shadow of doubt about this man who led the Labour party to election victory THREE TIMES, achieved many necessary reforms and renovated the British Isles – even helped the Commonwealth nation of Sierra Leone to regain peace and stability and to bankroll reconstruction not only in that country, but with emphasis implemented his vision of a new economic progamme for Africa, and that programme has assured a much brighter future for many of us and future generations of the African Continent.

For all that it’s a big vote of thanks to Mr. Blair, his wife, his Father & mother, his family and his greater British family and wish them all success and wish him in particular success in his mission to the troubled Middle East.

In 1967 Hon Siaka P. Stevens could have said, “I have just accepted the invitation of the Governor–General (the representative of Her Majesty the Queen) to form a government.”

Gordon Brown: “I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action,” (sounds very much like George W. Bush speaking at the beginning of his era)

In much of Gordon Brown’s wording I find echoes of the kind of dedication to good intentions that we should like to see coming form the next president of Sierra Leone, be he the Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma, Hon Charles Francis Margai or Vice president Solomon Berewa:.

This is what the new PM Gordon Brown said outside of Downing Street about an hour ago:

“I have just accepted the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen to form a government.
This will be a new government with new priorities and I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country and at all times I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action in the service of what matters to the British people - meeting the concerns and aspirations of our whole country.
I grew up in the town that I now represent in Parliament. I went to the local school. I wouldn't be standing here without the opportunities that I received there.
And I want the best of chances for everyone. That is my mission - that if we can fulfil the potential and realise the talents of all our people, then I am absolutely sure that Britain can be the great global success story of this century.
As I have travelled round the country and as I have listened and I have learnt from the British people - and as Prime Minister I will continue to listen and learn from the British people - I have heard the need for change. Change in our NHS, change in our schools, change with affordable housing, change to build trust in government, change to protect and extend the British way of life. This change cannot be met by the old politics.
So I will reach out beyond narrow party interest. I will build a government that uses all the talents. I will invite men and women of good will to contribute their energies in a new spirit of public service to make our nation what it can be.
I am convinced that there is no weakness in Britain today that cannot be overcome by the strength of the British people.
On this day I remember words that have stayed with me since my childhood and which matter a great deal to me today. My school motto: I will try my utmost. This is my promise to all of the people of Britain. And now let the work of change begin.
Thank you.

Subject: From chief Tony Blair to Gordon Brown
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 10:42:27 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Tony Blair will certainly go down in history as a great prime minister of Great Britain. From a German acquaintance a good friend of a friend - a modern day German European Industrialist ( Fredrick) who when I asked him about UK & Tony Blair ( after we had discussed the 2nd World War – this was at a Cuban Restaurant in Stockholm after being thrilled by the Esbjörn Svensson Trio at a concert at Nalen on 17 February, 2005) - he launched into fulsome and I must say ( after two glasses of wine) unexpected praise of TONY BLAIR , who he intimated had brought Margaret Thatcher’s Britain into the modern age , modernized and digitalized the factories he said , no more hand written bookkeeping on ledgers etc, and got for her (Britain) a more competitive edge and even greater influence in the European Union. There is not a shadow of doubt about this man who led the Labour party to election victory THREE TIMES, achieved many necessary reforms and renovated the British Isles – even helped the Commonwealth nation of Sierra Leone to regain peace and stability and to bankroll reconstruction not only in that country, but with emphasis implemented his vision of a new economic progamme for Africa, and that programme has assured a much brighter future for many of us and future generations of the African Continent.

For all that it’s a big vote of thanks to Mr. Blair, his wife, his Ftaher & mother, his family and his greater British family and wish them all success and wish him in particular success in his mission to the troubled Middle East.

In 1967 Hon Siaka P. Stevens could have said, “I have just accepted the invitation of the Governor –General (the representative of Her Majesty the Queen) to form a government.”

Gordon Brown: “I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action,” (sounds very much like George W. Bush speaking at the beginning of his era)

In much of Gordon Brown’s wording I find the kind of dedication to good intentions that we would like to see coming form the next president of Sierra Leone, be he Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma, Hon Charles Francis Margai or Vice president Solomon Berewa:.

This is what the new PM Gordon Brown said outside of Downing Street about an hour ago:

“I have just accepted the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen to form a government.
This will be a new government with new priorities and I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country and at all times I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action in the service of what matters to the British people - meeting the concerns and aspirations of our whole country.
I grew up in the town that I now represent in Parliament. I went to the local school. I wouldn't be standing here without the opportunities that I received there.
And I want the best of chances for everyone. That is my mission - that if we can fulfil the potential and realise the talents of all our people, then I am absolutely sure that Britain can be the great global success story of this century.
As I have travelled round the country and as I have listened and I have learnt from the British people - and as Prime Minister I will continue to listen and learn from the British people - I have heard the need for change. Change in our NHS, change in our schools, change with affordable housing, change to build trust in government, change to protect and extend the British way of life. This change cannot be met by the old politics.
So I will reach out beyond narrow party interest. I will build a government that uses all the talents. I will invite men and women of good will to contribute their energies in a new spirit of public service to make our nation what it can be.
I am convinced that there is no weakness in Britain today that cannot be overcome by the strength of the British people.
On this day I remember words that have stayed with me since my childhood and which matter a great deal to me today. My school motto: I will try my utmost. This is my promise to all of the people of Britain. And now let the work of change begin.
Thank you.

Subject: CHANGE! Change is in the air - the emphasis is on CHANGE
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 10:36:13 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
CHange here means to continue to go FORWARD

Tony Blair will certainly go down in history as a great prime minister of Great Britain. From a German acquaintance a good friend of a friend - a modern day German European Industrialist ( Fredrick) who when I asked him about UK & Tony Blair ( after we had discussed the 2nd World War – this was at a Cuban Restaurant in Stockholm after being thrilled by the Esbjörn Svensson Trio at a concert at Nalen on 17 February, 2005) - he launched into fulsome and I must say ( after two glasses of wine) unexpected praise of TONY BLAIR , who he intimated had brought Margaret Thatcher’s Britain into the modern age , modernized and digitalized the factories he said , no more hand written bookkeeping on ledgers etc, and got for her (Britain) a more competitive edge and even greater influence in the European Union. There is not a shadow of doubt about this man who led the Labour party to election victory THREE TIMES, achieved many necessary reforms and renovated the isles – even helped the Commonwealth nation of Sierra Leone to regain peace and stability and to bankroll reconstruction not only in that country, but with emphasis implemented his vision of a new economic progamme for Africa, has assured a much brighter future for many of us and future generations of the African Continent.

For all that it’s a big vote of thanks to Mr. Blair, his wife, his dada, his family and his greater British family and wish them all success and wish him in particular success in his mission to the troubled Middle East.

In 1967 Hon Siaka P. Stevens could have said, “I have just accepted the invitation of the Governor –General (the representative of Her Majesty the Queen) to form a government.”

Gordon Brown: “I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action,” (sounds very much like George W. Bush speaking at the beginning of his era)

In much of Gordon Brown’s wording I find the kind of dedication to good intentions that we would like to see coming form the next president of Sierra Leone, be Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma, Hon Charles Francis Margai or Vice president Solomon Berewa:.

This is what the new PM Gordon Brown said outside of Downing Street about an hour ago:

“I have just accepted the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen to form a government.
This will be a new government with new priorities and I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country and at all times I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action in the service of what matters to the British people - meeting the concerns and aspirations of our whole country.
I grew up in the town that I now represent in Parliament. I went to the local school. I wouldn't be standing here without the opportunities that I received there.
And I want the best of chances for everyone. That is my mission - that if we can fulfil the potential and realise the talents of all our people, then I am absolutely sure that Britain can be the great global success story of this century.
As I have travelled round the country and as I have listened and I have learnt from the British people - and as Prime Minister I will continue to listen and learn from the British people - I have heard the need for change. Change in our NHS, change in our schools, change with affordable housing, change to build trust in government, change to protect and extend the British way of life. This change cannot be met by the old politics.
So I will reach out beyond narrow party interest. I will build a government that uses all the talents. I will invite men and women of good will to contribute their energies in a new spirit of public service to make our nation what it can be.
I am convinced that there is no weakness in Britain today that cannot be overcome by the strength of the British people.
On this day I remember words that have stayed with me since my childhood and which matter a great deal to me today. My school motto: I will try my utmost. This is my promise to all of the people of Britain. And now let the work of change begin.
Thank you.

Subject: TOP GUN KELFALA KALLON - UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO
From: Forum Intelligence
To: All
Date Posted: 09:50:04 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-44c29146.dyn.optonline.net at 68.194.145.70

Message:

Dr. Kallon, who holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Economics from Methodist College and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Virginia, joined the Department of Economics in August, 1993. He also serves as the Coordinator of the International Studies program. Prior to UNC, Dr. Kallon held faculty positions at two other institutions of higher learning (University of West Florida, 1983-87, and Gettysburg College, 1987-93) where he taught a variety of courses in economic theory, history of economic thought, African economic history and development, international trade and international finance. A citizen of Sierra Leone, Dr. Kallon's current research interests are in economic development and open-economy macroeconomics, with special emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Lunsar protest in support of woman candidate
From: SYMBOL
To: All
Date Posted: 08:44:59 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Lunsar protest in support of woman candidate

Residents of constituency 50 in Lunsar, Port Loko District, north of the country have intimated the All Peoples Congress Party (APC) executive that they would not vote for any other person in their constituency than their popular choice in the person of Rugiatu Nenneh Turay. According to New Citizen, the people of Lunsar made it clear to the APC hierarchy that they preferred a woman candidate to represent them in Parliament as she possessed all the qualities of a leader.

The report goes on to state that Neneh Turay was very much closer with people and always identifies with their problems. When the results were announced and Nenneh lost the symbol to another candidate, Lunsar came to a halt with the youths, women’s groups and the elderly vowing to withhold their votes if their choice was not allowed to represent them. During the period for the award of symbols, Nenneh Turay was said to have mobilized over four hundred supporters who accompanied her to Freetown to boost her campaign. Meanwhile, the APC flag bearer is said to having sleepless nights to pacify the losers.

Subject: Re: Lunsar protest in support of woman candidate
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 11:34:39 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
APC went about the SYMBOL issuance in a rather undemocratic way. This will spell disaster for them.
While you cannot please everyone, doing things democratically makes it easier for losers to accept the results. What a damn shame!!!!

Subject: Liberia watchdog takes corruption claims to parliament
From: VAL COLLIER
To: All
Date Posted: 08:25:50 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Liberia watchdog takes corruption claims to parliament 26 minutes ago

MONROVIA (AFP) - Liberia's top financial watchdog has defended his claims that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's post civil war regime is more corrupt than its predecessor whose leaders are facing fraud indictments.

ADVERTISEMENT

The West African country's auditor-general John Morlu was summoned to parliament to explain recent allegations made in the media, producing a 13-page document to back them up.

"I stand categorically by the statements I have made. I have the facts and figures to back up my claims and assertions," Morlu told the country's lower house of parliament late Tuesday.

He said the document backed up his claims that Sirleaf's govenment, which came to power on promises to sweep away graft, is three times more corrupt than the previous transitional one.

"We must all work hardest to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities and seek ways to mitigate the risk to the system," he said in the document, a copy of which AFP has seen.

Since becoming head of state in January last year, Sirleaf has vowed to drastically crack down on corruption, which she describes as public enemy number one.

"The auditor-general is not public enemy number one, we might differ on method, approach and strategy but it is far better to prevent flaws than to wait until the damage is done," Morlu told lawmakers.

He said his office has identified significant flaws in the draft budget for the fiscal year July 2007 to June 2008 produced by the president's office.

The budget proposals did not represent the actual financial position of the war-shattered and impoverished nation, he said.

The draft budget is "not transparent, not accountable and not auditable," he said.

Morlu has urged the deputies not to approve the budget.

Top officials of the last caretaker government, including its former chief Gyude Bryant, are being prosecuted over allegations that they siphoned off state funds.

Bryant headed the tiny west African country for two-and-a-half years from 2003, when former strongman Charles Taylor stepped down under pressure to end a bloody 14 years civil war that claimed some 270,000 lives.

Subject: BLAIR'S DEPARTURE!!!
From: British Bull Dog
To: All
Date Posted: 08:21:14 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host81-133-65-122.in-addr.btopenworld.com at 81.133.65.122

Message:
Whatever one will say about Blair, we will never forget that he was the most affluent and cunning prime minister my country ever had. Here lies his promises that he fulfilled

Subject: Bad blood in the aftermath of awarding APC symbols in Kono
From: SYMBOL
To: All
Date Posted: 07:02:00 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Bad blood in the aftermath of awarding APC symbols in Kono

The decision by a few All Peoples Congress Party (APC) executive members in the Kono District, eastern Sierra Leone, who had unilaterally recommended that the symbols be awarded to them and their preferred friends has unleashed anger and disaffection in the district,

The African Champion reports pointing out that residents in the district had expressed disbelief that the procedure in the award of symbols was not followed to the letter unlike in other parts of the country. The report concludes that irate APC supporters were demanding a reversal of the exercise in a democratic and transparent manner or would not vote for the party. The story also alleges that the symbols were awarded to ‘Jaycees’(new arrivals from abroad) at the detriment of more popular home-based aspirants

Subject: Re: Bad blood in the aftermath of awarding APC symbols in Kono
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 11:37:18 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
Shame on APC!
NEW APC = OLD APC; same "thuggish" and "crookish" tricks

Subject: Open Heart Sugery
From: Bambay Lans Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 03:07:42 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-71-197-104-25.hsd1.ca.comcast.net at 71.197.104.25

Message:

Last Name

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Level 1 Biographies

Daniel Hale Williams

1858-1931

Doctor

African-American Medical Pioneer

Fast Facts
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was the first doctor to operate successfully on the human heart. He worked hard to provide good medical facilities for African Americans, and to train African American doctors and nurses.

Born: Hollidaysburg, Pa. January 18, 1858
Married: Alice Johnson April 2, 1898
Died: Idlewild, Michigan, August 4, 1931

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Daniel Hale Williams as he looked in about the year 1900. Photograph reproduced courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.

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Early Life
Daniel Hale Williams was born on January 18, 1858. He was born in Hollidaysburg, Pa. He was the third family member to have that name. He was really Daniel Hale Williams III. Daniel’s father was a barber and a businessman. Daniel’s mother was Sara Price Williams. Sara’s mother was a cousin to Frederick Douglass. Daniel was one of seven children. There were two boys and five girls. In Daniel’s family everyone liked to sing. They enjoyed telling stories.

Daniel’s father was a leader. He wanted better conditions for African American people. He started a group called the Equal Rights League. He worked very hard for this group. One day Mr. Williams got a bad cough. He became sick. He could not work any more. He rented his home and his barbershop. He took his family to Annapolis, Maryland. They went to live with Sara’s mother, Mrs. Price.

Daniel’s father believed that a good education led to a good life. He sent his children to school. He told them to study hard. Daniel and his brother and sister went to the Stanton School. Daniel’s favorite subject was history.

Mr. Williams kept working for the Equal Rights League. He traveled and gave speeches. He urged people to send their children to school. One day Mr. Williams came home from a trip. He was very sick. He had tuberculosis. Mr. Williams died in May 1867.

The Family Breaks Up
Daniel's mother was a helpless person. She did not know how to handle money. She was poor at making decisions. She could not keep her family together. She needed a place for all of them to go.

There were seven children. Daniel's older brother Price was sent to cousins in New York. He studied to be a lawyer. Two sisters, Ida and Alice, went to boarding school. Baby Florence found a home with Grandmother Price. Daniel's mother and two other sisters decided to move to Illinois. They had cousins there. They could learn hairdressing. Daniel was sent to a family friend. His name was Mr. Mason. He had a school where boys learned to be shoemakers. Now the family was all split up.

Finding His Own Way
Daniel hated shoemaking. He decided to run away. He begged a ticket to Illinois from a family friend. He went to find his mother and sisters. He found them in Rockford Illinois. Daniel decided to stay, too. He went to school for two months a year. He learned to be a barber. He was content.

Daniel's mother decided to move again. She and her daughter Ann went back to the East Coast. Sally and Daniel were left behind. They lived with cousins. Daniel took several jobs.

When Daniel was 16, Sally decided to move. She went to Edgerton, Wisconsin. Daniel went, too. He opened a barbershop. But Daniel was not happy. There was no place to go to school. Daniel looked for a town where he could work and study. He found it. The town was called Janesville. It was also in Wisconsin. In Janesville there was a high school. There was also a man named Harry Anderson.

Harry Anderson owned a big barbershop. He was a kind man. He had a large, loving family. He hired Daniel and Sally. He welcomed them into his home. They became lifelong friends.

Working and Learning
Daniel went to school. He cut hair. Harry Anderson had a band. He taught Daniel to play the double bass. Then Daniel played in the band too. Daniel was busy and happy.

Daniel borrowed books from a customer. The customer urged him to go to college. Daniel started at a school that would prepare him for college. It was called the Janesville Classical Academy. He studied hard. He learned German and Latin. Daniel graduated from the Academy in 1877.

Daniel thought about college. First he thought he would like to study law. He read about it. He did not like settling arguments. He decided he would not like the law. Then Daniel thought about being a doctor. He asked to work with Dr. Henry Palmer. He would be Dr. Palmer's apprentice. Daniel started by sweeping the floor. Before long he was mixing medicine. He loved the work.

Daniel applied to medical school. He wrote to his mother. He asked her for money. She refused. Harry Anderson helped Daniel instead. He loaned him the money to go to school. In fall of 1880 Daniel moved to Chicago to start his studies. He rented a room from a friend of his father. Her name was Mrs. Jones.

Daniel went to class and studied. He worked very hard. He had no time and no extra money to have fun. During his vacations, Daniel went home to the Andersons. He worked at the barbershop. For two years Harry Anderson paid for Daniel's schooling. The third year, Daniel heard from his brother Price. Price was now a lawyer in Philadelphia. He gave Daniel the money for the third year.

In 1883, at the age of 27, Daniel graduated from medical school.

Medical Practice
Daniel opened an office in Chicago. Mrs. Jones sent her friends to him. He had patients from the neighborhood. He treated many different people. Daniel was kind. He listened to his patients. They liked and trusted him. They called him "Doctor Dan." Daniel worked long hours. He saw patients at all times of day.

Daniel was not attached to any hospital. He operated on his patients at their homes. Other doctors did this. Home operations were not very successful. Many patients died of infection. Daniel had learned about bacteria in school. He knew that bacteria could cause infection. Before he operated, he carefully scrubbed the room. His patients did not get infections. They recovered well.

Daniel saved his money. He started to pay back his debt to Harry Anderson.

Special Jobs
Soon Daniel was given more to do. He was asked to work at the South Side Dispensary. His job was to demonstrate surgery for medical students. One of his students was named Charles Mayo. Much later he started the famous Mayo Clinic.

Daniel was offered a volunteer job. This was at the Protestant Orphan Asylum. Daniel cared for many children there.

A third appointment was very special. The governor of Illinois appointed Daniel to the State Board of Health. Daniel was the first African American to have this honor. He took his position seriously. While on the board he recommended vaccinations for typhoid, scarlet fever, and smallpox. He knew that sanitation in some places was very poor. He worked for clean living conditions. He wanted better plumbing and better ways to dispose of waste.

Daniel and the Andersons
Harry Anderson and his family remained Daniel's friends. They moved to Chicago. Daniel helped them, the way they had once helped him.

Provident Hospital
Many African Americans were moving to Chicago. There was no good health care for them. African American doctors were not allowed to operate in area hospitals. There were no training programs for African American doctors and nurses. Daniel and Rev. Louis Reynolds decided to do something about this. They decided to start a new hospital. People of all races would be welcome there. They would call it Provident Hospital.

The two men started collecting money. Some people gave a great deal of money. Some could only give a little. Everyone who gave any amount became a member of the Provident Hospital Association. There were dances and chicken suppers. All money that was raised was saved for the hospital.

The committee found an old building. It was big enough to have 12 beds. They bought it. Volunteers cleaned the building. They painted it. Some people brought bedding and food. Others volunteered their time. After much work, the hospital was ready. Daniel invited the best African American doctors to work there. Seven women started training as nurses. Patients began to come to the hospital. It was open for business.

The First Successful Heart Surgery
In July of 1893 it was very hot. On the night of July 9, two men got into a fight. One man was stabbed in the chest. His name was James Cornish. His friends took him to Provident Hospital. Daniel examined Mr. Cornish. The wound was near the heart. Daniel could not see exactly where it was, because there were no x-rays. No doctor ever operated on the human heart. It was too dangerous. The patient always died.

Daniel knew that if he didn't operate, the patient would die. He also knew that if he operated and failed he would be ruined as a doctor. He decided to take the chance. He invited six doctors to watch him work. Daniel cut open James Cornish's chest. He found a tear in the lining of the heart. Daniel sewed up the hole. Then he sewed the chest shut.

James Cornish did not die. There was no infection. After 51 days James Cornish could walk out of the hospital. Daniel had made history. People all over the world heard about his work.

The Freedman's Hospital
In Washington D.C. there was a hospital called the Freedman's Hospital. It was started after the Civil War to serve African Americans. It was poorly run. Daniel was invited to be the director of the hospital. Daniel wanted to stay at Provident, but he agreed to go to Washington. He arrived there in September 1894.

The hospital buildings were in poor repair. There were no nurses. Many people who went to the Freedman's Hospital died there. Daniel reorganized the hospital. He set up departments. He had the hospital cleaned, inside and out. He hired people to work with the patients. He hired an ambulance, pulled by a horse. After one year everyone could see a big change. Conditions and care were improved. Very few patients died.

Daniel started a school for African American nurses. It was the first one in the country. It was called the Freedman's Nursing School. It started with 37 students. The students worked very hard. Daniel called each of them "daughter."

Daniel was the chief surgeon. He did excellent work. One woman came to the hospital to have her baby. Daniel delivered the baby by Caesarian section. This was a new procedure in the United States. People could tell that Daniel was an outstanding doctor.

Daniel bought a house in Washington D.C. His mother and two sisters came to live with him. In Washington he met a young lady named Alice Darling Johnson. They fell in love.

There were medical groups in Washington, but African Americans were not welcome to join them. Daniel started a new group. It was called the Medico-Chirurgical Society of the District of Columbia. Doctors of all races could join. He also helped start the National Negro Medical Association.

A Return to Chicago
In 1897 Daniel decided to go back to Chicago. He had done his job at the Freedman's Hospital. He was anxious to get back to Provident Hospital. In April 1898 Daniel and Alice were married. They traveled to Chicago. There was a huge party to welcome them. Daniel started back at Provident Hospital the next day.

Some people in Washington got into an argument. They could not decide who should run Freedman's Hospital. During the arguments, someone said bad things about Daniel. They said he had wasted money. Daniel was hurt. He went back to Washington. He explained why money was spent. It was used to buy replacements for medical equipment that was old or broken. He had not wasted the hospital's money. In fact, he had paid for many instruments himself. Daniel went back to Chicago with a sad heart. He was unhappy that people he trusted would speak against him.

Daniel still had work to do. He was anxious to train more African American doctors. He visited Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. This was a good school. But, as in Chicago, African American doctors were not allowed into the city's hospitals. Daniel suggested that Meharry should start their own hospital. He helped raise money. He made wise suggestions. Soon Meharry had its own 12-bed hospital.

Other cities wanted to do the same thing. Daniel helped start hospitals in eight other cities, including Dallas and Atlanta. Daniel gave talks on medicine. He demonstrated new surgical methods. He helped with difficult surgeries. He took no pay for his work. In 1908 Daniel reached his 25th year as a doctor.

Later Life
Back in Chicago Daniel was offered a new job. He was invited to work at St. Luke's Hospital. This was a large, rich hospital. He was the first African American to be invited to work there. He knew that it was important that he take this job. He accepted the appointment.

One man at Provident made trouble for Daniel. He said that Daniel was selling out his race by working at the white hospital. He demanded that Daniel resign from Provident. Daniel had not done anything wrong, but he didn't like conflict. He agreed to leave Provident.

Daniel and some others decided to build country homes. They bought some land near a beautiful lake. They named it Idlewild. They built a clubhouse and a hotel, along with their houses. Daniel and Alice built a house called Oakmere. Daniel was happy there. He could go fishing and plant a garden.

Both Daniel and Alice had health problems. Daniel had diabetes. Alice had Parkinson's disease. She had to use a wheelchair. Alice died in 1924. Some time after this Daniel had a stroke. His brother Price's daughter came to take care of him. Daniel died on Tuesday, August 4, 1931.

Where We See His Name Today
There is a plaque dedicated to Dr. Williams at Provident Hospital in Chicago.
There are two schools named for Daniel Hale Williams in New York City. One is an elementary school: the other is a middle school.
There is a Daniel Hale Williams School in Chicago.

Researched and written by Melissa Yates

Subject: SLPP TERMINALLY ILL
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 23:26:37 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.58

Message:
Mr. Swaray,

Remember 1967, at least from history books? I do. History repeats itself, this time it is 2007.

SLPP is terminally ill with CANCER OF CORRUPTION AND GOOD FOR NOTHING BUNCH OF FAILURES. The common man is very much aware of this.

So we shall bury SLPP on 11.08.07. Sad ending but a big relief to our poor people who put so much hope in good for nothing bunch of failures to put it mildly.

Subject: Re: SLPP TERMINALLY ILL
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 23:47:11 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
And come August 11, 2007, you will get the shock of your life. Hope you don't get a heart attack.....

Subject: Re: SLPP TERMINALLY ILL
From: Guess who
To: All
Date Posted: 12:20:46 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.155.228.107

Message:
We will win as we have to win.
we have to win, and we will win.

Subject: Africa Moves to Achieve Education for All
From: UNITED NATIONS
To: All
Date Posted: 21:56:47 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Africa Moves to Achieve Education for All
06.26.2007

Without universal access to Grade I or Primary 1 within the next two years, the goal of Education for All (EFA) by 2015 will not be achieved as school fees and sundry charges stand between school and no fewer than 100 million children worldwide, 77 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Bukola Olatunji covered an international conference that sought to remove these barriers

Twenty-three countries, 18 of them African have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring “that no child should be prevented from attending school in our countries because of inability to pay.” The countries, which participated in the International Conference on the Abolition of School Fees: Planning for Quality and Financial Sustainability’, that ended last weekend in Bamako, Mali also agreed “to work to make it possible for all children to go to school regardless of their family's ability to pay. We recognize the importance of thorough planning and sound policies to successfully implement the abolition of primary school fees.

” Details of ‘The Bamako Statement of the Ministers of Education and Finance in Favour of the Abolition of School Fees’, which UNESCO’s Director, Division of the Promotion of Basic Education, Mrs. Ann Therese Ndong Jatta said must graduate to a strong commitment, is in the box below.

No fewer than 15 United Nations Agencies, multilateral, organisations, bilateral agencies, development banks and financial institutions, as well as representatives of Seven international NGOs, civil society organisations and foundations, attended the conference, which was convened by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank, in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, Mali.

The countries were, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho and Liberia. Others were Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Papua-New Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Yemen and Zambia.

The four-day conference was in two parts. The first two were devoted to the technical aspects, starting with a review of abolition worldwide in the light of experiences and challenges. The policy meeting of policy and decision-makers or their representatives, including Ministers of Education and Finance, was held on the last two days. Eight of the African countries have had experience in the school fee abolition process. These are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.

Presentations and discussions in plenary sessions, as well as the working groups addressed issues as specific and diverse as the construction and renovation of classrooms, the purchase and distribution of textbooks and other school materials, the empowerment of schools through subsidies proportional to school populations, incentive and exemption programmes, the abolition of school fees and secondary education, community schools and the public/private education offering.

Another group of countries have either recently abolished or are in the process of planning the abolition of school fees. These are Benin, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Yemen. They paid particular attention to
the steps already taken by certain countries as points of reference for the development of their operational mechanisms. Eight countries, who also found this useful are those interested in the planning and
introducing abolition, including, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Haiti, Liberia, Mali, Papua-New Guinea, Senegal and Togo. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have specific concerns.

Even if they have reached high global school registration rates, these two countries are looking for the best ways to reach the hard core of those excluded from education who live in pockets of great poverty.

While declaring the policy meeting open, the Malian Prime Minister, Ousmane Issoufi Maïga, observed that African nations have, since their independence, “made education a central concern” and have “made the school an absolute priority in economic, social and cultural development.” He gave an example of his own country, which devotes, on average 30 percent of its annual national budget to education. He indicated that, in the framework of the 10-year Programme on the Development of Education, a global investment of 562.4 billion CFA francs will have been granted for developing the Malian education system at all levels, between 2006 and 2008.

He therefore expressed confidence that Mali will reach the Millennium Goals on girls’ education by 2015.
Earlier, Mamadou Ndoye, the Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), presented a summary of the technical meeting that preceded the policy meeting. Concerning the 77 million children excluded from access to education, he observed, “the ethics that are the basis of the universality and effectiveness of the right to education as a fundamental human right, and therefore inseparable from human dignity, sets out the schooling of poor children as a categorical imperative.

” He recalled that the essential goal of abolishing school fees “is to create a context in which no child will be excluded from access to education for financial reasons.”

Mr. Ndoye then shared the particularly instructive messages that came out of the work of the delegates and experts. In the first place, he said, the process of abolishing school fees is above all the expression of a strong political determination that could not be reduced to simply an announcement for the media but is conveyed by the formulation of a defined policy, the effective launching of reforms and the consequential and necessary budget negotiations for implementation.

The second message is that the strength of political determination must be based on rigorous planning that draws up feasible goals in the short, medium and long terms, as well as the pace and scope of actions based both on an accurate estimate of needs to be met and the resources to be mobilised. He stressed a requirement that was expressed: the necessary balance between planning and action “so that the obsession to achieve the first does not bring about the paralysis of the second.” The third message, the ADEA’s Executive Secretary continued, forcefully asserts that broad policy dialogue is a decisive success factor, dialogue with the Minister of Finance and the Plan and the development partners, with other ministers, with the principal actors in education.

On a note of confidence and optimism, Mr. Ndoye concluded with the results expected from the reflections of the policy meeting: a clear statement of the strategies of the abolition of school fees, the creation or strengthening of efficient internal and external partnerships favourable to decisive agreements and support, working plans for exchange and learning between countries and the reinforcement of South-South cooperation.

The School Fee Abolition Initiative (SFAI) aims at making a breakthrough in access to quality basic education through support to policies of removing the education cost barriers to parents. Launched by UNICEF and the World Bank in 2005, the Initiative has now enlarged into a broad partnership through the involvement of other key development partners and constituencies, as well as research and academic institutions.

SFAI, which UNICEF’s Dina Craissati stressed, is not a slogan, was initiated within a worldwide momentum in which increasingly more developing countries are moving to accelerate progress toward the education Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) goals by eliminating school fees and/or by implementing targeted exemptions, subsidisations and incentives. This momentum is accompanied by proactive strategies on the side of donors to promote free and qualitative basic education. A key factor in this is that no child should be excluded from quality education on

SFAI, she said, became necessary because countries are making good and encouraging progress towards reducing the number of out-of-school children. Data on school enrolment shows that 77 million children were not in school in 2004 (57 percent of them girls) compared to 98 million in 1999 (59 percent girls). However, this does not always translate into the same level of progress with children attending and completing school. More than 100 million children still do not attend school (despite enrolment) and/or are under chronic threat of dropping out, and the overage student population (in and out-of-school) is alarmingly growing in certain countries. Projections with regards to the average annual rate of increase (AARI) in enrolment suggest that most countries will require almost three times the present growth rate to achieve the 2015 goals.

In recent years there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of children who have become vulnerable in terms of access to or completion of quality basic education.
School fee abolition may represent the most important bold policy measure to leverage wider and faster results. Experience in several countries shows that the private costs of schooling to households are a major barrier that prevent many children from accessing and completing a quality basic education.

The direct and indirect costs of education are especially burdensome in countries where poverty imposes tough choices on families and households about how many and which children to send to school, and for how long. Countries that have taken the bold step to eliminate fees and other charges in their education system saw a dramatic and sudden surge in enrolment as a result: In Uganda in 1996, primary school enrolment grew from 3.4 million to 5.7 million; in Kenya in 2003, enrolment increased from 5.9 million to 7.2 million; and in Tanzania in 2003, enrolment rose from 1.5 million to 3 million.

On the other hand, while there is a growing momentum worldwide to abolish school fees, ‘fee creep’ remains a worldwide phenomenon, even when countries have officially and legally abolished fees. Of 94 poor countries surveyed in the 2005 World Bank study, only 16 charge no fees at all. Furthermore, while the quantum leap in certain countries which have implemented abolition is unmistakable, analysis and experience show that some of the gains are being eroded and that there are many problems and challenges in the process of planning and implementation that need to be addressed.

School fee abolition has implications on sustainable national and equitable financing and on good governance. It needs to be translated into a set of sound, well-planned, widely negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable policy and operational frameworks. The abolition of school fees is feasible and realistic; but it should factor the challenges of quality and sustainability. If the children or their parents are not paying, someone must be paying. How much and for how long must be carefully worked out.

More so when abolition would be a dramatic increase in enrolment

But as the conference rightly observed, school fee abolition impacts directly on equity and inclusion and addresses the rights and needs of the marginalized, excluded and vulnerable children. School fee abolition triggers sector-wide education reforms. School fee abolition is not simply an isolated policy measure and it is no longer just about replacing the fees and managing the enrolment surge. Because it needs to be implemented within a sound policy framework it forces countries and development partners to scrutinize education plans, to identify inefficiencies, and to explore avenues for reform.

For example, the capitation or block grants to schools that are used to replace revenue loss are simultaneously proving to be effective measures to improve school management, to enhance community participation around the school, and to directly finance and ensure quality inputs and learning packages in the school.

Subject: Mali Court Convicts 6 for Insulting President
From: JOINDALIST
To: All
Date Posted: 20:11:48 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Mali Court Convicts 6 for Insulting President
By VOA News
26 June 2007

A court in Mali has convicted five journalists and a teacher for insulting President Amadou Toumani Toure.

The case stems from an essay that high school teacher Bassirou Kassim Minta assigned his students. Minta told students to write a humorous essay about an imaginary presidential sex scandal.

A journalist, Seydina Oumar Diarra, wrote an article about the assignment. Both men were soon arrested, along with Diarra's editor, and three other editors who reprinted Diarra's article as a show of solidarity.

Tuesday, a court sentenced the teacher, Minta, to two months in prison. He also was banned from ever teaching in Mali again.

Diarra was given 13 days in prison, while his editor was given an eight-month suspended sentence. The editors who reprinted Diarra's article recieved suspended sentences of four months each.

Media advocacy groups have criticized Mali's government for violating press freedom standards.

Subject: Re: Mali Court Convicts 6 for Insulting President
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 06:11:18 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Even as you read this, BIG things are happening at number 10 Downing Street – with implications for Sierra Leone: Brown taking over from Blair and promising a new era.
Perhaps the miracle of Koroma or Margai or Berewa taking over from Kabbah in August and instead of continuity he too will be promising a new era (a radical departure from the past)?

Judge Rashid must have thought that was the last straw when he dispatched Journalist Paul Kamara to where he learned to curb his fantasy when playing with a Mandinka-man’s honour. So many days and ghost-filled lonely nights spent in solitary confinement in what used to be the late Foday Sankoh’s cell, before the president’s compassionate reprieve – perhaps due to Paul’s failing health.

“a humorous essay about an imaginary presidential sex scandal”?
Humorous indeed! You can well imagine some of the unprintable material.
As the (signifying) money said to Bra Lion,

“He talked about your mama
and talked about your grandma too,
but I’m too polite to tell you.”

The actual subject matter requested by the teacher was even more specific: “The teacher had invited his students to write about the imaginary case of a young student prostitute who has a child by a president and fights for it to be recognised”

This invitation must have stimulated the diverse fantasies and unbridled lurid imagination of the probably sexually suppressed students, each trying to outdo the others to win the prize.
Cocorioko would never embark on such an un-Christian venture and this must be much worse in a country like Mali which has high Islamic and traditional moral standards.

Can you imagine this happening in a non-secular Islamist Republic or Saudi Arabia? The teacher – the real villain of the piece could have probably lost his heads under a guillotine – no matter his plea that “the devil “ had caused him to do it.

And who – which bona fide lawyer in Mali would have had the liber or liver to defend teacher of pupils?

My youngest brother Michael has suggested that Monica should have been given a few lashes on the bare bottom for lying on the president.

More details to the story

Subject: THE COLONEL AT THE STADIUM
From: GADDAFI
To: All
Date Posted: 20:02:10 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
The colonel addressing the people

Subject: Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims
From: Gadaffi
To: All
Date Posted: 18:44:08 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims

Tue Jun 26, 3:53 PM ET

FREETOWN (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi offered in Sierra Leone Tuesday to help victims of a bitter civil war that he was once accused of backing.

He told a rally of thousands of people at the sports stadium in the capital Freetown that he would ensure that victims of the 10-year civil war were rehabilitated and assisted.

"As soon as I go back I will make sure the Kadhafi International Charity Foundation will be established in Freetown to look after war victims and orphans," said the Libyan leader through a translator.

Kadhafi and former Liberian president Charles Taylor have been accused of backing rebels in the Sierra Leone war that raged from 1991 to 2001 and was marked by mass killings, mutilations and amputations and rape.

About 120,000 people were killed during that war. But Kadhafi was granted a red carpet welcome on arrival Monday.

An avid backer of the concept of a "United States of Africa" which is to be discussed at the African Union (AU) summit to be held in July in the Ghanaian capital Accra, Kadhafi slammed his fellow leaders for failing to bring about African unity.

"African unity must come from the people. The time has come when we should not listen to the leaders, as they have failed the continent, but African people themselves for the unification of the continent," he said.

"Europe is uniting very fast, America is already united and so Africa has no alternative but to ensure that it is united," he added.

He said the tide of Africans migrating to the West "must stop starting now".

"African begging for assistance from America and Europe is unacceptable," he said.

The Libyan leader who is travelling by road on his way to Accra for the AU summit, has already been to Mali and Guinea.

He is due to leave Freetown on Wednesday for Ivory Coast, from where he will proceed to Ghana for the weekend twice-yearly summit of African leaders.

Subject: Re: Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims
From: J. U. Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 23:38:34 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: jetty4ya@yahoo.com
Entered From: c-69-143-53-43.hsd1.va.comcast.net at 69.143.53.43

Message:
What is Ghadafi doing in Freetown? He is an hypocrit, he's preaching unity for Africa while at the same time disintegrating Africa. Kabbah should take Ghadafi to Jui Amputee Camp, so he could see the devastations he has perpetrated in Sierra Leone. Kabbah!!!!!!! get Ghadafi out of our soil! we don't want to see an hypocrit babbling about African Unity.

Subject: Re: Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims
From: Libyan
To: All
Date Posted: 12:23:42 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.155.228.107

Message:
Ghadafi did not carry out any amputations.It was all done by Sierra Leoneans to Sierra Leoneans.Most of the perpetrators are moving freely on the streets.

Subject: Re: Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims
From: BB
To: All
Date Posted: 11:37:03 06/27/07 ()
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Entered From: cpc1-lewi7-0-0-cust156.bmly.cable.ntl.com at 86.1.104.157

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We must start thinking about 'AFRICA UNITY' before it is too late, and I think Kadhafi is taking a step forward in doing that. Let us give him the support and stop the Sierra Leone mentality, NOW OR NEVER.

Subject: Kenday S. Kamara:Sierra Leone's Democratic Challenge
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
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Date Posted: 17:33:45 06/26/07 ()
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Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

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Sierra Leone's Democratic Challenge
Kenday S. Kamara, June 25, 2007

Map of Sierra Leone. (Source: C.I.A. World Factbook)
The Transformation of a Nation
Sierra Leone hankers for a transformation most nations in the West enjoy in this modern era: a liberalized and technologically advanced economy within an established democratic order. It is foolish to ignore the notion that development interests and democratic principles are uneasily aligned in Sierra Leone today. The two are not intrinsically paradoxical, but there are apprehensions between them that Sierra Leone's leaders will have to manage carefully.
Students of James Barber's presidential character philosophy would argue that more than any other political figure, the president of Sierra Leone attracts the scrutiny and passion of the Sierra Leonean people. As their elected head of state, the president represents the presence of the masses, and is seen as the figurehead of the nation in times of national crisis and grief. But the last three decades have seen a public disillusionment with the democratic process in Sierra Leone politics, and, as a consequence, the electorate now looks to a strong president to support their interests against a public service that is not doing its job and certain private elements whose actions are undermining national development objectives. Sierra Leone remains caught in a poverty trap of disease, environmental stress, political corruption, and lack of access to investment capital and medical technology—a poverty believed to be sustained by a lack of a strong presidency. In a democratic polity, this leadership incapacity often translates at the ballot box into a change of leadership in government.
Unlike many Western countries that adopted universal suffrage only when they were ready for it, Sierra Leone adopted universal adult suffrage four years before its independence, and had a lively political history during the years immediately after independence. In 1961, when it became an independent nation, Sierra Leone held the promise of a stable democracy. But the promise was soon dispelled. After the rule of Sir Milton Margai, in 1964, Sierra Leone lived with corrupt and partisan political regimes. It was the birth of the All People's Congress (A.P.C.) from a soured marriage of convenience in the name of the People's National Party (P.N.P.) between Siaka Stevens and Milton Margai's half-brother, Albert Margai (presidential candidate Charles Margai's father), that has forever impacted the political landscape in Sierra Leone. The APC, with support from younger radicals and much of the trade union movement, at its core, counted on the lower social orders as its most important voting bloc. Today, after four decades of independence, Sierra Leone is still at the crossroads and is preoccupied with a number of challenges rooted in its political culture or lack of it.
Sierra Leone's development experience is also likely to be similar to most countries in Africa. Ghana, Nigeria, and a host of other African countries embraced universal suffrage democracy but also institutionalized corruption after independence as one of the dominating challenges affecting the development of these countries. In Sierra Leone, like in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Guinea, and Zimbabwe, police officials collect bribes from commercial drivers. To get things done, one has to "grease the palm" or "wet the lips" of an official before a duty for which the official is paid can be done. Customs officers demand bribes from traders at ports of entry. In Sierra Leone one "can register a company at the Registrar General's office in 48 hours for a bulk fee paid to a senior official there. The bulk fee would include charges payable to government and extras for the official doing the legwork. There is also the possibility of licensing a vehicle without it being physically inspected; or acquiring certificates for fictitious births and deaths. Corruption in these instances is about the willingness to bribe public officials when people fall short of procedural requirements, or seek to beat bureaucratic processes, or to ask public officials to ignore petty wrongdoings" (www.globalintegrity.org). This is the culture, and periodic renewals of mass mandates through the ballot box do not seem to work in Sierra Leone, or in most of these African countries to change the culture of corruption and retarded development. This is partly because this is an acceptable culture in these countries, where everybody condones corruption in one way or the other and elections are easily rigged by incumbent parties. In the West, citizens who condone corruption are disgraced, tried, and jailed, and electoral processes are efficiently managed, something of a challenge in Sierra Leone's democracy.
But it is rather fair to also acknowledge some of the positive trends of the reform process of the last five years in Sierra Leone. Though poverty reduction remains a major challenge for the government and people of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone People's Party-led government has labored "to develop a framework that is people-oriented and people-centered, working with an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I.P.R.S.P.) which, among other things, sought to empower people living in poverty through improving their access to basic social and other types of services and productive resources. [The strategy seems to be working since it supports] a wide ranging set of policies aimed at poverty reduction, progress toward the [United Nations] Millennium Development Goals, and the goals and targets of the Brussels Program of Action. Again, the successful implementation of the I.P.R.S.P. and the N.R.S. [National Recovery Strategy] resulted in economic recovery in 2001-2004. Real GDP expanded from 5.4 percent in 2001 to 6.8 percent in 2004 and 7.2 percent in 2005. Gross capital formation as a percentage of GDP increased from 14.3 percent in 2003 to 19.6 percent in 2004 as per the World Development Indicators database 2005." Also, "wide ranging and comprehensive governance reform measures are being undertaken." These include the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act in 2000; the Anti-Money Laundering Act, a new Public Procurement Act and the Local Government Act in 2004; and a new Government Budgeting and Accountability Bill and an Investment Code in 2005" (www.un.org). The government has also embarked on a decentralization process in 2004. The first local government elections in 32 years were successfully conducted in May 2004 following Paramount Chieftaincy elections in 2003. The government's strategic focus has also been and continues to center on promoting basic education, providing basic healthcare and other social services, and empowering vulnerable people.
A National Youth Policy has been adopted and vigorous youth empowerment programs are being pursued. In the area of health, the government continues to implement programs with the support of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Union, and other donors, all aimed at rebuilding health infrastructure. Telecommunication usage is being encouraged in order to exploit fully the benefits of globalization. Telecommunications facilities, especially cellular phones, have improved significantly. A new mining policy aimed at mitigating environmental degradation "while encouraging investors to engage in small-scale artisanal diamond mining projects in partnership with local communities" (www.sierra-leone.org) was approved in 2004. The government and donors are putting in place agricultural support measures such as the provision of machinery and improved seedlings to farmers and farming communities. The government maintains a liberalized trading system to promote trade and diversify exports. The Office of National Security (O.N.S.), set up in 2002 for coordinating national security, intelligence gathering, and analysis, is enforcing a national disaster management policy. A National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) has also been established to provide social safety nets to the vulnerable.
But despite some of these gains made by the besieged SLPP administration, the current interventions do not seem to be supported by a "strong presidency." The country receives an overall "very weak" rating in the 2006 Global Integrity Index. The rating is based on the continued poor state of the economy and the lack of opportunity for most people in Sierra Leone. The index assesses national anticorruption policies and practices in countries around the world. It depends on Sierra Leone's democratic politics to change the present dismal state of affairs with the principles of democracy empowering the right candidate for the office of the president—a person with good intention to aggressively pursue sound policies, redistribute wealth and develop the country.
Mainstream development vision within the bounds of conventional economics and human welfare holds that sound development policies will benefit all in the long run. According to the Africa Futures Group headquartered in Abidjan, "long-term perspective planning guides short- and medium-term plans, keeps development plans more focused, ensures optimal use of resources, and opens the eyes of a country to long-term development opportunities" (www.uniqueservers.net). But long-term perspectives do not come naturally to democratic politicians who must focus on winning elections in the short term. Accordingly, a grass roots democracy such as Sierra Leone must nurture the energies of its youth and entrepreneurs while, in the short run, responding to the reservations and resentments of the masses. How well Sierra Leone's politicians walk this tightrope will determine the outcome of the country's economic and development transformation.
How Political Kleptocracy Began?
Sierra Leone achieved her independence in 1961 with growth prospects that looked encouraging. The new Sierra Leone was born "with great enthusiasm and optimism of a promising future" and with "the potential of becoming one of the wealthiest and most developed states in the West African subregion." The country had a renowned educational system; a rich and diversified natural resource base comprising "diamonds gold, rutile, iron ore, bauxite, illemenite; a vibrant agricultural sector that met national needs and generated foreign exchange earnings; rich marine resources" (www.uniqueservers.net); tourist attractions; and a seemingly stable democracy. But not for too long, Sierra Leone's post-independence economic growth performance became dismal. "Real G.D.P. per capita growth averaged -1 percent for 1961-97 compared with 0.9 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa (S.S.A.). Like S.S.A. the country experienced moderate growth in the 1960's up to the early 1970's: 2.5 percent for 1961-70, falling to 0.06 percent for 1971-79, before turning negative in 1980-90: -0.9 percent. Unlike S.S.A. where growth recovered in the mid 1990's, Sierra Leone's growth in the 1990's deteriorated further to -8 percent for 1991-97 during the civil war" (www.centad.org). Sierra Leone had opted for a centrally planned economy with a closed-trade regime, heavy state intervention, and a garbled industrial policy in a large informal economy. The deteriorating growth performance from the early 1970's due to adverse terms of trade shocks and the political economic factor of "kleptocracy" and political repression under the A.P.C., which ruled from 1968-92 provides a national account of what really happened when the British returned the country to its sons and daughters.
It was within this coppice of poor policy choices that, in the 1990's, reformers in the A.P.C.-led government began to push hard for economic transformation based on Structural Adjustment Program (S.A.P.) liberalization measures. The International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) and the World Bank argued that in order for a developing country to qualify for a loan, it had to meet a list of budgetary and policy changes. "This 'conditionality' typically included reducing barriers to trade and capital flows, tax increases, and cuts in government spending." Thus the A.P.C.-led government of Joseph Saidu Momoh began a series of incremental reforms, which the S.L.P.P. under Tejan Kabbah continued after it came to power when the N.P.R.C. junta era of Valentine Strasser and Julius Maada Bio ended in 1996. The big thrust of reforms came about in 2001 especially on governance, which had taken the country a long way from the dark days of "kleptocracy" and political repression.
In some areas of economic policy, progress has been dramatic; in others, little or no progress has been made. Sierra Leone's investment regime has undergone some form of reform. "To cope with a weak investment environment, in August 2004 Sierra Leone updated its legal framework governing investment (now covering all sectors); past fiscal incentives (including a lower payroll tax rate for ECOWAS citizens) remain in force pending the revision of the tax code. Work on the adoption of an export processing zone regime is under way." Although the Sierra Leone economy is 48.4 percent free, according to the Index of Economic Reform 2007 assessment, "which makes it the world's 141st freest economy," "Sierra Leone scores well in fiscal freedom and freedom from government." In Sierra Leone, "starting a business takes an average of 26 days, compared to the world average of 48 days." "The weighted average tariff rate in Sierra Leone was 14.9 percent in 2005. The government is making progress toward liberalizing the trade regime" (www.heritage.org). The rules governing foreign investment have been reasonably liberalized."
Progress has been limited, however, in many key areas of the economy as estimated by the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom measures. The Index of Economic Freedom is a project that ranks 161 countries across 10 specific freedoms on things like tax rates and property rights. The index shows that "investment freedom, financial freedom, labor freedom, property rights, and freedom from corruption are all weak." It further shows that the government of Kabbah and Berewa "faces political instability, which discourages foreign investment, as do legal restrictions and a devastated infrastructure. Sierra Leone's financial system is small. The judicial system is riddled with corruption … as is virtually all of the country's civil service." The labor market is "highly inflexible" and is found to be "one of the 20 least free in the world" (www.heritage.org).
Unbridled Selfishness
Who has really reaped the benefits of the reforms of Tejan Kabbah's S.L.P.P.-led government? Sierra Leone has always had a small number of affluent individuals, symbolized by its big "alayjus" and "swegbehs" ("invisible wicked men") and business tycoons. Now the proportion of the population that is rich has undoubtedly increased, and a substantial new middle class has emerged. In what is fast becoming an emblem of the rising Sierra Leonean middle class, a new corps of government contractors is booming, new residential houses and privately owned hotels are being built, and Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs are bringing investments into the country through partnerships and joint ventures with Western and Chinese investors.
At the same time, the begging hands of agonized Sierra Leoneans, starving mothers, malnourished babies, ragged children, and even emaciated dogs—historically the most visible signs of mass dispossession on the streets of Sierra Leonean cities, towns, and villages—have not noticeably diminished. Poverty has not decreased even with the reform measures of the S.L.P.P-led government, when a greater share of the population is living below the poverty threshold, and more than 60 percent of the population still lives on less than $1 a day. The reforms have not created jobs.
Where inequality is concerned, Sierra Leone has shown the highest level of socio-economic inequality when compared to other African countries. "The richest 20 percent of the population accounted for more than 63 percent of all expenditures, while the bottom 40 percent has the resources to spend just a meager 3.1 percent. After the war ended, surveys of former combatants found that many young people in Sierra Leone felt a sense of hopelessness, worsened by visible signs of elite wealth and power that had contributed to their decision to take up arms" (www.un.org).
Opinion polls and local musical vibes such as Emerson's "Borbor Belleh" album and Sierra Leone Refugee Stars' "Monkey Work" track are confirming that a very large proportion of the population believes the S.L.P.P.-led reforms have mostly created a new middle class of "alayjus" and "swegbehs", which, in the public's eye includes mostly stooges and sycophants of the party. An S.L.P.P. defeat, come August 11, will therefore project an analysis showing those who believe the reforms of the incumbent party have benefited only the new middle class created from the party ranks outnumbering those who thought the reforms have benefited the whole nation. The elections outcome will also show that those who believed the reforms have benefited the whole country have voted for S.L.P.P., whereas those who thought the rich are the only beneficiaries will vote disproportionately for the A.P.C. and the P.M.D.C.
These perceptions may not essentially complement actuality. It is especially vague how the masses construe the term "reforms." For a more informed elections analysis, the National Electoral Commission (N.E.C.) should stretch its mission to simultaneously conduct surveys focused on aspects of economic reforms by asking questions such as whether the number of employees in government service should be reduced, whether public-sector businesses like the National Power Authority (N.P.A.) and Guma Valley Water Company (G.V.W.C.) should be privatized, and whether foreign companies should be allowed to freely enter the Sierra Leonean economy, or whether import tariffs should be lowered so as to allow for the greater availability of cheap consumer goods.
Perceptions of the majority matter in politics regardless of what statistics may optimally show. The overall picture that emerges from current perceptions of the reform process is one of two Sierra Leones: a Sierra Leone of booming businesses, growing cities and towns, and a vibrant middle class; and a Sierra Leone of a struggling agricultural and informal economy, an unsustainable rural community, and a large lower class. The market economy reforms appear to have stabilized the economy, but more work has to be done. Critics of the reform machinery of the S.L.P.P.-led government say President Kabbah and Vice President Berewa have created what they describe a "feudal" system within the S.L.P.P. Political connections play a role in S.L.P.P. politics in driving opportunities. The claim is that Sierra Leone under Kabbah and Berewa, political connectedness, rather than fundamentals such as competence and ability to complete tasks, is the primary determinant of civil and political engagement, and that this has led to distorted development decisions.
The Democratic Limitation
There are two aspects to the challenge reformers face within Sierra Leone's democratic context: perceptions of the reforms the government of President Kabbah has undertaken and the people's choice of a new president in August, 2007, likely to radically pursue reforms supported by international donor institutions such as Britain's Department for International Development, the World bank and the I.M.F. within the context of the I.P.R.S.P.—a support that helps in monitoring the government's progress toward the Millennium Development Goals.
The economic reforms President Kabbah has undertaken thus far have not been those that would immediately impact the lives of Sierra Leone's poor masses, and this has fed their resentment against the reforms, which they believe have only benefited a new middle class of party sycophants and stooges. The reforms have not created jobs or minimize corruption and reduce poverty substantially enough to mitigate this resentment. Unquestionably, the pro-market reforms along with the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act, the new Government Budgeting and Accountability Bill and Investment Code, the enactment of a national youth policy, programs aimed at rebuilding health infrastructure, the agricultural support measures, and the new mining policy, will undoubtedly have a golden impact on the lives of the masses. But the long-term benefits of these reforms for Sierra Leone's lower classes are likely to be accompanied by considerable short-term pain. The electoral consequence of this presumption has meant that President Kabbah and Vice President Berewa have proceeded squeamishly on these market reforms, taking actions that noticeably benefited the elite.
It is therefore helpful to think of Sierra Leone's reform politics as following two tracks: what may be termed elite-politics and mass-politics. This distinction is absolutely crucial in understanding Sierra Leone's reform dynamics. In Sierra Leone, the elite consist mainly of entrepreneurial and political urban citizens. Elite politics in Sierra Leone typically takes place in the upper realms of the public sphere: in the interactions between business and government and in the dealings between Freetown and foreign governments and international financial institutions. To the elite, Sierra Leone's economic future has never looked brighter.
But Sierra Leone's mass politics is dancing to a different tune. It is the youth and majority of the unemployed population that make up this political constituency. Streets and the ballot box define mass politics; and voting, demonstrations, and riots are its notable manifestations. Economic reforms are thus viewed by the poor masses as a revolution primarily for everyone but them. Economists may recommend a more prurient acceptance of neo-liberalism—a phenomenon of the rich western market democracies—as a solution to Sierra Leone's poverty, but the masses appear to have plenty of reservations about economic reforms—and they have voting pizzazz in Sierra Leone's democracy.
One can therefore see why elite-favored reforms (an anti-corruption act that shows little or no impact on the reduction of real and perceived levels of corruption, a budgeting and accountability bill that is too sophisticated for the regular rural and urban poor to internalize its relevance) have continued under the current government in Sierra Leone. Whereas, more radical reforms—changing labor laws, privatizing public enterprises, innovative policies that are employment-driven, advancing more "green box" agricultural support measures—are not vigorously pursued.
Three factors are typically critical in determining the relevance of policies to mass politics: the number of people affected by the policy, how organized those people are, and whether the effect is direct and immediate or indirect and over a long time horizon. The more people affected by a policy choice, the more organized they are, and the more direct the policy's effects, the more likely it is that a policy will generate mass concern.
By this logic, some economic issues are more likely to arouse mass opposition than others. Corruption, for example, quickly becomes a contentious matter in mass politics because it affects most segments of the population. A stagnating agricultural program has a similar effect, because a large number of rural farmers are adversely affected. In comparison, a legal framework governing investment directly concern mainly foreign investors and their indigenous partners, whose numbers are not likely to be large or very organized in a poor country such as Sierra Leone. As a result, short of the setting up of factories, legal frameworks governing investment issues rarely enter the fray of mass politics in less developed countries. Grassroots-economics, not elite-economics, have until now driven mass politics in Sierra Leone. The consequences of the availability affordable consumer goods and poverty reduction policies tend to be obvious to most people, and grassroots groups are either already organized or can organize quickly.
Like most of the economic reforms already implemented, the deeper changes that many economists argue Sierra Leone needs for long-term growth do not immediately appeal to the passions of the lower class. In Sierra Leone's highly adversarial democracy, political leaders will continue to find it unappealing to stake their political fortunes on economic reforms that are expected to cause substantial short-term dislocat1ons and are likely to produce rewards only in the long term. Identity politics—especially tribe-based affirmative action and regional politics—also occupy the center of the political stage, consuming substantial political attention and determining electoral fortunes. Consequently, what is critical to mainstream economists is of secondary importance to politicians, who favor predictability in and manipulating their political universe.
The Sources of S.L.P.P.'s Conduct
Mass politics is a tendency toward a political experience in which the people anticipate the availability of affordable consumer goods and basic healthcare needs. A N.E.C. survey on mass political attitudes in Sierra Leone may confirm that a small percent of the electorate may report any knowledge of economic reforms being implemented. In the countryside, where more than 70 percent of Sierra Leoneans live, an even smaller percent may have heard of the reforms (compared with a greater percent of voters in cities.) It can be true also that just a sizable percent of college graduates are aware of the dramatic changes in economic policy, compared with an estimated 0.5 percent of the illiterate poor.
In contrast, close to 95 percent of the electorate—urban and rural, literate and illiterate, rich and poor—may acknowledge the argument that the S.L.P.P. has existed predominantly as a "Mende man" party and the A.P.C. a predominantly "Temne/Limba man" party. Economic reforms were therefore a nonissue in the 1996 and 2002 parliamentary and presidential elections. However, economic reform has been growing in importance in Sierra Leone's electoral politics over the last five years. The 2007 elections therefore seem to be different. There is much talk about reform by all political parties and the people are getting the message. The A.P.C. and P.M.D.C. parties are campaigning on pro-market platforms. In dramatic contrast to 2002, when an estimated smaller percent of voters even knew of the reforms implemented up to that point; in 2007, it is estimated that at least 75 percent of the general population are expressing clear judgments of them—there is talk about the Kabbah and Berewa presidency of not being a strong presidency because it lacks the audacity and imagination to serve for the greater good.
To be sure, economic issues were still not the main reason for the A.P.C.'s election defeat in 2002. A.P.C.'s loss had more to do with regional politics and party alliances. In four significant towns—Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, and Pujehun—the regional allies of the A.P.C. did disastrously. The key issues in these and other towns were more regional in nature, rather than related to national or economic issues.
More germane is the character of the constituency that now forms the main pillar of S.L.P.P.'s support. Until the mid-1980s, the S.L.P.P. was a clearly regional party drawing substantial support from the South and the East, but the S.L.P.P. under Kabbah and Berewa has since come to represent the socially privileged, the educated and high-income groups in the Western and Northern parts of the country as well. The party is also consolidating gains in the much larger middle and lower segments—especially given the latter's higher rates of voter turnout. It is therefore no surprise that targeted poverty alleviation interventions on behalf of the lower social orders; now form the centerpiece of S.L.P.P.'s new political strategy.
The A.P.C., although less constrained than the S.L.P.P., cannot entirely escape these pressures either. If the A.P.C. is to regain and hold on to power, it will have to resolutely move down the socioeconomic ladder for support, something it has already begun doing. But it is almost certain that with his background coming from the insurance industry, A.P.C.'s Ernest Bai Koroma, if voted in, will waste no time in pushing through pro-market reforms.
The P.M.D.C. is the new kid on the block with a following unprecedented in the political history of Sierra Leone for a newly launched political party to have that kind of support. Not even the U.N.P.P.'s message of uniting all the people of Sierra Leone into a solid political foundation for economic development caught the attention of Sierra Leoneans when it was launched over a decade ago. Or the National Democratic Alliance, the only party that came out with a philosophical approach toward the country's political troubles in 1996 got the kind of support the P.M.D.C. enjoyed during its inception early this year. The debate on S.L.P.P.'s Berewa and P.M.D.C.'s Charles Margai revolves around continuity and change. Margai sees his P.M.D.C. party as a fitting "response to that call for a radical departure from the negative and unprogressive political traditions that have characterized governance over three decades" (www.pmdcsl.org). Berewa is seen as the establishment candidate, and his "victory," it is feared will be a continuation of the ruling regime whose reforms have not reduced poverty and have failed to meet the basic energy and health needs of the people of Sierra Leone.
All parties have work to do to be able to form a government post Aug. 11, 2007. The Sierra Leonean masses are defiantly rising up against an overbearing political system. Regardless of the inflated party manifestos of the various political parties, the 2007 elections will determine which party has come from the grass roots and which party has grown from the soil of peoples' hard necessities.
All Is Not Lost
Although the masses are wary about pro-market economic reforms that may blur their reasoning when voting for the most fitting candidate for the presidency, it need not be a reason for alarm. The stability of Sierra Leonean democracy is not in question. Whichever party wins the elections, reforms on the whole will continue. Since 1968, the A.P.C. and S.L.P.P. have ruled Sierra Leone, and none has departed from the path of reforms. The differences have been those of degree and pace, not direction. A middle class with rising incomes will continue to attract investor attention. The nation's remarkable human capital at the middle-class level will also draw investors. Moreover, there will continue to be economic reforms largely impervious to the constraints of mass politics: anti-corruption approaches; changes to the financial sector; further simplification of investment rules; the liberalization of real estate development; the modernization of the Lungi international airport; and the construction of open air structures, particularly motorway flyovers, underpasses, bridges, tunnels, and underground car parks.
P.M.D.C., A.P.C., or S.L.P.P reformers after Aug. 11, will only have to juggle two short- and mid-term parameters: continuing pro-market economic reforms supported by the World Bank, African Development bank, European Union and other donors; and responding to mass needs through further anti-market state interventions to alleviate hardship. If the masses are to embrace pro-market reforms, politicians will have to clarify issues about the privatization of public enterprises, the reform of labor laws, and the provision of agricultural subsidies to increase the use of variable production inputs, such as fertilizer, irrigation water, pesticides, and herbicides, among other things. All of these reforms are likely to enhance mass welfare in the long run. Proceeds from privatization of public enterprises, for instance, can be used to support certain basic sectors of economy. Safety nets for workers can be constructed as labor laws are reformed and a plan for a "green box" revolution in agriculture supported by huge agricultural subsidies put in place. By opening up agriculture to market forces and greater public investment in agricultural research, and rural infrastructure and education, will provide a long-term benefit for the greatest number of Sierra Leoneans.
But also, Sierra Leone's burgeoning middle class has the resources to become a middle class of community builders. Generally speaking, community-building approaches emphasize a middle class that can adopt and sponsor roads construction projects, participate in national cleaning programs, provide local leadership to organize social capital and networks, and the strengthening of local capacities as keys to fixing urban and rural communities mired in poverty and its attendant ills. A new middle class of community builders will ask not what Sierra Leone will do for them, but what together they can do to complement the effort of any government for the development of the country.
There are long-term benefits associated with democratic politics notwithstanding the challenges reformers have to deal with to win elections. Consider the counter-example of Guinea. It is hard to believe that the military state in Guinea will not constantly be challenged by determined pro-democracy forces, by the burgeoning middle class, or by rising peasant and labor unrest. The attendant economic consequences of a political transition or upheaval in Guinea are uncertain. In contrast, democratic Sierra Leone has a viable solution to the problem of political transition: the party or coalition of parties that wins elections will run the government. Democratic rules are now deeply institutionalized in Sierra Leone, and long-term political stability is fundamental.
The long-term benefits of Sierra Leone's democracy are defined by its rule of law and its pro-market reforms reflected in its new mining policy and investment code. The rule of law continues to evade Guinea, and its capital markets are heavily government-dominated. Guinea's economic performance is rapidly deteriorating, largely as a result of a weak policy framework and against a background of mounting national insecurity. Sierra Leone's constructive approach toward consolidating her democracy along with checks and balances, greater accommodation and tolerance of political differences, on the other hand, shows the country's resolve to respect democratic procedures.
The Case for a Strong President
The growth of the president's power is necessary. Presidents should be strong and powerful. Sierra Leone today needs a strong president. Who else can give the nation leadership? Who else can make the quick decisions that are needed in a national emergency? Furthermore, only the president can give real leadership on the many national problems. Parliament cannot lead as well as the president simply because there is only one president, but there are 112 parliamentarians in Sierra Leone. Members of parliament seldom agree on what to do.
Critics maintain that S.L.P.P.'s Berewa "lacks political vision for his country. That, he simply wants to be the head of a patronage racket, amassing ill-gotten wealth and dispensing favors, without any regard for the suffering of ordinary folks or the virtues of good leadership. Of the three top presidential candidates, it is argued, Berewa is far more predisposed to be soft on corruption and to uphold and protect the status quo." And to many other critics, P.M.D.C.'s Charles Margai, is a controversial character. Some say he is an "arrogant" man with dictatorial tendencies. A.P.C.'s Ernest Koroma is rather seen as a "silent player," who has worked hard to organize the brains of the dissidents within his party. But Ernest, like Margai, has also been observed to lack strategy.
"You have probably heard the old saying that anybody can grow up to be president. But, not everybody is cut out to be president. It takes a special kind of person, someone tough, smart, and driven, just to run for the job. It takes still more talent and character to hold up under the pressures of life in the [State House]" (content.scholastic.com). For who is best qualified for the job—Berewa, Koroma, or Margai—voters cannot be sure that any of these candidates will hold up during the kinds of pressure situations that come with the office of the president. "A candidate's character, however, often gives clues as to how the person will react under stress. People disagree about what character traits are most important in a president." But there are some commonly accepted things that people look for, such as integrity, strength, and caring. How important is character in deciding which candidate to vote for, is hard to tell also, because voters today worry more about the issues: what the candidates plan to do about corruption, health care, education, and other problems.
Without question, Sierra Leoneans expect a lot from their president today more than any other time in the political history of the country. Understandably, they want the president to take quick action on problems facing the nation, such as crime and corruption. Despite what the Sierra Leone constitution states about the office of the president, the Sierra Leone president has incredible power. Much of that power is informal, meaning it is not spelled out anywhere in the Sierra Leone Constitution or laws. Like what President Theodore Roosevelt said of the office of the president, it is a "bully pulpit, a powerful platform that lets [the president] draws attention to key issues." Sierra Leone clearly needs that kind of president who uses the "bully pulpit" to drum up support for his policies and the resolve to be firm against corruption.
The point is, a president can be weak if he becomes the slave of the majority. The president has to have "the virtue of responsibility. 'Responsibility' is not mere responsiveness to the people; it means doing what the people would want done if they were apprised of the circumstances. Responsibility requires 'personal firmness' in one's character, and it enables those who love fame—the ruling passion of the noblest minds—to undertake extensive and arduous enterprises" (www.claremont.org). Only a strong president, and sometimes "arrogant" president, can be a great president for this ailing West African nation. Sierra Leone, sick with all forms of corruption at all levels of the society as it is, at this point deserves a president who will work hard to become a great president worthy of the admiration of his people. Such a president has to excel in deliberately planning and executing enterprises for shaping or reshaping the entire politics of the country.

Kenday S. Kamara is a native of Sierra Leone, where he attended Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, 1982-1986. He is currently an educator in the Prince George's County education system in Maryland, an organizational development consultant for MedCall Staffing and Management Consultants, Inc., and a Ph.D. scholar-practitioner in applied management and decision sciences at Walden University specializing in leadership and organizational change.
Copyright © 1997-2007 Worldpress.org. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Notice Front Page

Subject: Re: Kenday S. Kamara:Sierra Leone's Democratic Challenge
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 17:44:50 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:

Of absolute relevance and thematically linked to our own Kenday’s earlier article from January this year

Subject: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: BEAUTIFUL
To: All
Date Posted: 15:10:21 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
A huge stockpile of garbage situated in the middle of Gobachop market, Paynesville, near Monrovia Photo by Edwin M. Fayia, III

Big Garbage Swallows Gobachop market, Epidemic Outbreak Imminent
Published: 26 June, 2007

MONROVIA, Besides the uncontrollable armed robbery attacks around the Gobachop market, big garbage has swallowed Monrovia's largest food market

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: Liberiaman
To: All
Date Posted: 03:25:18 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.155.228.107

Message:
The picture is real, I admit it.But you are not aware, that Freetown is equally filthy, if not more.

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: Konah Gwaikolo
To: All
Date Posted: 08:43:44 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: waproxya28.msn.com at 65.54.97.193

Message:
Who says Freetown filthier than Monrovia? Come here and see.We live in filth,the whole city stink.

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: OKDOK
To: All
Date Posted: 21:54:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: OKDOK@YAHOO.COM
Entered From: wnpgmb11dc1-45-169-243.dynamic.mts.net at 206.45.169.243

Message:
THERE YOU GO JOSEPH SHARMAN

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: History
To: All
Date Posted: 19:45:06 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
The name "Gobachop" was introduced in Liberian parlance in the early 90s. Gobachop was the food rations that Ecomog soldiers used to exchange for stolen goods and sex in Monrovia. Gobachop market sprang up in the Paynesville area where the largest Ecomog contingent, the Nigerians, used to be based.

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: History
To: All
Date Posted: 19:48:47 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
The name "Gobachop" is derived from the name of the former Russian leader Gorbachev, but it refers to the Ecomog rations, the means of sustenance of many monrovia residents in the early 90s.

Subject: Re: MONROVIA BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
From: Memory
To: All
Date Posted: 16:20:04 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
Supermarket. Remember?

Subject: Child Abuse (This one is for the Leone Stars)
From: M. Alieu Iscandari Esq
To: All
Date Posted: 14:48:44 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
A five year old boy went to the police station to complain that his
parents are beating him a lot. This was a very serious accusation. So
the desk office took him to the commanding office. Below is the
dialogue between the police and the boy.

Boy: Me mama en papa den day beat me too mus.

Police: Or right. We go make you go tap to you aunty en uncle tay we
investigate dee case.

Boy: Are nor day go day. Den sef day beat me way are kin go holiday.

Police: Or right. You get grannie en granpa?

Boy: Yes! But are nor day go day oh. Me grandpa day chack en way
ee chack ee day beat me.

Police: Usie you wan go tap now.

Boy: Are day fraid for talk. Una go beat me.

Police: Talk we nor go do you any tin.

Boy: Well una buy sweet for me.

(They did)

Boy: Una buy chocolate for me.

(They did)

Boy: Me are wan go tap nar stadium.

Police: Watin do? You wan play ball or you get famble day?

Boy: Nor oh! Are nor sabi play ball sef.

Police: Well watin make you wan go tap nar stadium?

Boy: Me papa say nar day Leone Stars day, en den nor wan day beat
anybody. Nar im make are wan go tap to them

Subject: Re: Child Abuse (This one is for the Leone Stars)
From: APC
To: All
Date Posted: 15:01:10 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 67.63.2.157

Message:
Bra this wan yah you get for sign. Ar sweh you get for sign....you make me ade wan artt.

Subject: What you didn't know about the Kabbah - Libya - RUF trio
From: Researcher
To: All
Date Posted: 14:46:24 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
ss

Subject: The Case for a Strong President
From: Kenday S. Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 13:05:37 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: kkama002@waldenu.edu
Entered From: pool-138-88-44-179.res.east.verizon.net at 138.88.44.179

Message:
"Only a strong president, and sometimes 'arrogant' president, can be a great president for this ailing West African nation. Sierra Leone, sick with all forms of corruption at all levels of the society as it is, at this point deserves a president who will work hard to become a great president worthy of the admiration of his people. Such a president has to excel in deliberately planning and executing enterprises for shaping or reshaping the entire politics of the country."

.../Read it all at http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/2839.cfm

Kenday S. Kamara
Ph.D. Scholar-Practitioner/Leadership & Organizational Change
Walden U School of Management & Decision Sciences

Subject: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Observer
To: All
Date Posted: 09:50:03 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
What is wrong with Sa Lone? What is the role of the opposition in the kind of political rubbish?

Shouldn't this have been the moment when all amputees should have been mobilized to camp on the roads where goddamned motorcade was to travel?

They have been lost a great opportunity to allienate
themselves from the policies of the present regime and prove to the people that they were not going to continue pursuing any ass-licking policies for survival.

Where's the PMDC? Where is the APC?

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: GOSL
To: All
Date Posted: 11:43:34 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.155.228.107

Message:
What is wrong with everyone???Do you know, that SL delegation is in Libya, virtually every month.Apart from warm hospitality, even a private aircraft is made available to Sierra Leoneans.In reciprocation, this is the least we can do.We are weell known, for our hospitality, unlike the Americans and Nigerians.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 11:01:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
How sad it is that we are always late in giving advice, helping or trying to mobilise our people to protest. You could have suggested this earlier and provide resources for the protest.

We have all suffered; some are still healing their wounds whilst others have forgiven the perpetrators. i think the TRC was set up to address what happened and lessons have been learnt from that.

What constrructive or beneficial relevance a protest by amputees would have made? Qaddafi has accepted that the world now needs peace and is ready to clean up all the mess he once engaged in. take the issue of our 'British master's' prime minister, Tony blair, was in not in libya last month - why was he there - definitely to strengthen bi-lateral relations. please my brother/sister, learn to embrace your enemy if s/he decides to show remorse. I do not understand the logic in perpetual anger - the bible says a stubborn spirit is witchcraft. We should not be so hard onto ourselves or our detractors/enemies for mistakes of the past. Such mistakes should be used as aids in precautionary measures. I am not a Qaddafi fan nor a muslim. let the wicked clean up there mess to join a more civil society.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Patriot
To: All
Date Posted: 11:09:22 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
take the issue of our 'British master's' prime minister, Tony blair, was in not in libya last month - why was he there - definitely to strengthen bi-lateral relations. please my brother/sister, learn to embrace your enemy if s/he decides to show remorse
-- Chez Winakabs Europe

There is a big hole in your argument: Gaddafi showed remorse to Britain by doing at least two major things. First, he gave up his nuclear weapons ambitions. Second, he paid the families of the victims of his terrorism.

Now, tell me, Chez Winakabs Europe, has Gaddafi

1. Paid any compensation to the many million Salonean of victims of his terrorist activities carried out through his proteges, Charles Talor and Foday Sanjkoh?

The answer is a big fat NO!

2. Has Ghaddafi renounced his dream of dominating West African countries and other countries like he renounced his dream of acquiring nuclerar weapons to threaten Britain and other Western countries?

The answer is also a big fat NO!

So, tell, me Chez Winakabs Europe, in what way is British Prime Minister's visit to Libya similar to Gaddafi's visit to the scene of his bloody crimes against Salonean humanity?

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 11:44:17 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
I am not in defense of the alleged crimes Qaddafi committed in Sierra Leone. Another thing Patriot, Qaddafi has never been indicted or mentioned in any indictment!! If you have seen any, may I request to see such.

Your questions and my answers:

Q1. Paid any compensation to the many million Salonean of victims of his terrorist activities carried out through his proteges, Charles Talor and Foday Sanjkoh?

Your Ans. The answer is a big fat NO!
--------------------------------------------------
My Ans: We first need to bring Qaddafi to account for such alleged crimes to establish his involvement. I believe if the relative and sympathisers come together, poiting the finger at Qaddafi and bringing forward evidence to directly or indirectly connect him to what happened I believe, in the proper forum, he will be made to answer a case. has anyone tried to bring charges against Qaddafi on the senseless killings and maiming of our people?
Qaddafi will pay if he is made to realise that his actions and reactions to the plight of disturbed hustlers led to a senseless war that claiming nearly a million lives.

2. Has Ghaddafi renounced his dream of dominating West African countries and other countries like he renounced his dream of acquiring nuclerar weapons to threaten Britain and other Western countries?

The answer is also a big fat NO!

That is for me to find out what our Grand Design is - in relation to our foreign policy on Libya.

So, tell, me Chez Winakabs Europe, in what way is British Prime Minister's visit to Libya similar to Gaddafi's visit to the scene of his bloody crimes against Salonean humanity?
------------------------------------------------------

I made the analogy in the sense that Qaddafi was the most hated person by the British. After making his apology and handed over the accused to the appropriate authorities, he accepted to give compensation because it was his citizen that committed the crime but categorically made them understand that his government was not a party to the bombing. you and I know that he was involved as he had stronger motives than any other at the time. Tony Bail's visit to Libya was an acceptance of forgiveness and that i am ready to do business with you again. Our opportunity now is to show the Qaddafi's connection in the prejudicial killings, maiming and destruction of Sierra leonean property. Let us not shy away from the fact that he has now been accepted in the international community and that a visit to Sierra leone was to strengthen our relations and those of a multi-lateral nature. How many times have leaders from subsaharan visited Libya? like i said in my earlier post, 'I am not a defender of qaddafi'.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: M. Alieu Iscandari Esq
To: All
Date Posted: 15:27:59 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
If you have seen any, may I request to see such.

I have and I will be willing to direct you to an indictment where i=his name comes up time and time again.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Mrs Christiana Allieu
To: All
Date Posted: 09:54:58 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 83.229.87.203

Message:
My fellow citizens, this is not the right time for Libya Leader Kadhafi to visit us infact I dont see reasons why we should welcome him. He has been very instrumental to destabilized Sierra Leone and he will continue to all the sub region especially Africa as a whole.

Pls tell Pa Kabba to live quitely and not to bring us more pain. This is the worst thing he has ever done by bring the Rebel Leader to come and mock us and this is not the first and second time of Pa Kabba and Berewa insulting S/Leoneans like they did to some people (eg Henga Norman and others).

Is there any conscience left in the minds/heart of the SLPP crew? Pls let them dont remind us of the past.

All we need now is for God's intervention for a peaceful elections come August 11 2007.

Thanks

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 02:28:34 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
With pleasure sir, please do so. I think the problem of compensation or some form of provision for the victims is settled. Qaddafi has made the gesture to help the victims.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Patriot
To: All
Date Posted: 12:09:35 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
I am not in defense of the alleged crimes Qaddafi committed in Sierra Leone. Another thing Patriot, Qaddafi has never been indicted or mentioned in any indictment!! If you have seen any, may I request to see such. -- Chez Winakabs Europe

May I ask what is the relevance of your statement quoted above to my question asking you "in what way is British Prime Minister's visit to Libya similar to Gaddafi's visit to the scene of his bloody crimes against Salonean humanity?

The answer is: None! It is totally irrelevant because Gaddafi was not indicted by the Scottish court that convicted his Libyan agents whom he used to blow up the Pan Am airline; yet the unindicted Gaddafi paid hundreds of millions of dollars in an admission of liability to the victims of his terrorism.

So, again, I ask you, Chez Winakabs Europe, in what way is British Prime Minister's visit to Libya similar to Gaddafi's visit to the scene of his bloody crimes against Salonean humanity?

I hope you will answer the question responsively in your next attempt.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 12:17:57 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
You asked if he ever paid compensation to our people - I replied that he was not brought to account for anything.

The analogy of the two visits is that they are both to strengthened BI-LATERAL and MULTI-LATERAL RELATIONS, forgetting the hurt which each of the countries (Britain and Sierra Leone)ever felt. This answer was in my previous post. You may have overlooked it.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Moijue
To: All
Date Posted: 14:29:27 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host217-42-145-42.range217-42.btcentralplus.com at 217.42.145.42

Message:
Chez Winakabs Europe
Did Ghadaffi not pay compensation to the LOCKERBIE family?

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Njai
To: All
Date Posted: 14:50:34 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: static-70-20-197-79.phil.east.verizon.net at 70.20.197.79

Message:
I might be wrong and I stand to be corrected. What Chez Winakabs Europe is saying is that Ghadaffi paid compensation to the "Lockerbie" family because by implication he was indicted and found culpable somehow. In the case of SL he has not been officially accused by any government or international body. Who knows,maybe if he is indicted and found culpable he will pay likewise.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Moijue
To: All
Date Posted: 17:43:12 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 89.240.51.60

Message:
He knows the TRC REPORT that was endorsed by our parliament clearly accused Ghadaffi of fueling and supporting the rebels.
But then Chez Winakabs is now SLPP so he does not see this things.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 03:25:47 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
Eh dakae, which part was I then, if now I am SLPP. Moijue, you can always re-enter the fold. Your mediocrity has unbalanced your principles and ideals. PMDC, you know has no foundation, for now, in Sierra Leone. Remember, our conversation, sometime last year. To prepare for a general election is not a simple thing. Are you really happy with the choice of candidates your party has fielded to contest a parliamentary election? This process of 'who are going to represent us' should have been an important feature in your make up. A serious party should have thought of canvassing at least 150 prospective parliamentary candidates before shooting their mouths loud. SLPP, the party you and i belong is going to win and under Berewa, we will be a strong nation. Whatever, Berewa did then will not be repeated in his new dispensation. If he ever engages in anything that is contrary to the laws of our land, some of us in the SLPP will not be afraid to 'tell it to the nation and the international community'. Sierra Leone, Moijue, will be different under Berewa. Just think of his lowly beginnings and how he was able to be so blessed to have shifted all the greedy and time-wasters in the SLPP of old into oblivion. Berewa's leadership will be constantly evaluated and monitored and he knows that so because he wants nobility and honour - he will serve us well. We will be a great nation again under his leadership and God's guidance. PMDC will have to show proper serious activities in reconstruction and grassroot development to make an impact to influence the electorate to consider PMDC. Your party has no strategy, a party without a collective strategic approach can get nowhere. Your manifesto was written by the few without consulting the people themselves. if you guys had consulted the people by going from place to place to see what they want - you will be ahead now. You think in your own little and expect the people to buy your piece of paper written by a handful of disgruntled SLPP supporters.

R-ENTER YOUR PARTY AND THIS TIME FIGHT FROM WITHIN. Berewa was not SLPP but he tried his best and became the leader of SLPP. We can all help Berewa in his quest to serve Sierra Leone well. If we only talk and cannot influence the village people, townspeople and cities, we cannot help him! WE CAN BE A BETTER COUNTRY UNDER BEREWA!!!

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Moijue
To: All
Date Posted: 08:39:45 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 89.240.51.60

Message:
OPPORTUNISM and i am with the VP is what does not impress some of us.BTW, tell us the stewardship of JUSTICE MINISTER Berewa?
Why talk about something u know nothing about.
Pmdc manifesto came into existence after contribution from many compatriots including those in the diaspora.Ur SLPP refused to extend VOTING RIGHT to sierra leoneans in the diaspora.U and i know how BEREWA has virtually sidelined the SLPP branch in UK in favour of FRIENDS OF BEREWA.
Be rest assured that i am very comfortable in the PMDC.I prefer to be poor and proud than to be in SLPP just to bootlick like some people.
I wonder why u wanted to form your own party when u have known Berewa all this while.Bo Winston support Berewa but u are not doing it because u love salone.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 08:54:33 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host81-133-65-122.in-addr.btopenworld.com at 81.133.65.122

Message:
Insults do not come into this! I am not happy with Kabbah but that does not make me behave irrationally.

I believe I had attained the age that qualified me to serve my country. I needed a team that was willing to change things and that team I found not. What did I do - joined my party again and now battling for reforms within. I must thank Cornelius for the posting written by Kenday Kamara which in its objectivity catalogue a fair evidence of what SLPP has been trying to do. None is perfect but I believe in Berewa than Charles. I am not supporting Berewa for no gains. I am a qualified person and spent many years trying to better my people everywhere I was able to be in touch with them. I have a right to wortk for my country, if I possess the qualifications. All the friends from other countries I studied with have all gone back to work for their countries. Only our country negects its young minds. I am supporting Berewa because of my love for my country. My prayers are that he does not fall victim of cronyism. He is a capable man and will change himself and Sierra leone.

Below is an excerpt from what Kenday Kamara wrote which was made available to us by Cornelius:

----------------------------------------------------

"ut it is rather fair to also acknowledge some of the positive trends of the reform process of the last five years in Sierra Leone. Though poverty reduction remains a major challenge for the government and people of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone People's Party-led government has labored "to develop a framework that is people-oriented and people-centered, working with an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I.P.R.S.P.) which, among other things, sought to empower people living in poverty through improving their access to basic social and other types of services and productive resources. [The strategy seems to be working since it supports] a wide ranging set of policies aimed at poverty reduction, progress toward the [United Nations] Millennium Development Goals, and the goals and targets of the Brussels Program of Action. Again, the successful implementation of the I.P.R.S.P. and the N.R.S. [National Recovery Strategy] resulted in economic recovery in 2001-2004. Real GDP expanded from 5.4 percent in 2001 to 6.8 percent in 2004 and 7.2 percent in 2005. Gross capital formation as a percentage of GDP increased from 14.3 percent in 2003 to 19.6 percent in 2004 as per the World Development Indicators database 2005." Also, "wide ranging and comprehensive governance reform measures are being undertaken." These include the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act in 2000; the Anti-Money Laundering Act, a new Public Procurement Act and the Local Government Act in 2004; and a new Government Budgeting and Accountability Bill and an Investment Code in 2005" (www.un.org). The government has also embarked on a decentralization process in 2004. The first local government elections in 32 years were successfully conducted in May 2004 following Paramount Chieftaincy elections in 2003. The government's strategic focus has also been and continues to center on promoting basic education, providing basic healthcare and other social services, and empowering vulnerable people.
A National Youth Policy has been adopted and vigorous youth empowerment programs are being pursued. In the area of health, the government continues to implement programs with the support of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Union, and other donors, all aimed at rebuilding health infrastructure. Telecommunication usage is being encouraged in order to exploit fully the benefits of globalization. Telecommunications facilities, especially cellular phones, have improved significantly. A new mining policy aimed at mitigating environmental degradation "while encouraging investors to engage in small-scale artisanal diamond mining projects in partnership with local communities" (www.sierra-leone.org) was approved in 2004. The government and donors are putting in place agricultural support measures such as the provision of machinery and improved seedlings to farmers and farming communities. The government maintains a liberalized trading system to promote trade and diversify exports. The Office of National Security (O.N.S.), set up in 2002 for coordinating national security, intelligence gathering, and analysis, is enforcing a national disaster management policy. A National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) has also been established to provide social safety nets to the vulnerable.
But despite some of these gains made by the besieged SLPP administration, the current interventions do not seem to be supported by a "strong presidency." The country receives an overall "very weak" rating in the 2006 Global Integrity Index. The rating is based on the continued poor state of the economy and the lack of opportunity for most people in Sierra Leone. The index assesses national anticorruption policies and practices in countries around the world. It depends on Sierra Leone's democratic politics to change the present dismal state of affairs with the principles of democracy empowering the right candidate for the office of the president—a person with good intention to aggressively pursue sound policies, redistribute wealth and develop the country.
Mainstream development vision within the bounds of conventional economics and human welfare holds that sound development policies will benefit all in the long run. According to the Africa Futures Group headquartered in Abidjan, "long-term perspective planning guides short- and medium-term plans, keeps development plans more focused, ensures optimal use of resources, and opens the eyes of a country to long-term development opportunities" (www.uniqueservers.net). But long-term perspectives do not come naturally to democratic politicians who must focus on winning elections in the short term. Accordingly, a grass roots democracy such as Sierra Leone must nurture the energies of its youth and entrepreneurs while, in the short run, responding to the reservations and resentments of the masses. How well Sierra Leone's politicians walk this tightrope will determine the outcome of the country's economic and development transformation.
How Political Kleptocracy Began?
Sierra Leone achieved her independence in 1961 with growth prospects that looked encouraging. The new Sierra Leone was born "with great enthusiasm and optimism of a promising future" and with "the potential of becoming one of the wealthiest and most developed states in the West African subregion." The country had a renowned educational system; a rich and diversified natural resource base comprising "diamonds gold, rutile, iron ore, bauxite, illemenite; a vibrant agricultural sector that met national needs and generated foreign exchange earnings; rich marine resources" (www.uniqueservers.net); tourist attractions; and a seemingly stable democracy. But not for too long, Sierra Leone's post-independence economic growth performance became dismal. "Real G.D.P. per capita growth averaged -1 percent for 1961-97 compared with 0.9 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa (S.S.A.). Like S.S.A. the country experienced moderate growth in the 1960's up to the early 1970's: 2.5 percent for 1961-70, falling to 0.06 percent for 1971-79, before turning negative in 1980-90: -0.9 percent. Unlike S.S.A. where growth recovered in the mid 1990's, Sierra Leone's growth in the 1990's deteriorated further to -8 percent for 1991-97 during the civil war" (www.centad.org). Sierra Leone had opted for a centrally planned economy with a closed-trade regime, heavy state intervention, and a garbled industrial policy in a large informal economy. The deteriorating growth performance from the early 1970's due to adverse terms of trade shocks and the political economic factor of "kleptocracy" and political repression under the A.P.C., which ruled from 1968-92 provides a national account of what really happened when the British returned the country to its sons and daughters.
It was within this coppice of poor policy choices that, in the 1990's, reformers in the A.P.C.-led government began to push hard for economic transformation based on Structural Adjustment Program (S.A.P.) liberalization measures. The International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) and the World Bank argued that in order for a developing country to qualify for a loan, it had to meet a list of budgetary and policy changes. "This 'conditionality' typically included reducing barriers to trade and capital flows, tax increases, and cuts in government spending." Thus the A.P.C.-led government of Joseph Saidu Momoh began a series of incremental reforms, which the S.L.P.P. under Tejan Kabbah continued after it came to power when the N.P.R.C. junta era of Valentine Strasser and Julius Maada Bio ended in 1996. The big thrust of reforms came about in 2001 especially on governance, which had taken the country a long way from the dark days of "kleptocracy" and political repression.
In some areas of economic policy, progress has been dramatic; in others, little or no progress has been made. Sierra Leone's investment regime has undergone some form of reform. "To cope with a weak investment environment, in August 2004 Sierra Leone updated its legal framework governing investment (now covering all sectors); past fiscal incentives (including a lower payroll tax rate for ECOWAS citizens) remain in force pending the revision of the tax code. Work on the adoption of an export processing zone regime is under way." Although the Sierra Leone economy is 48.4 percent free, according to the Index of Economic Reform 2007 assessment, "which makes it the world's 141st freest economy," "Sierra Leone scores well in fiscal freedom and freedom from government." In Sierra Leone, "starting a business takes an average of 26 days, compared to the world average of 48 days." "The weighted average tariff rate in Sierra Leone was 14.9 percent in 2005. The government is making progress toward liberalizing the trade regime" (www.heritage.org). The rules governing foreign investment have been reasonably liberalized."
Progress has been limited, however, in many key areas of the economy as estimated by the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom measures. The Index of Economic Freedom is a project that ranks 161 countries across 10 specific freedoms on things like tax rates and property rights. The index shows that "investment freedom, financial freedom, labor freedom, property rights, and freedom from corruption are all weak." It further shows that the government of Kabbah and Berewa "faces political instability, which discourages foreign investment, as do legal restrictions and a devastated infrastructure. Sierra Leone's financial system is small. The judicial system is riddled with corruption … as is virtually all of the country's civil service." The labor market is "highly inflexible" and is found to be "one of the 20 least free in the world" (www.heritage.org)."

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: What?
To: All
Date Posted: 09:11:53 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
You must be desperate to lean on a discredited blowhard like Kenday-- the man Cornelius once abused his mother for repeating saying that the solution to Salone's problems is to bring back the white men to become masters of black people!

This is the person you look up to to for support that SLPP is not a total failure? Puleez!Be smore erious, man.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 11:32:16 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.156.236.63

Message:
Kenday kamara is not SLPP and his objectivity in his piece made me extract what he wrote of SLPP merits to be brought to our notice.

i believe the problem with Cornelius and kenday has long settled down. kenday is a fine man and I will always hold him in high esteem.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: What?
To: All
Date Posted: 14:29:17 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
"Kenday kamara is not SLPP and his objectivity in his piece made me extract what he wrote of SLPP merits to be brought to our notice."

Unles you are claiming that Kenday has chnaged, I do not see how he can be objective when he has proved with his "please, master, enslave us again" plea to whitemen, that he lacks any objectivity when it comes to Salone.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Moijue
To: All
Date Posted: 08:59:23 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 89.240.51.60

Message:
Can u tell us Berewa's stewardship as AG & Justice minister pls? U can number them from 1-5

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Njai
To: All
Date Posted: 19:54:13 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: 65-78-54-33.c3-0.upd-ubr7.trpr-upd.pa.cable.rcn.com at 65.78.54.33

Message:
Thanks for the infor.. I know it is my resposibility to read the TRC but if you can really help out next time by refering me to the relevant section I will appreciate it.
BTW, apart from the TRCs implicating Ghadaffi, was it recommended that he should be brought to account? Thanks.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Patriot
To: All
Date Posted: 12:36:35 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
"You asked if he ever paid compensation to our people - I replied that he was not brought to account for anything."

Your answer should help you understand the point I have beentrying to help you understand -- in order for Gaddafi to pay compensation for Libya's terrorist actions against the people of Salone, he does not have to be indicted.

So, your reply to my point that Gaddafi had paid his Lockerbie victims compensation for his terrorist acts -- by saying that he has not been indicted for his crimes against Salone people -- is totally irrelevant!

I hope you now finally understand that important point. Once you do, you will understand that by refusing and failing to pay compensation to his Salone victims, Gaddafi is demonstrating an OPPOSITE posture to his newfound British friends like Prime Minister Blair, compared to the DUMBKOFF new found friend, President Kabbah and his eqwually dimwitted sidekick, and annointed successor, Solomon Berwewa.

Comprenez vous,Chez Winakabs Europe?

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 08:42:04 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host81-133-65-122.in-addr.btopenworld.com at 81.133.65.122

Message:
Is this satisfactory - Like I said previously he was in sierra leone to discuss strenghtening bi-lateral and multi-lateral relations. The issue you were so perturbed about was one of them. It is always good to wait and see before jumping the gun. You had over five years to comment on the issue that so much perturbed yopu yet you waited for the day he was in FGreetown, not knowing what he was there for to complain. Thank God he was there to address one of your complaints - much to our satisfaction.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Posted by Gadaffi on June 26, 2007 at 18:44:08:

Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims

Tue Jun 26, 3:53 PM ET

FREETOWN (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi offered in Sierra Leone Tuesday to help victims of a bitter civil war that he was once accused of backing.

He told a rally of thousands of people at the sports stadium in the capital Freetown that he would ensure that victims of the 10-year civil war were rehabilitated and assisted.

"As soon as I go back I will make sure the Kadhafi International Charity Foundation will be established in Freetown to look after war victims and orphans," said the Libyan leader through a translator.

Kadhafi and former Liberian president Charles Taylor have been accused of backing rebels in the Sierra Leone war that raged from 1991 to 2001 and was marked by mass killings, mutilations and amputations and rape.

About 120,000 people were killed during that war. But Kadhafi was granted a red carpet welcome on arrival Monday.

An avid backer of the concept of a "United States of Africa" which is to be discussed at the African Union (AU) summit to be held in July in the Ghanaian capital Accra, Kadhafi slammed his fellow leaders for failing to bring about African unity.

"African unity must come from the people. The time has come when we should not listen to the leaders, as they have failed the continent, but African people themselves for the unification of the continent," he said.

"Europe is uniting very fast, America is already united and so Africa has no alternative but to ensure that it is united," he added.

He said the tide of Africans migrating to the West "must stop starting now".

"African begging for assistance from America and Europe is unacceptable," he said.

The Libyan leader who is travelling by road on his way to Accra for the AU summit, has already been to Mali and Guinea.

He is due to leave Freetown on Wednesday for Ivory Coast, from where he will proceed to Ghana for the weekend twice-yearly summit of African leaders.

Follow Ups:

Re: Kadhafi pledges to help Sierra Leone war victims - J. U. Kamara 23:38:34 06/26/07 (0)

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Patriot
To: All
Date Posted: 09:04:06 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
"You had over five years to comment on the issue that so much perturbed yopu yet you waited for the day he was in FGreetown, not knowing what he was there for to complain."

And how would you know what I have been commenting on in the past 5 years? The same way you "know" of my "not knowing what he was there for?

Try to write sensibly. State facts, not wild opinions, when you claim something was done or nor done.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: True
To: All
Date Posted: 10:45:26 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
AS A GREAT MAN ONCE SAID:

People get the government they deserve. And so it is with the BACKWARD people of Salone.

Sad, but true.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 11:10:14 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
It is not what a man eats that defines the man but what comes out of the man's mouth. negative thought and words beget a disturbed mind. Nothing is wrong with Sierra Leone. We in the diaspora are more confused and unstable than those that are in the homeland. We go there taking out huge sums of credit and show off leaving our brothers envious and corrupt prone. we do not tell them the truth about where we got the money we will be spending during our vactions. Such attitudes of ours creates a breeding ground for vain competition and corruption. The guys down are always waiting for the JC not to outshine them. Our problems are so great that we have to address the simple issues of trust, honesty and discipline first.

These little observations can make a big difference if addressed. it will even discourage others with no education to think first before leaving out to join us in the west. Let us create a fair playing ground by telling our home brothers the truth about conditions in the diaspora.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Mohamed A. Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 15:22:12 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 65.88.88.24

Message:
Speak for yourself brother. I am from central one (born and raised at Regent street to be specific). Any individual living in that hood, will tell you that when the central fellas go home to visit, they make it a point of duty to blend in. Pay homage to the elders ( man nor day forget de bra dem ). If one is down there for the easter recess, celebrating in the rainbow masquerade is a must. And most definetly you have to break bread with the homebased brothers at Tonio's barber shop ( at the corner of Regent and sackville streets, most times in the evening hours, after the errands have been taken care of. That's when we will talk about life's peaks and valleys in the western world. Indeed central boys are a different lot. Keeping up appearances (false life)is a BIG NO NO. Many of the brothers at home have traveled to and from other African countries and Europe as far back as the 80s. So they are not clueless about life out of Sierra leone. If you appeared all dressed up in yellow ( a fake persona), they won't have time for you.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: CluelessCoker
To: All
Date Posted: 04:07:50 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
"So they are not clueless about life out of Sierra leone."

Clueless? Did you use the word clueless? Well, my brother, get ready for the clueless Edmund Koker to accuse you of being Mohamed A. Jalloh!

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 02:36:45 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
Thanks, my apologies for the generalisation.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: M. Alieu iscandari esq
To: All
Date Posted: 15:08:36 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
Nothing is wrong with Sierra Leone.....................

WINSTON!!!!!! LEF NOR

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Chez Winakabs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 02:42:54 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
Alieu, we are the problem and not the country. The country is there with all it natural resources. It is down to us to utilise it efficiently and make it more beneficial to us. If greed and corruption has overtaken the true spirit of nation building, what would you expect. The people are the problem and not Sierra Leone. You cannot build a glass house without first showing the man who is going to live in the glass house how to live in it. The people of Sierra Leone need to understand that the country is there and if you invest in it properly you will reap good proceeds from your venture.

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: MUSA KAMARA
To: All
Date Posted: 07:21:45 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: luna.hypair.net at 194.50.180.4

Message:
My feelings are,you are not honest to yourself and the country.You are saying that,the people are the problem and not the country.Yet you are advocating for those same evil and incompetent people to continue to devastate and ruin what they have left.Muna lef selfish,le we think for d future generation not for the pos wae we dea look for or na mi tribe man.Chez W. lef hypocracy

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: MUSA KAMARA
To: All
Date Posted: 07:17:19 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: luna.hypair.net at 194.50.180.4

Message:
My feelings are,you are not honest to yourself and the country.You are saying that,the people are the problem and not the country.Yet you are advocating for those same evil and incompetent people to continue to devastate and ruin what they have left.Muna lef selfish,le we think for d future generation not for the pos wae we dea look for or na mi tribe man.Chez w lef hypocracy

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: kroobaymom
To: All
Date Posted: 10:06:23 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: kroobaymom@yahoo.com
Entered From: at 206.113.148.2

Message:
Teacher- Point to the person in the picture who funded and armed rebels to cause mayhem in Sierra Leone?

Student- the one way wer yalla!

Teacher-Correct.Now point to the person in the picture who executed 24 of his countrymen without a fair hearing; hired mercenaries and armed kamajors to cause mayhem in Sierra leone?

Student- the one way get the ball head!

Teacher - Smart boy. Now final question- Compare and contrast the two both of them?

Student- nar the same tree & ten pence lek fatu & hawa.

Teacher- Promoted. Class rise!!

Subject: Re: Libya Leader Kadhafi Gets a Red Carpet Welcome
From: Observer
To: All
Date Posted: 10:32:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
Politics should be more about ideology than what tribes people belong to or who is old, smart, ugly or handsome.
Where are the values? What do these political parties stand for?

Subject: LINE UP ALL THE AMPUTEES FOR GHADAFFI TO SEE
From: kroobaymom
To: All
Date Posted: 09:43:32 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: kroobaymom@yahoo.com
Entered From: at 206.113.148.2

Message:
As Ghadaffi presents the 19 buses to the country today, Sierra leoneans should line up thousands of amputees against the buses for him to see the carnage and untold suffering he has caused our people.

Subject: Re: LINE UP ALL THE AMPUTEES FOR GHADAFFI TO SEE
From: Libyan
To: All
Date Posted: 03:29:41 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 86.155.228.107

Message:
You sick people, Qadaffi never came to chop limbs of yours.It was all done by your own brothers.

Subject: SLPP IN HOSPICE
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 08:54:24 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.148

Message:
Forumites,

This is to announce that the aged SLPP is admitted in hospice and is slowly dying. It has long being diagnosed with corruption, nepotism, kukujumuku and all the ills of rotten political organisation.

Doctors have said it is now a matter of time set at 11 August 2007. The life of the SLPP has been prolonged by self-manipulation.

Guys, wash your GREEN jackets for mourners who wish to attend the funeral.

Signed

Specialist Doctor in Dying SLPP Prediction.

Subject: Re: SLPP IN HOSPICE
From: STEPHEN SWARAY
To: All
Date Posted: 10:41:51 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: swaray2@aol.com
Entered From: ac8de7f7.ipt.aol.com at 172.141.231.247

Message:
SLPP IS A POLITICAL INSTITUTION AS AGED AS OUR INDEPENDENCE AND AS LONG THE WORLD IS WITHOUT END;SO SHALL BE SIERRA LEONE AND SLPP.IT IS WRITTEN AND IT SHALL BE DONE.
UNFORTUNATELY,DR.OF CREAVITY,YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN FUFIL THE BASIC CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO OUR HOSPICE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE DEAD AND BURIED ON 11.08.07.
FINALLY,DON'T FORGET THE FACT THAT YOU ARE JUST AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE SLPP IS AN INSTITUTION.

Subject: Re: SLPP IN HOSPICE
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 23:25:12 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.58

Message:
Mr. Swaray,

Remember 1967, at least from history books? I do. History repeats itself, this time it is 2007.

SLPP is terminally ill with CANCER OF CORRUPTION AND GOOD FOR NOTHING. The common man is very much aware of this.

So we shall bury SLPP on 11.08.07. Sad ending but a big relief to our poor people who put so much hope in good for nothing bunch of failures to put it mildly.

Subject: Health Care for all of Sierra Leone's people
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 08:52:33 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
1961-2007, here have all the Sierra Leone doctors gone?

Michael Moore's "Sicko" (a review)

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28882

This is about the most advanced country in the world (the US) and their approach to Health Care. Moore has been quoted as saying that if the present conservative coalition that is in power/ office in Sweden goes ahead with massive privatization of hospital care, then the Swedes will revert to a Social Democrat government the very next election.....

Sierra Leone @176/177 and with a crippling life expectancy for men being 37 and for women 39, and with the highest infant mortality in the world coupled with noxious garbage strewn all over Freetown and posing a health hazard to the people of that famous metropolis, I’m wondering and I’m sure that you are too about how far Sierra Leone has come with Health care for her 5 million citizens?

What space does Health Care receive in the Party manifestoes? What percentage of the budget goes to saving Sierra Leone life through adequate care? Many many thanks to Cuba and Iran who have offered to help with medical staff, doctors, and nurses, and Great Britain with even ambulances…

Subject: When will tomorrow come on Justin Musa's insider Story?
From: Nasultan
To: All
Date Posted: 07:49:45 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: nasultan@yahoo.com
Entered From: 216-111-14-77.dia.static.qwest.net at 216.111.14.77

Message:
Bra Kabs, When will tomorrow come on Justin Musa's insider story? This story really fascinates me.

Subject: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: KABS KANU
To: All
Date Posted: 20:49:45 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
Mr. John Mannah,
I have noticed that you do not participate in this forum .This could not have been odd if I did not see you rebutting something written in COCORIOKO that you sent to other papers( But nary to COCORIOKO).Usually, you send a copy to the paper itself.

Sir, we have absolutely nothing against you at COCORIOKO. Our doors are wide open to one and all, including you. You are a brilliant and learned brother and I believe we can all learn from you in the same way that you can learn from us too.

Please join us and also send your gems to COCORIOKO.The fact that you belong to the other forum does not mean than anybody here has anything against you. Yaya Fanusie is a clear example of the fact you can dine sumptously in both forums.

We love you .

Did anybody notice too that there is another brilliant brother called Alfred Saint-James who is only active in forums where Sylvia participates ? It is strange that a man with his ideas is not a member of the Leonenets or Moh'm Jalloh's erudite forum AND HAS NEVER CONTRIBUTED ANYTHING TO COCORIOKO OR OTHER FORUMS .

If you are a real,living human being , Sir, you are invited to COCORIOKO. Don't hide your glowing light under the bushel.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: John Mannah
To: All
Date Posted: 13:16:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: Mannj703@newschool.edu
Entered From: c-76-21-251-146.hsd1.md.comcast.net at 76.21.251.146

Message:
Mr. Kabs Kanu,

I am flabbargasted and lost for words when I read your open letter to me this afternoon. I however appreciate the good sentiments you expressed about me, especially the candor and honesty you exhibited. I appreciate your gesture.
I am surprised because I thought I had become persona non grata to Cocorioko due to the fact that you have always refused to publish the articles I have e-mailed to you. I have never been able to rationalize the reason why Mr. Kanu kept ignoring my contribution to the growth of your all important and impressive online newspaper. I however accepted my faith and as I have always treated the challenges that face me in life, I kept moving forward. I am the first person to confess to you that I am a die hard SLPP member and I make no aplolgy for that. I have however tried to be objective and balanced in my writings in the interest of our beloved country. Lets however say I am partisan, for arguments sake. Is that a reason for not publishing my articles? You figure. This is because I have seen more partisan articles you publish that beats my imagination, all from APC executive as well as ordinary members. I sent you an article in May about the prospective Sierra Leone Stock Market, where I appealed to you to publish the said article due to its socio-economic significance to our country. It was just an article educating the general Sierra Leonean public about this important capitalist machine. You still ignored my plea and refused to publish it. So were the numerous one's in response to Mr. Mohamed Jalloh and Karamoh Kabbah's attacks on my person. I e-mailed several rebuttals to their unwarranted, unfounded and baseless attacks on me, and I even appealed to your better judgment expressing that you had a moral obligation to publish my rebuttals since these guys had used your newspaper to attack me. There is a saying in contract law, that "he who goes to equity, should go there with clean hands" and indeed I went to you for equitable remedy for an opportunity to rebut these guys, but to no avail. So this is primarily why I stopped sending my articles to you.
As far as participating in the Cocorioko disucssion forum, I just do not have the stomack for the unsavory profanities and unprintable materials that I see on that forum. I have always felt sorry for Mr. John Ernest Leigh because of the abuse and unwarranted attack on him. I have kept wandering to myself why such an accomplished Sierra Leonean like Mr. Leigh who (if you have followed my writings is no friend of mine) continue to expose his person to such ridicule and beating. I am really happy he has finally vanquished the forum, cause he did not deserve the unnecessary attacks on him. The opportunity cost of my time, and the fact that there is no standard rule for participants to follow are maybe some of the factors why I have not participated. I am however fully engaged in this debate in Sierra Leone, as I see it as a national obligation to contribute in my own little way by asking the hard questions investigative journalists like you Mr. Kanu are not asking our politicains. You guys should not give these guys an easy pass into these offices any longer as our country is always going to be the loser.
I apprecaite once again your kind sentiments and candor you have extended to me and will once again take you for your word and start sending my articles to Cocorioko. I must commend you for the great work you are doing for Sierra Leone, and ask Joskin Kanu about me, who I understand is your younger brother, he is a great guy and a friend at Aureol when we were there as students. As the Aureol motto goes " None Sebes Said Alis" not for self but for others.
Cheers

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: KABS KANU
To: All
Date Posted: 18:31:45 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: h167-156-253.63.chubb.com at 167.156.63.253

Message:
Mr. John Mannah,
It is not possible for me to receive your articles and not publish them. Are you sure you sent them to kabbskanu@aol.com and kabbiekanu@yahoo.com ? I did not receive them .

I do not delete my mails, so I will take time to go back and look at all my past mails. I will however be frank to say that your mails were not received by me. If I received them, why would I write you such an open letter ? I was also wondering why you did not send articles to COCORIOKO or participate in the forum.
Please check the address you have for me to avoid this kind of problem in the future.
Thanks for your response and we look forward to hearing from you on the forum.

With all due thanks

KABS KANU

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Yaya Fanusie
To: All
Date Posted: 21:41:17 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: Futatoro@gmail.com
Entered From: adsl-71-138-134-39.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 71.138.134.39

Message:
KabsKanu,
This John Mannah is a paid agent of the SLPP. Therefore, he is not reliable. He did not send you any emails. Just another fabrication of an slpp agent. You would have published his articles had you received them. He stopped posting in Cocorioko Forum because he was tipped we are going to publish facts of his personal life and that was the reason for his absence.
Di fellow the say because of the bashing of John Leigh he left. Damned lie!
Yaya Fanusie-APC

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 23:49:36 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
What happened to:
Yaya Fanusi-New APC???

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: RUBBER DUCK
To: All
Date Posted: 04:43:42 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 217.41.217.24

Message:
Yaya Fanusi - NEW APC - OLD APC Same difference

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Saloneman
To: All
Date Posted: 16:09:36 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
I don't know why Kabbs Kanu did not publish your articles, Mannah. But from your carelessness with the truth, I am not surprised, because Rev. Kabbs does not like publishing lies and personal attacks on people.

I was on this cocorioko forum when Karamoh and Mohm'J replied to your wishy-washy writings praising the SLPP using rubbish economics. What both of those two men did was tear apart your roto-rata writings. There was no personal attack I read in their pieces. Instead of that, I must say you were the one who told lies about them. You even claimed to be North America
Communications Director in one of your articles. That was a big lie.

I even heard say that even the lying SLPP could not stomach your lie and you were called to a meeting in Maryland by the SLPP honchos where you were openly warned never again to tell lies about yourslef to the public uising the SLPP name. Only then did you stop.

Now, here you come talking about fine gentlemen like Karamoh and Mohm'J making "baseless allegations!" Did they make the baseless allegation that you were Director of Communications for the SLPP in North America? No, of course not. It was you that made that allegation about yourself. Come to find out, it turned out to be a baseless allegation."

Mannah, like you were told by people on this forum, you are nothing but a failed cab driver looking to escape from your failure by bootlicking at the soiled feet of the thieving SLPP. That mak3es you as corrupt as the SLPP leaders.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Chez Winakbs Europe
To: All
Date Posted: 12:03:55 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-198-105.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.198.105

Message:
Have you noticed that cocorioko is not what it claims to be - independent and anonymity claims. For sometime i tried contributing on this forum using another handle and was giving away by whom i do not know. I made several complains about this and decided to come back to my real self as it was not my intention to disguise my self in pursuit of an unethical vendetta.
I think you should not worry too muxh. Do what you say and believe in and you will not be afraid to miss anyone.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Cawuta
To: All
Date Posted: 10:44:23 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: Cana@yahoo.com
Entered From: 79-66-45-209.dynamic.dsl.as9105.com at 79.66.45.209

Message:
This is a first for me. No need to intimidate people to join your forum. People can do, say what they like and also have a choice of where to go Mr Rev.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: M. Alieu Iscandari Esq
To: All
Date Posted: 15:05:22 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
I would not consider this entreaty an intimidation in the strictest construction of the word, trather I would call it a case of crass bootlicvking of the order that I have never believed that Kabbie will sink down to. Kabbie you really do not need one track minds in this forum we got enough of them already. Thers Cadmus (my good brother who knows he should be pobjective but cant because he is looking for a job in the next slpp administration if that materialises at all. Thers John Ernest kleigh a man I who not so long ago I beklieved in so much that i would have sold my first born into slavery just to have an opportunity to be on his team until he did the SLPP thing which was to BETRAY my friendship with him, which friendship I had cultivated since 1999. Then there is the odd Uncle and nephew team of Edmund Koker and his equally one track minded Uncle KNICE. Theres i the fellow who writes as Independet, theres hashim dabor and I can name at least 10 more. But I hope that you get the picture. If your entreaty was in the spirit of nationalism and comming together, I applaud it. If it was in the spirit of putting together and bringing into this forum another SLPP kunumunu tonto, then I say the road to the slpp throne is strewn with razor blade and razor wire, becareful when you crawl on you belly man, you might get cut or worse you just might get treated the slpp way. You dont believe me ask Caesar.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Tracking Mohamed Jalloh
To: All
Date Posted: 10:09:07 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-44c29146.dyn.optonline.net at 68.194.145.70

Message:
"Every thinking man who has read Mannah's communist length rambling diatribes that he imagines in his ignorance are economic analysis knows that Mannah has been shown to be very stupid. He was exposed as a bootlicking, ignorant SLPP apologist in this forum by the really brilliant forumites we have here. Why do you think he avoids coming here?"

Mohamed Jalloh,
You cannot speak for everybody. You can only speak for yourself. Kabs-Kanu is not a fool to call a stupid man a brilliant person. Dr. John Mannah's writings in Salone newspapers depict a sound thinking brilliant guy. Therefore Kabs-Kanu is right on his assessment of this gentleman. Some people refrain from posting on this forum because of rude forumites like you. Mannah posts with his name and does not want to go down the dirty road that forumites like you love to take.

Knowing you well with your jealousy of Ph.D holders, it is not a surprise that you will add Mannah to your long list of enemies. A stupid man cannot go through a doctoral program, especiaaly in economics at a major American university. Somebody once said that 50 it is not too late for Mohamed Jalloh to go for his Ph.D. The only problem is that old man Jalloh will be sleeping in class and may not graduate until he turns 65. At that time, he will need to find a job since he will already be collecting social security.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: Tracking Edmund Koker
To: All
Date Posted: 10:18:50 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
"A stupid man cannot go through a doctoral program,...."

You are a prime example of the fact that there is at least one stupid man who has gobe through a doctoral program.

You are just too stupid to know it.

It is obvious that you have no idea what you are talking about. Or, who you are talking about, be it Mannah, or Moh'm J.

If you did, you would never accuse Moh'm of the nonsense things you wrote. Nor would you mistake Mannh's nonsense writing for anything remotely connected with brilliance.

But, again, you are just too stupid to know that.

Subject: Re: OPEN LETTER TO MR. JOHN MANNAH
From: New Testatment
To: All
Date Posted: 08:21:01 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
"You are a brilliant and learned brother and I believe we can all learn from you in the same way that you can learn from us too.
______________________________

Kabs, please don't let your christian bekief of love thy fellow mann blind you to the reality of their true character.

For you to call John Mannah brilliant is like Jesus Christ calling Judas loyal. Both statements are totally false, no matter how well-intentioned.

Every thinking man who has read Mannah's communist length rambling diatribes that he imagines in his ignorance are economic analysis knows that Mannah has been shown to be very stupid. He was exposed as a bootlicking, ignorant SLPP apologist in this forum by the really brilliant forumites we have here. Why do you think he avoids coming here?

Stop being naive, Rev. Kabbie. Call a spade a spade. Jesus said love thy neighbor, but He did not say tell lies to cover thy neoghbor's failings! Lonta.

Subject: FOR MR, QUESTION
From: okdok
To: All
Date Posted: 05:50:18 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: okdok@yahoo.com
Entered From: wnpgmb11dc1-161-172-17.dynamic.mts.net at 142.161.172.17

Message:
We are not in a classroom but i will give you one big project misused by APC and northerners since i dont know who you are.
IDAP NORTH FOR AGRICULTURE.It is bigger than all aids sent to that country life.
Ask all smart and honest citizens
Ask all smart and honest sierra leoneans.

Subject: Re: FOR MR, QUESTION
From: Project Manager
To: All
Date Posted: 11:43:47 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host-84-9-61-204.bulldogdsl.com at 84.9.61.204

Message:
ok dok

I am a honest Sierras Leonean but a very stupid one.You are right, Sheki only took the IDA project to the north to put money into us northerners pocket. That was why he had one in Kenema District in Binkolor Chiefdom and another in Moyamba Chiefdom in Port Loko Province.

Bra, nar true, you "needs to go back and look into Pa sheika,s projects he wasted on that part of the country only going into private northerners pockets" That was why he only allowed apc northerners to head those projects for him. People like Harry Will a northerner from Moyamba Chiefdom was made IDA Project Manager in Kenema. And the late Edward Moody another Northern from Moyamba was also made project Manager of IDA in Moyamba.

Northerners even connive with Sheki to "wast project,s" like Bo Chinese Farm, ACRE project and the Bo Pujehun project TO PUT MONEY INTO NORTHERNERS POCKET. As you know both Bo and Pujehun are villages in the Binkolor Chiefdom. Sheki put so much money into Northerners pockets that when Shaki "wasted" another TOBACCO project on Moyamba Chiefdom in Port Loko province, Northerners left Loko Masama in Luawa District, went there and took all the money meant for the TOBACCO project and used it to build a house for him Sheki in SOLIMA in Kambia Chiefdom.

Bra, although I am as stupid as DANDOGO, I know for fact that illiteracy is a diseases.

Take Care

Subject: Re: FOR MR, QUESTION
From: THAVARISH
To: All
Date Posted: 06:13:11 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-074-228-219-218.sip.asm.bellsouth.net at 74.228.219.218

Message:
BRA AR BIN DON TELL OONA SAY OONA DAE WASTE OONA TEM FOR EDUCATE MR ONELINER.

Subject: Re: FOR MR, QUESTION
From: kroobaymom
To: All
Date Posted: 10:16:06 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: kroobaymom@yahoo.com
Entered From: at 206.113.148.2

Message:
Have you heard of the first IADP in Sierra leone, the eastern area integrated agricultural project with headquarters in kenema? What did the easterners do with it?

Subject: The Ghadafi Denominator
From: Observer
To: All
Date Posted: 19:18:53 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
Isn’t it amazing how the Sa Lone mind works? Tejan Kabbah is found to have embezzled government money, prohibited from being given any government position, gets elected as president of the very nation he was convicted of robbing.

In another development, a wacko-sociopath by the name Foday Laimpay Sankoh comes out of his rat hole, maims and rapes the hell out of innocent men women and children, and is made chairman of the country’s diamond resources and vice president of the very country and lives he destroyed.

Now, Muhammar Kaddafi, godfather and devious mentor of the cut-hand – cut-foot dogma, the very man who mentored, bred, armed and sent Foday Sankoh to terrorize the people of Sierra Leone is now in the spotlight as national superman awaiting a hero’s welcome on a pending state visit.

Hello! Isn’t anything wrong with this equation?

Subject: Re: The Ghadafi Denominator
From: Joseph Sherman
To: All
Date Posted: 21:29:22 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: pool-70-108-186-218.washdc.east.verizon.net at 70.108.186.218

Message:
This is the legacy of "kabbahism." What does kabbah care about Sierra Leone? Sierra Leone has been a haven of crooks and heartless psycopaths who, as Charles Taylor once said, " I know my Liberian people, I will deal with them." So is the case in Sierra Leone, the torture, rape and exploitation by past leaders has transformed Sierra Leoneans to toothless bulldogs. If a Monster like Ghadaffi without any remorse of conscience will visit a country that he helped to destroy and the present leadership is opting to give him a red carpet welcome, then how can we exonerate the present government from been collaborators of the saddistic war. May God bless Sierra Leone and all those who have the country at heart. Mind you as the saying goes in Krio "seven days for tiff man, one day for master hose." The light is at the end of the tunnel-the lost glory will soon be regained if we vote with our conscience and stand against the odds that besiege Sierra Leone.

Subject: Re: The Ghadafi Denominator
From: Rodney D. Sieh
To: All
Date Posted: 21:43:23 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 38.119.107.79

Message:
From Libya With Love: Ghadafi Turn Reaps Benefits for Sirleaf – What’s at Stake?
05/08/07 - Rodney D. Sieh, rsieh@FrontPageAfrica.com


Just one year after her first meeting as President of Liberia with Libyan leader Moamar Ghadafi, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf returned to Libya last weekend, where a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries. Over the last year, Libya has made numerous contributions to the Liberian government in an apparent response to a plea made by the Liberia leader in May 2006.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Libyan leader Moamar Ghadafi signed a memorandum of understanding Saturday. Executive Mansion photo
Citing Libya’s assistance to Mali and Burkina Faso, the Liberian president said: “I know what you have done in other countries; I have seen progress and development taken place in Burkina Faso. President Blaise Compaore is a dear friend and a brother, he struggled, contributed and supported the peaceful movement and realizing peace and stability in Liberia, I also know what you have done in Mali republic, president of Mali is also a brother and a friend of mine, We respect his policies in development and wanted to imitate it and use it in Liberia, you offered him assistance and support. We appeal to you to engage with us in a partnership with the new Liberia, because we really do know that you made sacrifices and offered a lot to Africa. May be nobody knows that you welcomed me and accepted the election results and offered my support and welcome, and I thank you for that.”

While Sirleaf’s overtures to Libya have raised concerns from the President’s critics, Libya, once a nagging nemesis for the U.S. has since turned the corner. And Sirleaf’s second visit also comes a year after Liberia’s traditional stepfather, the United States of America resume ties with Gadaffi’s Libya for the first time since 1979. The U.S. also removed the North African country from the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism, allowing for the establishment of a US Embassy.

In recent years, Gadhafi sought and won an end to his international isolation, and has made a startling turnaround. The Libyan leader has since admitted his country’s involvement in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, and agreed to pay $2.7 billion to the victims’ families.

Ghadafi has also admitted he had tried to develop weapons of mass destruction — including a nuclear bomb — and invited U.N., American and British inspectors to inspect his weapons programs and dismantle them. After Libya admitted its involvement in the Lockerbie bombing, the U.N. Security Council voted to lift its sanctions.

Libyan Holdings Company

LIBYA TO THE RESCUE
As part of a memorandum of Understanding, Libya will undertake the following:

Renovation and subsequent operations by the Libyans of the Ducor Intercontinental Hotel;

Establishment of a new Libyan Holding Company

The operations of a rubber processing plant at a new site which has been designated by the Liberian government.

Libya also wants to build an institute for the disabled in Liberia. Such venture could aid thousands of Liberian youths left handicap after fourteen years of war.

While Libya has of late expressed a lot of interest in investments in Liberia, the North African powerhouse will no doubt expect some returns and rewards in the long run. For starters, economists say, much of the Libyans recoup may come via the Libyan Holdings Company. Over the dark years of sanctions, Libya lost more than $30 billion in lost business. Investment is especially needed for an oil industry that once made the North African country of about 5 million people a regional power.

To date, Libya has similar holdings firm in Chad, Mali, Niger, South Africa, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Comoros Islands.

Libya has smartly realized the importance of telecommunications sector for developing economies like Liberia and has been keen to expand investments in the dynamic field in line with its present joint venture in the Republic of Niger (SONITEL) and The Islamic Republic of Comoros (Comcell), two nations where the telecommunications initiatives have paid dividends. However, critics of the holdings plan counter that "holding companies" such as Libya's are vehicles for different investments in a particular country and are not true private sector companies since they are directly financed by the owning governments, in this case, the Libyans. Observers say unlike private companies, the Libyan holding company serves a political motive, and is a direct extension of the Libyan state's political and economic interests. As one observer noted, "you can couched the Libyan holding company in all of its diplomatic niceties, and all of the good expressions such as Dear Brother and so forth, but the reality is that it represents Libyan political-economic interests, and no one should forget about that".

Observers also point to the level of transparency that would be involved in what appears to be a quasi political-economic relationships, whether there will be full accounting to the Liberians through the elected representatives, or all of these would remain hidden in the cloak of bilateralism. Unlike private companies where the books are opened and audits are performed, will the Libyan holding company also conform to these standards?

Besides the telecommunications ventures, Libya also sees enormous potential of mineral resources on the African continent. Of late, the Libyan Arab African Investment company has not ignore the potentials by investing in joint companies like Ashanti Goldfields, Mifergui - Nimba for steel production and Cocamines and Oryx Natural Resources for diamond mining, on a sound economical basis. The Libyans also have plans for investing in other minerals such as tantalum, silicon and manganese.

Consider Libya ‘a second home’

The recent lifting of diamond and timber sanctions against Liberia by the United Nations has not gone unnoticed by the Libyans, who are keen to take advantage of investment interests amid the availability of raw materials, local and international markets for the end product, the long practical experience in many parts of Africa and in particular Liberia. But like the Chinese, Libya will no doubt expect something in return. Liberia’s rich mineral reserves is a key attraction for the Libyans who are mainly concern with processing some of Liberia’s minerals and investing substantially in the industrial sector encompassing forestry & timber production, natural rubber processing , fruit juice processing, fresh water bottling and garment manufacturing. Libya has left its mark and gained financial rewards from its investment in tobacco, plastic industries and the expansion in fruit juice processing & concentrates in many parts of Africa.

Realizing Libya’s aid and success to other African nations, Sirleaf did not hold back her desire to see similar assistance come Liberia’s way: “We count on you and trust you that you would make new Liberia a successful and advanced state,” Sirleaf told Ghadaffi last May. But Sirleaf’s most recent meeting with Gaddaffi is a far cry from last year, when the Libyan leader did not hide his disagreement over the turnover of former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor. For now, Gaddaffi appears to have put the ordeal of the Taylor turn over behind him and is opening his doors. On Saturday, Gaddafi pledged his continuous support to the Johnson-Sirleaf Administration and emphasized that the President should see Libya as her second home.

‘Big help in restoring electricity’

The Libyans have also donated generators and tractors to facilitate the electrification of Monrovia.
During Saturday’s meeting, Sirleaf expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the Liberian people to Libyan or President Muammar Gaddafi for the support he continues to render towards Liberia’s national reconstruction.

Sirleaf also briefed Gaddafi about steps her government has taken to achieve much needed economic change and thanked him for the generator he recently donated to aid Liberia’s emergency power program. She referred to it as ‘a big help in restoring electricity and basic services’.

The generators have already begun to pay dividends, according to Harry Yuan, Managing Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation. “Luckily for us about a month or so back, we had two units donated to us by the Libyan Government. We are installing at Kru Town the Libyan generator parallel to that unit so that if we have any problem with the other one, we isolate it and put on the Libyan unit and we will pick up whatever load we have here. So, we did not have that flexibility; but we trying to do that right now,” Yuan said in a recent interview with FrontPageAfrica.

Key among the memorandum signed Saturday are the renovation and subsequent operations by the Libyans of the Ducor Intercontinental Hotel; the establishment of a new Libyan Holding Company and the operations of a rubber processing plant at a new site which has been designated by the Liberian government. Libya also wants to build an institute for the disabled in Liberia. Such venture could aid thousands of Liberian youths left handicap after fourteen years of war.

The Ducor Renovation – residents’ plight

Libya plans to renovate the dilapidated Ducor Palace Hotel
Nevertheless, Ghadaffi’s most visible help could come in the assistance in renovating the once-popular and fame Ducor Palace Hotel. Recently, Sirleaf directed the Ministry of Justice to prepare for the eviction of individuals illegally occupying the Ducor Palace Hotel in Monrovia. The President said the illegal occupancy of the hotel can not be allowed to continue indefinitely. The Liberian Leader urged the Justice Ministry to institute a process that would lead to the eviction of all squatters at the hotel. The President has also directed the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy to re-survey the premises of the Ducor for proper demarcation. However, residents continue to plead with the government to find them alternative housing as they have no place to go.

Sirleaf’s directives followed a disclosure by National Investment Commissioner, Richard Tolbert that the Libyan government was now ready to undertake the renovation and subsequent operation of the Ducor hotel. The Libyans, Tolbert said, are now ready to begin renovation work but were awaiting the eviction of squatters for proper evaluation and assessment of the hotel.

Tolbert that the Libyan Government was now ready to undertake the renovation and subsequently operate the hotel, the Liberian leader mandated the Minster of Justice to affect the eviction order.

National Investment Commission boss, Richard Tolbert
The NIC Chairman told a recent Cabinet meeting that the Libyans are ready to begin work but wants the squatters evicted so a proper evaluation and assessment can be done. Back in 2003 an assessment of the building put the cost at US$20 million and it would have taken some three years to complete; but now, it’s anyone guess.

In essence, observers say the Ducor Hotel is in reality a Liberian historical landmark and a piece of Liberian socio-cultural history. Every member of the current generation knows the Ducor, perched on Monrovia's prominent hilltop, a beacon of success and a magnet of free enterprise. Given the importance of this landmark, one wonders whether the Investment Commission would have achieved more by seeking greater competition in the rebuilding of the hotel, and inviting other companies wishing to participate. Was this hotel "zoned" to the Libyans or where other firms invited to participate as well? "The Chairman of the Investment Commission owes it to the people of Liberia to explain how major national assets are sliced off to different investors." What was the agreement with the Libyans regarding the Ducor? Are they buying if outright? Is it a joint venture with the Liberian government? Was opportunity given to Liberian entrepreneurs to participate?" another observer asked. One wonders whether in the interest of transparency this agreement would be subject to public review such as the Mittal Steel and other major investment agreements.

Liberia and Ghadaffi – Strange bedfellows over the years

Ghadafi reportedly showered Taylor with financial aid.
Ghadaffi’s on-again, off-again ties with Liberia comes at a crucial stage for Liberia, whose new government has been keen to turn the economic fortunes around. Ghadaffi has not visited Liberia since his one and only stop during the height of the Cold War during the Organization of African Unity Conference in 1979. Tolbert’s overtures to Ghadaffi at the time gave birth to the Libyan Holdings Corporation as Tolbert sought to diversify his foreign policy options. There are some historians who point to Tolbert’s overtures to Ghadaffi as one of the reasons for the 1980 coup. Ironically, Tolbert walked a thin line trying to maintain U.S. relations and explore a courtship with Ghadaffi, one of America’s bitter enemies and an ally to Russia. Tolbert died a few months after the OAU Summit, on April 12, 1980 in a bloody coup d’etat which brough Master-Sergeant Samuel K. Doe to power and ended decades of Americo-Liberian rule in Liberia.

In the aftermath of Tolbert’s fall, Doe and Ghaddafi relationship was rugged at best as the pair came close to trading blows over Doe’s brewing relationship with the U.S. During the OAU conference in central Africa, Doe reportedly challenged Ghadddafi to a fistfight in the street after Kaddafi accused him of being a “stooge” of the US and a “spy for imperialists” who should not be allowed in an African heads of state meeting.

Support for Taylor was Ghadaffi’s way getting back at the United States for frustrating Libya’s efforts to extend its influence across the Middle East and Africa. The Libyan Foreign Investment Company (LAFICO-LIBERIA) was started in 2002 during the Charles Taylor era. While much of the world kept Taylor in isolation, Ghadaffi showered financial aid on the former dictator.

The Taylor-Ghadaffi relationship may have been a key reason for the dictator’s isolation from the international community and the U.S. in particular.

Ghaddafi also did not take kindly to Doe’s decision to change his mind at the last minute to visit Libya and instead visited the U.S. at the invitation of President Ronald Reagan, who feted Doe him and paraded the young military ruler as a great friend of America in Africa. Ironically, Ghadaffi was one of the first world leaders to embraced the young military regime — becoming the first nation to do so — and moved quickly to establish full diplomatic relations.

Ghadaffi not only embraced Doe, but showered the young government with monetary gifts in the forms of loans and grants – a welcome relief for Doe but an unsettling experience for the Americans who were determined to keep Doe out of Ghadaffi’s fray. A former aide to Doe told FrontPageAfrica Saturday that U.S. intelligence officials frowned heavily on Ghadafi’s attempt to lure Doe and did everything to keep Doe from going to Libya when word went out that Doe had accepted an invitation from Qaddafi to visit Tripoli in December 1980.

The official who preferred anonymity for this report said the young Doe-led government was in desperate need of funding and felt isolated. Thus, Ghaddafi’s offer was mouthwatering. In a bid to keep Doe out of Libya, the Americans reportedly pumped in t $10 million in cash to Liberia in 1980 to prevent then-President Doe from seeking money from Ghaddafi. Thus, the Americans finally came aboard and began pouring in support for Doe.

Whatever the combination of reasons, the result was that Libyan agents began recruiting Liberian dissidents based in neighboring countries, particularly Sierra Leone, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Ghana. At one point during the 1980’s, several hundred Liberians were training in Libya at least three different terrorist camps. Among those who found their way there were Dr. Boima Fahnbulleh, a former university professor and

Minister of Education, and Samuel Dokie, a former Minister of Public Works. of the arms and money that fueled the war were supplied by Libya has receive scant attention during the recent election campaign. Part of the reason for this is war fatigue; of wanting to let go of the past and turning away from the horror that has befallen them. But Ghaddafi may have other plans, especially now that Taylor is Liberia’s new president. I don’t think the Libyans are going to roll over and play dead.

Today, after fourteen years of civil war and the inauguration of a democratically-elected leader, Ghaddafi is once again in Liberia’s fold, much more tamer and open to help an old friend in need. Over the last year, Libya has been one of Liberia’s key partners. So far, the Libyan strongman has kept his end of the bargain and his pledge to help the Sirleaf administration turn Liberia’s economic fortunes around. It is the result of a plea made one year ago this week from Sirleaf: “I come here today with a new Liberia, Liberia with hope and promise of one united nation. Liberia that wants to educate its children and provide them with health care and job opportunities, in addition to providing water and electricity that the Liberian people were deprived of for two decades.” In an ironic twist of fate, Liberia is today benefiting from two old enemies - the U.S. and Libya, two nations once bitter to the core find themselves finding common ground in a bid resurrect Africa’s oldest republic, still dusting off the remnants of war and holding out hope for redemption amid a bright chance at economic revival.

Subject: Open letter to Ernest Koroma
From: Linguist
To: All
Date Posted: 18:42:34 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-147-233-230.range86-147.btcentralplus.com at 86.147.233.230

Message:
Open letter to Ernest Koroma in the Cocorioko news under Augustine Tarrawalie, is written by John Leigh.Look at the language and phrases, and they have appeared in the forum in the past.Let us be brave and critcise openly, rather than using ghost names.Alternatively, he still can write anonymous letter.

Subject: Re: Open letter to Ernest Koroma
From: MUSA KAMARA
To: All
Date Posted: 06:49:10 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: luna.hypair.net at 194.50.180.4

Message:
Why should J.Leigh behave in such a manner?If he was the person who posted it.Is he a coward?What is him gaining by masking himself?Is something wrong with him?

Subject: Re: Open letter to Ernest Koroma
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 18:49:20 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
He could take a closer look

Subject: Re: Open letter to Ernest Koroma
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 18:56:40 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
THis is

Subject: Re: SLPP Kukujumuku with British parliamentarian
From: M. Alieu Iscandari Esq
To: All
Date Posted: 15:41:25 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
From The Sunday TimesApril 3, 2005

Insight: Top Tory in African contract inquiry

A SENIOR MP used his parliamentary position to lobby an African government over the award of a lucrative aviation contract to a company in which he is a big shareholder.
Tony Baldry, the Conservative MP for Banbury, Oxfordshire, could now face censure for exploiting his position in the Commons to further his business interests.

The Sunday Times has seen a series of letters sent on Commons notepaper by Baldry to Vice-President Solomon Berewa in Sierra Leone discussing the privatisation of the country’s failed national airline.

He attempts to arrange meetings with Angel Gate Aviation, a British-registered company that is keen to schedule flights from London to Freetown, the capital of the west African state.

Companies House records show that Baldry owns 439,000 shares in Angel Gate, although he makes no mention of this in any of the letters. The firm has paid him £30,000 in the past year as its chairman.

Val Collier, Sierra Leone’s anti-corruption commissioner, criticised Baldry’s intervention. He said last week that Baldry was “immoral” in using his position as an MP to promote his own business.

“(The airline approach) has nothing to do with House of Commons matters,” he said. “You cannot use high office to influence business negotiations. It’s morally wrong and a bad example to countries like ours.”

The revelations will increase the pressure on Baldry, a former minister in the Foreign Office. Last week, Insight revealed that he has been paid by Milestone Trading, a mining company, to lobby the Sierra Leone government for valuable diamond concessions.

He stands to make a substantial amount of money out of the deal. This is despite the fact that his business with Sierra Leone — a war-torn country heavily dependent on British aid — presents a potential conflict of interest for someone in his position.

As chairman of the Commons international development committee, Baldry is responsible for scrutinising the millions in government aid spent in countries such as Sierra Leone. Fellow committee members point out that their job is to help alleviate Third World poverty rather than try to profit from it.

Baldry also used Commons notepaper to write to Hilary Benn, the international development secretary, on behalf of Milestone.

The matter has been referred to Sir Philip Mawer, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, by George Foulkes, the Labour MP and former international development minister.

After seeing the latest letters lobbying for the aviation firm, Foulkes said: “This appears to show that his (Baldry’s) business activities and his position as chairman of the select committee have become inextricably mixed in a way which appears to be a conflict of interest and breach of parliamentary rules.

“As a result, he should consider whether it is possible for him to continue as chairman of the committee.”

In the letters to Berewa, Baldry says he has been negotiating with Abdul Turay, the country’s privatisation commissioner, for Angel Gate Aviation to take over from the country’s national airline.

“We have agreed the way forward for the airline project and I hope it may be possible for Mr Turay to meet (Angel Gate director Ramy Lakah) to finalise details of the proposed agreement, which can then be passed to the respective lawyers to draw up the necessary contracts,” wrote Baldry.

“We fully understand that ‘speed is of the essence’ on this matter and that the government of Sierra Leone is anxious to see a viable airline operating between London and Freetown as soon as possible.”

Although he declares his directorships and shareholdings in the register of members’ interests, Baldry’s letters give the impression his involvement is neutral. His shareholding in the firm is not even alluded to.

As it turned out, his lobbying for the company failed as the contract was awarded to another operator. He did, however, have more success when acting on behalf of Milestone.

Last year the company was blacklisted in Sierra Leone pending an investigation into links between one of its directors and two mafia figures wanted in Europe and South Africa. A report by Collier confirmed that Gershon Ben-Tovim, a partner in Milestone, had business links to Vito Palazzolo, a known mafia figure wanted in Italy. Milestone and Ben-Tovim reject the significance of those links.

Baldry wrote to Berewa on October 4 last year dismissing the links as “tangential”.

The intervention undermined the objections made by Collier and cleared the way for Milestone to receive new mining licences. In return the MP’s company, Red Eagle Resources, received a $75,000 payment, and the promise of a potential £1.5m shareholding in Milestone.

Baldry is now being asked to explain himself in front of his Commons committee. John Barrett, a Liberal Democrat member of the select committee, said: “If the allegations of a conflict of interest between business dealings and the work on the select committee are proved, then he should resign. I would certainly advise him to make a statement to the select committee on Tuesday.”

Baldry is also to be interviewed by the commissioner for standards. Last week he declined to comment further until the investigation has been completed.

Subject: THE BLAIR WE KNOW
From: British bull Dog
To: All
Date Posted: 18:08:23 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-196-194.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.196.194

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He came to power on 2 May 1997. He leaves more than 10 years later. How will Tony Blair be remembered?

Subject: Re: THE BLAIR WE KNOW
From: Political Analyst
To: All
Date Posted: 18:28:12 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-147-233-230.range86-147.btcentralplus.com at 86.147.233.230

Message:
Blair said, he will be safer in Iraq than Britain.Brilliant man, and he is damn right

Subject: FPA EDITORIAL: Three Strikes Plus More – It Is Time for Harr
From: FPA EDITORIAL
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Date Posted: 17:12:34 06/25/07 ()
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FPA EDITORIAL: Three Strikes Plus More – It Is Time for Harry Greaves to Go ! ! !
06/25/07 - FPA EDITORIAL






THE UNITED NATIONS Panel of Experts has spoken once again – Something fishy, something controversial, something terrible, something stinks and something just is not right at the Liberian Petroleum Refinery Corporation.

IS THERE something the administration of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is seeing that the rest of the world is missing?

Supporting Documents:

UN Panel of Experts Report

IN SIRLEAF’S response to the Auditor General of Liberia John S. Morlu II on June 11, 2007, regarding Morlu’s criticism of the 2007-’08 budget, the President stated that "we are not bound by recommendation of the UN Panel reports unless they are accurate, rational and in conformity with our laws, policies and best practices," Sirleaf said, in the letter recently obtained by FrontPageAfrica.com

MADAM PRESIDENT, this is the United Nations, the same group which came to Liberia’s aid when Liberia desperately needed help, when all hell was breaking loose and many had no where else to turn – they came to Liberia’s aid. U.N. Troops from all over the world rallied together to end the bloodshed and restore sanity, peace and save numerous lives which would have added to the thousands that had already fallen prey to the bloodshed and violence.

THIS IS THE United Nations, whose panel reported aggressively and uncovered flaws and abuses by Charles Taylor, by Edwin Snowe, by Benoni Urey, by Benjamin Yeaten and others, which led to pressure from the international community, the departure of Charles Taylor and to the peace Liberia is enjoying today.

Supporting Documents:

President's Letter to AG

AG's Mandate

ONCE AGAIN, this diverse group of experts – Arthur Blundel, a Ph.D., Timber Specialist from Canada; Rajiva Bhushan Sinha, of Indian-origin, an expert on socio-economic and humanitarian issues; Caspar Fithen, a diamond specialist from Great Britain; Damien Callamand, a former Police Captain from France, and Tommy Garnett, an Environmentalist from neighboring Sierra Leone, came to the conclusion that under Greaves watch, LPRC entered into at least 19 contracts for supplies of good and services during the period January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007.

ACCORDING TO THE PANEL, “Of the 19, only five were awarded on the basis of competitive bids.”

ONLY FIVE!

MOREOVER, the list of 19 provided by LPRC did not include two contracts worth in excess of US$100,000 for legal and advisory services given by the Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler,” the report states; adding, “These two contracts were made without competitive bidding, in apparent violation of the Public Procurement Act (PPCA),” according to the report.

THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT and Concession Commission (PPCC) is the successor to the Contract and Monopolies Commission (CMC). The PPCC was established by the Act which was approved on September 8, 2005 and and printed into Handbill on September 21st , 2005.

THE ACT came into force upon the inauguration of the Elected Government of Liberia on 16th January 2006. This Report gives the highlight of the first year of operations of the Commission. In the Needs Assessment undertaken in 2003 by the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) in conjunction with the United Nations and World Bank, it was determined that Public Procurement Reform was critical to Liberia’s transition from war to recovery.

WHY? BECAUSE fourteen (14) years of civil wars in the country, left the public procurement policies, practices, and procedures loosed ended. Skills of procurement practitioners and the structures of institutions were completely destroyed. Public officials were not held accountable for the misuse of public funds, and procurement and concessions records were not properly kept.

AS PART of efforts to generate transparency in the public procurement practices and the granting of concessions, the Government of Liberia with the technical and financial support of its international partners first prepared the Interim Public Procurement Policy and Procedures (IPPPP) and the Interim Guidelines for Concession Agreements in Liberia (IGCAL) to be used during the tenure of the NTGL. These procedures heralded the new public procurement and concessions regime in Liberia.

WHEN HARRY Greaves chose to abuse the mandate of the international community which has bent over backwards to help this struggling West African nation, emerging from years of civil war, he turned his backs on all Liberians who have been craving for an end to the system of yesteryears which led the country to war.

WHILE WE RESPECT the bond and long-term friendship between Greaves and the President, we plead with the President to just this once – put the interest of Liberia first and do what's right to begin the cleansing of all of the corrupt forces within her midst.

NO LIBERIAN wants to see President Sirleaf fail. Her failure is the failure of all Liberians. Liberians everywhere are rooting for her to do well and restore peace and economic revival to Africa’s oldest republic.

BUT IN ORDER for her to succeed, she has to become the Iron Lady Liberians voted for, the Iron Lady that they all know she can be, the Iron Lady they all put their lappas on the floor for her to walk over, the Iron Lady they all want to take them from the trenches and into the land of happiness.

MADAM PRESIDENT, this is the mandate of the international community - that Liberia needs a sound public procurement system which is critical to combating corruption. The Procurement Act gives all qualified suppliers equal opportunities to participate in a competitive procurement process, thereby ensuring value for money and better service delivery for the public sector. It enhances the confidence of citizens in the Government, stimulates the economy by increased private sector investment, and encourages greater donor support in national development in a bid to guarantee a new ethos in procurement practices.

LAST YEAR, it was the controversy over the oil deal with Nigeria, which has not yet been made public, next it was Greaves distribution of government funds without approval, now he is giving out contract as if he is running his own private corporation - and against the Public Procurement Act, leading the panel to lament: “Although these contracts apparently violate the best international practices and the PPCA, which requires competitive bidding for both purchase and sale contracts and concessions, the LPRC Managing Director disagrees."

HARRY GREAVES BROKE that law, Madam President, he betrayed your trust and he must go.

THIS IS OUR SAY!

Subject: Millions Vanish In Taxes
From: BILLION
To: All
Date Posted: 17:07:51 06/25/07 ()
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Millions Vanish In Taxes

Monday, 25th June 2007

Confidential Report
Front Companies, Shady Schemes Discovered

A confidential UN report has revealed a well-orchestrated tax evasion machinery leading to millions of dollars missing in revenue not reflected in the financial system.

This paper, based on Finance Ministry documents, has reported US28m as taxes due the government while the current draft 2007/2008 has US1.6m as uncollected taxes. No reason has been given for the gap.

According to the confidential report, prime amongst those companies in the tax evasion scheme are PLC Investment, considered by many as a front company of ex-President Charles Taylor, a company with 40 per cent shares in the Lonestar Communication Corporation (LCC), GEPCO, Salala Rubber Plantation and Royal Hotel.

The confidential UN report says when these matters were brought to the attention of Finance Ministry officials, the Deputy Minister for Revenue, now acting Deputy Minister for Administration, Mrs. Elfrieda Steward Tamba indicated that the ministry will investigate the matter and recover the over dues taxes at the earliest.

In the case of PLC, the report quoted Minister Tamba to have issued a notice to PLC to submit the details of tax returns along with flag receipts of any taxes paid.

The UN report: “In 1999, PLC was given an exclusive license to run the GSM cellular mobile service without a competitive bidding process undertaken.

Based on the license, PLC management entered into an agreement with a Lebanese mobile company Investcom Global Ltd (IGL) to form the Lonestar Communications Corporation (LCC).

By virtue of the license, PLC was allocated a 40 % share of the LCC, while IGL contributed $30»000 and was allocated a 60 % share.

Although, ownership of PLC cannot be established, since the company will not provide requisite financial documents to the Panel, Benoni Urey and Emanuel Shaw, both close allies of Charles Taylor and both on the UN assets freeze list for Liberia, were PLC board members for five years (2000-05).”

The report added that in 2006, LCC paid a dividend of $3 2 million to PLC. However, LCC did not pay withholding taxes on the dividend, nor did PLC pay any of the $1.12 million corporate tax on the dividend.

“In addition, PLC received a $600,000 dividend in June 2004 and a $ 1.2 million dividend in January 2006 for 2005 financial year.

Although PLC did not pay corporate tax on these dividends, PLC did pay $180,000 as withholding tax (which is inappropriate as payers, not payees, are required to deduct withholding tax and pay to the GOL).

When these matter were brought to the attention of the DMR, she issued a notice to PLC to submit the details of tax returns along with flag receipts of any taxes paid,” the UN report said.

UN report: “In addition to dividends, PLC also received management fees from LCC of$L131 million, $1.08 million, and $1-375 million in 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively.

While making these payments on a monthly basis, LCC kept the 10% withholding tax. PLC is, therefore, required to pay an additional $0.89 million as taxes on this income.

Given that the Liberian tax code provides for hefty penalties and interest up to 200 percent of taxes due for not making timely payment of taxes/filing returns, PLC tax dues are possibly up to $ 5 million. Deputy Minister of Revenue (DMR) has indicated that the ministry will investigate the matter and recover the dues at the earliest.”

When this paper contacted the LCC Management for a comment on the UN report about two weeks ago, LCC Assistant General Manager, Mr. Gabriel Knuckles declined to comment on the issue.

The GEPCO Case

The UN report said in addition to overcharging, GEPCO appears to have evaded substantial corporate income tax.

It said in 2005, GEPCO received $23.875 million from UNMIL. However, in their 2005 tax return filed on 19 May 2006, GEPCO showed gross revenue of only $12.361 million.

“Likewise, in their bid submission to UNMIL in November 2004,” the report said, “GEPCO provided financial statements reporting revenue of $13.093 million in 2003 and $20.502 million for the first 10 months of 2004.”

“ In contrast, the UN report went on, “their 2003 tax return claimed sales of only $2.480 million, while for the entire year 2004 return, GEPCO reported sales of only $11.237 million. These tax returns were prepared with the help of their auditors, VOSCON, a Liberian Certified Professional Accounting firm.”

However, the report said there are several other businesses which appear to be evading taxes.

It said one of the large rubber plantations (Salala Rubber Corporation) treated new development costs of $1.5 million as expenses to convert the company’s profit into loss.

The Royal Hotel, a premier hotel in Monrovia, claimed that they had on average only two rooms occupied throughout 2005, when obviously this was not the case. “Deputy Minister of Revenue (DMR) has indicated that the ministry will investigate the matter and recover the dues at the earliest,” the report added.

Subject: Liberia: Labour Minister Warns Government
From: KOFI WOODS
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Date Posted: 16:57:53 06/25/07 ()
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Liberia: Labour Minister Warns Government

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The Analyst (Monrovia)

25 June 2007
Posted to the web 25 June 2007

George J. Borteh

"We cannot continue to repeat bad history that kept the nation backward", saided Labour Minister Samuel Kofi Woods, said Thursday in a direct reference to recent violent clashes between protesting students and security forces on the main campus of the University of Liberia.

Minister Woods stressed that bitter experiences at the University are recorded in history and warned that such acts should not continue at the institution.

"Government must ensure to do everything to correct the past so that such will not be repeated and take measures to restore the dignity of Liberian teachers", said the Labour boss, who is a product of the state-owned University.

Minister Woods said he has some disagreements with what transpired on the campus on Tuesday, June 19 adding: "It was a tragic error in the history of the country".

He was addressing the installation of officers of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) Teachers Association held at the William V.S. Tubman High School on 12th Street, Sinkor.

He described as unfortunate actions taken by the government, which led to the injuries of several students and some members of the security forces. Mr. Woods said students, faculty and the government were under obligation to have resolved the situation amicably but that did not happen.

Minister Woods expressed support for an investigation into the matter but maintained findings should be accompanied by recommendations to avoid reoccurrence.

He urged officers of the Association to restore the lost dignity of teachers in the country, but warned against selling grades to students, which he noted, is a disservice.

House Speaker Alex Tyler, who installed the officers, challenged them to serve in the national interest. The President of the MCSS Teachers Association, Nathan N. Suah, pledged to serve for the advancement of the institution and its members to mold the minds of the future leaders of Liberia.

Subject: Re: Liberia: Labour Minister Warns Government
From: Kikla
To: All
Date Posted: 08:51:29 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: jus@yahoo.com
Entered From: 79-66-45-209.dynamic.dsl.as9105.com at 79.66.45.209

Message:
I am not being funny, but do Liberians have their own forum. When I come here, I want to discuss Sierra Leone issues

Subject: Liberia: Corruption Allegations Rock Govt
From: VICTOR FOH
To: All
Date Posted: 16:57:06 06/25/07 ()
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The Analyst (Monrovia)

25 June 2007
Posted to the web 25 June 2007

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's campaign promises to eradicate corruption and wipe out the culture of impunity no doubt principally earned her the presidency.

Eighteen months into her administration, however, critics and disinterested observers alike are lost on where, all political publicity stunts aside, her administration stands on the question of punishing wrongdoers in order to nip all forms of malfeasances in the bud.

They say the administration is yet to shed the damning nepotistic practices of the past, identifying two recent public appointments as "justifying the villains and nurturing the culture of impunity".

Disinterested observers and critics of the Johnson-Sirleaf administration say the appointment of Chris Massaquoi to the Bureau of Immigration and Ashford Peal to the NPA has justified villainy and nurturing the culture of impunity.

In a recent cabinet reshuffle, President Johnson-Sirleaf reappointed the director of the Special Security Service (SSS), Col. Chris Massaquoi, to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) where he served as commissioner at the onset of the administration.

Recently also, the Board of Directors of the National Port Authority (NPA) appointed Mr. Massaquoi's deputy, Ashford Peal, to serve as NPA chief of security.

Peal served as deputy to Mr. Massaquoi briefly before falling out of favor with the public and perhaps with the administration over the August 5, 2006 Duport Road security breach that resulted to the death of SSS Officer Emmanuel Williams, alias Silver J.

These appointments, they say, did not only ignore completely what the public and the family of Silver J. had expected from the Johnson-Sirleaf dministration, but that they also send a strong discouraging signal.

That signal, they say, is that the Johnson-Sirleaf administration was about to make no significant departure from the old practices of pampering and shielding wrongdoers by offering them public portfolios of defense and public trust.

"This is a typical page from the Machiavellian book of leadership which recommends the closing of an eye to the evil of the princes as bonds and incentives to strengthen their loyalty to the crown," said one executive of the opposition Liberia Action Party who preferred not to be named.

He said Massaquoi and Peal should have been arrested and detained for their roles in the Duport Road shootout which according to him has rudely second-guessed and disrupted the plan of the international community to re-arm the Liberian security.

He said those who earlier pledged to make available uniforms, arms, vehicles and money for the smooth running of the police and other security agencies are now dashing in token military items and counting on the government to arm the security forces.

He gave no further evidence.

Public Opinion

But student activist Jerome V.K. Thomas of the University of Liberia agreed: "The international community saw the need to allow the Liberian security forces to bear arms in order to help UNMIL curtail the increasing incidences of year-round armed violence in our communities.

But Massaquoi and Peal disrupted the plan by demonstrating on the night of August 5, 2006 on Duport Road in Monrovia to the international community that Liberians are still yet traumatized to handle their own security."

Thomas claimed that as the result of that demonstration that led to the fatal shooting of the bodyguard of Massaquoi, UNMIL and the international community are dragging their heeds when it comes to trusting and re-arming the police, the SSS, and entrusting the security of the country into their hands.

"UNMIL is still guiding the President. Night police patrols still have to be given meaning and substance by the presence of UNMIL. Armed robbery is on the increase in and out of season because the officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) are still the boy scouts they have been since lawlessness seized this nation on December 24, 1989.

Now the people who caused all this are being promoted to positions where they will continue to hold sway over our people as government officials and make decisions affecting the lives of millions of unsuspecting Liberians.

This is not fair; it cannot come from a government some 80% of whose officials were once victims of arbitrariness," said Emmanuel Jay Polo who claimed to be a political science senior at the African United Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU).

He said by allowing the reckless discharge of unauthorized and unassigned firearms resulting to death of an SSS officer, Massaquoi and Peal, have violated the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) thereby discounting whatever credentials they may have that qualified them to take up top assignments in presidential elite guards.

If they can't do that, if they can't guard the nobility and security of the President.

If they can't uphold the elitism of the SSS and demonstrate to the international community that Liberians are ready to take their destinies into their own hands following years of mutual violence, then they have lost their right to public appointment in this administration irrespective of what they did individually and collectively to put President Sirleaf into power," said public school civic teacher Molley Koffa Jacobs.

He said this was the point that should have guided the President as she appointed Massaquoi or allowed the appointment of Peal by the Chairman of the NPA Board of Directors.

Jacobs said this is why, all things considered, the Sirleaf administration has erred in appointing the two men to security positions at the BIN and NPA.

"What does the government wants us to believe? Massaquoi and Peal had done wrong in the public eye and in the eye of the international community; they never admitted doing wrong, and now the government is out to justify that they never did wrong by awarding them with lucrative positions.

We don't see how the President can justify this kind of affront to public opinion and expectation," said Momo J. Simpson who claimed to be a political analyst of George Weah's 2005 presidential pool second runner, Congress for Democratic Change (CCC).

Many other observers who spoke to The Analyst on the commitment of the Sirleaf Administration to the eradication of corruption and the wiping out of the culture of impunity from post-war Liberia vis-à-vis the appointment of Massaquoi and Peal said they had not seen so strong a signal of nepotism in the Johnson-Sirleaf administration than that sent by these appointments.

But a Johnson-Sirleaf administration insider, speaking in a private capacity, told The Analyst last night that those making the allegations failed to know that the law prevails over opinions, whether private or public.

He was not prepared to go into the argument raised by our reporter that laws were made to serve ultimate public good and security and that therefore they may be interpreted to that end at all times and not the other way around.

Instead, he ranted about the rule of law, arguing that the two men deserved their appointments because they were never convicted of murder or of violating the law in a relevant court of justice.

"We all have our biases. I would prefer that the two men not take public portfolios until public sentiments against them die down. But what will be my legal reference point? Public opinion, good as it may be and representative of democracy as it may be, is not a legal reference point.

The panel set up by the President in August did not indict the two men for prosecution. So, why can't the President appoint them? Will she not be violating the spirit of the reconciliation if she doesn't?

That's the delicate question that whoever is considering the question, critics or independent observers must answer," he said.

He conceded that the public was shocked at the outcome of the probe which should have advised the government on the next step, but he noted that government is under obligation to accept the outcome and abide by it until another probe is ordered if need be.

In his view such need was unlikely to come up because in his words, the so-called public had up to the moment of the appointments last month failed to come forth with evidence that contradicts the findings of the panel, save to whip up sentiments about the death of Silver J and the need for justice.

The public that believes in justice, he said, is one that is prepared to offer the government alternative reasons to change actions and decisions. Whatever that means vis-à-vis the constitutional responsibility of the government to administer justice and provide security for its people at all time whether they are complacent or not, he did not say.

But he noted further, "That is the essence of the rule of law. You can't bend the rule; that will be political machination which activists often speak of without bothering to find out what exactly rule of law means."

Whoever is right in the raging public arguments about these appointments with which the government seems contented, analysts say, the bigger political puzzle that needs to be solved forthwith by the Johnson-Sirleaf administration is how to balance the art of eradicating impunity and corruption with the art of reconciliation and peace.

They say there is bound to be trouble when the administration leans too much or too heavily on the right or left. "The typical example of this is Massaquoi and Peal could not be denied their rights to take public office in the absence of active legal indictment or conviction of wrongdoing.

But in the same vein, the argument of legal absence cannot solely lie without expressed effort by the administration to prosecute Peal and Massaquoi or execute some administrative sanctions for what wrong the public believe they committed.

There is a way out of this," they said. "But what is that 'way out of this'?" many say, is the enduring question.

Clip From the Archive

It may be recalled that an investigation panel commissioned in August 2006 in the wake of public outcry for justice to probe the circumstances that led to the shootout in which SSS officer Emmanuel Williams disappointed public expectations and opinions when it issued no indictment for the prosecution of those involved.

The panel, comprising the Crime Services Department and UNPOL/UNMIL advisors, at the end of the probe reported in consultation with the county attorney of Montserrado that Deputy SSS director Ashford Peal was liable for actions that amount to unethical and unprofessional attitude, not complicity in murder as public opinion had concluded.

"Following the recording of all pertinent statements in this matter and a thorough review of all the facts among the investigators...the investigators have resolved that...co-defendant Deputy Director Ashford Peal be charged with the commission of the offense of 'criminal attempt' under Chapter 10, sub-chapter 'A' Section 10.1 (1) and (2)," the report dated September 2, 2006 said.

Whatever "criminal attempt" means without recommendation for prosecution was not said, nor was it said what would happen to the accused as the result of the findings. Incidentally, Peal is currently suspended pending the outcome of this report.

This conclusion is notwithstanding the panel's stated findings that Col. Peal indirectly caused William's death in a number of ways. It said Col. Peal stopped Director Massaquoi three separate times en route to his (Massaquoi's) house to ask if he (Massaquoi) was okay, having earlier refused to deploy men at the director's residence in the wake of information that armed robbers were poised to attack it.

The report described Peal's action thus: "While the Director's convoy was still en route on the GSA Road toward his residence, Col. Ashford Peal drove from the rear of the convoy, overtook the convoy and headed directly to the director's compound.

After the passing of the Director's main entrance gate, Col. Peal blocked the road by crisscrossing his vehicle, stopped same, got out of it, pulled out his 9 mm Israeli pistol, and fired a round of ammunition in the air for no justifiable reason."

Discharging firearm without justifiable reason constitutes a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in Liberia, but that was not the focus of the report.

It instead of dwelling on that, the report noted that Peal's supposed scoffing of Massaquoi, added to the subsequent discharge of his unregistered and unassigned 9.0 mm Israeli made pistol into the air, amounted to unethical and unprofessional attitude, but not possible conspiracy to commit murder.

It noted similarly: "Following the recording of all pertinent statements in this matter and a thorough review of all the facts among the investigators...the investigators have resolved that Defendant Darlington Bleh be charged with the commission of the crime of 'Negligent Homicide'," the report noted.

If Williams were alive, the panel would have probably held him responsible for what happened to him; because it said, Bleh shot him because he had no way of knowing whether he was an enemy or not.

"The investigation arrived at a reasonable conclusion that the action taken by Darlington Bleh was predicated on the firing of the weapon of Col. Peal, his (Bleh's) state of mind due to his deployment briefing and the alleged armed defense approach of decedent Williams.

These factors resulted in the mistaken belief of Darlington that decedent Williams, who was in civilian clothes was an armed intruder, thus leading to Darlington shooting first without questioning the person he perceived to be an intruder," it said.

"But was Williams armed? If so, did he fire in return? Did he or Massaquoi know that Bleh and Geleplay were on duty in the compound? What does Peal know about the two men prior to shooting into the air?" were questions the report chose to ignore.

It however acknowledged the fact that the shootout took place in the home of the Col. Chris Massaquoi, Director of the Special Security Service (SSS) and in his presence. But it saw no reason to hold him for any wrongdoing whether by omission or commission.

Incidentally, the SSS is an elite presidential guard to which arms were issued to consolidate security following the July 26, 2006 fire incidence at the Executive Mansion.
Security and UN sources said the issuance of arms to the SSS, which followed the partial lifting of UN arms embargo on Liberia, was intended to gauge the ability of Liberia's newly-formed security units to apply firearms professionally in their lines of duty without turning them into instruments of suppression, fears, and death.

The death of officer Williams in the presence of the full detail of the authority of the SSS, observers say, tells a whole lot about the capability and state of mind of those currently heading the security services.

But again the reports saw things from aloft, mindful of portraying Director Massaquoi not as chief in command, but as a passive, innocent, and helpless figurehead whose home was left vulnerable and therefore cannot be held liable for anything that happened in his presence.

"Commanders take responsibility for the unruly behavior of their men," said retired SSS officer Solomon Teajah. But in the case of Massaquoi, the panel seems to suggest that that cannot and should not apply.

'Why is that so?' remains one of those puzzles of public probes into the conduct of individuals believed to be close to the power corridors in Africa.

Analysts say the report raised even more questions when it said that after Col. Peal allegedly refused to assign men to Director Massaquoi's home, Police Inspector General Beatrice Sieh complied but fell short of saying whether the movements of men were coordinated to avoid the likelihood of a friendly trooper seeing the other as "intruder".

Besides, they say, the report's earlier claims that the police corps detailed at Mr. Massaquoi's compound was headed by one Maj. T. Edwin Swen, Jr., who is the Chief of Special Task Force, was not collaborated.

"The report made no mention of Maj. Swen or any of his officers at the scene of the shootout where they were reportedly detailed prior to the arrival of Massaquoi's convoy accompanied by Peal.

So where were they when Massaquoi and Peal arrived at the compound and when the shooting started and ended?" one analyst wondered.

The only other officer said to have been on guard when Bleh shot and killed Williams was an officer of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Lt. Moses Geleplay, making observers to wonder what the immigration officer was doing serving guard at the home of the director of the Special Security Service when it was police that was said to have assigned officers there.

Medical examination at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital where Mr. Williams was taken shortly before he gave up the ghost indicates that his body was ridden with multiple bullet wounds inflicted by the M-4 rifle Bleh used.

"The investigating team then observed what appeared to be three bullet holes in the fence wall.

The body had what appeared to be a bullet wound to the right side of the neck which exited through the back of the neck; a bullet wound to the upper right side of the chest which exited through the center of the back and a bullet would to the right arm," the report said.

Observers said the three bullet marks on the fence plus the three that entered the body of Williams amounted to a total of six bullets discharged, something they say did not corroborate earlier accounts that Williams died from a single inadvertent bullet.

Again the question they are asking is, "Where were Massaquoi and Peal during this shooting? Were others involved in the arbitrary discharge of firearm in clear breach of the law that residents claimed lasted for well over an hour?"

The report could not say, neither did it hold anyone responsible for desertion of post or the illegal discharge of firearms.

Meanwhile, observers say besides being shallow, the report has strongly indicated that the Johnson-Sirleaf administration has yet to put into place policy and stringent administrative measures that will deter security breach of etiquette and arbitrariness, promote justice, and guarantee good governance.

In this case, they fear, rearming the police and the SSS would be disastrous unless principled-minded and professional Liberians were recruited to replace the current corps of party stewards who believe they are being justly compensated for their roles in the "making of the king" and therefore owe no one any obligation to act professionally.

How right they are in their judgment cannot be said, but analysts say the current report needs to be revisited in view of the critical and crucial questions being raised in political, public, diplomatic, and professional circles.

Otherwise, they said, the report would amount to zilch, only adding to the woes of the state and the government.

Subject: To Kelfala Kallon, essay Aiding and Abetting Coupmakers
From: Researcher
To: All
Date Posted: 16:37:02 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
Professor Kallon:

Your thoughtful essay on Aiders and Abetters of Coupmakers makes two postulates evinced from a commentary on President Kabbah’s resolve to punish post-coup collaborators for supporting, aiding and abetting treason. The first asks whether Sierra Leoneans enjoy a right of association with coupmakers. The second asks a rhetorical question whether President kabbah has authority to find and punish coupmakers and their collaborators. The postulates are of debate value that draws my attention. Let us take each in turn in the rejoinder ahead.

First, the "right" to support a government of one’s choice. More specifically, you asked whether, "Citizens of Sierra Leone have a right to support any regime, even illegal ones." There is right to support a government one chooses to behold in accordance with political beliefs. But as you already know, there is no warrant in the extant Constitution (Act No. 6 of 1991) to support illegal regimes. There is no "right" to support coups or to associate with a usurper who overthrows Government! A right is a privilege cognizable under the law. A right is that which can be defended in a court of law because the citizen is endowed with it whether in the organic law of the land or its kindred case law and persuasive authority. A Sierra Leonean who expresses glee over the ouster of President Kabbah and supports the political view that he prefers soldiers in the corridors of government is entitled to that view. Holding dissimilar political views including odious ones is a protected right. If that gleeful Sierra Leonean goes farther to associate with and join the AFRC, to further its criminal enterprise commenced on 25 May 1997, that citizen does so on the pain of committing treason.

It is glaringly clear from Section 108 (8) from Act No. 6 of 1991, that Johnny Paul Koroma and his confederates committed acts of treason on 25 May 1997. It is equally observed that those who have joined in the illegal order resulting from the treasonous acts are their accessories after the fact. I agree with the general import in your assertion that Section 108 (8) is the touchstone for committing treason in Sierra Leone as far as the ousting of the legal order by an overthrow of the Constitution is concerned. But I chaff at your swiping notion that if a citizen fails, or is not actuated by the letter of Section 13 (i), to "participate in and defend all democratic processes and practices," that he has not risen to the admonition of the section, that every citizen "shall abide by the Constitution". What if a citizen holds a Hobbesian view of the Constitution that is an antithesis to democracy, would you say that such a citizen is at variance with the Constitution when elsewhere in the Constitution he is informed to have freedom of thought and association?

A constitution cannot compel which political views to hold. It is quite settled that even in established democracies there is a penumbra of political views contrary to democracy. Thus it is not uncommon to see Nazis, Communists, Fascists in the United States, the U.K, or even Israel. I do not question your strict textual interpretation of Section 13, for constitutional interpretation permits a divergence of views which only a court can settle. In the absence of such interpretation I beg to differ.

If we stretch your notion in all its meaning that we give the Constitution its plain meaning as Parliament presupposed or intended in its objects and reasons in 1991, we may all be found guilty of not "abiding by the constitution" because more often than not Sierra Leoneans have chosen to ignore the ambiguous and not-so-democratic grants in their Constitution. You speak of the "requirement" to defend the constitution in Section 13 as if the aspiration expressed by Parliament is broken when we do not affirmatively take the Constitution at its literal meaning. You should look more to the spirit and not letter of the Constitution when looking especially at Section 13. This important section lays before the nation a duty to honour the Constitution by recognizing it as the organic law of the land and obeying its grants in all of its 192 sections. That is the spirit of the law. The letter of the law is not always obeyed so we call upon courts to interpret the letter when the spirit is divorced from it.

We have no established constitutional case law on challenges to the Constitution. Perhaps the closest constitutional doctrine emerging from the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone is when lawyers for Christie Green and others argued before the Court that President Joseph Momoh did not possess constitutional authority to make law. The proponents argued before the Court that their client Christie Green and others arrested during President Momoh’s State of Economic Emergency on corruption charges. They strenuously argued that their criminal conduct is purged because the Constitution (Act No. 12 of 1978 - One Party Constitution) at Section 19 only warranted the President to declare a state of emergency and not an "economic" emergency. That if President Momoh lacked authority to make law, his fiat called State of Economic Emergency negated their prosecution.

The Court supported President Momoh on the question that although Parliament enjoyed the authority to make the laws of Sierra Leone, in special circumstances such as availed themselves in the economic privation in the antecedent years of the Momoh regime, the President was authorized to legislate by fiat. But look everywhere else and you find no precedents in the constitutional law of our nation. The judges of the High Court and the Justices of the Supreme Court have refused to establish judicial independence by correctly interpreting the Constitution for fear that the President might remove them. Let us stroll down to your more important postulate whether post-coup confederates are guilty of treason.

On this proposition I support you with some reservations because of the inconsistent practice of treason law in Sierra Leone. It is axiomatic that the ouster of the legal order on 25 May 1997 was an act of treason. Unless Parliament passes an indemnity act to purge the treasonous acts of the criminal company of the AFRC/RUF they will face charges by the Director of Prosecutions on High Treason. Let me now examine point by point, your arguments in the second postulate. The object is to be clear on the points you raised in your otherwise thoughtful essay.

PROPOSITION I: That "those who help draft, promulgate, and/or enforce decrees issued by illegal regimes are aiding and abetting the commission of treason"

My rejoinder is quite obvious in accordance with the established law of treason. But the practice in Sierra Leone is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the law. In 1992, Captain Strasser and others seized power.

Instead of condemning them for acts of treason, Sierra Leoneans invested them with the sovereign standards of the nation and assisted them in establishing what the German legal scholar Hans Kelsen has called GRUNDNORM.

According to Kelsen, when a usurper overthrows government and succeeds in effectively controlling the post-coup domestic circumstances, he has consequently succeeded in gaining legal authority as the new order of government, the Basic Norm (Grundnorm) emerges. To Hans Kelsen, a revolution occurs when the Grundnorm (a country’s constitution) ceases to have minimum support when the coupmaker’s dictatorship obtains sufficient support. Other legal scholars have supported Kelsen by stating a test for calling a coup, a revolution which erases the constitution. One such scholar, Deas says that the test whether a new legal order has succeeded the old is efficacy; the new order must be effective to be legitimate.

Others argue that universal acceptance is not required ; only substantial domestic effectiveness is sufficient. The parvenu government of the NPRC succeeded here but the AFRC is still wanting in establishing Grundnorm notwithstanding the coerced adminsitration of the Oath of Office by the Acting Chief Justice, Samuel Beccles Davies. Major Johnny Paul Koromah can foolishly continue to assume that the Oath shields him from prosecution, but his trial will dawn when the rule of law returns unless President Kabbah grants him amnesty as he originally sought to do in a letter to Sani Abacha.

In 1992, the NPRC succeeded in replacing the legal order with arbitrary rule with the aiding and abetting of respectable members of the Sierra Leonean society. One such person was President Kabbah, who aided and abetted the NPRC under Decree No. 7 to take up the post of Chairman of the National Advisory Council, to write its now aborted constitution. On that Commission were George Banda Thomas, Solomon Berewa and other prominent men and women who in fact now grace his cabinet. Such men, Dr. Arthur Abraham, John Karimu, among others also aided and abetted the NPRC by occupying cabinet posts and furthering the Grundnorm of the junta. Is there a distinction between these NPRC aiders and abetters and the AFRC aiders and abetters?

I’ll wholly join you in this proposition of aiders and abetters if we apply uniform and consistent judgment to them all as treacherous Sierra Leoneans, willing to betray the trust of the Constitution for a ride in a Benz or holding a coveted cabinet post. But our eminent men and women in 1992 all shredded the Constitution to establish the NPRC Grundnorm. With such auspicious support the NPRC established effectiveness under Kelsenian standards of ousting the old order for the new NPRC order.

I have returned to the NPRC "Revolution" to make the point that the inconsistent approach to post-coup supporters makes a mockery of establishing a heritage of the rule of law in Sierra Leone. Many of us who really obey Section 13 on the duties of the Sierra Leonean citizen should at all times aspire to the touchstone of the rule of law by never supporting any coup or assisting in the administration of post-coup regime as certain respectable Sierra Leoneans saw fit in 1992. The majority of Sierra Leoneans assisted the NPRC in establishing Grundnorm. Sierra Leoneans established the Kelsenian doctrine hitherto established in Pakistan, Uganda, and Rhodesia. It is a tenuous legal doctrine but was established in Sierra Leone for nearly four years under the NPRC, owing to the aiders and abetters who propped up the juvenile regime of force led by Captain Strasser.

PROPOSITION II: ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS OF SIERRA LEONE BY THE PRESIDENT

Professor Kallon, keep in mind that we are all aware of the constitutional responsibility of the President to enforce the laws of Sierra Leone. When he returns to State House as we continue to hope, he should enforce the laws according to his mandate in the Constitution: That all usurpers of the law in the confederacy of the 25 May 1997 coup will be punished in accordance with the rule of law not gestapo recriminations. That suspects will receive due process before the High Court to hear and answer allegations of treason against them on the criminal complaints prepared in accordance with the rule of law.

The APC used to employ gestapo tactics by hunting suspects like the Nazis did in Germany to achieve their "final solution". It is quite clear that the aiders and abetters of the AFRC should be treated alike and if found guilty of treasonous acts, to receive just punishment. We do not want our democratic President talking of hunting and capturing political enemies in "arata holes" or insinuating reprisals against anybody yet who acted on his own or was in the throes of the duress of fixed bayonets. He should make an arrest of ALL those who joined the criminal enterprise before and after its commission with a certainty of the distinction between those who were wittingly actuated to usurp our laws under the opportunity of the crime of treason and those who carried out mere orders from trigger-happy soldiers. I am not sure if anyone on the Leonenet stated that President Kabbah lacked legal authority to prosecute AFRC collaborators. But we all know that he possesses the constitutional grant to "protect and defend the constitution" including the prosecution of intentional breaches of the law.

We hope the President will not only defend the Constitution but will administer the laws of Sierra Leone fairly as he did not do so before his fall. Take the Passport crime for example, allegedly committed by Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu. Dr. Bundu was not even prosecuted! He was treated with deference and with velvet gloves. He paid restitution and the Kabbah administration permitted him to go free. Restitution is not punishment. The man admitted to the accusation by the implication of returning some of the funds he illegally received. Dr. Bundu returned what was due to the Treasury of Sierra Leone.

The Kabbah administration would have learned from the public prosecution of Dr. Bundu. We would have learned not only his role in the crime but the extent of the practice of selling passports. We would have learned too whether this practice still subsists in a tacit way as a custom among those who work in the department. But the hush, hush resolution of the matter leaves doubt on the alleged crime. He should have been as least given a suspended sentence in the plea bargain for the record that he wouldl not be eligible under Sections 75 and 76 to sit in Parliament or run for State House in the future. A man who sells the passports of his nation to foreigners for profit has committed not only an odious crime, but has contemplated to betray it the way a usurper undermines the Constitution. But long after Dr. Bundu escaped prosecution and walked off whistling, the Kabbah administration started to call him a criminal in its reply to the AFRC’s fatuituous rationale for staging a coup. Small wonder the reply sounded so hollow and inept.

PROPOSITIONIII: MISPRISION OF TREASON

I do not agree with you that those who conceal information on treason are guilty of treason as you asserted in the case of Brigadier David Lansana.

Concealing information on the crime of treason is called MISPRISION OF TREASON. That was one of the crimes charged at the time in the particulars of the assortment of state crimes. Specifically under U.S. law, misprision of treason is defined under 18 U.S.C.A. § 2382:

The bare knowledge and concealment of an act of treason or treasonable plot by failing to disclose it to the appropriate officials; that is, without any assent or participation therein, for if the latter elements be present the party becomes a principal.

Misprision of treason is not punishable by death, although the APC executed its political enemies who were accused of minor breaches of the law as we know that the preferment against Vice-President Francis Mischek Minah averred only vague, overbroad and circumstantial evidence in the Moohamed Gabriel Tennyson Kaikai’s plot. There was no evidence that he incited the other conspirators or did an overt act to implicate him substantially as a principal in the plot against President Momoh. At his appeal, Berthen Macauley established that no evidence was ever adduced to support the assertion that he committed an "overt act" to encompass the death of President Momoh or the overthrow of his government. An overt act is a necessary element for conviction of the crime of treason. The Government could not prove an overt act, but he nonetheless went to the scaffold at Pademba Road protesting his innocence. He was killed for an accusation of the species of the crime itself. But as stated in the U.S. law, unless the person concealing the crime participates or assents to the crime, he is not guilty of treason.

PROPOSITION IV: AIDERS AND ABETTERS - WHO ARE THEY?

Your Ezra Pound example is a bit untenable as persuasive authority for aiding and abetting treason, using the implement of radio broadcasts. It is more a tangential example than a pivot for viewing aiders and abetters. Esra Loomis Pound (1885-1972) was associated with the eminent English and Irish writers. He edited the works of T.S. Eliot, William Butler Yeats and James Joyce. Pound as you pointed out, was accused of treason for broadcasting Fascist propaganda from Rome to the United States. He was arrested in 1945 by Americans on those charges but was declared psychologically unfit to stand trial and was confined to a mental hospital in Washington, D.C.. He was released in 1958 in accordance with the terms of his hospitalization. It is tenuous to hold the view as you did that the court which ordered that he be remanded to a mental hospital did so more on the influence of his "fans" than on his incapacity to appreciate the serious charges against him and to assist in his own defence. Whether he continued to write good poetry or engaged in economic sophistry are matters outside the legal excuse not to try a man adjudged as lacking compos mentis. There are plenty of insane men in English literature who left us classics in their literary legacy. And many a genius who improved our knowledge in science or the arts has been found to be a bit mad.

Perhaps the best example of a radio traitor was William Joyce who was charged in 1945 in accordance of the treason statute 1351of Edward III: "that if a man do levy war against our Lord the King in his realm or adhere to the King’s enemies in his realm, giving them aid and comfort in his realm or elsewhere". Joyce was tried for his war time radio broadcasts deemed an aiding and giving comfort to the enemy. He was convicted and executed. I am sure that if his mental ability to join in his prosecution were impaired as Pound’s was, he would not have become the cause celebre that he became. In the United States, one may regard the treason trial of Iva Ikuko Toguri (Tokyo Rose), a Japanese-American born in Los Angeles, and that of Mildred Elizabeth Gillars (Axis sally) of Portland, Maine as inspirations of aiding and abetting the enemy using the radio implement. Both women were tried and convicted for treason.

The Pound example enveloped in your aiding and abetting postulate, assumes a precedent to be "instructive" to us. But a comparison must have an analogue which reaches a logical aim: That they are the same or similar, and the premises support the logical aim or conclusion. It appears that the convictions of "Tokyo Rose" and that of "Axis Sally" are more instructive to us than Pound’s aborted trial.

FINAL DELIBERATIONS:

Professor Kallon, if we both sat down to look at the postulates you examined in your wise essay we may reach our aim in the present discontent in Sierra Leone, that the inconsistent practice of the rule of law in Sierra Leone has spurred the errant, incompetent soldiers to aspire to the proposition of President Shagri stated in 1979 when he was confounded with the customary coups of Nigeria: "In this country there are, in the end, only two parties, the civilians and the soldiers". The NPRC and the AFRC have taught us a lesson that unless we impose a parapet on military rule with continuing reverence for the rule of law, ours will become a praetorian state as Nigeria has already established. Even the buffoon, the lapsed soldier, Corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh, still harbours the quixotic notion of being President of Sierra Leone. Was he not tried for treason along with Bangura and others in an earlier uprising against Siaka Stevens?

Reverence for the rule of law might take root in Sierra Leone, when that execrable document referred to as the 1991 Constitution is thrown away and a democratic constitution inheres in its place. Even then we would still have to do more than inveigh coups d’etat. Until a country settles the grave question of what its organic law is, its soldiers see themselves as players in the game of politics. The proposed" hunting" and prosecuting the AFRC and its collaborators might be the right thing to do. But as Samuel Finer has stated in his celebrated book, Man on Horse Back, a low level political culture attracts coups. Unless we develop our political culture and cultivate democratic ideals which have caused progress in other countries, treason trials would be mere milestones to the next coup d’etat.

If we undermine this notion, we may have forgotten how many treason trials we have had since independence and how convictions and executions have served no deterrence for the next plotters. That challenge lies on the shoulders of the serious-minded educated class committed to trustworthy statecraft. More important, unless we disengage from petty bickering or personal attacks derived from barren, caustic postings, to seriously take the admonition for responsible citizens pointed out in your reference to Section 13 of Act No. 6, 1991, the twenty-first century will meet us mired in another swamp, calling on others to assist us in chasing our errant soldiers from the corridors of government.

Best regards,

I remain

John Lansana Musa

Subject: Re: To Kelfala Kallon, essay Aiding and Abetting Coupmakers
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 17:41:31 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Bookmarked Sir.

Subject: To Kelfala Kallon, essay Aiding and Abetting Coupmakers
From: Researcher
To: All
Date Posted: 16:35:44 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-66-137-225-138.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net at 66.137.225.138

Message:
Subject: Re: To Kelfala Kallon, a Rejoinder to Essay on Aiding and Abetting Coupmakers

Your thoughtful essay on Aiders and Abetters of Coupmakers makes two postulates evinced from a commentary on President Kabbah’s resolve to punish post-coup collaborators for supporting, aiding and abetting treason.

The first asks whether Sierra Leoneans enjoy a right of association with coupmakers.

The second asks a rhetorical question whether President kabbah has authority to find and punish coupmakers and their collaborators.

The postulates are of debate value that draws my attention. Let us take each in turn in the rejoinder ahead.

First, the "right" to support a government of one’s choice.
More specifically, you asked whether, "Citizens of Sierra Leone have a right to support any regime, even illegal ones."

There is right to support a government one chooses to behold in accordance with political beliefs. But as you already know, there is no warrant in the extant Constitution (Act No. 6 of 1991) to support illegal regimes. There is no "right" to support coups or to associate with a usurper who overthrows Government!

A right is a privilege cognizable under the law. A right is that which can be defended in a court of law because the citizen is endowed with it whether in the organic law of the land or its kindred case law and persuasive authority.

A Sierra Leonean who expresses glee over the ouster of President Kabbah and supports the political view that he prefers soldiers in the corridors of government is entitled to that view.

Holding dissimilar political views including odious ones is a protected right. If that gleeful Sierra Leonean goes farther to associate with and join the AFRC, to further its criminal enterprise commenced on 25 May 1997, that citizen does so on the pain of committing treason.

It is glaringly clear from Section 108 (8) from Act No. 6 of 1991, that Johnny Paul Koroma and his confederates committed acts of treason on 25 May 1997. It is equally observed that those who have joined in the illegal order resulting from the treasonous acts are their accessories after the fact.

I agree with the general import in your assertion that Section 108 (8) is the touchstone for committing treason in Sierra Leone as far as the ousting of the legal order by an overthrow of the Constitution is concerned.

But I chaff at your swiping notion that if a citizen fails, or is not actuated by the letter of Section 13 (i), to "participate in and defend all democratic processes and practices," that he has not risen to the admonition of the section, that every citizen "shall abide by the Constitution".

What if a citizen holds a Hobbesian view of the Constitution that is an antithesis to democracy, would you say that such a citizen is at variance with the Constitution when elsewhere in the Constitution he is informed to have freedom of thought and association?

A constitution cannot compel which political views to hold. It is quite settled that even in established democracies there is a penumbra of political views contrary to democracy.

Thus it is not uncommon to see Nazis, Communists, Fascists in the United States, the U.K, or even Israel. I do not question your strict textual interpretation of Section 13, for constitutional interpretation permits a divergence of views which only a court can settle.

In the absence of such interpretation I beg to differ.

If we stretch your notion in all its meaning that we give the Constitution its plain meaning as Parliament presupposed or intended in its objects and reasons in 1991, we may all be found guilty of not "abiding by the constitution" because more often than not Sierra Leoneans have chosen to ignore the ambiguous and not-so-democratic grants in their Constitution.

You speak of the "requirement" to defend the constitution in Section 13 as if the aspiration expressed by Parliament is broken when we do not affirmatively take the Constitution at its literal meaning.

You should look more to the spirit and not letter of the Constitution when looking especially at Section 13. This important section lays before the nation a duty to honour the Constitution by recognizing it as the organic law of the land and obeying its grants in all of its 192 sections.

That is the spirit of the law. The letter of the law is not always obeyed so we call upon courts to interpret the letter when the spirit is divorced from it.

We have no established constitutional case law on challenges to the Constitution.

Perhaps the closest constitutional doctrine emerging from the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone is when lawyers for Christie Green and others argued before the Court that President Joseph Momoh did not possess constitutional authority to make law.

The proponents argued before the Court that their client Christie Green and others arrested during President Momoh’s State of Economic Emergency on corruption charges.

They strenuously argued that their criminal conduct is purged because the Constitution (Act No. 12 of 1978 - One Party Constitution) at Section 19 only warranted the President to declare a state of emergency and not an "economic" emergency.

That if President Momoh lacked authority to make law, his fiat called State of Economic Emergency negated their prosecution.

The Court supported President Momoh on the question that although Parliament enjoyed the authority to make the laws of Sierra Leone, in special circumstances such as availed themselves in the economic privation in the antecedent years of the Momoh regime, the President was authorized to legislate by fiat.

But look everywhere else and you find no precedents in the constitutional law of our nation. The judges of the High Court and the Justices of the Supreme Court have refused to establish judicial independence by correctly interpreting the Constitution for fear that the President might remove them.

Let us stroll down to your more important postulate whether post-coup confederates are guilty of treason.

On this proposition I support you with some reservations because of the inconsistent practice of treason law in Sierra Leone.

It is axiomatic that the ouster of the legal order on 25 May 1997 was an act of treason. Unless Parliament passes an indemnity act to purge the treasonous acts of the criminal company of the AFRC/RUF they will face charges by the Director of Prosecutions on High Treason.

Let me now examine point by point, your arguments in the second postulate. The object is to be clear on the points you raised in your otherwise thoughtful essay.

PROPOSITION I: That "those who help draft, promulgate, and/or enforce decrees issued by illegal regimes are aiding and abetting the commission of treason"

My rejoinder is quite obvious in accordance with the established law of treason. But the practice in Sierra Leone is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the law. In 1992, Captain Strasser and others seized power.

Instead of condemning them for acts of treason, Sierra Leoneans invested them with the sovereign standards of the nation and assisted them in establishing what the German legal scholar Hans Kelsen has called GRUNDNORM.

According to Kelsen, when a usurper overthrows government and succeeds in effectively controlling the post-coup domestic circumstances, he has consequently succeeded in gaining legal authority as the new order of government, the Basic Norm (Grundnorm) emerges. To Hans Kelsen, a revolution occurs when the Grundnorm (a country’s constitution) ceases to have minimum support when the coupmaker’s dictatorship obtains sufficient support.

Other legal scholars have supported Kelsen by stating a test for calling a coup, a revolution which erases the constitution. One such scholar, Deas says that the test whether a new legal order has succeeded the old is efficacy; the new order must be effective to be legitimate.

Others argue that universal acceptance is not required ; only substantial domestic effectiveness is sufficient. The parvenu government of the NPRC succeeded here but the AFRC is still wanting in establishing Grundnorm notwithstanding the coerced adminsitration of the Oath of Office by the Acting Chief Justice, Samuel Beccles Davies. Major Johnny Paul Koromah can foolishly continue to assume that the Oath shields him from prosecution, but his trial will dawn when the rule of law returns unless President Kabbah grants him amnesty as he originally sought to do in a letter to Sani Abacha.

In 1992, the NPRC succeeded in replacing the legal order with arbitrary rule with the aiding and abetting of respectable members of the Sierra Leonean society. One such person was President Kabbah, who aided and abetted the NPRC under Decree No. 7 to take up the post of Chairman of the National Advisory Council, to write its now aborted constitution. On that Commission were George Banda Thomas, Solomon Berewa and other prominent men and women who in fact now grace his cabinet. Such men, Dr. Arthur Abraham, John Karimu, among others also aided and abetted the NPRC by occupying cabinet posts and furthering the Grundnorm of the junta. Is there a distinction between these NPRC aiders and abetters and the AFRC aiders and abetters?

I’ll wholly join you in this proposition of aiders and abetters if we apply uniform and consistent judgment to them all as treacherous Sierra Leoneans, willing to betray the trust of the Constitution for a ride in a Benz or holding a coveted cabinet post. But our eminent men and women in 1992 all shredded the Constitution to establish the NPRC Grundnorm. With such auspicious support the NPRC established effectiveness under Kelsenian standards of ousting the old order for the new NPRC order.

I have returned to the NPRC "Revolution" to make the point that the inconsistent approach to post-coup supporters makes a mockery of establishing a heritage of the rule of law in Sierra Leone. Many of us who really obey Section 13 on the duties of the Sierra Leonean citizen should at all times aspire to the touchstone of the rule of law by never supporting any coup or assisting in the administration of post-coup regime as certain respectable Sierra Leoneans saw fit in 1992. The majority of Sierra Leoneans assisted the NPRC in establishing Grundnorm. Sierra Leoneans established the Kelsenian doctrine hitherto established in Pakistan, Uganda, and Rhodesia. It is a tenuous legal doctrine but was established in Sierra Leone for nearly four years under the NPRC, owing to the aiders and abetters who propped up the juvenile regime of force led by Captain Strasser.

PROPOSITION II: ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS OF SIERRA LEONE BY THE PRESIDENT

Professor Kallon, keep in mind that we are all aware of the constitutional responsibility of the President to enforce the laws of Sierra Leone. When he returns to State House as we continue to hope, he should enforce the laws according to his mandate in the Constitution: That all usurpers of the law in the confederacy of the 25 May 1997 coup will be punished in accordance with the rule of law not gestapo recriminations. That suspects will receive due process before the High Court to hear and answer allegations of treason against them on the criminal complaints prepared in accordance with the rule of law.

The APC used to employ gestapo tactics by hunting suspects like the Nazis did in Germany to achieve their "final solution". It is quite clear that the aiders and abetters of the AFRC should be treated alike and if found guilty of treasonous acts, to receive just punishment. We do not want our democratic President talking of hunting and capturing political enemies in "arata holes" or insinuating reprisals against anybody yet who acted on his own or was in the throes of the duress of fixed bayonets. He should make an arrest of ALL those who joined the criminal enterprise before and after its commission with a certainty of the distinction between those who were wittingly actuated to usurp our laws under the opportunity of the crime of treason and those who carried out mere orders from trigger-happy soldiers. I am not sure if anyone on the Leonenet stated that President Kabbah lacked legal authority to prosecute AFRC collaborators. But we all know that he possesses the constitutional grant to "protect and defend the constitution" including the prosecution of intentional breaches of the law.

We hope the President will not only defend the Constitution but will administer the laws of Sierra Leone fairly as he did not do so before his fall. Take the Passport crime for example, allegedly committed by Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu. Dr. Bundu was not even prosecuted! He was treated with deference and with velvet gloves. He paid restitution and the Kabbah administration permitted him to go free. Restitution is not punishment. The man admitted to the accusation by the implication of returning some of the funds he illegally received. Dr. Bundu returned what was due to the Treasury of Sierra Leone.

The Kabbah administration would have learned from the public prosecution of Dr. Bundu. We would have learned not only his role in the crime but the extent of the practice of selling passports. We would have learned too whether this practice still subsists in a tacit way as a custom among those who work in the department. But the hush, hush resolution of the matter leaves doubt on the alleged crime. He should have been as least given a suspended sentence in the plea bargain for the record that he wouldl not be eligible under Sections 75 and 76 to sit in Parliament or run for State House in the future. A man who sells the passports of his nation to foreigners for profit has committed not only an odious crime, but has contemplated to betray it the way a usurper undermines the Constitution. But long after Dr. Bundu escaped prosecution and walked off whistling, the Kabbah administration started to call him a criminal in its reply to the AFRC’s fatuituous rationale for staging a coup. Small wonder the reply sounded so hollow and inept.

PROPOSITIONIII: MISPRISION OF TREASON

I do not agree with you that those who conceal information on treason are guilty of treason as you asserted in the case of Brigadier David Lansana.

Concealing information on the crime of treason is called MISPRISION OF TREASON. That was one of the crimes charged at the time in the particulars of the assortment of state crimes. Specifically under U.S. law, misprision of treason is defined under 18 U.S.C.A. § 2382:

The bare knowledge and concealment of an act of treason or treasonable plot by failing to disclose it to the appropriate officials; that is, without any assent or participation therein, for if the latter elements be present the party becomes a principal.

Misprision of treason is not punishable by death, although the APC executed its political enemies who were accused of minor breaches of the law as we know that the preferment against Vice-President Francis Mischek Minah averred only vague, overbroad and circumstantial evidence in the Moohamed Gabriel Tennyson Kaikai’s plot. There was no evidence that he incited the other conspirators or did an overt act to implicate him substantially as a principal in the plot against President Momoh. At his appeal, Berthen Macauley established that no evidence was ever adduced to support the assertion that he committed an "overt act" to encompass the death of President Momoh or the overthrow of his government. An overt act is a necessary element for conviction of the crime of treason. The Government could not prove an overt act, but he nonetheless went to the scaffold at Pademba Road protesting his innocence. He was killed for an accusation of the species of the crime itself. But as stated in the U.S. law, unless the person concealing the crime participates or assents to the crime, he is not guilty of treason.

PROPOSITION IV: AIDERS AND ABETTERS - WHO ARE THEY?

Your Ezra Pound example is a bit untenable as persuasive authority for aiding and abetting treason, using the implement of radio broadcasts. It is more a tangential example than a pivot for viewing aiders and abetters. Esra Loomis Pound (1885-1972) was associated with the eminent English and Irish writers. He edited the works of T.S. Eliot, William Butler Yeats and James Joyce. Pound as you pointed out, was accused of treason for broadcasting Fascist propaganda from Rome to the United States. He was arrested in 1945 by Americans on those charges but was declared psychologically unfit to stand trial and was confined to a mental hospital in Washington, D.C.. He was released in 1958 in accordance with the terms of his hospitalization. It is tenuous to hold the view as you did that the court which ordered that he be remanded to a mental hospital did so more on the influence of his "fans" than on his incapacity to appreciate the serious charges against him and to assist in his own defence. Whether he continued to write good poetry or engaged in economic sophistry are matters outside the legal excuse not to try a man adjudged as lacking compos mentis. There are plenty of insane men in English literature who left us classics in their literary legacy. And many a genius who improved our knowledge in science or the arts has been found to be a bit mad.

Perhaps the best example of a radio traitor was William Joyce who was charged in 1945 in accordance of the treason statute 1351of Edward III: "that if a man do levy war against our Lord the King in his realm or adhere to the King’s enemies in his realm, giving them aid and comfort in his realm or elsewhere". Joyce was tried for his war time radio broadcasts deemed an aiding and giving comfort to the enemy. He was convicted and executed. I am sure that if his mental ability to join in his prosecution were impaired as Pound’s was, he would not have become the cause celebre that he became. In the United States, one may regard the treason trial of Iva Ikuko Toguri (Tokyo Rose), a Japanese-American born in Los Angeles, and that of Mildred Elizabeth Gillars (Axis sally) of Portland, Maine as inspirations of aiding and abetting the enemy using the radio implement. Both women were tried and convicted for treason.

The Pound example enveloped in your aiding and abetting postulate, assumes a precedent to be "instructive" to us. But a comparison must have an analogue which reaches a logical aim: That they are the same or similar, and the premises support the logical aim or conclusion. It appears that the convictions of "Tokyo Rose" and that of "Axis Sally" are more instructive to us than Pound’s aborted trial.

FINAL DELIBERATIONS:

Professor Kallon, if we both sat down to look at the postulates you examined in your wise essay we may reach our aim in the present discontent in Sierra Leone, that the inconsistent practice of the rule of law in Sierra Leone has spurred the errant, incompetent soldiers to aspire to the proposition of President Shagri stated in 1979 when he was confounded with the customary coups of Nigeria: "In this country there are, in the end, only two parties, the civilians and the soldiers". The NPRC and the AFRC have taught us a lesson that unless we impose a parapet on military rule with continuing reverence for the rule of law, ours will become a praetorian state as Nigeria has already established. Even the buffoon, the lapsed soldier, Corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh, still harbours the quixotic notion of being President of Sierra Leone. Was he not tried for treason along with Bangura and others in an earlier uprising against Siaka Stevens?

Reverence for the rule of law might take root in Sierra Leone, when that execrable document referred to as the 1991 Constitution is thrown away and a democratic constitution inheres in its place. Even then we would still have to do more than inveigh coups d’etat. Until a country settles the grave question of what its organic law is, its soldiers see themselves as players in the game of politics. The proposed" hunting" and prosecuting the AFRC and its collaborators might be the right thing to do. But as Samuel Finer has stated in his celebrated book, Man on Horse Back, a low level political culture attracts coups. Unless we develop our political culture and cultivate democratic ideals which have caused progress in other countries, treason trials would be mere milestones to the next coup d’etat.

If we undermine this notion, we may have forgotten how many treason trials we have had since independence and how convictions and executions have served no deterrence for the next plotters. That challenge lies on the shoulders of the serious-minded educated class committed to trustworthy statecraft. More important, unless we disengage from petty bickering or personal attacks derived from barren, caustic postings, to seriously take the admonition for responsible citizens pointed out in your reference to Section 13 of Act No. 6, 1991, the twenty-first century will meet us mired in another swamp, calling on others to assist us in chasing our errant soldiers from the corridors of government.

Best regards,

I remain

John Lansana Musa

Subject: FOR KNICE
From: Saloneman2
To: All
Date Posted: 16:06:55 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
Knice,

Thanks for your usual interesting foray into Sierra Leone politics. The piece under the thread captioned “Kabs-Kanu On President Kabbah” was as usual, analytical and objective.

For my part, I cannot express an opinion on Kabbah’s tenure as president of the Republic of Sierra Leone without grieving at how a captain who initially was on course to save a wrecking ship of state suddenly lost it all in the turbulent sea of negative politics. This triumph of negative politics over sound governance initiatives explains the dismal trajectory of development in Sierra Leone under the stewardship of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

A visionary leader, in my opinion, is a leader who capitalizes on the opportunities of the moment to initiate sustainable socio-economic development. Sierra Leone, as you correctly observed “won much sympathy” from the outside world both during the war and the immediate post-war period. Unfortunately, we failed to utilize the goodwill that came with this unusual attention received especially from the UN, the UK and USA into a positive structural transformation of our Republic. Consequently, on the eve of Kabbah’s departure, Sierra Leone continues to exist on hope as the president’s promises of establishing a political and economic paradigm that could be emulated by other African nations never came to fruition.

The task therefore for Kabbah’s successor becomes all the more ominous in the face of our continued tagging as a failed state. Kabbah’s successor has to ensure that our trajectory of development is progressive. This can only happen when our institutional frameworks become progressive. We cannot, for example, lift ourselves from our current morass of abject poverty if our institutional frameworks of good governance continue to be substandard and rotten. To embark on meaningful programs of poverty reduction and wealth creation in the age of globalization, Kabbah’s successor has to establish an initiative that could remove our institutions from their current arcane state and made to be compatible with global market forces.

PS

I lost your telephone numbers and have not been able to reach KJL. Please send me your current numbers at yewoma@yahoo.com. I will call you before the weekend.
Thanks.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE
From: Konouwah
To: All
Date Posted: 19:56:16 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: red_dog.niehs.nih.gov at 157.98.76.127

Message:
"...Kabbah’s tenure as president of the Republic of Sierra Leone without grieving at how a captain who initially was on course to save a wrecking ship of state suddenly lost it all in the turbulent sea of negative politics. This triumph of negative politics over sound governance initiatives explains the dismal trajectory of development in Sierra Leone under the stewardship of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah..."

Please do not blame Pa Kabbah for not totally saving the "wrecking ship of state" and for "suddenly [losing] it all in the turbulent sea of negative politics".

Blame this on the sudden death of Aunty Pat, his wife of some fifty-something years. She was the brain behind the throne, and when she died suddenly, Bra TK was lost, and alone. The donor commuinity then started dictating their terms to him. There was no one around he could trust, as he could Aunty Pat, so he did what the donors (Brits,in particular) wanted him to do, thus deviating from the primary agenda of his presidency.

To all of you Monday morning quarterbacks on this forum, where wuz u all at when the "ship was being wrecked" in this so-called "turbulent sea of negative politics"?

I give praise where paise is due, Pa Kabbah has done his utmost to help lead and develop that country of ours. Are we going to shy away from our collective turns AGAIN in the governance of that country of ours in order to continue wearing our CYNICAL robes?

Thank you, Pa Kabba. You did the best you could under the circumstances. May God continue to guide you in your retirement.

But I am still angry with you with respect to Bra Hinga.

So Long, TK! So long!!

Let us see what Bra Solo is made of after August 2007.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE
From: Reminder
To: All
Date Posted: 08:27:25 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
"To all of you Monday morning quarterbacks on this forum, where wuz u all at when the "ship was being wrecked" in this so-called "turbulent sea of negative politics"? "

Defending the truth against unpatriotic SLPP apologists like you, Edmund Koker.

It is the same thing qwe will be doing if the people of Salone sit downm and let another corrupt old man like Berewa steal their vote instal himslef as president. And., like now, traitors like you will be asking the same dumb question like the one you just asked about the corrput Kabbah.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 09:00:05 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Ole man Berewa will be 69 years + 5 days old on 11th of August 2007.

How did he feel when Obasanjo said that in the future no one over sixty will bee president of Nigeria.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE ( corrected)
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 05:25:37 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Konouwah,

I thought you said that you had gone into retirement in peeperdom until August12th?

Your problem is that you always want to sound so profound when there is not that much upstairs in your store of profundity.

So Mrs Patricia Kabbah (the brain) was made of sugar and spice and everything nice whereas Pa Kabbah the muscle was bereft of her brains, when she departed?

We know that Pa Kabbah is no Henry V111.

You want to ridicule the president? C’mon, surely you are talking only about Mr. Kabbah's emotional plane of being? Kabbah has a cabinet you know and the general saying is that “two heads are better than one” As commander-in-chief we have expected him – and not his gentle wife - to wage a ruthless instead of a toothless war on corruption. The problem has been that corruption inheres in the garments that the SLPP wears. If you want me to explain what I mean by that, don’t trust your imagination and please don’t hesitate to ask me, and I will gladly oblige without any abstract obfuscations.

One of the jokes circulating at Legon was that Kofi Busia had” left his brains at Oxford”

Ludicrous exponent of apologies and explanations of SLPP’s mortal sins & grave shortcomings blame it all on the irreplaceable first lady of his life ” Aunty Pat, his wife of some fifty-something years.” (and lets hope you’ve got the figures right.) after she went to heaven you say “Bra TK was lost, and alone. The donor community then started dictating their terms to him”. But he had and still has your Mr. Be-re-wa (albeit without the feminine touch) to guide him. To what is Mr. Berewa also, a grass roots widow going to give continuity?

“Let us see what Bra Solo is made of after August 2007.”?????

People had better scrutinize the sort of guy that he is now – and as you say, you are not pleased with his treatment of Chief Hinga Norman who helped defend his Southern turf of holy land, and helped to restore Kabbah (at all costs) to the Government House at Hill Station.
The presidential election one million dollar question should not be what to expect to see this 68 year old Pa is made of after August 11th 2007 but of what mettle or stuff is Vice-President Berewa made of even as we speak. As minister of Justice how far did he pursue the war against corruption all these years? (John Lansana Musa has a comprehensive list of his errors)

As minister of Justice, look at this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6229494.stm
And you know where the corrupt should be?

The late Ms Kabbah and the late Ms Berewa were undoubtedly made of “sugar and spice and all that’s nice” but what is Berewa made of?
“Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails”?

I like Hon. Momodou Koroma very much ( low profile and middle of the road – loud & big mouth Mr. Most educated Johnny Leigh even without nuclear weapons would as Foreign minister antagonise everybody, beginning with our Colonel Qadhafi) but if what Kabbah and Berewa are missing is a Lady’s brain behind their “ throne” , then in that case Berewa had better have Zainab Bangura as his running mate since he too has suffered the loss of his beloved wife Deborah, and perhaps like his clueless boss (without a brain behind either the King or the Crown prince’s throne) for that reason he too may have since relapsed into a brainless stupor as evidenced by his frequent falling asleep at meetings………

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE ( corrected)
From: Konouwah
To: All
Date Posted: 09:07:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: red_dog.niehs.nih.gov at 157.98.76.127

Message:
"...then in that case Berewa had better have Zainab Bangura as his running mate..." C. Hamelberg

I made that recommendation about a year ago on this forum. Please check the archives. U faint late.

I have to go now. My Uncle Sam does not pay me for being idle on this forum. Won't be back till the results claim outright victory for Solo B in August.

Are you still getting "kongosah" calls from the LA area about folks on this forum? Beware whom you talk to, he may be doing the same to / about you that he is doing unto others. DO NOT TRUST that blabber mouth of an engineer!!!

Bye bye!! Bra Cornie Rabbit.

Nar go me day go so, dain kayi mah dain.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE ( specially corrected for Dr. K)
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 11:50:00 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
10,000 Kilowatt Bright Konouwah,

Your Solo Bee & I will hopefully be observing 6th August, in our various ways - it’s also Hiroshima Day

I put down the phone two minutes ago.

I've just had a two-hour discussion over the phone with Deensie Sawanneh and we covered all areas of Sierra Leone polity, including underdevelopment, mass poverty and corruption.

Our conclusion:

1. Middle level manpower requirements are as you would call it a sine qua non and
2. that even in the inter-tribal & inte- party vilifications and disparagements that are an inevitable and essential feature of Sierra Leone politics, even as the campaign heats up (and may the rain July-August rain showers cool things a wee bit ) we should all exercise some degree of restraint because we all have a responsibility to NOT damage the image of the country " we love so well" as that does not bode well for peace and stability or for attracting investments - and we pray for you and your brothers and sisters return to Sierra Leone ( by Pan Am or BA) since investments and your relocat1on to the country called home could help engineer the peace, progress and prosperity that we seek for all citizens of our country which became independent on 27th April, 1961

Like Leonard Cohen you might think

“I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,”

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Leonard+Cohen+%22+Democracy

Fortunately or unfortunately for the North-South divide that corresponds to strict party lines, it’s winner takes all and so perhaps not everybody is going to be celebrating the morning after 11th August. So dear professor, please tell your SLPP guys not to call in the army as they did in 1967 because we do not want to go back to that kind of fewcha.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE ( corrected)
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 11:35:39 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
10,000 Kilowatt Bright Konouwah,

Your Solo Bee & I will hopefully be observing 6th August, in our various ways - it’s also Hiroshima Day

I put down the phone two minute ago.

I've just had a two-hour discussion over the phone with Deensie Sawanneh and we covered all areas of Sierra Leone polity, including underdevelopment, mass poverty and corruption.

Our conclusion:

1. Middle level manpower requirements are as you would call it a sine qua non and
2. that even in the inter-tribal & inte- party vilifications and disparagements are an inevitable and essential feature of Sierra Leone politics, even as the campaign heats up (and may the rain July-August rain showers cool things a wee bit ) we should all exercise some degree of restraint as we all have a responsibility to NOT damage the image of the country " we love so well" because that does not bode well for peace and stability or for attracting investments - and we pray for you and your brothers and sisters return to Sierra Leone ( by Pan Am or BA) since investments and your relocat1on to the country called home could help engineer the peace, progress and prosperity that we seek for all citizens of our country which became independent on 27th April, 1961

Like Leonard Cohen you might think

“I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,”

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Leonard+Cohen+%22+Democracy

Fortunately or unfortunately for the North-South divide that corresponds to strict party lines, it’s winner takes all and so perhaps not everybody is going to celebrating the morning after 11th August. So dear professor please tell your SLPP guys not to call in the army as they did in 1967 because we do not want to go back to that kind of fewcha.

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 05:15:08 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Konouwah,

I thought you said that you had gone into retirement in peeperdom until August12th?

Your problem is that you always want to sound so profound when there is not that much upstairs in your store of profundity.

So Mrs Patricia Kabbah (the brain) was made of sugar and spice and everything nice whereas Pa Kabbah the muscle was bereft of her brains, when she departed?

We know that Pa Kabbah is no Henry V111.

You want to ridicule the president? C’mon, surely you are talking only about Mr. Kabbah's emotional plane of being? Kabbah has a cabinet you know and the general saying is that “two heads are better than one” As commander-in-chief we have expected him – and not his gentle wife - to wage a ruthless instead of a toothless war on corruption. The problem has been that corruption inheres in the garments that the SLPP wears. If you want me to explain what I mean by that, don’t trust your imagination and please don’t hesitate to ask me, and I will gladly oblige without any abstract obfuscations.

One of the jokes circulating at Legon was that Kofi Busia had” left his brains at Oxford”

Ludicrous exponent of apologies and explanations of SLPP’s mortal sins & grave shortcomings blame it all on the irreplaceable first lady of his life ” Aunty Pat, his wife of some fifty-something years.” (and lets hope you’ve got the figures right.) after she went to heaven you say “Bra TK was lost, and alone. The donor community then started dictating their terms to him”. But he had and still has your Mr. Be-re-wa (albeit without the feminine touch) to guide him. To what is Mr. Berewa also, a grass widow going to give continuity?

“Let us see what Bra Solo is made of after August 2007.”?????

People had better scrutinize the sort of guy that he is now – and as you say, you are not pleased with his treatment of Chief Hinga Norman who helped defend his Southern turf of holy land, and helped to restore Kabbah (at all costs) to the Government House at Hill Station.
The presidential election question one million dollar should not be what to expect to see this 68 year old Pa is made of after August 11th 2007 but of what mettle or stuff is Vice-President Berewa made of even as we speak. As minister of Justice how far did he pursue the war against corruption all these years?

As minister of Justice, look at this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6229494.stm
And you know where the corrupt should be?

The late Ms Kabbah and the late Ms Berewa were undoubtedly made of “sugar and spice and all that’s nice” but what is Berewa made of?
“Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails”?

I like Hon. Momodou Koroma very much ( low profile and middle of the road – loud & big mouth Mr. Most educated Johnny Leigh even without nuclear weapons would as Foreign minister antagonise everybody, beginning with our Colonel Qadhafi) but if what Kabbah and Berewa are missing is a Lady’s brain behind their “ throne” , then case Berewa had better have Zainab Bangura as his running mate since he too has suffered the loss of his beloved wife Deborah, and perhaps like his clueless boss (without a brain behind either the King or the Crown prince’s throne) he too may have since relapsed into a brainless stupor as evidenced by his frequent falling asleep at meetings………

Subject: Re: FOR KNICE
From: NOT TRUE
To: All
Date Posted: 20:29:24 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-69-255-182-17.hsd1.va.comcast.net at 69.255.182.17

Message:
Be honest Sengbe Pa Kabba surrounds himself with a bunch of incompetent SLPP people (not the death of his wife) that led to his failures.

Subject: FOR OK DOK
From: QUESTION
To: All
Date Posted: 11:51:59 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 207.108.136.243

Message:
"Daboh a lot of sierra leoneana know the book but not honest and they only write because they want to contribute wrongly this could be our number one problem.Sharman once said everything good in the country is only for the south and not North but i am not worried as he spent all his entire life with charles Taylor and Doe.He needs to go back and look into Pa sheika,s projects he wasted on that part of the country only going into private northerners pockets"

OK DOK, Can you tell us which projects siaka stevens wasted in the north that was not given to the other part of the country or can you give me a side by side comparison of the projects given to the north against those given to the south during pa shekky?
Since you know more about that, we want to you to tell us what you know that we dont know about shekky's projects.

Subject: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Knice
To: All
Date Posted: 10:54:36 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-457836a6.dyn.optonline.net at 69.120.54.166

Message:
Cornelius, I have heard so many versions of what transpired in the aftermath of the 1967 elections that I am convinced we will never know the true facts. For what it is worth, Kelfala's version is the same as the one told by Gershon Collier in his landmark book: "Sierra Leone - Experiment in Democracy in an African Nation", which I have consulted again just now, to confirm that this is the case. Also bear in mind that Kelfala's dad and my dad are brothers and Kelfala therefore is my first cousin. All the more reason why I did want to get involved, as some amongst us will seize on our relationship to discredit whatever I say on the matter.

Perhaps we should just get over 1967 and move on in pursuit of good governance for the country. This however is not easy. The bungled transition in 1967 and most notably the 'Lansana Coup' has been cited to justify every APC policy. Unfortunately for us only Siaka Stevens wrote a memoir, and obviously his recollections on 1967 are totally self-serving. In fact his whole book is self-serving, more of the whinings by an unrepentant sinner than a memoir. Our only credible record therefore has to be Gershon Collier.

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Hamelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 17:15:50 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
correct spelling: Cornelius Hamelberg

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 13:14:32 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
Thanks Knice, for coming to the rescue with your timely intervention and explanation. When Rev Kanu pointed out that Knice and Kelfala Kallon were not the same person, I didn’t understand why he should think that I thought so. And so I have otherwise thought,” What does Rev Kanu take me for, thinking that I should confuse (the person I believe to be stiff upper lip Krioman) Knice with a professorial bloke called Kelfala Kallon.?

So you are related to the academic expert on Sierra Leone corruption? To call anyone an expert on corruption would otherwise imply -in a participatory capacity.

There’s not much mystery to the 1967 coup, although there might not be absolute certainty about the order of events. Some £1 million sterling arrived and is a part of the total picture and that is all. It’s improbable that you will get more info about that and rumours still persist or have been buried with some of the main protagonists about who met who at what cocktail party and forwarded the funds. The perception of Siaka Stevens' Communistic leanings could have had something to do with it. In any case even today, looking at our present situation, some will say that the UK for example – as principle tends to be more inclined to perpetuating the stability that goes with the present status quo, to risking a new beginning with the entirely unknown card.

Gershon Collier was my family lawyer. He and Barthes and Elisabeth Wilson had their offices below and we lived one stair above at 37 Westmoreland Street, just opposite the Sierra Leone Museum, by the Cotton Tree. I was a kid then, but always listened attentively to the older people and what they had to say, those were the days of political gossip.

Why should the 1967 coup be a mystery?
Albert Margai junior is available. Chief Hinga Norman, the man who placed Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston under arrest must have regaled his companions about this fait accompli, as he was not under any official secrets acts. Larry Boston who was at some time the Governor –General’s Aide de Con is also available as indeed were Brigadier David Lansana and several people in the military ranks. Coups take some planning and in the sometimes ethnically divided army – despite the Sandhurst and Aldershot inculcated discipline, there are many actors in the ranks that can testify as to what actually happened.
Have you read Thomas S. Cox”Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of African Soldiers in Politics”?
You could also ask him? (He gave me the first cut of Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” when it was just out and hot - – he is a very communicable person.

There is surely no omniscient author on the 1967 coup and from many diverse sources we may arrive at a composite picture which does not necessarily have to be true. We could be misinformed. Cadmus says according to the history books... etc. No point in starting a useless discussion on that either. (N.B. Cadmus, I remember listening to music in the cradle….)

The “only credible record therefore has to be Gershon Collier” or whatever gossip is contained therein. In my opinion even that probably doesn’t go all the way and he is also most probably compromised) (His position as Sierra Leone ambassador to the UN – and so too there must be an official version that is sanctioned and approved. So it is with most African Military coups, including Nigerian ones. I should have known what was in the pipeline after master-mind Sani Abacha visited Port Harcourt and after nearly all the communications to the outside world had been cut.

Anyway, as you say, let’s move on.

It’s like the Special Court Sessions from which verdicts of Justice to numerous counts are a foregone conclusion and with the most important man Charles Taylor remaining safe and sound and out of harms way in The Hague, what we especially want to know is WHAT HAPPENED. Any news about the trial that is supposed to resume today ?

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: foday mansaray
To: All
Date Posted: 12:28:09 06/25/07 ()
Email Address: fmansaray@aol.com
Entered From: at 74.8.30.110

Message:
Forgeting about 1967 in sierra leone's history is like telling the Americans to forget about the Boston Tea Party.What happened in 1774 is as equally relevant and direct result to what lead to 1776 of Americans independence from Britain.

This country and the brutal war originated from people like Hinga Norma,Foday Sankoh and even president kabba came from that era and off course hosted the military Coup in 67.

At the very list I do agree with you that we are coming to the end of era.That is why we need to retire everyone last one of them which includes Berewa and company peacefully for sierra leone to florish in the months and years ahead.

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Hashim Daboh
To: All
Date Posted: 16:38:30 06/25/07 ()
Email Address: Gboyama@yahoo.co.uk
Entered From: 87.112.3.225.plusnet.ptn-ag1.dyn.plus.net at 87.112.3.225

Message:
No Ngor foday .simply a misplaced analogy sir. A Sierra Leonean event you may juxtapose with the American war of independence could be our Hut tax war ,when Gbatehrongo ( Bai Bureh) ,Kailondo ,Ndawa and others rebelled against the 'NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION 'banner . Our true independence bout and retrogressive development started then.
In all this euphoria about slavery and slave trade ,none of us dare prompt investigation from Britain to give reasons for the Bai Bureh incident . Patriots do the incredibles ,and i soundly believe we've a case against Britain for that episode in our history.

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Silent Majority
To: All
Date Posted: 13:31:31 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 195.54.227.249

Message:
Forgeting about 1967 in sierra leone's history is like telling the Americans to forget about the Boston Tea Party.What happened in 1774 is as equally relevant and direct result to what lead to 1776 of Americans independence from Britain. - Foday Mansary
-----------------------------------------------------

I strongly agree with the sentiment contained in that statement.

I read with dismay Mr Kelfala Kallon's analysis of what transpired in the aftermath of the 1967 elections.Mr K Kallon appears to be well educated and of a younger generation than say E T Kamara which is why i found his analysis disappointing.

Kelfala Kallon made a decent attempt at showing why Sir Henry Lightfoot Boston (SHLB) erred in law when, as the Governor General, exercising his legal duty to appoint 'the person who in the GOVERNOR GENERALS VIEW was most likely to command the majority of the house' he appointed Stevens. Mr Kallon talked about the 1951 precedent etc. Yet, without a trace of irony he then goes on to equate the decision of (SHLB) who in Kallon's view made an illegal decision to appoint Stevens to the action by Lansana and others to intervene militarily.

He seems to see equivalence between SHLB's decision and the decision of Lansana, Hinga Norman (backed by the SLPP)to use violence (military intervention) to correct what they saw as an illegal decision.

I admit that i have not had the opportunity of reading the book by Gershon Collier. If any one knows where I can get it I would be most grateful for the information.

In 1967 the rule of law was still relatively strong in SL. Appeals could have been made right up to the privy council.

It does not seem to occur to Mr Kallon that his views are discordant. ie if he believes that SHLB's decision was wrong in law then the logical stance ought to be that the SLPP should have challenged the legality of the decision AND accepted the outcome of the legal process. That would have been decision of mature and far sighted leadership. Instead he takes the opposite stance ie if the decision is wrong in law then the use of violence is justified. MR Kallon appears to see very little difference between a decision that may be wrong in law and a military intervention. This suggests a deep misunderstanding of the rule of law and its importance.

This view coming from a 'young' and presumably well educated Sierra Leonean in 2007 is disapponting to me. Is it really the case that even today we as Sierra Leoneans have not truly grasped the importance of the rule of law in a modern civilised society?

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: Cornelius Hamelberg
To: All
Date Posted: 16:56:57 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-358472d5.01-32-73746f42.cust.bredbandsbolaget.se at 213.114.132.53

Message:
"Erred in law" is belful talk.

Both KLA and Knice have contributed to earlier discussions of this matter, in this Forum.
Sure Arthur Abrahams will probably have the second to last word on the role of Chiefs in British colonial administration and the role of Chiefs cannot be diminished as can be seen by Alhaji Kabbah wooing them, assembling all 249 of them to meet for the coronation of their brother-in-kind, PM Tony Blair as Bai Shebora N'torfla, Paramount Chief of Kuffa Bulam chieftain and his better half Cherie, as Ya-bonbosseh.

Back to ’67, the House of Chiefs as a new stipulation whereby the chiefs could throw their weight behind either APC or SLPP to constitute a parliamentary majority was newfangled and BOGUS.

Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston, a first class honours graduate in law and formerly speaker of the Sierra Leone House of Representatives and therefore conversant with the psychology and landscape etc of Sierra Leone politics did not and could not have “erred in law” nor did any influential pro- APC Creoles prevail upon him to appoint Mr. Siaka Probyn Stevens. He did so in consultation and at his discretion, indeed that was his function as representative of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth 11, he was certainly in touch with privy council level of legal decision-making, and we are to assume that it’s possible that there was some confusion or even uncertainty as to how the 4 independent candidates from the East were going to fall in line, as they ultimately did behind Hon Siaka Stevens as they joined ranks with him to form a constitutionally and democratically elected majority. It is also technically possible for a minority government to be appointed. But in this case Sir Henry had enough reason to believe that Hon. Siaka Stevens formerly mayor of Freetown and venerable leader of the opposition with a formidable political background – at par with Sirs Milton and Albert Margai, was in this instance demonstrably in control of a majority in the House and therefore eligible to be appointed prime minister.

On the other hand, ( still the cold war years) and it is doubtful whether Hon. Siaka Probyn Stevens of that time was the type who willy-nilly wanted to be knighted (like Salman Rushdie) and given the accolade of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

Gershon Collier’s book is available at Amazon.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Sierra+Leone%3A+Experiment+in+Democracy+in+an+African+Nation.+by+Gershon+Collier+&btnG=Search&meta=

In my view, that is the genesis of all Sierra Leone’s problem up till today: the SLPP being a bad loser and it would have been the first time in Africa that an opposition had won an election and displaced the party of knighted incumbents – but alas, Albert Margai could not admit the defeat of his corrupt and nepotistic SLPP at the polls, and so called in the army,( put an early end to our APC victory celebration which was already in motion) in the vain hope of hanging on to POWER forever, politricks being a lucrative source of sustenance for him and his SLPP cronies.

Eventually his escape plane developed engine trouble over Conakry, and the joke is that he either thought that he was at high mass as he wailed “O me miserum!” or unlike president Kabbah a few decades later he did not believe that Brigadier John Bangura was training guerrilla soldiers there, to return him to his rightfully won (democratically elected) and incontestable seat of power.

Subject: Re: For Cornelius Haelberg: Re ET Kamara vs Kelfala Kallon
From: The Analyst
To: All
Date Posted: 15:09:43 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: f298781.ga.unc.edu at 152.4.31.217

Message:
Kallon's article is flawed. Kallon is an economist. His writings about politics are as weak as his attempt to rewrite Sierra Leone's history for the historians. His authority in these areas is 'zip', 'nadar'. I may tend to believe his writings on microeconomic principles, developmental economics or even applied macroeconomics. But this is as far as I could go with him.....but not in politics....not even history.

Subject: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Kroobaymom
To: All
Date Posted: 09:30:59 06/25/07 ()
Email Address: Kroobaymom@yahoo.com
Entered From: at 206.113.148.2

Message:
Culled from SWEET SIERRALEONE.COM
JUNE 24, 2007

BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH

As I looked through out the room trying to not fall asleep during the very very long speech, I noticed that our very own VP had given up the ball and was sound asleep. His head slightly tilted to the back, eyes closed, and hands laying loosely on his thighs.

I started wondering if anyone else had noticed but not before I shared the information with my mom. She smiled……Slowly, I realize that the police officer in white regalia sitting next to the VP had also noticed. He goes behind the VP’s chair to whisper something in Senior Protocol Officer Soulay Daramy’s ear otherwise known as SCOPE….(dare I say that Mr Daramy is one of the hardest working men in this country)

Anyhoo…Mr Soulay then finds book and tries to hand it to the VP in hopes that this would keep him up. He taps Berewa on his hand as discreetly as possible (thought not discreetly enough for someone like me who was focused on their every move). He hands the VP the book…Mr. Berewa opened the book, closed it, and simply went back to sleep….this time bending forward so it was easy to notice his head when it nodded deeper and deeper into sleep.

Noticing that the plan had been foiled, the police officer whispered in the VPs ear. I imagined he said “Pa, you day sleep?” The VP simply waved him away as if to say “Bo lef me”. He leans back into his armchair and closes his eyes again. Meanwhile Earnest Bai sits in his seat with a smile on his face. I am not sure if he notices his opponent asleep.

Did I mention that Earnest Bai is HOTT? The man is simply beautiful. Rumor has it that he loves the ladies….but with a face like that of course Ladies Gotta Love Earnest Bai….hehehe…LGLEarnest B…....LLCoolJ Who?? If we had to vote simply on looks, he’d definitely get my vote. He has creamy dark skin and a head full of distinguished graying hair. Ah yes, Earnest is a cutie.

Anyway, back to my favorite VP. So I began to wonder how they are ever going to get this man awake. Then I saw the vice speaker of the house (a lady) whose name I cannot remember but had noticed because of her beautifully large head tie call over the police officer who was sitting next to the VP but had left his seat heading outside. A little while later the Police Officer reenters the chamber and heads to his seat. He hands and envelope to Vice President Berewa….WHAT WAS IN THE NOTE????A LETTER?? NO!!!!

I saw the Vice President remove KOLA NUT from the envelope and take a hard bite….he chewed it down….and that ladies and gentlemen is how you keep a Vice President from falling asleep during parliament.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: africanus
To: All
Date Posted: 08:55:44 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: abparkes@Aol.com
Entered From: ool-44c7a6cb.dyn.optonline.net at 68.199.166.203

Message:
There was a meeting in New York at a college in brooklyn and I was next to him the GUY was sleeping,
I have to wake him up twice/SO is this the GUY you people want to lead the country,well you GUYS are joking.

Personaly I think we should try very hard to take our
COUNTRY seriously.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Roto-rata
To: All
Date Posted: 20:07:36 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: 65-78-54-33.c3-0.upd-ubr7.trpr-upd.pa.cable.rcn.com at 65.78.54.33

Message:
This is too much roto-rata about sleeping. I am sure you were not the only one at the meeting in this so called Brooklyn college. Give us the name of the college and the time since you remember very well that the guy was sleeping at this meeting.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Blind
To: All
Date Posted: 01:54:35 06/27/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
What is roto-rata is your request for africanus to "Give us the name of the college and the time since you remember very well that the guy was sleeping at this meeting."

For what? To prove that Berewa sleeps at public functions? There is already a picture of him doing so!

You SLPP supporters are truly blind. That is to be expected from you people.After all, your fekeh=fekeh leader Berewa has been shown closing his eyes in public (sleeping), the better to be blind to reality around him.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Crase
To: All
Date Posted: 18:32:48 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-147-233-230.range86-147.btcentralplus.com at 86.147.233.230

Message:
If Mr John Leigh picks this up, he will give you 10 explanations, and em go cuss you sef.He will say, it was you, who was sleeping and not Berewa.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: CADMUS
To: All
Date Posted: 11:24:18 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 82.198.250.77

Message:
This reports is suspect.

The writer who by his/her own account was very bored her self was fighting hard not to fall a sleep. The whole thing was taking place in a 'ROOM' where the writer and her mother were present.

At the end of the piece the 'ROOM' turned out to be the House of PARLIAMENT.

Very dodgy story, but there you are....what ever turns you on. This is POLITICS.Making up stories is part of life.(unacceptable part, ofcourse)

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Abu Kanu
To: All
Date Posted: 12:13:01 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
There is nothing suspect about the report. But there is always sometning suspect about vblind SLPP apologists like you. Always.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Pro VP
To: All
Date Posted: 10:13:53 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-129-161-96.range86-129.btcentralplus.com at 86.129.161.96

Message:
He was not sleeping.He simply closed his eyes, to concentrate and to be able to digest every word of the speech.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Tatu
To: All
Date Posted: 12:16:27 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
"He was not sleeping.He simply closed his eyes, to concentrate and to be able to digest every word of the speech."

Does Berewa also close his eyes when he is reading government papers "to concentrate and to be able to digest every word?"

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: YAWA
To: All
Date Posted: 19:55:17 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-ntc-ad04.proxy.aol.com at 207.200.116.198

Message:
YES HE DOES

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Tatu
To: All
Date Posted: 08:09:15 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
No wonder then, that, like his blind SLPP supporters, Berewa never understand what he reads (with his eyes tightly closed so he can pretend to be reading what he does not see, while pretending to concentrate when he is in fact sleeping through it all!

It is this spent buffoon that these SLPP traitors wish to impose upon Salone!

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Pro VP
To: All
Date Posted: 18:30:08 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: host86-147-233-230.range86-147.btcentralplus.com at 86.147.233.230

Message:
Mon amie, reading and listening are differnet.Please give him a benefit of doubt, please.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Tatu
To: All
Date Posted: 08:12:47 06/26/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-mtc-aa04.proxy.aol.com at 64.12.116.8

Message:
"Mon amie, reading and listening are differnet.Please give him a benefit of doubt, please."

Dishonesty is no different, whether it involves sleeping while pretending to be listening, or sleeping while pretending to be reading.

It is no less dishonest to suggest giving dishonest people "a benefit of doubt," when there is no doubt about their dishonesty.

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 10:06:20 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
Come August 11, this accused "sleepy" VP will win the presidency. What do you call people who lose to "sleepy" candidates??....Brain dead folks???? Right?

Subject: Re: BEREWA SLEEPS THROUGH MOST OF THE SPEECH
From: Mirror
To: All
Date Posted: 12:14:27 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
Brain dead is what you are.

The only election Berewa the sleepwalker will win is that in his sleep.

Subject: Ghaddafi brave bad roads en route to Ghana
From: Salone boy
To: All
Date Posted: 07:29:18 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: 117-67-ftth.onsneteindhoven.nl at 88.159.67.117

Message:
Ghaddafi by all indications is a good leader and he is a humble man. His ability to ward off his adversaryand make friends with his enemies is worthy.
He is the best leader in Africa. I have started to admire Ghaddafi, a man I had criticised in the past.
read below about his feat

Kadhafi motorcade roars into Guinea Sat Jun 23, 12:39 PM ET

CONAKRY (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Khadafi arrived Saturday in the west African state of Guinea, driving in a motorcade of several hundred vehicles en route for the Ghanaian capital Accra and an African Union summit, locals said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Coming from the Malian capital Bamako he was welcomed at the border at 1:00 pm (1300 GMT) by Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate and several ministers.

Kadhafi halted at Siguiri, 700 kilometres (435 miles) northeast of Conakry, to an enthusiastic reception before moving on 100 kilometres (60 miles) to Kankan where he had lunch with Kouyate.

A rally was planned at the municipal stadium.

Kadhafi was due to stay overnight at Mamou, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of Conakry, arriving in the capital Sunday afternoon. He is due to meet Guinean President Lansana Conte, 73, in power since 1984.

Monday morning his convoy pushes on into neighbouring Sierra Leone and then Ivory Coast.

Kadhafi is a strong backer of the idea of a "United States of Africa" which is to be discussed at the African Union summit to be held in July in Accra.

Subject: LOOKING BACK
From: J.J.
To: All
Date Posted: 02:38:47 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 144.226.173.69

Message:
.

Subject: Re: LOOKING BACK
From: Centennial Boy
To: All
Date Posted: 06:16:25 06/25/07 ()
Email Address: jadalie@sierratel.sl
Entered From: 210-54-67-111.dialup.xtra.co.nz at 210.54.67.111

Message:
Thanks JJ, this is an asset, especially for those interested in the political history of S/Leone. Thank again

Subject: Impact of discussions
From: peeper
To: All
Date Posted: 18:25:01 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 84.54.30.6

Message:
i want to know if participants think they make any impact on those in sierra leone. kanji daramy seems to think forum is important enough to write and change perception. so. is online debaters influencing people and voters over there mr kanji?

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: KING LOGGY
To: All
Date Posted: 00:52:46 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 144.226.173.69

Message:
This is like asking if the myriad of newspapers in Salone has any impact on a population of 85% or so of illiterate voters.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Knice
To: All
Date Posted: 11:00:07 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-457836a6.dyn.optonline.net at 69.120.54.166

Message:
As usual you miss the point entirely. These discussions don't have to have impact on the majority of the population. They only need to impact policy makers to make a difference.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: KING LOGGY
To: All
Date Posted: 15:28:55 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: c-69-255-182-17.hsd1.va.comcast.net at 69.255.182.17

Message:
"As usual you miss the point entirely.
These discussions don't have to have
impact on the majority of the population.
They only need to impact policy makers
to make a difference"
(KNICE)
-----------------------------------------
What policy makers are you talking about...those that make up the SLPP government? Give me a break!
They can't even run the ministry of transportation much more a whole nation.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Kemoh Kanji Daramy
To: All
Date Posted: 18:47:50 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 65.91.143.20

Message:
I have not personally carried out an impact assessment of the nature you may want me to comment on but I should imagine that this forum like others I know about have some significance depending on the readership. I will not totally dismiss them.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Centennial Boy
To: All
Date Posted: 02:52:07 06/25/07 ()
Email Address: jadalie@sierratel.sl
Entered From: 219-88-118-221.dialup.xtra.co.nz at 219.88.118.221

Message:
Mr. Daramy, you do not know because the research status is very poor in SL. At least we should be in a position to know by now whether the print media has any impact on the lives of people. My advise to the incoming government is to strenghten the research base of Sierra Leone. For example, the Ministry of Economic and Development Planning should have a policy and research unit.

The thing about Sierra Leone is that most statistics are just figured/coined by international bodies, with government doing nothing in that direction. If we are to develop as a country we need to strenghten our research base. If you ask any government official the unemployment rate in the country, nobody could give u adequate figure, instead they would quote World Bank and IMF figures.Ask them the mortality rate in the country-nope. Ask them the number of people who leave the country annually-nope....even immigration doesn't know how many foreigners, including Lebanese, are in the country, or how many graduates leave the country annually.The research base has to be strenghtened if we are to move forward.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Critical Thinker
To: All
Date Posted: 15:41:01 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: sph16-204.harvard.edu at 128.103.16.204

Message:
"For example, the Ministry of Economic and Development Planning should have a policy and research unit"

Excellent! In the interim they could start by making available public use samples of useful datasets on Sierra Leone on a website. Many Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora will happily do robust empirical analyses relevant to development policy in Sierra Leone using these data – pro bono - and make their results available to the ministry. We are already doing the similar things for other governments and for international institutions.

In addition, some participants on this forum have written excellent pieces that could at least stir relevant policy debates that could be coordinated the Ministry. They could think of contacting the forum admin to learn how these people could be contacted even if only to hear their arguments in greater detail.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 04:58:42 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.148

Message:
Mr. Centennial Boy,

Thank you for the excellent comment. Hope policy makers are 'listening'.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: CADMUS
To: All
Date Posted: 08:06:47 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 82.198.250.6

Message:
Mr Moinina,

Policy makers do read this forum religiously. I can assure of that.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 09:27:05 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.148

Message:
The current leaders will soon be reading it as any other fontoba pretty soon.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: Bambay Lans Kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 20:46:03 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: sccinstr194115.scc.losrios.edu at 165.196.194.115

Message:
Greetings my brothers and sisters. Sorry for the belated response. I have been busy with school work and trying to jump over life hudles.
In respone to your writings, let me say that talking: speech, pending on the approach, is one of the surest ways of making a difference or change, if you will, and enabling progress for a nation, a society, community, a group or in any human relations. Many people advocate for action but to take action on has to know what one is to take and be able to determine how such an action will impact positively or the alternative to such an action. This is why we have governments and leaderships of many kinds.
It is evident that in any gathering, whether of the most educated, among the best scientists or the illiterate, not all is sure to conceptualize or even fully understand what is said. But it is expected that among the group, those who do not grasp the concept of what is being discussed are given time to understand by careful study or thorough explanation from the ones who do understand fully.
Newspapers, radios, televisions, journals and other forms of communications through the media are sometimes, if not most of the time, not read by a huge percentage of a populations even in the developed countries. But with time, information is passed-on from person to person verbally or through writings.
It is in this light therefore, I am of the strongest impression that our discussion here can impact change in Sierra Leone. For fact that the various communication techniques employed here are sure to have tremendous effect on all who read and actual read between the lines. Talking has been an informative agent and an instrument for change for ages. But what impedes change is the willingness to listen or the inability to change and adpt to new wave of thinking.
In this regard, I implore you to spend time to read further.

Let me give you a brief narrative of how communication has been used and why with or without knowing, these efforts we employ here are not in vain, as most things said here are sure to enlighten all who read, thereby impacting their decisions.

"Developed and used by cultures living in forested areas, drums served as an early form of long distance communication, and were used during ceremonial and religious functions.
In Africa, New Guinea and the tropical America, natives used drum telegraphy to communicate with each other from far away for centuries. When European expeditions came into the jungles to explore the primeval forest, they were surprised to find that the message of their coming and their intention was carried through the woods a step in advance of their arrival.
Among the most famous talking drums are the drums of West Africa, where they were invented. From regions known today as Nigeria and Ghana they spread across West Africa and to America and the Caribbean during the slave trade. There they were banned because they were being used by the slaves to communicate over long distances in a code unknown to their enslavers.
Talking drums were also used in East Africa and are described by Andreus Bauer in the 'Street of Caravans' while acting as security guard in the Wissmann Truppe for the caravan of Charles Stokes."
Bellow also is a scr1pt about the importance of Free Speech, showing how this can impact the writer and the readers as well.:
"Importance Of Freedom Of Speech And Expression
The importance of free speech as a basic and valuable characteristic of western society cannot be underestimated. As well as emphasizing the value of free speech, it is proposed to make an evaluation of some of the traditional restrictions on what may be freely said or published, such as the defamation laws, contempt of court, national security and so on. The approach is one which makes the case for free speech, since the world is now a place where people's unfettered freedoms are by and large in retreat. One of the difficulties inherent in discussing freedom of speech is that it contains what libertarians often describe as the paradox of freedom. The classical exposition of this paradox was described by John Stuart Mill in his essayOn Liberty in Utilitarianism Etc: (London, 1910) p 83
". . . there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it might be considered."
In other words, unless we ensure to the enemies of freedom the liberties which they are keen to abuse, then we deny the essence of what we ultimately stand for and are therefore no better than those to whom we are opposed. Or as Voltaire has been paraphrased,
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
On a more practical plane, freedom of speech serves many functions. One of its most important functions is that decision-making at all levels is preceded by discussion and consideration of a representative range of views. A decision made after adequate consultation is likely to be a better one which less imperfectly mirrors the opinions, interests and needs of all concerned, than a decision taken with little or no consultation. Thus freedom of speech is important at all levels in society. Yet it is most important for government. A government which does not know what the people feel and think is in a dangerous position. The government that muzzles free speech runs a risk of destroying the creative instincts of its people.
Freedom of speech is also important to governments because when criticisms of a government are freely voiced, the government has the opportunity to respond to answer unfair comments and criticisms about its actions. On the other hand, when freedom of speech is restricted, rumours, unfair criticisms, comments and downright falsehoods are circulated by word of mouth. These have a habit of spreading across the length and breadth of the country through conversation and surreptitiously circulated writings. The government is in no position to answer these views, because they are not publicly stated. It is in a government's interest to have criticisms in the public arena where it can answer its critics and correct its mistakes. The government generally has access to electronic and printing communication far in excess of individuals and groups. It is able to present its view only if the opposing views are in the open and known.
Finally, the freedom of speech is the single most important political right of citizens, although private property is required for its operation. See further chapter 8. Without free speech no political action is possible and no resistance to injustice and oppression is possible. Without free speech elections would have no meaning at all. Policies of contestants become known to the public and become responsive to public opinion only by virtue of free speech. Between elections the freely expressed opinions of citizens help restrain oppressive rule. Without this freedom it is futile to expect political freedom or consequently economic freedom. The sine qua non of a democratic society is the freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech involves toleration of a great deal of nonsense, and even of matters which are in bad taste. There are those, among them notably Justice Douglas of the American Supreme Court, who have argued for near absolute freedom of speech and against the restrictions based on many of the common exceptions. In Roth v US 354 US 476 (1957) a case about obscenity, Justice Douglas said in dissent:
"The test of obscenity the Court endorses today gives the censor free range over a vast domain. To allow the State to step in and punish mere speech or publication that the Judge or jury thinks has an undesirable impact on thoughts but that is not shown to be part of unlawful action is drastically to curtail the First Amendment."
Similarly, in Australia, Robert Pullan has recently published a book (Guilty Secrets: Free Speech in Australia (North Ryde, 1984)) in which he finds not only the obscenity laws but also the defamation and sedition laws so repugnant, he would throw them all out. But while it is thought that even the most open-minded people would draw the line somewhere (child pornography) it must also be recognised that there is an increasing tendency to argue that views based merely on bad taste and offensiveness to particular groups should be censored. Yet bad taste, discrimination and mere offensiveness to individuals are not grounds for restricting free speech. They have to be accepted as an unavoidable by-product of the advantages of freedom of speech.
It must be realized that what constitutes bad taste or discrimination or offensiveness is to a very great extent subjective. The folly of the increasing practice, in recent times, of placing censorship powers in the hands of bureaucrats and tribunals is illustrated by the manner in which the works of authors like D H Lawrence were banned from sale. Even recently the Chief Commonwealth Film Censor banned a Brazilian film by Hector Babenco portraying the desperate hand-to-mouth existence of a Brazilian boy from being shown at the Sydney Film Festival on the grounds of child abuse, even though it was the first censoring since 1969 of a film entered for the Melbourne or Sydney Film Festivals. After an outcry from the directors of both Festivals, the ban was overruled by the Films Board of Review. The film, titled Pixote, was shown and voted the best film by the Film Festival subscribers.
Larger problems arise where some people call for groups such as National Action to be made illegal as tending to encourage racism. In a recent incident at a University, where National Action had set up some tables to distribute literature, tables were overturned and groups of students shouted against racism.
Those who attempt to resort to such tactics to stifle presentation of an opposing view give the impression that reason and logic are not on their side. Freedom of speech has as its necessary corollary the expression of a wide range of views, some of which of course will be unpalatable, or clearly wrong. But the alternative of placing the agenda for public discussion in the hands of paternalistic bureaucrats (who as human beings will be fallible and have subjective views and personal prejudices) whose rulings often cannot or can only with difficulty and cost be reviewed in the courts, is increasingly becoming the norm. It is an undesirable and unfortunate trend.
The attacks on Geoffrey Blainey are symptomatic of developing trends. History demonstrates that problems have arisen in multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious societies. The Blainey view should be freely expressible as part of the public discussion about our immigration policy, along with any other views, without his being subjected to personal and vituperative abuse and threatened with violence. The process of public debate provides an opportunity for an evaluation of his views."

By and large, it is imperative that we engage in these discussion because they are sure to impact Sierra Leoneans whose collective effort will bring change to Sierra Leone. The idea of change for progress must be inculcated by a government and the govern otherwise, change will be one-directional, which will hardly make a difference because there is sure to be conflict of interest between the proponents of change, the opponents of change and those who are sterilized in the maintenance of the status quo. This conflicting idea of change and what form it must follow will result in no development or stagnation in major areas of development and causing an ultimate suffering for a nation. Therefore, our efforts here are essential in impacting all and sundry, including policy makers.

Subject: Re: Impact of discussions
From: blikry
To: All
Date Posted: 08:55:02 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: poti@yahoo.com
Entered From: 79-66-45-209.dynamic.dsl.as9105.com at 79.66.45.209

Message:
These are the ramblings of a schizophrenic. Go back to school

Subject: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 15:12:17 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
Below is a piece by Mr Alex Mansaray in Cocorioko Newspaper. One that jumps at me is the statement that the so-called aspirants "won"....
Who did they win against? Were elections conducted?
I am willing to bet that they "bought" the symbols.
You people in the APC will never change. How can we entrust our nation to a bunch of people who get together to select their friends,colleagues, and "rich" pals,to run things? Did the average APC supporter have anything to say about this? How can SAT Koroma's son be selected over Ojuku Sesay???????
This is exactly how APC will give out jobs: to their friends and the highest bidders. What a damn shame!!!!!
----------------------------------------------------
Comrades:
On behalf of our Acting Chairman,Mr Alex Mansaray I wish to inform you with great Joy that the following North America Aspirants have won the APC Candidacy (Symbols ) to contest the General Elections slated for August 11, 2007:
NORTHERN PROVINCE
Constituency 40 Kambia District M Allie Kossay
'' 63 Port loko '' Hassan Sheriff
'' 65 Benner Bangura
'' 66 Combo Kamara
'' 67 Abu SAT karoma
'' 62 Tokolilie '' Martin Timbo
63 David Bai Conteh

32 Bombali '' Kandeh Babgura

Western Area 97 Western Area Victorio saidu kamara
99 Alimamy G Kargbo
98 Alimamy Coleson Turay
104 Tunde Lewally
105 Nuriden Bash-Sankoh Yillah


At the same time , the Chairman wishes to extend congratulations to all those who are listed above
and he also sent his sincere thanks and appreciation to those who contested and lost the primary elections.He reiterated that this is part of democracy and urged all candidates who lost to stay the course and form a unify front ,as there will be plenty of opportunities to contribute immensely for the party to achieve victory in those constituencies .


On that note , May God bless us and continue to give the Leader and all these fine ladies and gentlemen strength , wisdom and understanding to persevere in August 2007..so that we may be able
to redirect Sierra leone once again.
Foday Mansaray
Public Relations
APC North America.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: ALPHA SAIDU BANGURA
To: All
Date Posted: 22:29:43 06/24/07 ()
Email Address: SAIDUBANGSO@AOL.COM
Entered From: c-69-143-240-17.hsd1.md.comcast.net at 69.143.240.17

Message:
Conducting elections is not part of the Ernest Koroma agenda in the APC.Ernest Koroma was never elected, leader of the party as prescribed in the APC constitution.
Let us don't forget that the APC is the party of:
SIAKA STEVENS,
S.I.KOROMA,
ABU OMOLAY RAINBOW
AND HIGHWAY.
Electing people to offices using democratic methods is not in the vocabulary of the APC.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Kunta Kinte
To: All
Date Posted: 16:22:40 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
Howcome 3 of the 4 names under the Western Area are all Northerners? Is APC a national party or is it a NORTHERNER PARTY? I am looking forward to the APC crowd who are always accusing SLPP of being a Southerner party. SLPP is much more of a national organization than the APC.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Alisson kamara
To: All
Date Posted: 13:12:27 06/26/07 ()
Email Address: villyfree@yahoo.com
Entered From: dslb-088-076-210-054.pools.arcor-ip.net at 88.76.210.54

Message:
Are you not tired of preaching tribalism.we are living in the 21century!we as sierra leoneans dont give a damn if the APC is full of Northerners or not we are looking out for honest and patriotic sierra leoneans! Instead of wasting our time arguing about tribalism ,we ccould rather spend some time in debating over party policies that would maybe change the lives of our fellow sierra leoneans.

Alisson Kamara,Germany

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Las Vegas
To: All
Date Posted: 16:12:05 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-dtc-ad10.proxy.aol.com at 205.188.116.204

Message:
"I am willing to bet that they "bought" the symbols."

The same way you have blindly bet that the presidential symbol for the corrupt SLPP was not "bought" by the unpopular Solomon Berewa?!

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 10:39:48 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
I did not expect to hear from the relative of an exposed thief. The days when you and your folks used to drine Pajeros (bought with stolen Sa. Lone cash) are long gone. You will never dupe Sa Lone again.
Now go sit down and shut the hell up!!!!

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: BEHAVE YOURSELF
To: All
Date Posted: 11:58:52 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
No need to confess your background to us. Stick to the issues, if you can take a break long enough from the results of your poor upbrining.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: SAROULLA CINEMA
To: All
Date Posted: 16:36:51 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
It seem as if a symbol was awarded to a former SOBEH MEMBER who became an APC about a few monhs ago,and a close friend of ALIMAMY KARGBO with serious money.This candidte never lived in our SAROULLA AREA or any area that he will be representing,but with his money that he gave to VICTOR FOH,he was awarded the symbol over aspirants that the people wanted.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 16:20:16 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
There you go again with your stupidity. Do you understand what you read????
Berewa won an election. You can bitch all you want about the election process. But truth be told that the delegates chose to vote for him over the others, and it was done openly.
Margai claimed to be the popular guy. Yet he could not even beat "samll-small" Marda Bio by much. You call that popular????
APC never conducted an election. They sold the symbols out to the highest bidders. I gues NEW APC = OLD APC
(sam tricks)

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Las Vegas
To: All
Date Posted: 05:13:18 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
"Berewa won an election."

Your everlasting problem returns -- you never understand anything you read!

What you have shown yourself incapable of understanding is the simple fact that there are free and fair elections and there are fraudulent elections. So, only a dumb person will make the statement you made and imagine that it answers a charge that Berewa bought his election.

Your inability to understand anything you read will never go away until you go back to secondary school and try to pass GCE O Level English.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 09:53:22 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
This is coming from a man who took O'level 5 times and still could not get all his subject???

You are a born loser....

You still dae smoke jamba??

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Las Vegas
To: All
Date Posted: 12:01:46 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
not everybody has the same background of repeated failure as you do. Or, of drug abuse. You can tell sebcause, apart from your friend Cadmus, people here have working brain cells.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: CADMUS
To: All
Date Posted: 08:16:16 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 82.198.250.6

Message:
Everyone accuses everyone else on this forum of 'Not understanding anything they read'...Does anyone actaully understand anything they read on this forum, or is it the case that no one understands anything they read...

It will help discussions if people simply ignores that phrase. ...because I think we all understand what we read.

We must invent another 'CUSS'

Thanks.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Las Vegas
To: All
Date Posted: 08:32:07 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
"Everyone accuses everyone else on this forum of 'Not understanding anything they read'."

That is not true. It shows that you are one of the few who constantly fail to understand what they read. That does not make the rest of us similar to you.

Deal with your problem. Don't impose the remedy to your problem on the rest of us that don't suffer from it.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: CADMUS
To: All
Date Posted: 11:12:02 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 82.198.250.77

Message:
Las Vegas,

You are an IDIOT of the first Division type.

Had you bothered to read the two postings immediately before mine, you would have been able to see that they were both accusing each other of not undestanding what they read.

As an idiot you did not even bother to read and check the facts before jumping on your high horse and start insulting me.....Games Idiots play.
I have seen your type before so nothing surprises me.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Las Vegas
To: All
Date Posted: 12:06:41 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
When I said you don/t understand what you read, I showed you the proof -- I showed you that a few people accusing one another of not not understanding what they read does not equal everybody not understanding what they read.

Now, you have added to the proof by repeating the same mistake. My man, you just showed that you were talking about yourself when you said: "You are an IDIOT of the first Division type."

That is why you believe that your name is Las Vegas, instead of Cadmus, hencve calling Las Vegas a name that ifts you like a glove!

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: Independent Man
To: All
Date Posted: 10:02:22 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: adsl-68-127-105-250.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net at 68.127.105.250

Message:
Look at who is talking
I guess the "rest of us" category you refer to in your piece is full of dumb asses just like yourself.
You are a failure in life!
You low-life APC ........

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: BEHAVE YOURSELF
To: All
Date Posted: 12:08:50 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: cache-rtc-ae10.proxy.aol.com at 152.163.101.14

Message:
Your limited English vocabulary does not mean that you have to practice on us the few rude words that is the only English you know.

Behave yourself, if you can.

Subject: Re: APC GIVES SYMBOLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS!!!!!
From: APC
To: All
Date Posted: 09:18:10 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 67.63.2.157

Message:
You're right.

Subject: WORDS OF WISDOM: QUOTES OF THE DAY
From: Truism
To: All
Date Posted: 10:33:26 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-44c29146.dyn.optonline.net at 68.194.145.70

Message:

“ If COCORIOKO wants the hair in Kabbah's nose, we CAN get it while we are right here in the U.S. THIS IS HOW MUCH PRESENCE WE HAVE IN SIERRA LEONE.”

“ All the fine network of well-paved roads that once made travelling to the interior so pleasurable have depreciated to the point that they are mere potholes where drivers perform delicate balancing acts with their steerings.”

“Kabbah is leaving Sierra Leone in pitch darkness .There is no electricity or water .Are those trying to rationalize Kabbah's failures not ashamed that while we continue to be without light and water, neighbouring Liberia, in just one-and-the-half years of civil government , has electricity in the city and the government has gone far with plans to restore light in the hinterland ?”




“Kabbah promised food security , but today every other Sierra Leonean goes to bed hungry. Food is so costly, families cannot afford even a square meal a day. Making the family pot boil involves so much "dregging" and hurstling .”

“Kabbah promised to build a bridge from Freetown to Lungi to facilitate easier and faster travel to the nation's only international airport , but not only did he fail but his government could not even provide ferries. In the past, at least passengers made it safely and consumately to and from Lungi but today, not only is the journey so dangerous , with one malfunctioning ferry, but a once one hour trip takes more than the 16 hours one spends in aircrafts to get to Sierra Leone from the U.S. IT IS A SHAME .”

Subject: Re: WORDS OF WISDOM: QUOTES OF THE DAY
From: ok dok
To: All
Date Posted: 11:19:58 06/24/07 ()
Email Address: okdok@yahoo.com
Entered From: wnpgmb11dc1-161-173-80.dynamic.mts.net at 142.161.173.80

Message:
Berewa will solve that problem buddy

Subject: Re: WORDS OF WISDOM: QUOTES OF THE DAY
From: Albert Moinina
To: All
Date Posted: 09:28:40 06/25/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: at 213.42.21.148

Message:
Why hasn't he solved it as VP? Stabbing Kabbah's back? Or just not up to the task?

Subject: Re: WORDS OF WISDOM: QUOTES OF THE DAY
From: kroobaymom
To: All
Date Posted: 17:26:54 06/24/07 ()
Email Address: kroobaymom@aol.com
Entered From: at 65.117.246.251

Message:
look im big head and tabacca mot.

Subject: FOR JOSEPH SHERMAN
From: Chris Morgan - Historian
To: All
Date Posted: 08:49:47 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: ool-44c29146.dyn.optonline.net at 68.194.145.70

Message:
Joseph,
Your piece stands as one of the most compelling that I have read on Kabbah's legacy and the state of Sierra leone in recent times. However, you fail to leave such a brilliant article untainted when you state, I quote:

"Sierra Leone war was financed and fueled by the SLPP government"

Can you kindly elucidate on the above. It beats the imagination that in the face of a wealth of research from reliable sources on the origins of the war in Sierra leone, a brilliant person like you can make a baseless statement like that.

Subject: Re: FOR JOSEPH SHERMAN
From: Joseph Sherman
To: All
Date Posted: 15:21:10 06/24/07 ()
Email Address:
Entered From: pool-70-108-186-218.washdc.east.verizon.net at 70.108.186.218

Message:
Mr. Chris,

It sounds baseless to you, and I respect your opinion, however if you are blind to realities then I think you historical inclination is outdated. Just a jist for your retrospection-The SLPP quest for power started since the early seventies, when the late Hinga Norman mastermided an unsucessful coup, then came the Ndorgborwusu holigaans from the Gola forest, Maigor Kallon and the late Hinga Norman while in Liberia alligned themselves with the RUF, unfortunately when Kabbah came to power, they hypocritically distanced themeselves from Foday Sankoh. Kabbah supported the coup against the late president Joseph S. Momo and cunningly worked with the Junta until the ousting of Valentine Strasser by Maada Bio who huuriedly handed power to a pseudo-civilian rule until he won a contrioversial election. After dehumanizing the SLAF by supporting local hunters (Karmajors) he used the politics of extermination by betraying Hinga Norman to his death bed. Mr. Historian, is this not an SLPP tactics of supporting and financing distabilazation in Sierra Leone? If you are carried away by the love of your party, then it is high time you choose a cnadidate who has Sierra Leone at heart. Lontha!!

Subject: Re: FOR JOSEPH SHERMAN
From: Centennial Boy
To: All
Date Posted: 17:33:54 06/24/07 ()
Email Address: philizbeth@hotmail.com
Entered From: 210-86-34-153.dialup.xtra.co.nz at 210.86.34.153