FREETOWN PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS-26th August, 2013 CONCORD TIMES Female security protests inequality Female security personnel in the various security forces in the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces last week protested at State House in Freetown over their continuous marginalization and the inequality within the security sector. The paper went on to quote some of the women as alleging that despite the gender policy embedded in the codes of the various forces, there are still a lot of challenges confronting female security personnel disclosing that only one female Assistant Inspector-General of Police and two other female observers sit on the Executive Management Board of the Sierra Leone Police as against 13 male colleagues. Sierra Leonean arrested for attempting to smuggle uranium into US The paper quotes the Daily Telegraph as reporting that 33 year-old Patrick Campbell from Sierra Leone was last week charged by American prosecutors for attempting to sell to undercover agents, 1,000 tons of yellow cake uranium he thought will be shipped to Iran, after he was arrested in New York with a sample of the toxic material hidden in his luggage. Most of the papers add that Patrick Campbell arrived from Sierra Leone with a sample of the uranium concealed in the soles of shoes in his luggage. President Koroma assures women’s empowerment President Ernest Koroma on 22nd August 2013 held discussions with the Executive President of the Women for African Foundation and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Spain, Dr. Maria Teresa Fernandex De La Vega, on women’s empowerment issues. The paper adds that Dr. De La Vega was in the country to launch the ‘Women on the Wheels’ initiative for more empowerment of Sierra Leonean women. The paper continues to quote the President as disclosing that the visit took place at a time when Government is demonstrating high-level of commitment towards women’s empowerment noting that women are now occupying key positions in all sectors of governance and disclosed plans by Government to provide adequate educational support for women. AWOKO Head of EU Delegation bids farewell The Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Sierra Leone, Mr. Jean Pierre Reymondet-Commoy has at a dinner over the weekend bid farewell after his four-year tenure in the country. Some of the papers went on to quote Mr. Reymondet-Commoy as revealing that Sierra Leone is faced with a lot of challenges with its development citing infrastructure, service delivery, skills development and addressing poverty. The papers went on to quote Mr. Reymondet-Commoy as reiterating the EU’s continued support to Sierra Leone and highlights some of his successes in supporting Government in the areas of road construction, health, decentralization, governance, public service reform, trade promotion and the civil service. Paramount Chief condemns $100,000 road project The Paramount Chief of Marampa Masimera Chiefdom, Port Loko District, BaiKoblo Queen II has stated that the $100,000 road constructed by London Mining Company in the Chiefdom, linking some eight villages to the Chiefdom headquarter town of Lunsar, is “sub-standard and not reflective of the amount.” The paper further informs that the road was constructed by DAWNUS Construction Company; one of the sub-contractors of the British-owned London Mining Company in Sierra Leone. IMC steps-up monitoring of radio stations The Independent Media Commission (IMC), with support from UNDP, on 23rd August 2013 launched the Stirlitz Electronic Media Software at its headquarters in Freetown to monitor15 radio stations in the Western Area Urban. The paper went on to quote the UNDP representative at the ceremony, Mr. Hassan Jalloh as revealing that with support from UNDP, the Commission has developed a strategic road map that includes review of the media laws and capacitating media institutions in the country. The paper underscores that the software is for immediate accessing, archiving and retrieving news, programs and other contents of radio programs. AWARENESS TIMES President Koroma visitsTeko Barracks According to the paper, President Ernest Koroma on 24th August 2013 paid an unannounced visit to Teko Barracks in Makeni, Bombali District where he was taken on a conducted tour of the barracks by the Commanding Officer and the Chief of Staff. The paper adds that the President also watched a football match with the soldiers and discussed with them issues affecting their welfare concluding that the barracks was the recent scene of an alleged mutiny due to discontent. Mr. John Benjamin on leave The former SLPP Chairman/Leader, Mr. John Benjamin on 25th August 2013 left the country for holidays after serving the party for two four-year terms. NEW VISION Minister admits wastages The Minister of Defense, retired Major Alfred Conteh has admitted that there are a lot of wastages and leakages in the Ministry, especially in the procurement of goods and services for the army and the Ministry for which new regulations have been put in place. The paper adds that the Minister also disclosed that officials in the Ministry are not prioritizing the use of the limited funds received from Government and accused contractors of inflating the prices of goods and services. Police urged to intensify security The Director of the Operations Support Division of the Sierra Leone Police, Assistant Inspector-General Tamba Kamara on 24th August 2013 appealed to personnel to be vigilant in carrying out their jobs underscoring that they must intensify night patrols by erecting checkpoints in strategic areas of the country to search for arms and ammunitions. In a related development, Standard Times reports that Magistrate Alfred Fidawi of the Bo Magistrate Court has sentenced four notorious criminals in Bo to ten-years imprisonment or a fine of Le.25 million. The paper further informs that the four were found guilty of unlawful possession of bullets and marijuana. STANDARD TIMES Human rights activist warns Sierra Leone reverting to conflict A human rights activist, Mr. Fallah Ensa Ndayma has expressed concern over the increase in human rights violations in the country which he underscored, if not adequately addressed, has the tendency of reverting the country to conflict. According to the paper, Mr. Ndayma also pointed out that inspite of the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report; Government is yet to address the issue of impunity, one of the reasons for the war. THE TORCHLIGHT SLPP threatened by intra-party impasse The paper claims that some of the candidates who lost executive positions in the recent SLPP convention are strategizing on either forming another political party or seek redress challenging the conduct of the polls. The paper further states that the winners and losers are adamant to give up their positions with each side claiming that the process was credible.The New Citizen reports that with some of the SLPP candidates now challenging the outcome and conduct of the elections, “the third term victory for the APC is guaranteed.” INDEPENDENT OBSERVER Captain is alleged leader of mutiny Two more arrests have been made, bringing the number to 11 military officers in custody with a Captain being the highest ranking officer among the suspects being investigated for mutiny/coup/illegal meeting. The paper adds that the suspects might be tried by a military tribunal but that the military is keeping sealed lips on the issue. The Comment writes that Sierra Leoneans are weary of coups. GLOBAL TIMES SLBC Chairman resigns The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Professor Septimus Kaikai has resigned effective 1stAugust 2013. The paper adds that Professor Septimus Kaikai was the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees appointed by the President in 2010. WE YONE DFID signs MoU with Private Public Sector The Private Public Sector Partnership Unit in the Office of the Chief of Staff at State House in Freetown has signed a grant Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for International Development (DFID) to provide professional support to the Unit. The paper quotes the Chief of Staff at State House, Dr. Richard Konteh as revealing that the pact will promote the private sector and ensure that Government benefits from all private sector investments in the country as well as support feasibility studies in all sectors of governance. Most of the dailies report the story. Argument over post of Prime Minister In the wake of calls by some members of the public for the Constitutional Review Committee to revoke the position of Vice President in place of a Prime Minister in the new Constitution, an article in the paper suggests that a Prime Minister cannot work effectively in a presidential system of Government where there is an elected President. The paper went on to suggest that two individuals from two different regions of the country be selected for the positions of First and Second Vice Presidents to a presidential candidate from another different co-joined region that may greatly address the question of building nation-state in this heterogeneous nation of Sierra Leone. The Watchman writes that review of the Constitution estimated at $4.6 million is a waste of resources that could have been better spent in critical areas like social services for the disadvantaged. THE NEW CITIZEN Minister appeals to compatriots to help build the country Most of the papers report that the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Theo Nicol has appealed to Sierra Leoneans in the United States to take advantage of the opportunity provided by Government to invest in the country as well as rebrand the country and to teach youths to be law-abiding. According to the paper, Mr. Theo Nicol also revealed that Government has put strategies in place for the citizens to benefit from the country’s rich natural resources. Public worried over presidential convoy The paper quotes some members of the public as expressing concern over the terrific speed at which the convoy of the President travels and the heavy traffic congestion when vehicles are diverted to make way for the President that causes inconveniences for the public. The paper went on to state that the public also recalled several instances of road accidents involving the presidential convoy citing the most recent in Lunsar Town in the Port Loko District that led to the death of an eight-year old girl while others sustained severe injuries. P.S. The papers reviewed today are: Independent Observer, The New Citizen, The Watchman, The Comment, The Torchlight, We Yone, Standard Times, Global Times, Concord Times, Awareness Times, New Vision and Awoko. The above summary of news reports reflects the views of the papers reviewed today not that of the United Nations.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 22:00:09 +0000
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