Sheka Tarawalie Government of Sierra Leone From The Desk Of The Deputy Minister Ministry of Internal Affairs 48 Liverpool Street Freetown Sierra Leone Mob: +232 76 795 293 Email: shekitotee@yahoo The Managing Director Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel Aberdeen Freetown 08 October 2014 Dear Sir, RE: REMINDING YOU OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE IN SIERRA LEONE VIS-A-VIS ACTIVITIES AT YOUR HOTEL I must first of all commend you for the courageous decision your management took to continue to operate in Sierra Leone in the midst of a raging Ebola outbreak. I must admit that your decision has kept hope alive and, as it has proven now, is becoming beneficial both to your hotel and to the country in the sense that international organisations have found your hotel convenient for their guests, including health officials coming to help in the fight against Ebola. It’s reminiscent of Hotel Rwanda! However, you may or may not know about certain activities going on in your hotel which constitute a breach of the terms of the current state of emergency declared by His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma on 30th July 2014 followed by specific regulations contained in a press release from the Office of the President on 7th August 2014. You would recall that there is a ban on all public gatherings, except if Ebola-sensitization related; and that there’s also a ban on the operations of clubs, cinemas and other social activities, perhaps especially nocturnal ones. I must however bring to your notice that I have personally proven that your hotel is currently being used as a club where throngs of members of the public are gathering, particularly on Friday night through Saturday morning. When I first got the information on this development, I paid a visit to the hotel on Friday 26th September 2014 and up to the time I left at about 1 am on Saturday 27th September, there were people coming to the bar section, reception and swimming pool area, while loud music was being played, drinks being sold, and dancing, hugging, hand-shaking etc going on unhindered – a typical club situation. To further verify that it was not a one-off scenario, I again visited the following Friday 3rd October 2014, and up to 3:30 am on Saturday morning 4th October there were even this time more people with the same activities taking place. And of course I overheard many of the revellers exchanging valedictory messages about meeting at the same venue next Friday. I would therefore like to remind you that, apart from the breach of the state of emergency on health-related basis, these activities also pose a threat to the security of the state as I could not notice any security checks (including identification verification) prior to entry into the hotel premises. I bring this point as a reminder that - though perhaps remotely, but still not to be underestimated - this country is under threat from the Al-Shabab terrorist group for the participation of our armed forces in peacekeeping activities in Somalia. Furthermore, you already know that your hotel is now playing host to guests who are in this country to help us fight against the Ebola virus. We are definitely not sending the right message to them by flagrantly violating official restrictions right in front of their eyes. Also note that your area of operation, the Western Area, is fast becoming a leading epicentre of the Ebola disease as the figures keep rising. It is on this note therefore, which I believe is of mutual interest to your hotel and the country, that I am urging you to henceforth ensure the following: a) The bar section of your hotel be closed at 10 pm every day, even on weekends b) Security at the hotel be improved to ensure checks on guests and visitors, and that such persons must only be allowed in if they are carrying identification documentation like passports, ID cards, or driving licenses I am of the firm belief that, with the concerted efforts being marshalled both locally and internationally at the moment, the Ebola crisis will soon be a thing of the past and the status quo return to normalcy. But until then, let’s all work together to abide mainly by the preventive measures being deployed to eradicate this anti-human Ebola disease from our midst. By copy of this letter, the Sierra Leone Police is mandated to ensure compliance. Yours Faithfully, Sheka Tarawalie (Dep. Minister of Internal Affairs) Cc: - The Minister of Internal Affairs - The Attorney General & Minister of Justice - The Minister of Health & Sanitation - The Minister of Tourism & Cultural Affairs - The Chief of Staff, State House - The Secretary to the President - The Inspector General, Sierra Leone Police (SLP) - The Director, Operational Support Division (OSD - SLP) - The Chairman, Board of Directors, NASSIT - The Ag. Director General Nassit
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 19:48:37 +0000
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