May 9, 2017  By Sahr Morris Jnr

Former Sierra Leone national team, Leone Stars captain, Abu Bakarr Tostao Kamara has been appointed as head coach of the country’s national home based team.

Former, Leone Stars Captain, East End Lions and Al Ismaili defender was named head coach of the home-base team and given the task to prepare the team for both the Champion of African Nations (CHAN) tournament and the West African Football Union (WAFU) competition.

According to the SLFA media officer, Ibrahim Kamara,’Tostao’s mandate is to qualify the team for the CHAN and also compete in the WAFU tournament.

Kamara’s first assignment will be against Senegal in the first round of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying campaign.

The home-base Leone Stars will host the Lions of Teranga in Freetown on the weekend of 14-16 July in the first-leg, while the second-leg will take place the following weekend in Dakar. The winner of the double legged tie will face the winners of the Guinea-Bissau and Guinea clash in the second round, with the first leg billed to take place between 11 and 13 August, while the return leg would take place the following weekend.

Already 30 players listed below have been invited for training session which will commence today at the Sierra Leone Football Academy grounds.
Goal Keepers

1. Unisa Koroma – East End Lions
2. Mohamed Rogers- East End Tigers
3. Issac Caulker- FC Kallon
4. Ibrahim Bangura- SL Police
5. Didi- RLSAF

Wing Backs

6. Yeami Dunya- FC Johansen
7. Kempson Fofanah- East End Lions
8. Yusufu Koroma- East End Tigers
9. Morie- Kamboi Eagles

Central Defenders

10. Suma Abu- FC Johansen
11. David Janneh- RSLAF
12. Lacio- FC Kallon
13. Auwa- Ports Authority

Defensive Midfielders

14. Alfred Sakila- Central Parade
15. John Caulker- Blackpool
16. Mohamed Z. Kargbo- Real Mark

Attacking Midfielders

17. Abedi Abu Kanu- Blackpool
18. Gibrilla Osu- FC Kallon
19. George Matta- FC Johansen

Strikers

20. Abdul Bangura- FC Johansen
21. Donald Wellington- East End Lions
22. Kabba Tucker- Anti Drugs
23. Mark- Freetown City Council
24. Issac Davies- Black Pool
25. Abu Komeh- FC Kallon

Wingers

26. Kwami Quee- FC Johansen
27. Abdul Dul- East End Tigers
28. Prince Barrie- FC Kallon
29. Alimamy Kamara- RSLAF
30. Abu Bakarr Mansarray- Old Edwardians

May 9, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

AIMING FOR GOLD…Newly appointed Wrestling Coach…  Jamal Jaffa

Newly appointed Sierra Leone Wrestling coach, Jamal Jaffa, has set his sight on scoping gold medal at the 2017 Wrestling World Championships in France.

Coach Jaffa, who guided the national team to secure silver and bronze medals on his debut at the African Championship believes with improved training, the country will win its first world championship gold medal.

“My main focus is to ensure that our wrestlers gets the right facilities, training, diets and workout for the World Championship,” he said, adding that they were not far away from winning gold medal in such competition.

The physical structured wrestling boss said: “I was disappointed a little bit at the African championship because one of our priorities was to win gold medal and we came close to achieving that but due to few professional reasons, we missed-out.

“The World Championship is our target and with mental toughness and improved training, I believe we are going for gold in France.”

The Sierra Leone national wrestling team will soon resume training ahead of the World championship which is expected to run from August 21–27 in France.

May 12, 2017 By Jariatu S. Bangura

Members of parliament yesterday ratified the long awaited Community Health Practitioners Act, 2017, having gone through the committee stage with some amendments for the regulations of Community Health Officers (CHOs).

The private member bill was championed by Hon. Mohamed Lamin Mansaray for the past two months.

 He said there was over 1,132 peripheral health units in the country and were all manned by CHOs and Community Health Assistants, including other medical doctors in some extreme villages and headquarter towns.

He said the objective of the bill among other things, was to provide clear understanding on the concept of community health, provide clear understanding on the community health cadre, and the role of community health practitioners in the country.

He stated that the concept of community well-being was about the health of the whole population, prevention, and treatment of common diseases from which the community suffers.

He noted that CHOs would carry out community diagnosis, conduct baseline survey, collect baseline data and situation analysis, and find solutions to existing and emerging health problems.

However, Hon. Mansaray maintained that there were challenges of the lack of policies for community health service that will clearly explain the roles and responsibilities of CHOs at national and district levels, and that there have been uncoordinated movement of CHOs and Community Health Assistances within the country.

He stated that it was very important that parliament enacted the bill as it would help CHOs to regulate and oversee their activities across the country in protecting lives of citizens.

He noted that most of them do surgery and clinical service and that enacting that law would motivate them to do more work.

 Chairman of Health Committee in parliament, Hon. Abdulai Sesay, said since 1983 when the paramedical school was established, those CHOs that graduated at that time still remain in grade 5.

He opined that the school was established to serve as career pathway for them, adding that they have been left alone to do things on their own as and when they like, which he said, was not good for the country.

“We are dealing with a situation that should have been dealt with long ago since the establishment of the medical school in order for CHOs to have a career partway ,” he said.

He stated that the bill would help strengthen the practice of CHOs and that there was need for them to be reconsidered because they are much closer to the medical doctors and are always willing to go into the villages.

Speaking to one of the CHOs after the enactment of the Act, Haja Kadiatu Jalloh, expressed gratitude to lawmakers for giving them the opportunity to perform their duties as practitioners as “For over 21 years, I have got my qualification as community health practitioner, but with the enactment of this Act, I can now proudly boast of being a practitioner. Today will be a memorable day for us all”, she said.

Chief Community Health Officer in the Ministry of Health, Abu Conteh, said over thirty years they have been in fear to carry out their duties as CHOs but with the enactment, parliament has reduced their burden and worries.

He urged government to speed up the process of establishing a board to address their issue.

Magistrate Binneh Kamara to jail NPD strongman

May 15, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma

Jesmed Suma…Don’t you know expressing your views on court proceeding is abominable in Sierra Leone and you could be jailed for that?

Magistrate Dr. Abou Bhakarr Binneh Kamara of the Siaka Steven Street court No.1, has on Friday, 12^th May, 2017, threatened to jail the Policy and Membership Director of the newly formed National Progressive Democrats (NPD) party for contempt of court.

 Jesmed Suma, who is before Magistrate Abou Bhakarr Binneh Kamara for preliminary investigation on two count charges of sedition contrary to Section 33(1) (6) of the Public Order Act and disorderly behaviour contrary to Section 1 of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965, accused the learned magistrate of ‘injustice.’

He had alleged that politicians were using the magistrate to silence the democratic voices of people, charging that he lacks the ‘ethical and moral values’ to be a magistrate in Sierra Leone.

The accused, who was in March, 2017, granted bail by Magistrate Kamara in the sum of 100 million Leones with two sureties, had claimed that higher authorities were using his case to hold on to him in the country until his green card expires, so that they could frustrate his businesses in the United States.

“It is rather unfortunate that Binneh-Kamara has used himself as an instrument. He has proven that he lacks the ethical and moral values to be a magistrate in this country,” he said.

He said the only crime he committed was by speaking against the ‘myopic’ leadership and the endemic corruption in the country.

He claimed that Magistrate Binneh-Kamara has not been in court to proceed with his case, which he said has been adjourned three times without hearing.

Reacting to the claims made by Jesmed Suma, Magistrate Kamara, on Friday, 12^th May, 2017, in an open court, promised to teach the accused a lesson for allegedly tainting his personality and committing contempt of court.

According Magistrate Kamara, he was sick last week and was given two days to rest for him to recover, but knowing fully well that his court was always busy; he decided to cut the two days to one when the accused attacked his personality.

“Some People don’t know how to behave in public places, but I will deal with him. Go and tell him that I will lock him up pursuant to Section 17 of the Sierra Leone Constitution of 1991,” Magistrate Kamara threatened.

SALPOST workers threaten strike action

May 15 2017 By Ibrahim K Turay

Aggrieved workers of Sierra Leone Postal Service (SALPOST) have threatened to go on a sit-down strike, if management fails to address their “poor conditions of service” among other issues.

The aggrieved workers voiced out their anger on Wednesday, May 10^th, 2017, to Concord Times in an exclusive interview, at their Siaka Steven Street office in Freetown.

They claimed that they were facing lots of challenges and have made them known to management but nothing has been done to address their concerns.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Chief Shop Steward, Charlie Wight, claimed that management had promised to establish a computer training school and an adult education centre for workers.

He noted that the computer school would have helped some of the workers to be computer literate, while the adult education centre would have helped some staff to acquire the required knowledge for the job.

“The management also promised to improve the welfare of workers including increment of salaries, retirement benefits and leave allowances,” Charlie Wright alleged.

He further claimed that they have not received their salaries for three months now, which he said has negatively affected their individual families and homes respectively.

However, efforts were made by  Concord Times to contact the current Consultant Managing Director of SALPOST, Samuel Koroma, for his comment but he was not available before we went to press.Also,the Deputy Managing Director, Ibrahim Kamara, could not comment on the issue when contacted at his office.

- HRC-SL Vice Chairperson urges

May 15, 2017 By Ibrahim Tarawallie

Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has called on communities across the country to rise up against the rising statistics in sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) cases.

Grace Coleridge-Taylor made the call during a community engagement hosted by the commission at Masongbor Village in the Makari Gbanthi Chiefdom, Bombali district on strategies needed for the elimination of sexual and gender based violence in communities.

The Human Rights Commission began its community engagements in Adonkia, Bassa Town in Waterloo, Western Rural District, Freetown and in Matotoka in the Tonkolili District.

She said the Commission was aware that SGVB cases were prevalent in communities with women and girls mostly the victims and that they often hear in the news that even girls as young as five were not exempted.

Revealing statistics on SGVB cases, Commissioner Taylor said it was quite alarming across the country, representing one of the major challenges in the protection and promotion of women and girls rights in Sierra Leone.

She stated that according to the National Crime Statistics for Sexual Offenses reported to the FSU for 2016, a total of 11,362 SGBV cases were recorded across the six Police command regions.

Out of the 11,362 cases, Commissioner Coleridge-Taylor said 9,135 were domestic violence, 2,149- sexual penetration and seventy-eight rape cases.

 “Freetown-east had 2,709 cases, Freetown-west-2,354, Southern region 1,574, Eastern Region 2,374, north-east, 1,576, and north-west-775 cases.  In many of the cases reported, the perpetrators are people who are close to the victim; family members, community members, teachers and even peers of the opposite sex. The sad truth is that these are people who are expected to protect the victims from such violence,” she said.

According to her, more disturbing was the fact that such cases were compromised because of traditional values, leaving victims to suffer in silence.

She viewed the development as an issue affecting the full enjoyment of women and girls rights to live in dignity.

In its 2013 and 2014 State of Human Rights in Sierra Leone reports, the HRC-SL, noted that in places like Bo, Kenema, and Makeni, one of the remedies provided in cases relating to SGBV was for victims to marry the perpetrators through coercive measures instituted by community leaders, instead of making a formal complaint at the FSU.

SGBV is considered as the most serious and common human rights abuse against women and girls in Sierra Leone. In order to address this trend, the government in 2007 enacted the three gender laws; Domestic Violence Act, Devolution of Estate Act and Registration of Customary Marriages and Divorce Act, as well as the Sexual Offences Act in 2012.

-Deputy Chief Medical Officer 1

May 15, 2017 Solomon Rogers 

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer I, Dr. Sarian Kamara has stated that the Directorate of the Reproductive and Child Health in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has a key responsibility to ensure that “No woman should die while bringing life to the world,” noting that  it is one of the key  result areas  under  President Recovery  Priorities.

She made the above statement while officially declaring Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescents Health (RMNCAH) 2016 annual review, opened at the Hotel Conteh U- Makeni   on Thursday, 11^th May, 2017.

She went on to say that  it was a disturbing reality  that Sierra Leone  was yet to  come out of the list of  nations  identified with  the highest maternal and child  mortalities in the world.

She maintained that, efforts to reverse the negative trend have so far proven elusive with the current inverse relationship  between  coverage and outcomes  suggesting otherwise; which  she said elicit the question  about  the quality of the  health  outcomes indicators.

She observed that uptake of RMNCAH services was reportedly high but outcomes suggest otherwise which elicit the questions about the quality of health services provided at the facilities.

She confirmed  that  the leading causes of death  for women and children  are closely connected to the perinatal  period, with inherent  challenges  linked to inadequate skilled  health workers ,  unstable RMNCAH  commodities and supplies  including : blood, weak infrastructure for  provision of RMNCAH high impact interventions  , weak referral  systems, demand and supply side barriers  to  access and utilization , weak community health systems and weak  health information systems.

She said the  Directorate of Reproductive  Child Health  with support from  partners was accelerating  efforts towards the development of  the Sierra Leone  every  Newborn Action Plan  and harmonize national   training  manual.

The National  maternal Death Surveillance  and response   guidelines  have been produced and widely disseminated   in every District across the country with district Maternal  Death Surveillance  and Response  committees  instituted  to  report, investigate  and take actions to curtail the high incidence of maternal mortality.

Talking on the expected outcome, the Director of Reproductive and Child Health Dr. Santigie Sesay,said outcome seeks to address issues affecting staff, improve coordination with development partners to give more support to the health sector so that no pregnant woman will die while delivering child.

She said efforts have been made to establish and equip fully functional neonatal intensive care units in regional hospitals, as a start of scale up to all referral hospitals in the public sector and a measure to halt and reverse the high neonatal mortality.

In her remarks on  behalf  of WHO and other key UN Agencies, Dr. Janet Kayita, said the review was very crucial  in health sector strengthening  ,explaining that   stakeholders will use the opportunity  to take  stock of  challenges and progress  in reproductive and child health  implementation  in 2016, so as to identify  gaps and collectively work with Government and  other  development  Agencies  to provide technical supports to address  the problems.

May 15, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

Participants displaying their certificates

In a bid to promote sport in Sierra Leone, Street Soccer Foundation in collaboration with Coaches Across Continents and the Hat-Trick Initiative, has on Friday, 12^th May, 2017, certified football coaches, athletes and Physical and Health Education teachers from various schools across the country.

The participants were certified after completing a five days training of fifteen (15) hours on-field training at National Stadium in Freetown.

The topics that were discussed during the training included: skill for life promoting self-directed learning, health and wellness including HIV behaviour change, female empowerment and gender equity, conflict prevention and social inclusion, child Right education, women’s Rights policy education and sport for fun.

Chief Executive Officer of Street Soccer Foundation, Abubakar Johnson, said the outcome of the training was more than a success, adding that such training would impact positively on the sporting sector in the country.

Mr. Johnson stated that because of his passion for Sierra Leone, he was using his foundation to give back to the development of the country, adding that money was not about everything but rather giving back to the country.

He called on participants to implement experience acquired to their various teams, pupils and members in their society, adding that participants should implement local games that would impact positively on their various communities.

“There are coaches across the country that will change and promote sport if only they implement their experience learnt from here,” he said.

Mr. Johnson pleaded with Sierra Leoneans to change their mindset for the development of the country, stating that he would be working with partners to sustain the training exercise.

Jordan Stephenson from United Kingdom, working with Coaches Across Continents, thanked participants for their commitment, stating that one of the aims of the training was to implement social change in society.

He added that Coaches across continent was working with forty different countries around the world, educating them about the value of sport in national development and social change.

Jordan said Coaches across Continent would be working in collaboration with Street Soccer Foundation to make sure the training continues.

He called on participants to share their experience with other coaches in the country, members of their various teams and pupils, adding that sport was a tool for change in a society.

One of the participants, Isata L. Conteh, coaching Isata FC, said it was her first time to go through such training and gained a lot of experience.

She stated that she was grateful to Street Soccer Foundation and Coaches across Continent for the opportunity, adding that she would  implement the new ideas to members of her team.

“I am grateful and I appreciate a lot for the training, I will implement the new ideas to the boys in my team,” she said.

Sarah Marrah, PHE teacher from Vine Memorial Secondary School said she has learnt different type games that were not part of their teaching curriculum in school.

She added that she has also learnt new warming up activities and games that she would in turn teach her pupils to keep them physically fit.

May 15, 2017 By Augustine Sankoh & N’fa Alie Koroma

Sierra Leone’s leading multimedia company, Premier Media Group, has offered a return air ticket and movie contract to the winner of the reality TV show competition –Sierra Leone Next Movie Star, Kai Bockarie Saquee.

Saquee received an international movie contract to The Gambia to act alongside one of Sierra Leone’s prolific actor, Mr. Desmond Finney who departs the shores of Sierra Leone on Tuesday and will also be exposed to stakeholders in the movie industry in the sub region.

It will be Saquee, also a staff of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, who will make his first debut in An Isatu Bokum’s film titled ‘Beyond Greed.’

Sierra Leone’s Next Movie Star is an in-house reality TV show competition that hosted 17 participants from across the country in Makeni city.

Whilst handing over the return air ticket and other allowances, the Managing Director of Premier Media Group, Dr. Julius Spencer, said the Next Movie Star project was not a Premier Media project, but the involvement of Desmond Finney has made the company to get involved.

“We got involved when we learnt that the NMS winner did not receive all his prizes,” Dr. Spencer said.

He said the company got to understand that the winner did not receive all what he was promised and that the company was concerned that such project should not die, adding that that was why Premier Media decided to assist.

“We are going to provide you with a return air ticket to The Gambia where you are expected to take part in a movie to broaden your experience.  You will  work with other Sierra Leoneans not just to get the experience, but to also make contacts for future projects,” Dr. Spencer told Mr. Saquee.

“Going forward, Premier Media will get involve, but it will be at a different level compared to the first one that was done,” he said.

He encouraged Saquee to bring back something that he can share with other young people in the country, while emphasizing that the potential of the creative industry in the country would help to reduce unemployment of young people and develop the economy.

He promised that his company will again get involved in the movie business in the country.

Kai Bockarie Saquee won the star prize of Le 5,000,000 plus a movie contract to The Gambia, whilst Victoria M. Emehwas, the first runner up, and Dicys K. George, the second runner up.

“My journey in the Next Movie Star is now complete with Saquee going out of the country,” Desmond Finney, the executive producer of the project, stated.

“Saquee is talented and has the ability that we discovered during their 3-month stay in the celebrity house. I will keep pushing all those who were in the house in Makeni to expose them to more opportunities,” he said.

Finney said he got support from the UN Women, Chinese Embassy, and Gibril Sesay, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, to organize the event, noting that all young people need in the country is to get the support to pursue their dreams.

He said there are cameras all over the house except for the bathrooms. He furthered that they were against bad behaviour, adding that the project was partly sponsored by UN Women who were meticulous about gender respect.

He said the initiative was geared towards finding people they can be able to groom and eventually stand out in the movie industry, adding that this is one way in which the industry can grow and create recognized faces that can be the identity of the industry in the country.

The winner, Kai Bockarie Saquee, who said he drew his acting inspiration from his childhood days in church, commended Premier Media and Desmond Finney for standing by his word, adding that this signals that the future will be stronger.

He pledged to make Sierra Leone proud when he goes to The Gambia.

May 15, 2017 By Kadrie Koroma

Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister II, Madam Zuliatu Cooper

Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister II, Madam Zuliatu Cooper, has officially opened a four-day 2017 Annual Conference and Scientific Symposium of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association (SLNA) on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at the Holy Trinity Parish Hall in Kenema.

Addressing the opening session, Madam Zuliatu Cooper described the role of nurses in reducing maternal and infant mortalities in Sierra Leone as timely, as the government of President Koroma has prioritized it as a flagship programme.

She informed her audience that the conference creates an opportunity to share issues and learn from best practice on the international stage, and hoped the week will move nurses forward collectively to ensure that every institution was doing more to fulfil its obligation to providing high quality nurses working with clinical colleagues in the right place, right time and right skills to provide the best health care available.

Madam Cooper reiterated that the conference also offers opportunity for nurses to look and share ongoing work to tackle the national issues in health human resources and the need for programmes to support each other to have a formidable workforce capacity.

The Deputy Minister stated that family planning is key if they were to reduce maternal and infant’s mortalities in Sierra Leone, by providing girls with just one extra year of schooling that can increase their wages as much as 20 percent.

She said to achieve the Agenda for Prosperity which addresses the provision of quality service delivery for all citizens, there was need for change of attitude for nurses, adding that as a ministry, they recognize the roles play by nurses and will continue to give support through the Directorate of Nursing Services and Human Resources respectively.

The Deputy Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Matron Mary Fullah said nurses are celebrating the 194^th anniversary of a legend and icon, Florence Nightingale considered the founder of the modern nursing profession.

She reminded nurses that this is the time for them to go back to the ancient days of Florence Nightingale and meet the ideals to re-examine and rethink of how they practice their profession.

She told the gathering that the Ministry of Health is embarking on a lot of reforms to changing the image of nursing and improving on the health outcomes of the people, adding that nurses and midwives are expected to provide competency-based quality services at all levels with compassion, care, determination and dedication.

The President of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association, Mr. Senesie Magao speaking on the theme: “The Role of Nurses in Reducing Maternal and Infants Mortalities” described nurses as a force for change and encouraged them to demonstrate professionalism with passion, care and love in the discharge of their duties.

He said although there are challenges in the nursing profession, but wants to see staff works in the health facilities, receive members of the public with respect and dignity, and provide assistance with empathy.

Mr. Magao pleaded for better condition of services and motivation for nurses which will give them zeal and power to work in remote areas, and advocated for health staff to receive apathetic injection as it is in the increase in the sub region.

The Principal, National School of Midwifery and Chairperson for the opening session, Dr. Joan Shepherd said as nurses they need to be enrich to deliver quality, comprehensive and respectful care to women, the unborn child, newborns and the community as a whole.

She noted that midwifery is a specialized field that extends services to pregnant women, young adolescents and newborns, a responsibility for which nurses are charged with as they work closely with midwives in maternity settings.

Other highlights include statements from WHO Field Coordinator, Kenema, Dr. Mukesh Prajapati, the Chief Administrator, Kenema City Council, Vivian Senesie and the Dean, Eastern Polytechnic, Faculty of Nursing, Dr. Bockarie Vandi.

May 15, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr 

Sierra Leone men’s beach volleyball national team has secured a place to the Vienna World beach volleyball Championship later this year.

The duo; Abubakarr I. Kamara and Patrick Lombie, who are in Pool B alongside Tunisia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya secured three wins out of four matches in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Maputo, Mozambique.

In their opening clash, Kamara and Lombie defeated their South African opponent in a two straight sets 2-0 (21-19, 27-25) but went on to suffer in the hands of Tunisia 2 sets to 1 (13-21, 21-14 and 13-15.)

On Saturday, in the all West African clash, Sierra Leone secured a comfortable two straight sets win over Nigeria 21-8, 21-4. The combative Sierra Leonean duo went on to secure a hard -fought victory over their East African opponent, Kenya.

Sierra Leone took the first sets 21-11 before the Kenyans bounced back very strong to take the second sets 22-20, but they could not hold on as Kamara and Lombie moved quickly to settle the final set 15-10.

For Coach Sorie Kamara, who trained the squad before their departure, the lads were also in line for Commonwealth Games qualification, and that success in the semi-finals could automatically earn them a place in Gold Coast 2018.

Kamara who was unable to travel with the team following loss of his brother said: “I have no doubt in the squad and I believe they can achieve the goals we targeted during our preparation before their departure.”

Meanwhile, the female duo; Frances Lansana and Zainab Kamara suffered an open defeat to Mauritius and Kenya respectively. Mauritius puts up a 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 13-15) win and also beaten by Kenya in the second game.

May 15, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr 

Sierra Leone duo; Moses Smart and Hassan Yillah both earned the country’s first double medals at the ongoing West Africa Region II Senior Championships and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) junior tournament in Conakry, Guinea.

Moses Smart finished third in the 800m senior men to grab bronze medal, while Hassan Yillah secured the first bronze medal in the field event as he also settled in third place in the U-20 Shot Put battle.

The tournament continues in neighbouring Guinea with the rest of Team Sierra Leone expected to compete in over five events; 1500m male/female, 400m male/female, 200m male/female, 100m male/female and shot put male/female.

Sierra Leone could have hosted this year’s event but the country’s Athletics Association (SLAA) pulled-out from hosting the championship, almost at the 72 hours expiration grace period given by the President of Athletics Region Zone II Federation, Momar Mbaye.

According to the SLAA president, Abdul Karim Sesay, the decision to pull out from hosting the competition at the tail end was due to the then ongoing rehabilitation of the country’s National Stadium, which was the planned venue for the competition.

However, the Sports Ministry refuted such statement, stating that they only recognized the Martin Bangura led SLAA administration and not the Sesay’s body recognized by the international body, IAAF.   

May 16, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

Sierra Leonean quintet; Mariatu Koroma, Dolly Mustapha, Ismail Dudu Kamara, Mariama Conteh and Bockarie Sesay will all take the Baku Olympic Stadium track today as they bid for qualification on the track.

In the morning session, Sierra Leone’s 2015 All African Games representative, Mariatu Koroma has been placed in Heat 2 of the100m dash alongside Nigerian-born Iman Essa Jasim of Bahraini, Ivory Coast Ange Bénédicte N’Dri, Farzaneh Fasihi of Iran, Zakiyya Hasanova of Azeribijan and Alaa Hikmat1 Al-Qaysi of Iran.

Dolly Mustapha will face the likes of Nimet Karakus of Turkey and Pakistan Samra Shabbir in Heat 4, while in the male category, Rio 2016 runner Ismail Dudu Kamara will be in Heat 5 alongside side Gambia’s Adama Jammeh and  Jamaica-born Turkish sprinter Emre Zafer Barnes.

Mariama Conteh who gained experience from the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo will be competing in in Heat 2 of the 800m women as she will battle against experience Moroccan Malika Akkaoui.

The Evening Session will involve 2010 India Commonwealth and 2015 Congo All African Games participant Bockarie Sesay who will run in the 400m, while Paralympian George Wyndham will compete in the Shot Put F56 event.

May 17, 2017 By Joseph S. Margai

LUC Superintendent Eric Musa

Local Unit Commander (LUC) of Rutile Police Division, Superintendent Eric Musa, has told Concord Times that bulk of reports being received by his division were armed robbery cases.

He was responding to an exclusive interview last Saturday at his Rutile Police station, Moriba Town in Bonthe district, where he noted that his operational area covers three chiefdoms including Imperi in Bonthe district and Lower Banta and Upper Banta chiefdoms in the Moyamba district.

Superintendent Musa said because of the frequent complaints of armed robbery in the area; he brought together stakeholders from various organizations including Motor Drivers Union, Commercial Motor Bike Riders Unions, Traders Union and Chiefs, so as to put mechanisms in place and combat the menace.

 “In that meeting, people expressed worries over the rampant incidents of theft especially armed robbery. They also urged police to be patrolling at night because they were having sleepless night due to the spate of armed robbery,” he said.

“We started mounting checkpoints within the Division and began interrogating anyone seen during odd hours. We established Community Safety Volunteers (CSVs) and some youth volunteered to support Police in protecting communities.”

He said as a result of their robust action in curbing the menace within the area, people were now enjoying sound sleep at night.

“Our concern now has been the need to continue using volunteer youth to support the police, as they have been requesting for incentives. Police alone cannot do it all. If we want to continue this partnership with the community, we should find a way to motivate the CSVs,” he said.

Superintendent Musa stated that Vimetco Mining Company has been supporting the Police with fuel to enable them undertake day and night patrols, while Sierra Rutile has not done anything in relation to supporting the Police because, “The officials have been saying they now have new management under a new company called Iluka which has just taken over from Sierra Rutile.”

May 17, 2017 By Patrick J. Kamara & Rafieu Williams Jr.

Dr. Joseryl Beckley…Motivates colleague Sierra Leonean artists to attain education at the highest level

The Ryl entertainment and Rozinka School for performing Arts have yesterday informed newsmen at the conference Hall of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs that, Sierra Leonean born Dr. Joseryl Beckley, would perform at the British Council hall on Friday, May 19, 2017.

The Musical Evening sponsored by the German embassy would see Dr. Beckley and her disciple; Pete Dalton Sesay perform opera and other types of music including Lahai`r, balanta, wanger, Puccini and a mix of Sierra Leonean culture.

Dr. Beckley noted that she has the charisma to sing in different international languages in a form of a poem that would be interpreted in English.

“It is going to be a beautiful dramatic peace in a very light voice and romantic tune. The voice is so strong, so vibrant. Any way the show is going to be ‘bombabastic’, and loud. So it’s going to blow the house down,” he said.

Dr. Beckley noted that the two entertainment groups were collaborating to train and manage artists in a very artistic genre, as selected by audition and talent to present recitals, concerts, dance performances, theatrical works, films, documentaries, screenplays, and musicals, among others.

She also called on colleagues Sierra Leonean artists to attain education at the highest level; hence the theoretical aspect of music can yield quality production.

“It is a beautiful evening where I would be standing in front of the piano and render all these songs in a very poetic, calm artistic manner. But I would not be dancing around the stage or moving around too much calling attention. I’m going to suck-in everybody by just standing there and remaining calm and use my face to bring out a lot of expression and draw the attention of the audience and take them on a journey where they would either think about heaven or your beloved ones. Hope to see there,” she assured.

For the side attraction, Dr. Beckley said they would feature Afiwa-(an African Opera by Nicholas George Ballanta) and the Methodist church choir, that would be performing Va-pensiero-( an operatic chorus work), adding  that they would do several operatic arias that evening.

She said the hall would accommodate about 350 spectators and that the tickets would be sold at Le400,000, Le250,000, and Le150,000 per person respectively.

Earlier, Chairperson of the programme, Patrick Cole said Dr. Beckley started her education at Fourah Bay College where she was sponsored by international organization to start her musical career.

He said Dr. Beckley has performed in many areas in the Americas and has won herself accolades in the music industry in the world, as she also attended one of the best music academies in the world-University of Indiana, United States America.

-says Project Coordinator

May 17, 2017 By Ibrahim Tarawallie

Project Coordinator of the Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP) has stated that the intervention of the project would help in improving agricultural productivity and access to markets for small holders that produce rice, cocoa, palm oil and poultry.

In January this year, the SCADeP project was unveiled at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown, seeking to promote agricultural productivity through improved access to markets and finance for farmers.

Being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security and other key line ministries, with a $55million funding  from the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the project would help to build links between smallholder farmers and selected agribusiness firms and other firms, who buy from small holders in the country.

During a media orientation hosted at the Hill Valley Hotel in Freetown on Monday (May 15), Sulaiman Sesay stated that the five-year programme will improve the lives of 50,000 people, of which 40 percent would be women and youth farmers.

He disclosed that the $15million support from DFID will fund the rehabilitation of over 500 km of feeder roads in selected areas in the country, with high potentials for agricultural production, processing and marketing.

Because smallholder farmers are the drivers of many economies, Mr. Sesay reckoned that they could therefore play an important role in livelihoods creation and household food security amongst the rural poor.

He urged the media to help them explain detail of the project for the next five years and what they stand to benefit to improve their lives.

According to the Grants Manager, Alimamy Kargbo, SCADeP funding mechanism will take three prong approach; the Agribusiness Services Matching Grant, Agricultural Loan Scheme and Sierra Leone Agribusiness Development Fund (SLADF), which would be managed by KPMG.

Also speaking, Kweku Fraser from KMPG stated that SLADF is a financing mechanism that would provide agricultural financing to agribusinesses and their out-growers.

He said beneficiaries would be agribusinesses operating a structured out-grower model, medium and large scale investor farmers with commercial operations, adding that they can access up to $1million funding.

May 17, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

Magistrate Abou Bhakarr Binneh-Kamara of the Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 on Monday (May 15) remanded Mohamed Turay, Mohamed Lamin Mansaray and thirteen others for unlawful possession of cannabis sativa.

The fifteen accused persons were charged on four counts with count one and two stating that they unlawfully possessed cannabis sativa contrary to section 48(1) of Pharmacy and Drugs Act 2001, whiles count three and four state that the fifteen accused were found at a place used for smoking cannabis sativa contrary to section 49(1) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act 2001.

The prosecution alleged that on 12^th May, 2017, at Mountain Cut, the accused were found in possession of quantity of cannabis sativa without lawful authority and also at a place used for smoking cannabis sativa.

There was no legal representation for the accused persons and the matter was adjourned to 22^nd May 2017.

Deceased’s brother testifies in court

May 17, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

One Ibrahim Kamara, brother to late Alpha Kamara, yesterday testified before Magistrate Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara against one Fatmata Kamara who allegedly stabbed the deceased to death.

The witness told the court that on the night of the incident, he was relaxing with the deceased and the accused under a tree outside their house at Moa wharf, when the accused asked the deceased to pay three thousand Leones (Le3000) for a bowl of rice he had eaten.

He said the deceased promised to pay the bill on the next day but the accused insisted that he pay that particular night.

According to the witness, the couple continued the argument and that the deceased later slapped the accused, while fighting ensued between the two.

 “They were arguing and my brother slapped Fatmata. I separated them and advised him to stop because the accused was pregnant,” he testified.

The witness said the deceased insisted retaliating because the accused had bitten him.

He said while the deceased was trying to retaliate, the accused removed a knife which she used to stab him in his stomach.

The witness continued that the deceased was later taken to Connaught hospital where he subsequently died.

The accused was dragged to court on one count charge of murder, contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Hawa Bah, alleged that the accused on Tuesday, 18^th April, 2017, at Moa Wharf in Freetown, murdered her husband, Alpha Kamara.

Meanwhile, the accused who was unrepresented, was remanded to prison and the matter was adjourned to Monday, 22^nd May, 2017.

May 17, 2017 By Elizabeth A. Kaine

Magistrate Santige Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.5 yesterday (16^th May 2017) told the prosecution to pay Le300,000 to the court for failing to summon witness(s) on three consecutive sittings.

 The Magistrate asked the complainant, Saminatu Mansaray, to pay the above cost against the next adjourned date before the matter would proceed.

Mansaray has dragged to court eight accused persons for an alleged assault on her at Mambo village, Goderich.

The Eight accused persons include  Alhaji Sesay, Julius Amara, headman for Manbo village, Emmanuel Lamin Bangura, James Bockarie Kargbo, Thomas Mansaray, Kandeh Conteh James Jongo and Ishmail Mansaray.

The men were preliminarily investigated on a count charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to section 47 of the Offence Against the Persons Act 1861.

The prosecution alleged that on Tuesday, 15 November, 2016, at Goderich in  Freetown, the accused persons assaulted the complainant with intent to harm her.

According to the police report, Mansaray was issued with medical paper after she made the report but the medical examination result indicated that there were no internal injuries sustained by the complaint.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to 18^th May, 2017.

May 17, 2017

Chairperson of the Legal Aid South Africa, Judge President D. Mlambo has said noted that was impressed with the successes of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board at community level, admitting that it was an area South Africa would need to learn from.

The Judge Mlambo made the above remarks at a meeting with staff of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board and TIMAP for Justice – a local legal aid service provider – at the head office of the Board in Freetown. The Judge was head of a four-person delegation to the country.

Judge Mlambo noted that the scheme in South Africa has achieved a lot in terms of dedicating legal aid in the courts and quality assurance, but at the same time struggling to create impact at community level.

“This is because the Ministry of Justice expects the scheme not to do anything civil,” he said, pointing out that the Legal Aid Act of South Africa allows the scheme to provide legal aid in civil matters.

He said he was surprised to have learnt that local chiefs including Tribal Heads adjudicate or mediate matters in Sierra Leone and at the same time impressed with the relationship between the Board and actors in the justice sector at the informal level.

 “In South Africa we are not training people in the community as Paralegals. This is something we need to look at,” the Judge said.

Judge Mlambo underlined the role of civil society in promoting access to justice in South Africa.

“Civil society is the way to go for the continent.”

Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Learned Judge said they were here to finalize discussions for the conference in Kigali, Rwanda in August, 2017.

Mr. Boroto Ntekobajira of the National Alliance for the Development of Community Advice Office (Nadcao) said the conference would mean to share experiences to strengthen collaboration between the formal and informal justice sector and examine Alternative Justice Initiatives.

He said the vision of the conference would be generating ideas relating to the setting up of an African Centre of Excellence that would benefit legal aid networks on the continent.

He noted that Sierra Leone would be part of five countries that would be steering the conference.

Ms. Vuyiswa Sidzumo of Charles Steward MOTT Foundation said she was impressed with the work of the Board’s Community Advisory Bureaus (CAB), particularly that they are run by volunteers who cater for the justice needs of their respective communities through mediation of civil matters, assistance to those accessing the formal justice system, referrals and legal education.

Executive Director of Legal Aid Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, gave a brief background of the board, which she said started operations in May, 2015.

Ms. Carlton-Hanciles said the Board has learnt a lot from the scheme in South Africa through meetings, correspondences and from its website, adding that  Professor Macleoid Mason, a South African, contributed to the drafting of the Sierra Leone’s Legal Aid Act 2012.

She added that the Board has offices in eight locations in the country, with sixteen lawyers and forty-one paralegals, adding that the lawyers cover all Magistrate and High Courts in the country.

She cited, as one of their challenges, colonialism which left behind two justice systems – the formal compromising the junior and senior courts of the judicature and the informal presided over by the chiefs, tribal headmen and religious leaders, which is access by majority of the people.

She said the Board was struggling to cope with the huge percentage of the population who qualify for legal aid, coupled with a wide range of ignorance among the population about the formal court system works.

Ms. Carlton-Hanciles pointed out that when the Board started operations, the prisons were full and that the situation has not changed to date, noting that the board has provided legal assistance to clients,who have been on remand for between four to ten years.