'Champion Minister' to be buried in his village

The corpse of the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mohamed Daudis Koroma (Champion Minister) arrived at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi in the evening hours of Sunday 15th May 2011.

The former minister who died in London on Friday 29th April 2011 is expected to be given a biffiting burial on Tuesday 17th May 2011.

The late man would be buried in his Mathoir village in the Masiaka/Mile 91 Highway.

Family sources say the corpse would be laid at his former residence in Wellington in the morning hours, then at the APC party headquarters and later at the Miatta Conference Hall, prior to conveying it to the village for burial.

Government functionaries, members of the diplomatic and consular corp, journalists, friends and bereaved family members are all set to escort the corpse to Mathoir for a befitting burial.

He would be sorely missed by all. May his soul rest in peace

By Abdul Fonti

SLAJ Presents Petition Letters to President & Speaker

To mark this year's World Press Freedom Day, the Umaru Fofana led Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) submitted two petition letters to President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House and Speaker of Parliament Abel Nathaniel Stronge at Parliament Building.

The two letters are published in the ensuing.

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Sierra Leone Association of Journalists

1^st Floor, 56 Campbell Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone P.M.B. 724,

Website: www.slaj.sl; Email: slaj.salone@gmail.com

President: +232 76/77/33 609285, Secretary-General +232 76 460423/033 533547

_______________________________________________________________________                            

                                                                      Date 3^rd May 2011

His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma

President of the Republic of Sierra Leone

State House

Freetown

Your Excellency Sir,

PETITION: DE-CRIMILISATION OF LIBEL

We write to remind you of the continued existence of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in the country’s 1965 Public Order Act and your repeated assurances to us for its review and subsequent repeal before the end of your current mandate in 2012.

Your Excellency Sir, as you know, Part V of this Act was passed for one reason ONLY: to muzzle the press and inhibit the freedom of journalists. With Sierra Leone regarded internationally as a country with the potential to become a beacon of democracy and good governance in Africa, we urge you to set in motion the process by which libel can be decriminalised. We plead with you to make real your expressed commitment for the repeal of this law which serves no purpose in a civilised democracy such as we all aspire for our country to become.

Once again, Your Excellency, just as you have ensured the corporatisation of the former state broadcaster, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, we urge that you do all you possibly can to decriminalise libel before the end of your current mandate, as you have promised.

Looking forward to your usual cooperation.

Umaru Fofana

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PRESIDENT 

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Sierra Leone Association of Journalists

1^st Floor, 56 Campbell Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone P.M.B. 724,

Website: www.slaj.sl; Email: slaj.salone@gmail.com

President: +232 76/77/33 609285, Secretary-General +232 76 460423/033 533547

_______________________________________________________________________                                  

                                                 Date 3 May 2012

Honourable Justice Nathaniel Abel Stronge

Speaker, House of Parliament

Republic of Sierra Leone

Parliament Building

Freetown

Dear Sir,

CONCERN OVER DELAY IN PASSAGE OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW

We write to express grave concern over the unexplained delay in the promulgation of the Freedom of Information Law which seems to have been bogged down in the House for several months now.

We appreciate the efforts made by especially Honourable Members of the Legislative Committee in goading the process so far but all of those efforts will be shrouded in suspicion and speculation ending in fruitlessness if the bill continues to be shelved.  

On behalf of the people of Sierra Leone who badly need this law, SLAJ hereby urges the Honourable House to speed up its promulgation before the 50^th independence anniversary fever vanishes. We hope this can happen in June.

   

Looking forward to your usual cooperation.

Umaru Fofana

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PRESIDENT

CC: Hon. Minister of Information

Journalists Observe World Press Freedom Day

On Tuesday 3rd May 2011, journalists in Sierra Leone joined their counterparts the world over to observe World Press Freedom Day which is being commemorated yearly.

The journalists peacefully processed through major streets of Freetown with placards calling for a repeal of Criminal and Seditious Libel Law and the promulgation without further delay of the Freedom of Information Law. 

The procession commenced from the SLAJ Headquarters at Campbell Street on to Parliament Building and later State House.

President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Umaru Fofana, presented a petition letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Justice Nathaniel Abel Stronge, and registered the concerns from the association and the public over the delay in the promulgation of the Freedom of Information Bill. 

At State House, Fofana presented the petition letter to President Ernest Bai Koroma and reminded him about the need for the repeal of Criminal and Seditious Libel Law from the country’s law books. 

President Koroma renewed his commitment to a review of the law for which he encouraged an engagement process between Government and other stakeholders in the process.

Series of activities are currently being organised by the Umaru Fofana led SLAJ Executive to mark this year's commemoration.

By Abdul Fonti

Chaos in Freetown!

The situation in the Freetown city as at present can best be described as chaotic. Vehicular and human traffic has served as major frustration to citizens and foreign visitors alike.

The week-long holiday declared by the government is being celebrated in all nook and cranny of the country.

The beach bars, guest houses, pubs and clubs are jam-packed with people from all walks of life.

The country is celebrating both the Easter and Independence holidays simultaneously with pomp and pageantry, though amid hardship.

The Independence beach fiesta which commenced on Saturday 23rd April 2011 was jam packed with people.

Cars have no parking space; human beings nearly subjected themselves to stampede; and even the featured musicians that were scheduled to perform struggled their way to the stage.

Mask devils and various traditional performers are everywhere displaying their various crafts.

President Koroma will present various awards to deserving citizens tomorrow at State House.

This is the present situation in Freetown. News Hunters will bring u photos of the various events in due course.

By Abdul Fonti

Paramount Chiefs Converge in Bo

All the one hundred and forty nine (149) Paramount Chiefs across Sierra Leone have  converged in the southern city of Bo for a grand celebration dubbed Dubar of Paramount Chiefs. 

The program slated to be held at the Bo Coronation Field today Tuesday 19th April 2011 is expected to attract various distinguished personalities including the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma.

Various cultural performances will form part of the occasion, as the southern city is already inundated with almost all the country's mask devils and other traditional performers.

The Paramount Chiefs are expected to receive from the President newly designed Chiefdom Staffs with special inscriptions of the Chiefdoms being represented by the traditional leaders .

The country's Paramount Chiefs were still using the old colonial staffs that were given to them by our British colonial masters, until now.

This is the second time since the country gained independence in 1961 that such a Dubar of Paramount Chiefs is being organized.

Hotels, Motels, Guest Houses and even private residences are reportedly jam packed with citizens from all over Sierra Leone, as well as foreign nationals.

Stay connected for more details including photos of today's event right here on News Hunters.

By Abdul Fonti