TRACE JOENAL

The conviction on Monday of the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) Philip Lukulay spelt another disaster for the Anti Corruption Commissioner and his team. This time around out of a one hundred and ninety four (194) count indictment charges levied against Mr. Lukulay by the ACC only thirteen were found tenable. Mr. Philip Lukulay was charged by the Anti-Corruption Commission on charges including indictment for wilfully failing to comply with rules and regulations relating to the management of public funds, misappropriation and conspiracy. He was barely convicted of twelve (12) counts of misappropriation of public funds and one (1) count of failing to comply with a requirement under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 by the High Court of Sierra Leone. The Hon. Justice Browne-Marke fined the accused a total of One Hundred and Twenty Five Million Leones (Le125, 000,000) and ordered him to repay the misappropriated sum of One Hundred and Thirty Nine Million...

What should have been a morale booster for the country turned out to be a disappointment especially the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Tamba Bobor Sawyer. The Deputy Minister who served as the Keynote speaker at the West African Health Organisation’s (WAHO) 24th anniversary celebration waited for over an hour waiting for the programme to kick off. The minister though visibly agitated, waited patiently until he was given the microphone to officially launch the celebration. It was then that he lambasted the organizers. “I am not impressed with the way things happen here. We all aware of what is happening in the Health sector especially on the Free Health Care service,” he said. The first statement of the deputy Minister made his audience pay more attention to him. The deputy minister went on to say since he was appointed as deputy Minister of that ministry over five events he had attended had turned out to be not only a disappointment but a disaster. He said the message...

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) over the weekend celebrated the 24th anniversary of WAHO at the Atlantic Hall National Stadium in Freetown. The theme of the programme was Attaining the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), the challenge of Multisectoral Approach. The celebration brought together stakeholders from all sectors of the society. In his address the Chairman of the event Dr. Samuel Kargbo said the organization was born due to the misunderstanding of the English and French speaking countries in addressing health issues in the West African region. He said WAHO is a collection of 15 West Africa countries that came together to help achieve the MDGs. He emphasized that the MDG’s will not be achieved if the country continues to get bad roads as bad roads lead to health problem among other things. “We will not achieve the MDG’s if we continue to have bad roads in the country. We need to look at all area related to health and ...

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described waiting for the re-appearance of Imam Mahdi (AS) as an integral part of Mahdaviat. Ayatollah Khamenei said Mahdaviat is among the main religious teachings of Islam, adding the main goal of sending prophets was to establish a world based on monotheism, justice abd all capacities that human beings enjoy. “The era of Imam Mahdi’s re-appearance is the era of establishing the genuine rule of monotheism, spirituality, religion and justice over the different individual and social aspects of the life of human beings.” The Leader said, “If Mahdaviat did not exist, all efforts and struggles of divine prophets would be fruitless and futile.” Ayatollah Khamenei said, “In all divine religions general points have been mentioned about the essence of Mahdavit, but in Islam this issue is among undeniable realities. “And among Islamic denominations Shia Islam discusses the issue of Mahdaviat with clear examples and detai...

In a message to the International Conference on the Global Fight against Terrorism, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei referred to hegemonic powers’ history of terrorist acts and their support for the terrorist Zionist regime and their long list of monetary and propaganda support for organized terrorists and at the same time their current meeting is providing a clear and precise definition of terrorism and the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the fight with this evil phenomenon as unavoidable responsibility and will continue with strength its efforts inthis great fighting.” The full text of the Leader’s message reads as follows: “It gives me great pleasure to express to you all my sincere welcome and utmost appreciations for your participation in this importanct gathering to discuss and examine terrorism which has turened to be one of the most disastrous phenomena in the world community. “Undoubtedly, meetings and events like this must continue to prep...

The incidence of military officers taking the law into their hands is becoming more and more rampant these days. One day they will be beating up innocent civilians, the other day they will be acting unruly. Reports have been made over and over to the authorities that be but this eyesore continues. Peaceful citizens were left awestruck last Wednesday when a military officer fully clad in military fatigue, driving a military truck with registration 14 SL 16 was seen unashamedly harassing and insulting youths at PZ in the central business district of Freetown. Witnesses told SALONE TIMES that the officer having noticed a temporary road sign put up by the Traffic Police indicating no entry into Sani Abacha Street via PZ forcibly tried to enter the no go area. When his attention was drawn to the sign by pedestrians and traders he started insulting the youths, proceeded to remove the road sign board and drove his vehicle along Abacha Street despite the intervention of the traffic p...

As part of their contribution to the community , one of Sierra Leone’s finest modernized digital sound system Vibrator Power Mix in celebrating the country’s 50th anniversary awarded 50 members of the Wilberforce Community for their proficiency and outstanding performance in the municipality during the course of 2010 to 2011. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vibrator Power Mix Alexander Elick Ayodele-Manley said Vibrator power mix is a social and entertainment registered youth organization with its main operations in Wilberforce Community and its environs. He went on to say in the past month, they have completed their first project, which is the acquisition of a modernized digital musical system. “Over the years there have been people, organizations and groups that have worked tremendously for the development of the community. In this light as a social organization, we decided to acknowledge fifty (50) individuals and organizations for proficiency and outstanding performance in ...