With Hindsight – The Way Forward For Sierra Leone

With Hindsight – The Way Forward For Sierra Leone. Overview Sierra Leone has just experienced one of its finest moments in history, notwithstanding all the prophecies, soothsayers, dooms day predictions and many actors playing the DEVILS ADVOCATE. Its people have demonstrated to the whole world that it has come of age and can make a choice base on free conscience and love of country. It is only the beginning of a new dawn. Now is the time to attract the ingredients to ensure the dream, vision and aspirations of every Sierra Leonean become a reality. There is now a God fearing man steering the ship of state to prosperity and greater heights with the mandate of the people.

The demonstration of the President’s magnanimity must not be taken for granted or for weakness. His spirit of human generosity and compassion is the imperative key to the door uniting the people to success for the benefit of all. He has changed the paradigm putting country before self, rather than self before country. Starting his leadership journey by promoting probity and transparency is the best course for achieving lasting peace, security and sustainability. Sierra Leone has achieved political democracy levelling the playing field. What the country needs now is Economic Democracy which the President has already initiated by his moves. As an entrepreneur he knows that you cannot take over a business without first of all knowing the balance sheet giving you a clear perspective and insight to the status of affairs. For a country to succeed in its quests for development it must be run like an enterprise. Sierra Leone’s emancipation must be focused on economic revolution. Everyone must welcome this opportunity to commend the president on this bold initiative in “Accounting to the People” auditing the entire gamut of government including all diplomatic missions in all collateral form.

Before the start of proper functioning of government, the people must know the balance sheet as of 1996 covering all income and expenditures including donations to inculcate checks and balances on incoming public officials.

Core Issue

Public confidence in the integrity and effectiveness of politics and governance in Sierra Leone has eroded within the past 30 years. The loss of trust extends to public officials, the electoral process, and the manner in which public policy and law are shaped and implemented. The signs of democratic discontent are many: declining levels of voter participation; the indifference and disaffection of the young; the reluctance of serious citizens to enter public life, high levels of apathy, distrust, even contempt for the state politics.

What accounts for this pattern of civic withdrawal and disaffection?

There are many contributing factors, but the general explanation is clear. When the people do not believe the political process is just and effective, they are reluctant to participate in it. Popular perceptions of political unfairness are quite specific. They include corruption and role of political campaigns; the grave inequalities of access and influence that money buys; the disproportionate power of organized interests on democratic decision making; the disturbing impotence of the national government in addressing vital public concerns; profound inequalities in economic and political power among citizens.

The pervasive belief that government is partial, tribalistic and serves the interests of the powerful has demoralized democracy. It has weakened support for government, generated distrust of public officials, and significantly reduced the civic engagement of ordinary citizens. As public participation in politics has declined, the power and influence of outsiders have increased. Their deliberate attempt to influence political decisions through various forms of public advocacy and interactions has become a critical factor in both the electoral and governing process of our country.

What are its moral and political limitations? How does it affect the common good and the needs of the poor and the powerless? Of greatest importance, perhaps, how does it affect the integrity of the decision-making process; the accountability of public officials; the confidence of the people in their government; the responsible engagement of citizens in public affairs?

In our democracy we need the mediating institutions of civil society to connect its citizens with their government and to protect them against abuses of public power. For several reasons, civil society has weakened during the last 30 years. Loyalty to political parties is divided, not sincere and tribalistic; the press has become partisan and less responsible; the mainstream churches and the academy have lost moral authority. As these traditional institutions have grown weaker, lobbyists, lawyers, organized interests groups and skilled professional advocates have expanded in number and influence. But it is not only their numbers that have grown.

They have become too involved, highly entrenched and effective in shaping legislation, advancing or opposing public agendas, influencing political appointments, affecting the implementation of public policy and law. Special interests have moved far beyond the purchase of political access and influence.

As the present scenario revealed, organized interests now use all the tools of modern political communications to advance their objectives: massive and expensive grass-roots lobbying, shaping public opinion through the media and political advertising, fundraising for candidates who are increasingly dependent on organized interests for electoral support, targeting key members of society, etc. The cost, size, power and reach of these opinion and decision shaping effects are unprecedented. The incessant scramble for money both propels and paralyzes political life. It preoccupies public officials and their staffs, heightens their dependence on organized interests, drives conscientious citizens out of electoral politics, and deepens the distrust of ordinary citizens for their elected representatives. Where does the balance of political power now lie?

Corrupt politicians and officials have grown stronger, but civil society is weaker. Organized interests have gained greater political influence, but the traditional and customary influence in totality is in decline. Individuals and partisan advocates drive the public agenda, while ordinary citizens lament the state of our democracy. Our constitution guarantees the people the right to petition the government or a redress of grievances. Our law and custom also support the right of voluntary association, the freedom of citizens to join together in support of shared principles, opinions and interests. The creation of interest groups, therefore, and the practice of political lobbying are traditional rights of all citizens. Like other civic rights, they provide a necessary check on governmental power and enable aggrieved citizens or groups to seek redress for public or private injury. Honest and well-informed members of society, the communications media, and the general public with relevant information and incisive arguments bearing on matters of public debate and voluntary associations of citizens united in a common cause are a significant source of political power. They can act in their own right, for good or ill, but they can also exert significant influence on public policy and law and on the vitality of civic life.