By PV Staff Writers
One of the most loved and perhaps most effective American ambassadors that have ever served in Sierra Leone, Ambassador Maria Brewer, is leaving the country at the end of her tour of duty.
This is the normal thing to do in the American, and in most diplomatic services around the world, but if it were not so and you ask Sierra Leoneans , most of them would beg for her to stay for the next 20 years at least.
This lady loves Sierra Leone and Sierra Leoneans to such an extent that she went out of her way to learn to speak Krio, the country’s lingua franca. And her Krio is so good it amazes all Sierra Leoneans any time she sends out an audio message in Krio on social media. Indeed she has earned the right to be called a Sierra Leonean.
She has done everything possible to bring Sierra Leone and the United States of America together in all spheres of life and Sierra Leoneans will always remember her for this. We suggest that a street in Freetown be named after her and citizenship conferred on her later. She should also receive one of our country’s highest honours and awards.
Here is a report and photos by State House media on her interaction with President Bio Thursday as she prepares to leave the shores of Sierra Leone:
Outgoing United States Ambassador, Maria Brewer, has ended her second tour of three years in Freetown and and on Thursday bade farewell to His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio at the Presidential Lodge, where she recalled fond memories of her stay, expressed love for Sierra Leone and conveyed her respect for the president.
“His Excellency, this is to mark the end of my tour of three years. I am sorry to leave but I have to, having contributed in my own way to the country. Thank you for all that you have done and I will be in touch,” Madam Brewer said.
The President thanked the US Ambassador and said she was going with fond memories of her stay during her two tours of Sierra Leone, adding that she had a better story to tell having served during the war period and when the country was transitioning.
“You have been part of both histories of the war and in of peacetime in the country. We are very pleased that we have a renewed interest in the African Union by the US government. You have made friends in and out of government because it is not often that you find a diplomat who drills deep down and be part of the grassroots,” President Bio said.
He added that Ambassador Brewer had also strengthened the government’s relationship with the US government and supported the country in many ways, including sensitising and helping during the Ebola and COVID-19 pandemics.
“You have done very well, but securing the Compact deal with Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC, was the climax of your efforts. Today, we have been recognised because of the MCC win, and that signal is sent to the whole world about a country that is rising again,” he said, adding that it was not only about the money but also about the confidence it would build in investors.
The brief ceremony also saw the exchange of gifts between President Julius Maada Bio and Ambassador Maria Brewer, some of which included gift bags full of picture books from Indiana, USA and frames with historic images like the only remaining photo of Bai Bureh of 1898 Hut Tax War fame.
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