By Cecil Nelson

The Spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who doubles as Personal Assistant to the Honourable Minister, Abdulai Bayraytay, Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 told Canadians that the West African State of Sierra Leone is on track in meeting the post-war challenges. Bayraytay made this reassuring comment as he addresses students, faculty and at his alma mater, the Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada on the topic “post-conflict reconstruction in Sierra Leone: evaluation of current efforts".

According to Bayraytay, currents efforts of consolidating the peace the country gained following the 11-year-old civil conflict that ended in 2002 could be defined in the political tolerance of the people as political power was transferred from one elected government to the opposition following the 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections without any incident. Bayraytay further indicated that the virtue of this tolerance was a further manifestation that the electorates and political leaders have come to increasingly believe in the virtues of democracy, the rule of law and good governance.

The spokesman further maintained that the All People’s Congress (APC) Government led by President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has demonstrated the political willingness of consolidating the peace by supporting the decentralization process as well as embarking on robust judicial reforms. Bayraytay also informed his audience that efforts are being made to address corruption with a 2008 new legislation that gives the Anti-Corruption Commission prosecutorial powers and the mandate to prosecute cases of corruption without seeking the approval of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “Ladies and gentlemen, this new law seems to be working with the recent sackings of the Minister of Health and Sanitation and Minister of State in the Office of the Vice-President following corruption allegations”, Bayraytay underscored, adding that the President’s “Agenda for Change” has so far been the platform that encapsulates the government’s vision of addressing the plight of sierra Leoneans.

Bayraytay, himself a political scientist, was however quick to point out that in spite the positive signs of peace building efforts, there are still enormous challenges. He pointed out to the high rates of youth unemployment as a cause of concern. He also expressed concerns over the voting pattern of the electorates wherein the ruling government derived most of its support from the North and Western areas of the country with the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) gaining most of its support from the south and Eastern parts of the country. “Unless and until this political divide across the spectrum is addressed, the perception of regional politics will always be an issue, Bayraytay noted.

He concluded by calling on Sierra Leoneans to return home and join hands in the post-war reconstruction efforts, while appealing to friends of Sierra Leone to support the initiatives of the government in an effort to make the country relieve itself from one of being a donor-recipient to one of self sufficiency.

Earlier, in introducing Abdulai Bayraytay, Dr. Yasmine Shamsie, an Associate Professor with the department of political science said they were proud to have one of them coming back to deliver a lecture, one who occupies a very important position in policy making in Sierra Leone. “Abdulai is one of our proud MA graduates in the department in 2001”, she said.

In attendance were Bayraytay’s former professors, including Dr. Barry Kay and Dr. Toivo Miljan, Professor Emeritus who taught him international relations. Thaimu Bangura aka Saidu B, Adebimpe Delene Spencer-Walters and Mayilla Hazel Deen-Turay, Sierra Leoneans resident in Toronto, also graced the lecture. Former Administrative Executive at the Dean’s office, Faculty of Arts, Jane Osborne was also in attendance.

The event, held at the Alvin Woods Building, was organized by the department of political science. It was facilitated by Ms. Sherry Howse, Senior Administrative Assistant, Political Science and North American Studies.

Photo, from left to right: Dr. Barry Kay, Abdulai Bayraytay and Professor Emeritus Toivo Miljan.