Opinion
By Granville Jones, Virginia, USA.
What Now, Sierra Leone? What is in Store for 2014 and Beyond?
State Of Hardship
My first visit to Sierra Leone after almost twenty-six years abroad was filled with a lot of surprises, to say the least. I was very fortunate not to have witnessed the Rebel War in person, for which I will be forever thankful. I also sympathize with those who did. When one talks to people, invariably they attribute the current conditions in Sierra Leone to the Rebel War. That may very well be the case but, if we are going to blame the current state of our nation on the Rebel War, we might as well blame everything that has happened since Independence on the Rebel War. We must be true to ourselves and identify the real causes of all our problems, which are inter-related. Our politicians (notice I did not say leaders) have failed us woefully over several decades. They travel around the world, see how developed countries operate and when they go back home, they do not appear to make any effort to lift the country out of its misery. Is there something wrong with wanting a better life for all Sierra Leoneans? Do they really believe the average Sierra Leonean deserves a better life? All indications are they do not.
On the other hand, we have always put these politicians on pedestals by virtue of the fact that they are “elected” or “appointed”, when they have not done anything to improve the lives of the people they are supposed to represent; therefore, they have absolutely no reason to do anything. Many of us that have lived in developed countries go back to visit and try to have a good time and then return to our countries of residence and not say anything about the living standards of the average Sierra Leonean. How long can we remain silent? As I was thinking about writing this article, many people with whom I spoke told me it would be an exercise in futility. That probably explains why we are where we are. We appear to have completely ceded the country to politicians and their cohorts to do as they please. If nobody says anything, things will probably keep deteriorating. If we have been fortunate enough to reach the mountaintop, what is wrong with wanting or asking for at least a decent living standard for our brothers and sisters back home? We may not have all the answers, and the politicians may not even listen to us but, at least, we would have said something in good conscience. Where and when does it end? The level of poverty I witnessed in Sierra Leone was overwhelming. This did not happen overnight, but is the result of consistent mismanagement, apathy, and deterioration of our values as a people over several decades. I pray that we do not have another uprising in that nation because it will probably make the Rebel War look like child’s play. It will not be rebels taking up arms against the government but the deprived rising against the well-to-do whom they will, in all likelihood, blame for their deprivation, rightly or wrongly.
It is not uncommon to hear about lack of electricity in numerous parts of Freetown for weeks at a time. Pipe-borne water is hard to come by in several areas. There was a time when someone remarked that the authorities had “mercifully” given them electricity for about three hours a day. I had to ask whether the twenty-one hours a day that they did not have electricity was okay. A friend of mine quipped that Sierra Leoneans have become so used to mediocrity that they cannot see it even when it is staring them in the face. That is not the Sierra Leone I remember. We were a proud nation striving for excellence. When did we come down this low? The Bumbuna Hydro-Electricity project has been going on for as long as I can remember and we still do not have reliable electricity in the country. Drinking the water directly from the tap is out of the question. There are water-tanks everywhere you go in the capital for those that can afford them. What about those who cannot afford water-tanks? Many of us grew up in a Sierra Leone where reliable electricity and pipe-borne water were available all across the nation. These are basic necessities of life and services for which people will be willing to pay, if provided. Whether people have jobs and are adequately compensated to afford these types of services are totally different questions.
Lost Generations
It appears a lot of people are constantly struggling to survive. Even people that have “real” jobs cannot seem to make ends meet. It should come as no surprise that corruption is so rampant in the country which, by the way, does not make it right. Do we really take into account the real cost of living in determining wages and salaries in the public and private sectors? If people are paid wages that we all know cannot take them through a whole month but, somehow, they keep doing it month after month, do we really consider how they do it? That has to be of concern to everyone because they are either not doing the work for which they are being paid, or, they are doing something they should not be doing. If people are paid a living wage in the public sector and they are not doing the work for which they are being paid, the government has every reason to crack down on them with the full force of the law.
In the private sector, it appears everyone is a seller. Everywhere you go people have installed shacks and stalls, even on private property. What could all these people gain from what they are selling? If all these people are selling, who is buying? Are they making enough to cover the cost of their goods, their time, all the other costs associated with selling their goods and enough of a profit to make it worth their while? Do they even know the “true” cost of doing business? All indications are they don’t, otherwise, how do you explain people walking around the capital all day selling a few packs of chewing-gum, a few bottles of water and soft-drinks, or other similar items? If they have to pay for food, transportation, accommodation, clothing and all the other costs associated with living, are those sales enough to meet those expenses, let alone replenish the goods that are sold? One can’t even begin to imagine the lost productivity associated with these activities for hundreds of thousands of our people that are thus engaged; not to talk about the fact that they are not contributing anything to the treasury in the form of taxes for the maintenance of the roads, cleaning the streets, law-enforcement (laugh) and all the other responsibilities of a properly functioning government. So, what is their motivation? I cannot think of anything other than the lack of other opportunities to contribute to the development of themselves and the nation.
They do not appear to have any hope for the future. If they are spending all their time on unproductive activities, the country is not benefiting from them in any way. There is enough work to be done in the country and enough people to do them. What appears to be lacking is direction, coordination and commitment from the powers that be. If people do not have any hope now that they are young and productive, what would their lives be like when they are old and feeble? Just the thought of that should send shivers down the spines of all well-meaning Sierra Leoneans. Who is going to support all these people when they get older and do not have the strength or ability and resources to fend for themselves? We could be looking at millions of our brothers and sisters in this situation in the not too distant future, while the politicians continue to amass wealth for themselves and their cohorts.
State Of Lawlessness
Lawlessness appears to be the norm all across the capital, and I would not be surprised if that is the case across the entire nation. A good place to begin to understand the state of lawlessness would be the rule of law, or lack thereof. Without a very strong rule of law, nothing else will work. You get a sense that everyone is doing whatever they please and no one is asking any questions. No one should be in doubt about the rule of law or the consequences for breaking the law. I got the sense that anyone could do whatever they please as long as they have the right connections. That should never be allowed to happen. The reason developed countries are far more advanced than we are is because they have a strong rule of law. When there is a strong rule of law, it offers protection to the most vulnerable. Everyone knows the consequences of breaking the law, irrespective of political connections.
Accountability, or lack thereof, also has a lot to do with the current state of our nation. If someone is being paid to perform a certain function, how do we make sure he (or she) is? A few observations during my short stay will help put the state of lawlessness into perspective. During the two weeks I was in Freetown (and, I understand, for several weeks before I got there) there was a huge sink-hole at the intersection of Kingharman Road and Brookfields Motor Road. If the government is paying for maintenance of roads, you cannot convince me the people responsible for the maintenance of roads did not know about this hole in the middle of what, by all indications, would be considered a major thoroughfare in the capital. A couple of days before I left, someone had placed a used tire and a broken chair in the hole as a caution to drivers. Where is the accountability?
We were driving along Wilkinson Road at about three o’clock on a Sunday afternoon heading towards Lumley. There are four lanes on Wilkinson road now, two each heading in opposite directions. Someone took it upon himself to drive on one of the two lanes for traffic heading towards Lumley as he drove in the opposite direction. We had to move over to a single lane to allow him to continue driving his car in the opposite direction. He appeared to be totally unconcerned as he went on his merry way! Apparently, he wanted to turn into one of the side streets along Wilkinson Road, but could not be bothered to drive up the road and make a U-turn.
On another day, we were driving along Campbell Street heading towards St. John. We wanted to make a left turn into one of the side streets along Campbell Street but there was an approaching vehicle from the opposite direction. As we waited for this vehicle to go by before making the left turn, another vehicle that was behind us that also wanted to make a left turn into the same side street decided to move from behind our vehicle, cut in front of the approaching vehicle, almost causing a collision, and just kept going.
I ran into an old friend who I had not seen in ages. She now splits her time between Sierra Leone and the United States. As we talked about the changes that have taken place in Sierra Leone over the years, I mentioned my observation that drivers in Freetown do not seem to have any regard for stop signs. Her response to my observation was very telling, because that was something she also had to face as she tried to re-integrate into the Sierra Leonean society. She said, “Stop signs in Sierra Leone are merely suggestions; you might want to stop, but you don’t have to”. That says it all!
Where do we begin?
In order to be able to control any activity, you must be able to measure it. Measurement appears to be lacking and more important than ever in Sierra Leone right now. Government services should be provided within well-defined timeframes, of measurable quality and at well-defined costs to the public. Performance measurements could be used as tools to eradicate corruption and waste. The private sector will function efficiently where there is competition and the rule of law is enforced equally across the board. Competitive markets will also address some of the price-distortions that are detrimental to the average Sierra Leonean. If I could produce and sell something of equal quality and quantity for a lot less than someone else, why should I have to jump through hoops by bribing the people in charge to even get started? If my prices and the quality of my products are not competitive enough, the market will force me out. The playing field should be level for all competitors. Free competition is an acceptable form of price-control. Performance measurements could be used as tools to eradicate corruption and waste.
We cannot over-emphasize the value of reliable power and water supply in the country. In developed countries, we take water and electricity for granted. I cannot think of too many industries that can flourish without adequate and reliable electricity and water. These are basic services that could unleash significant growth and development in the country, not to talk about lessening the hardship on the average Sierra Leonean.
Livable wages appear to be non-existent for the average Sierra Leonean. The wage level needs to be raised to a point where average Sierra Leoneans could afford the basic necessities without resorting to theft and corruption. In the public sector, the government could start by pricing the services it provides correctly, taking into account livable wages for public servants and making sure some people do not use the government’s treasury as their personal bank accounts, directly or indirectly. We need to recognize that when money that should go to the treasury goes into the pockets of government officials, this leaves less money to pay the average public servants for what they do. The penalty for such action should be severe and should be imposed without fear or favor. Traditional banking was done when people saved part of their wages in banks and the banks used those savings to make loans (without getting into the intricacies of how the calculations are done to determine what percentage could be used to make loans). The average Sierra Leonean could barely afford to make ends meet, let alone save any excess in the banks. It is no surprise to me that banks are charging about thirty percent, I understand, for business loans. We need not talk about the other “demands” from the bankers for people needing business loans. I shiver to think about anyone doing business under such conditions without putting up one hundred percent of the capital. Not too many people can do that, hence the lack of competition. We should also note that when banks give loans they know the borrowers have no way of paying back (since the bankers have received their own "cut" from the loans) it is the national treasury that bears the brunt of it because these loans are written-off as bad debt, thereby reducing the taxable income of these banks.
Trust Deficit
It is no secret that the nation appears to be suffering from a serious trust deficit, thanks mainly to our politicians. There are many Sierra Leoneans who would like to invest in our country but they are holding back because they simply do not trust anyone. People will run your business into the ground and move on to the next business. You do not have to live in Sierra Leone to invest in Sierra Leone. You also do not necessarily have to be worth millions to invest in your country. As a matter of fact, pooled resources by many Sierra Leoneans will be more impactful than the millions by a single individual, who might be willing to violate all our laws and bribe every politician along the way just to get what he wants. Sierra Leoneans outside our borders will be willing to invest a little bit of their hard-earned cash in the country if they have trust in anyone. That does not seem like it will change anytime soon. We have laws but we do not necessarily have justice, because the laws are not enforced. We all know that justice delayed is justice denied. Is the Bar Association concerned? Do they even care? When we allow politics to interfere with our laws, it explains why we suffer from such serious trust deficit, the ramifications of which will be felt for generations. When did we sink to such low levels? Why does everything have to be political?
There does not appear to be any hope or opportunity for young people that will make a difference in their lives. If people are struggling this much when they are young, what hope do they have for the future? If the young people are experiencing such hopelessness, what about the people in their old age who seem to be struggling for survival as they live their final days? Does anyone care?
Once people feel comfortable enough that these underlying problems are being addressed based on verifiable evidence, not rhetoric, a lot of Sierra Leoneans will be willing to make that sacrifice. The people of Sierra Leone have suffered far too long because of our short-sighted politicians. We cannot continue like this forever; something has to give. There is absolutely no reason why Sierra Leone cannot achieve its potential if our politicians can only do what they are obligated to do for the people – improve their lives and make survival less difficult for them. That is not too much to ask for our people, and the sooner we realize that, the better it will be for our nation.
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