The very recent appointment of former Canadian Defence Minister David Pratt as Sierra Leone’s Honorary Consul in Ottawa (the Canadian capital) has taken many Sierra Leoneans here with complete surprise mainly because many of us here in Canada had felt the Government of Sierra Leone did not really care about us even though we live in one of the biggest, democratic and most prosperous countries in the world.
But as they say, it’s better late than never. We appreciate the gesture and wish to thank President Koroma, Foreign Minister Samura Kamara and Ambassador Stevens for making that possible.
We however look forward to having more consuls in places like Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver where you have large numbers of Sierra Leoneans studying and working.The ultimate objective, the icing on the cake, however, is to one day have our own High Commissioner and diplomatic staff.
It will happen sooner or later, we firmly believe, because even very poor countries, poorer than Sierra Leone, like Mali and Niger have Ambassadors both in Washington (United States of America) and Ottawa (Canada). In fact the Malian Ambassador in Ottawa recently met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada to ask for help to fight the insurgents in that country and Canada has speedily sent military aid through the French, who are leading the pro-Government military operation there.
To Mr. Pratt, we say thank you very much because we know consuls are not paid a salary and usually use their own resources to do what they do. This is a purely humanitarian service you are offering to our country and people. May God bless you. Tenki, tenki, as we say in Sierra Leone.
Photo: Honourable David Pratt, Honorary Consul of Sierra Leone in Ottawa, Canada.
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