SIERRA LEONE PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS-Tuesday 29th October, 2013 Note: Only 2 dailies were out on the date due to protest by Journalists AWARENESS TIMES President Koroma urges pilgrims to be patriotic President Ernest Koroma has told Sierra Leonean pilgrims in the Holy Land of Mecca, Saudi Arabia that his success in governance largely depends on the amount of support he garners from all sectors in the country. According to the paper, the President also urged the pilgrims to be patriotic to facilitate development and commended the Hajji Committee, which he described as an embodiment of true nationalism, disclosing that Government will provide a 40-feet container for excess baggage for the pilgrims instead of the 40 kilograms they are officially entitled to. Call for Government to enforce Public Order Act The paper calls on Government to enforce the 1965 Public Order Act that criminalizes libel as a means to curb reckless journalism. The paper further observes that the media has in recent times been engaged in unethical practice by intimidating and blackmailing individuals underscoring that Government should not allow vindictive journalists in the pay of certain opposition politicians to flourish in their disloyalty against the President and his Government just because Government is afraid of being accused of muzzling the press. In a related development, Standard Times reports that the two journalists detained for seditious libel will make their second appearance in court on 29th October 2013. Human Rights Commission indicted In a related development, the paper accuses the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone of advocating for the repeal of the libelous provisions in the 1965 Public Order Act which the paper asserts will lead to irresponsible journalism. The paper further claims that the move is a ploy by the Commission to play to the gallery of its external funding agencies admonishing that the Commission’s first loyalty should be the state and its hapless citizens who are at the mercy of media practitioners and not its external sources of funding. NGOs want London Mining operations suspended Health Network and the female organization, 50/50 Group have at a press conference at the headquarters of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists on 28th October 2013 called on Government to suspend the mining operations of London Mining Company in Marampa Chiefdom, Port Loko District alleging that the landowners are not benefitting from the venture. The paper went on to quote the Executive Director of the Health Network, Mr. Robert Kargbo as accusing the company of colluding with Government officials at the detriment of the landowners. Government loses Le10 billion monthly on rice duty The President of the All Clearing and Forwarding Agencies, Mr. Abdul Akim Bangura has disclosed that Government loses over Le10 billion monthly on the 0% duty levied on the importation of rice in order for importers to sell the price at low cost for the majority of the people. The paper further quotes Mr. Abdul Akim Bangura as calling on Government to extend the port and provide equipment as well as rehabilitate the roads leading to the port. Africa Link Inspection capacitates MDAs Africa Link Inspection Company Limited on 28th October 2012 commenced a five-day training for representatives of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown to among others capacitate them on prevention of smuggling of goods and money-laundering as well as prevent leakages in MDAs that will save Government much-needed funds. The paper adds that the training is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and enlightens that Government contracted the company to evaluate and modernize the customs tariffs at the Freetown port. STANDARD TIMES IAEA trains staff of Radiation Authority The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 28th October 2013 commenced a five-day training for staff of the Sierra Leone Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority on the use of Regulatory Authority Information System (RAIS). The paper enlightens that RAIS will enable the staff to manage and control information relating to regulatory control for radiation sources as well as upgrades its software system to international standard and that the new system is guaranteed for twenty years. Ministry of Agriculture and partners observe World Food and Poverty Day The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, in partnership with the World Food Program and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), will on 29th October 2013 observe World Food and Poverty Day at the Sierra Leone Agro-Business Initiative at Newton in the outskirts of Freetown on the theme ‘Healthy People Depend on Healthy Food System.’ The paper went on to quote the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Joseph Sam Sesay as revealing that with the support of key partners like the World Food Program and IFAD, the Ministry has made gains in terms of addressing food sufficiency in Sierra Leone disclosing that rice production has increased over the past ten years. P.S. The papers reviewed today are: Awareness Times and Standard Times. The above summary of news reports reflects the views of the papers reviewed today not that of the United Nation
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:16:26 +0000
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