Some of the discussions we were having, a place, a resume, if you will that I need no introduction to government functionaries of Sierra Leonean descent and America/world. Responses, when some were not paying attention. That is whom you wanted to fool: Read-on Subject: Response for Skeptical (No waste of time.) From: Bambay Lans Kamara To: All Date Posted: 11:04:05 02/22/06 () Email Address: Entered From: at 166.61.234.69 Message: Greetings my brothers and sisters. SKEPTICAL, first of all, thank you for your response. In responding to you, let me start by saying that we are not wasting time on this subject. Any educational exercise especially in a discussion about any relevant issue is not a waste of time but a valuable engagement that has helped to revolutionize the world, as it is today, that people, from all corners of the world, would meet to play games, interchange ideas, values and cultures. That is what we will benefit from this engagement: education to improve understanding and making a difference. As such, we, humans, globally, have come a long way in civilization. Time there was when people use to have rituals in which they kill another human, particularly those different from them, remove his heart and present it to a stone or some such of a god for good luck. They made promises to their people that the following season would be better-off than the others. This was happening because they lacked good education especially in the Sciences that could have broadened their mind and way of thinking. They believed in nothing authentic and or scientific but some rituals. That is what they knew. Then came a time when mankind would sell another mankind for his own benefit. Then came other times when mankind imposed himself on another for selfishness and egocentric reasons. Times changed, mankind slowly became aware, the idea of conscience improved, technology improved, mankind became aware of conscientiousness, moral obligation and made laws. Mankind’s way of thinking and acting changed gradually for the better as knowledge about himself and the world that surrounds him changed; the difference between what he did, the progress he had made compared to people of other nations, continents, races and cultures changed though their beliefs were different and sometimes the same. He started learning from the mistakes others made, started viewing life from a broader context different from his narrow-minded, sometimes servitude way of life. Through comparing and contrasting mankind started feeling ashamed of what he himself termed crude and savage. In the Stone Age, where savagism was the order of the day, no one could fathom that today somebody living in Sweden, England, Canada, Italy, Spain; Sierra Leone would read what I post, living in Charlottesville, Virginia within a split of a second at a mouse click. If one had said then that such was possible no one would have believe him. If he was lucky, for saying such an impossible blasphemy, the people then would only have removed his heart after killing him, instead of removing it alive to present it to their gods for being so smart. Nothing is impossible in life as long as there is determination, proper planning and no interruption. I have witnessed a homeless say, in few years I will graduate from college and she did. I have heard people who were homeless come on national television and say, proudly, that they were homeless but are now making millions of dollars. N’kwame N’kruma of Ghana was a homeless who together with other determined Africans helped liberate Africa and formed the Organization for African Unity now African Union. It is all about determination and when the factors that would prevent an individual from becoming what he or she wishes to become or fulfilling the promises he or she makes are eye-marked and kept in check It is all about differed gratification instead of instant gratification. They say when a blind man says I will stone you; he is either standing on it or holding a stone in his hand. Therefore, the President is holding the stone and standing on many to make the promises that he is making. We have the water falls that would supply the electricity. We have the Italians and the World Bank willing to fund the program; what we did not have was peace. Now we have peace. Denying him that what he is promising is impossible is like a man with a college degree in Education and other college credits saying, I can make it in life and somebody denies the possibility. There is only one reason why he cannot succeed; the greed and ignorance that mankind has bore and practiced since the Stone Age when, he mankind removed innocent people’s hearts due to savagery because of his ignorance of possibilities. Mankind’s parallel thinking that he would not wish to change and therefore stand in such a person’s way is the only reason for impossibility. Otherwise, there is no other reason why anyone should doubt the possibilities that avail for progress for such a man. But we have had these handicapping menaces such ignorance, stubbornness, corruption, egocentrism and the lack of fate that has held the world back all these time. However, as nothing stays permanent in this world so we must believe that the factors that have held us, Sierra Leoneans back will change. President Kabba does not have more than a year more left in office. He is aware that progress in Sierra Leone will not stop whether he is in office or not. President Kabbah is aware that Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leoneans have gathered a momentum for progress; that with Sierra Leone coming to the cure of this global village, with the information and transformation this village is making, no one would wish to be left out of that face-lift. It is based on this that I fervently believe that the next leadership will fulfill such a promise to supply electricity to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Yes the people of Sierra Leone are not getting the required power supply currently but does that mean that the same would happen after the two dams are constructed? I don’t think so! I have concisely explained the reasons why the electricity supply is the way it is. We had changing governments restricting continuity. We had eleven years of war which is quite understandable that programs would definitely be interrupted. We have peace that has lasted all these years. That is so gratifying and something we all must be proud of. Democracy is moving at a pace that is very remarkable. I was very impressed when I went to Sierra Leone in 2003 and listened to various radio stations and heard people, Sierra Leoneans, publicly criticizing the government for wrongs happening in Sierra Leone and praising them for things that are going right. That is a very huge step for the country. I can assure you that the promise for Sierra Leone to sell electricity to neighboring countries is not President Kabbah’s analyses but the technical team that made the first topographic survey of the strength of the water falls in Bumbuna in particular. So President Kabbah and the Ambassador are just echoing what the technical team from Italy, the World Bank and other organizations had stated way back in the seventies. It is based on the potentials of the dam to produce more electricity than the country can handle that made them say we need to supply electricity beyond the peripheries of our borders. According to survey, Sierra Leone has no alternative but to extend the electricity to neighboring countries Liberia and Guinea when the project is completed otherwise, it would be dangerous if the service is for only Sierra Leonean consumptions. Let us see reason and restrict our pessimisms for progress. Things that happen then or what is happening now does not necessarily mean that they will stay permanent because nothing in life stays permanent, in which case we have to be optimistic that, this time around there is going to be change for the better. We would be considered static-minded or parallel-thinkers if we are pessimistic based on how things are or where, which I know for sure that Sierra Leoneans are by virtue not parallel-thinkers. Parallel-thinkers are people who think that if it was that way last year, it will never change it has to go or it will go that same way forever. People who think that way are people who have not broadened their horizon and are not adventurous. I am confident that you and I are optimistic people and not parallel-thinkers for the fact we were able to be educated, traveled from our country to another country is an indication that we are not a parallel thinker because we believe that there other avenues, opportunities and plenty room for change; we anticipate change and are willing to accept change whenever it surfaces and wherever it surfaces. Let us be ready for that change. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Response for Skeptical (No waste of time.) From: SKEPTICAL To: All Date Posted: 16:05:26 02/22/06 () Email Address: Entered From: pat.fwhq2nat.dot.ca.gov at 64.174.7.191 Message: Thanks for the optimistic analyses of the situations in our country and your hope for continued progress and positive changes. I really like your positive outlook on how things are going in Sierra Leone. I think I am angered or frustrated by the slow progress in areas that could have seen significant progress by now. I agree with your analyses of progress in areas of freedom of expression even though the Paul Kamara saga and the continued use of 1965 “Public Order Act” in 2006 is, to me, a gross failure by parliament to reform laws in our country. We are using neo-colonial era laws in 2006! I also disagree with putting significant weight or blame on the rebel war and the various changes in government for the delay and subsequent escalation in the cost of the Bumbuna project. The feasibility studies concluded in 1975. I went on a field trip to the site when the expansive Bentonite clay was found in the area affecting the stability of the slopes for the dam and possibly the tunnel. I was an engineering student at FBC. The original design of the dam was to produce 1,650 megawatts of electricity. The tunnel was fairly completed in 1983 for that capacity. The Salcost construction company was the contractor. In 1982, I slept in a guest house built by Salcost when I visited Paramount Chief Tallan Turay in Bumbuna and his assistant, one Samuel Tisseh took me to the Salcost Village at the tunnel sight. All they were concentrated on was gold mining. Every body in Sierra Leone knows that Salcost was mainly mining gold with the heavy equipment meant for building the Bumbuna Project. But there is a key reason why the project has not been completed to date. And will be completed at a ridiculously reduced (1600 reduced to 50 megawatts – a 3,300% reduction) capacity; while the price is tripled from an estimated $250 million in 1973 to now at $over $700 million. THE REASON IS THE OUTDATED PUBLIC CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION METHODS USED. You see there are proven public contract administration techniques that safeguard against delays and possible escalation in costs. Changes in government should not have affected the progress if the proper contract languages and tools were used. The rebel war, yes, it could have halted construction and do some damage to existing structures. that could be an arguement. Here are a few provisions that safeguard public contracts: Complete design plans and specifications prior to competitive bidding on entire contract items; specified time of completion or contract working days & liquidated damages for each day of delay in completion; progress payment and 10% retention of completed pay items; contract performance bonds equal to 100% of project cost for payment and 50% of project cost for performance; termination clauses; suspension and builders risk insurance clauses for public enemy acts and acts of god; guaranteed trust funds for the entire project cost prior to advertising; secured computerized contract management and payment systems; and more.. These tools are available worldwide and it is virtually unbelievable that any country can get financing for public works in millions of dollars without these safeguards. The Bumbuna project was already three years behind schedule, more than doubled in cost, and completed only to about 30% of the work when the war broke out in 1991. Salcost’s control of the work should have been terminated back in 1986 when program/progress schedule showed these delays and cost increases coming. And definitely, Salcost should never be employed on the project again. Builders risk insurance would have kicked in and more robust security forces by Italy or the insurance company would have kept the rebels away. You see, just because Italy is participating in the financing does not mean we have to employ an Italian firm. The financing of the Bumbuna project is mostly debt to Sierra Leone. I THINK THE GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO AUDIT THE PROJECT AND SEEK CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST SALCOST AND ANY GOVERNEMNT OFFICER OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT MAY HAVE ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL WRONG DOING – OR EVEN GROSS MISMANAGEMENT BODERING ON CORRUPTION. Aside from the rebel war, in my opinion, the people of Sierra Leone have been harmed more by failures on the Bumbuna project than any other act in the history of our country. Over 50% of the country’s external debts are due to the Bumbuna project. THE PROMISE TO SELL ELECTRICITY FROM BUMBUNA TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WAS BASED ON 1650 MEGAWATTS OF OUTPUT POWER. But we are only going to get 50 megawatts now when it is completed. If we want to get back to the original capacity, who knows what changes will need to be made? Yes, the government has made progress on many grounds and I thank them for that – local government establishment, law and order, food security, etc. BUT EVEN FOOD SECURITY: For food security to be sustainable, we need to build the permanent infrastructures that support agricultural food production – irrigation and productive applications of cheap energy. Irrigation requires not only gravity flow of water, but forced pumping with electrically operated pumps. I guess Bambay, you and I are not really disagreeing: you are looking at the positive side of the little (and I mean little) progress made as sign of better progress to be made. And I admire your tolerance. Whereas, I am looking at the failures of the past, the slow nature of the progress made so far, and particularly, the lack of reforms in the whole systems. I need to go, but I appreciate chatting with you. Keep this discussion going! is Read-on:
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 15:15:35 +0000
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