APC Government: Focus on Good APC Government: Focus on Good Governance and Poverty Governance and Poverty

Alleviation - Not Town MeetingsAlleviation - Not Town Meetings

Washington, DC: The Sierra Washington, DC: The Sierra Leone People’s Party in North Leone People’s Party in North America politely rejects the America politely rejects the invitation of the representative invitation of the representative of the Open Governance of the Open Governance Initiative (OGI) to a meeting Initiative (OGI) to a meeting with the President of the with the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in New Ernest Bai Koroma in New York.York.

SLPP PRESS RELEASESLPP PRESS RELEASE

The Sierra Leone People’s Party The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) headed by the chairman (SLPP) headed by the chairman and leader, John Oponjo Benjamin, and leader, John Oponjo Benjamin, has, in several monthly press has, in several monthly press briefings and other media, been briefings and other media, been continually raising issues about continually raising issues about national reconciliation, bad national reconciliation, bad governance, increasing poverty, governance, increasing poverty, and corruption which continue and corruption which continue unabated. Impunity, bung unabated. Impunity, bung contracts, nepotism, and raw contracts, nepotism, and raw corruption are on the increase.corruption are on the increase.

The All People’s Congress (APC) The All People’s Congress (APC) government of President Ernest government of President Ernest Bai Koroma has consistently Bai Koroma has consistently refused to deal openly, urgently, refused to deal openly, urgently, and fairly with any of those issues and fairly with any of those issues in a way that serves the best in a way that serves the best interests of all Sierra Leoneans. interests of all Sierra Leoneans. Unemployment and poverty are Unemployment and poverty are pervasive and intractable, pervasive and intractable, according to the September 20, according to the September 20, 2010 United Nations (UNIPSIL) 2010 United Nations (UNIPSIL) report. report.

The latest International Monetary The latest International Monetary Fund report highlights a gloomy Fund report highlights a gloomy financial forecast as inflation is set financial forecast as inflation is set to increase while extra-budgetary to increase while extra-budgetary spending by this APC government spending by this APC government increases. increases.

The call by a British government The call by a British government official on the mining sector, and official on the mining sector, and the call of international and the call of international and national civil society organizations national civil society organizations on pressing governance issues are on pressing governance issues are ignored. ignored.

Instead of precipitously Instead of precipitously prosecuting high profile cases of prosecuting high profile cases of corruption, the APC government corruption, the APC government is undermining the integrity of is undermining the integrity of state institutions through state institutions through discriminatory hiring and firing, discriminatory hiring and firing, and creating kangaroo inquests and creating kangaroo inquests with the specific intent of with the specific intent of targeting the SLPP leadership.targeting the SLPP leadership.

The SLPPNA leadership wishes to The SLPPNA leadership wishes to restate the SLPP’s position as stated restate the SLPP’s position as stated by the chairman and leader, John by the chairman and leader, John Benjamin, that open government is Benjamin, that open government is not about flowery speeches, half-not about flowery speeches, half-truths, and a continued refusal to truths, and a continued refusal to work collaboratively with all Sierra work collaboratively with all Sierra Leoneans. We also wish to re-state Leoneans. We also wish to re-state internationally recognized tenets of internationally recognized tenets of open government that governance open government that governance must be transparent, participatory, must be transparent, participatory, and collaborative. and collaborative.

The APC government must The APC government must immediately, and without immediately, and without preconditions, table the Freedom preconditions, table the Freedom of Information Bill, relax public of Information Bill, relax public disclosure procedures, and work disclosure procedures, and work collaboratively with every Sierra collaboratively with every Sierra Leonean irrespective of tribe and Leonean irrespective of tribe and region.region.

We believe that instead of a stage-managed We believe that instead of a stage-managed talking shop in New York, thousands of miles talking shop in New York, thousands of miles away from those who are feeling the brunt of away from those who are feeling the brunt of the APC’s three years of closed, hegemonic, the APC’s three years of closed, hegemonic, and bigoted governance, President Koroma and bigoted governance, President Koroma should be engaging all stakeholders in Sierra should be engaging all stakeholders in Sierra Leone on how to deal with the numerous Leone on how to deal with the numerous preventable problems that continue to bedevil preventable problems that continue to bedevil the country simply because his government the country simply because his government refuses to practice open governance in Sierra refuses to practice open governance in Sierra Leone. Charity, as the saying goes, must begin Leone. Charity, as the saying goes, must begin at home. at home.

Finally, we respectfully request that the Finally, we respectfully request that the share of the funds that will be spent by the share of the funds that will be spent by the APC government to wine and dine after the APC government to wine and dine after the OGI talk-shop be used to start a micro-OGI talk-shop be used to start a micro-credit loan scheme for unemployed and credit loan scheme for unemployed and hungry youth in Sierra Leone. Hungry and hungry youth in Sierra Leone. Hungry and suffering Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone suffering Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone (rather than Sierra Leoneans residing in (rather than Sierra Leoneans residing in North America) are the ones who need a North America) are the ones who need a frank conversation with the APC frank conversation with the APC government about why they have been government about why they have been suffering for the last three years. suffering for the last three years.

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