Concord Times (Freetown)
10 April 2008
President Ernest Bai Koroma Friday revealed that Sierra Leone has the cheapest price for rice per bag in the West African sub-Region, a development he said has better positioned the country than others in the region.
[ See Article ]
It is very shameful to compare the price of your electorates staple food to the rest of the sub region without comparing the earning capabilities, standard of living and exchange rate of that currency in the subregion. A bag of 50 kilo rice as of today 22.04.08 is Le140,000. In British Pounds at Le5,700 is £24.56. The same 50 kilo of rice in the UK is £20.00. Who is paying more? who is earning more? And who is being exploited the most? Sierra Leone needs to stop this irresponsible attitude of finding excuses for not solving thier own problems. I have a few questions for the new Govt. What tasks has the president given the new ministers to achieve? Keeping to the price of rice, had the new minister of Agriculture met with his counterparts to reverse Sierra Leone to the days of rice exporting. The land and soil is so rich that we can grow anything in our untilled living rooms let olane back gardens or farms. Are there any plans or subsidies shown to the populace for farming or we are going to make our Haja's rich again with another qouta system. What we should be careful of is compensatory politics and gearing towards performance monitoring of our elected representatives. If a head of department is failing to deliver, then they should follow Tejan K. out by the window. Palm oil prices rose years ago and my mum decided to make a farm of Palm Kannel so she could fall into the rogues hands any more. This should be a good lesson for the Govt. Teach and subsidice the people how to farm and not compare the price you pay for your staple food. By Mustapha B Feika UK
When there a scarcity of a country's staple no excuses should be sought to justify the situation but rather solutions should be sought. We've emerged from a 10 year civil war and people expect the newly elected government to implement policies that will accelerate the alleviation of the suffering of Sierra Leoneans. Who cares about the price of rice in Bukina Fasso or Ivory Coast. Sierra Leone's staple is rice and a lack of initiatives or attempts to a definitive solution of this shortage is essential. I hope Mr. Ernest Koroma woulld exhibit a better insight into the immediate abd long term needs of the people of Sierra Leone. Remember 'a hungry man is an angry man'. We dont to be angry with the APC just yet.