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Sierra Leone: The Ferry System is Crucial for Country's Development
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Concord Times (Freetown)
OPINION
15 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
Mariama Kandeh
Freetown
A recent visit to Lungi airport left me worried over the future of Sierra Leone. I am worried firstly because of the present status of the airport and secondly, and most importantly, the unpleasant condition of the ferries that transport people to and fro Freetown.
I arrived at the Kissy Ferry Terminal at around 1:30pm just in time for me to catch up with the departure time since I was told the ferry will be leaving by 2pm. To my dismay, I met the ferry 'Mahera' had gone.
Whether the system works with time or with its capacity is a question for the management and the transport minister Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay to answer.
Although ministers deal with policies, when an issue becomes a menace to government officials and their partners, then the minister will have cause to answer to the President.
Beside the time failure of the ferry system which has become a culture for Sierra Leoneans, another nauseating thing is the filth and stench that has become part of the terminal.
The terminal stinks. The passengers' waiting room's smell of urine and other disturbing odour will send away any sober minded person. I and my colleagues were forced to move outside the room to wait.
Despite the horrible smell, passengers were locked up in the stenchy lounge like war crime prisoners. The smelly room could not accommodate the growing population and thus some had to wait outside. There were piles of filth right in the middle of the waiting lounge. Even though faeces could be seen on polyethylene bags, some strong-will passengers who are very anxious to travel to Lungi, sat in the room patiently. Some of these passengers are already late for their flights.
I turned to a corner and saw a gentleman - supposedly travelling out of the country for the first time and was going for good - with more than seven members of his family seeing him off. Perhaps he was a professional going out like most Africans do, to seek a greener pasture because as my colleague would say "it is riotous here." A truly happy man running away from in-depth hardship and frustration! He really looked confused over the delay, really anxious to say good bye to a troubled life as is the case with many young people in Sierra Leone.
I went over to get a ferry ticket and it was surprising for me to see Le 1,500 written on the ticket while I was asked to pay Le 2,000. I argued the salesman that I should not pay that amount but when I saw mass of people on the queue, I realized that fighting for my rights will almost lead me to losing the opportunity of going to the programme I was about to attend at Lungi. So I decided to pay and keep pondering over whose pocket the remaining Le 500 of hundreds of people will go.
Again, I asked myself whether President Koroma's attitudinal change dream will ever come to pass as corruption is seemingly becoming a bathing soap for Sierra Leoneans nowadays.
We continued to wait until about 4:45pm when the Muzuk ferry returned. Again, another series of running and bribing for space commenced. We went over to the vehicles and first class passengers' gate (as I was told by the gate man). We pleaded to enter the terminal so that we can be able to board the ferry without much constraint but the man was very adamant.
Later we saw him allowing other people like us to go inside for unknown reasons perhaps after squeezing his palm (bribing him) through his network as we later found out that there were other men assisting him at the gate.
We went in and boarded the ferry. Again, the story of the ferry was nothing to write home about. The path we used to get to the seats for those with ordinary tickets was filthy and smelling. Stinking water was running out of the toilet and the roof of the ferry was tattered and I started praying to God to keep the rains afar at least till we reach our destination. The ferry does not seem to have much capacity which I attribute its being in a bad shape.
Passengers could be found everywhere. I and colleagues were lucky to have gotten seats but for some others, including feeding mothers, pregnant women and children, they stood for over thirty minutes to reach the other side of the terminal.
Another disturbing incident was the comedians who tend to be entertaining people but were unsuccessful as the whole thing was just too rowdy for people to understand their message. Finally they ended up asking people to dash them money (but to no avail because of the current 'adop' and extreme difficult times the people are going through).
After that came two blind men preaching the word of God as a means to get some few Leones from people.
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The current status of people reflects through the numerous means people now use to make money; from the unknown amount of religious houses that are springing up everyday to additional fares for travellers.
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I understand what a lot of investors and citizens are going through with the ferry and other means of transport in SL. I have been to SL several times myself and the two ferries are not seaworthy at all. They are not well maintained andI think the operators are more concerned with their pockets and SUVs rather than a good service for the people. Hundreds of investors come into SL every month and I'm sure most of them see the transport sector (ferry and co) as a good investment opportunity but one of the big issue that put them... [Read Full Text]
This is really pathetic.Lungi airport to freetown could sometimes take as long as 24 hours, and there are hardly any hotel facilities at Lungi airport, so most passengers sleep on their suitcases at the ferry terminal.Half the times, the ferry runs, only for Government officials.
What I have to say is my hope that the authorities would read and act on it. In response to Mr. Coles observations as indicated above, it is also shameful not only to foreigners but for Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora as myself. I first came back to Sierra Leone beginning 2000 to help the country to bring the war to an end. I observed the deplorable conditions at the only international airport at lungi and the manner passengers struggle to reach their final destinations in the mainland, Freetown. A close acquintance of mine who is also a highly professional... [Read Full Text]
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