John Ernest Leigh is the most loyal SLPP member who is today aspiring to lead the Party. The others have belonged to other Parties or non-SLPP regimes at various times: APC, NUP, NDC, NPRC, etc. Not Mr. Leigh. He has always been SLPP.
Despite the leadership’s patent unfairness to Ambassador Leigh, he remains deeply loyal to the principles of the Party. Therefore, he never gets angry when deficient leadership attempts to abuse and marginalize him. Rather, he works harder and increases his support to the Party.
After he lost his deposit at the leadership race in Bintumani in 1995, Mr. Leigh gave his full and selfless support to the Party, an effort that after the second ballot had cost him close to $45,000.
After the childish rudeness at Bo in March 2002, Leigh returned to his post in America, called the Party faithful there together, explained the happenings in Bo but requested their continued loyalty and help so the Party will win again in 2002.
The faithful responded. $17,000 was raised. Ambassador brought $12,000 to Freetown in early May 2002 and purchased 40 bags of rice, several liters of cooking oil and two bicycles for each SLPP district campaign team.
After he was recalled, Mr. Leigh continued to work with the Party faithful in North America, to strength the organization, raise funds and put its house in order. When Hilton Fyle tried to blame President Kabbah and condemned the SLPP, Ambassador Leigh went after him and explained the facts to the Sierra Leone public worldwide. Ambassador Leigh is ever on the alert to protect the good name of the Party.
After a political rival in May 2005 declined to cooperate with Ambassador Leigh in trying jointly to capture the Party leadership position unless the said rival became the automatic leader of the reform group, the Ambassador continues to leave the door of cooperation open to all those who wish to join forces to clean up our system of governance.
BLOOD DIAMONDS
Prior to relocating from Washington to Boston, Mr. Leigh completed work helping to reform the international trade in diamonds that resulted in the Kimberly Regulations – regulations that today cover the worldwide export trade in rough and uncut diamonds.
BUNCE ISLAND PRESERVATION, INCORPORATED
Presently, Mr. Leigh is serving as President of Bunce Island Preservation, Inc., (BIPI) a private charity group seeking to restore for posterity the Bunce Island Slave Fort in the Sierra Leone River where, for over a century, thousands of captured Sierra Leone rice farmers were held prior to shipment to Charleston and Savannah to develop and enrich the United States.
The story of Bunce Island is the intertwined history of three countries: UK, USA and Sierra Leone as well as that of France and other European countries. Through BIPI, Mr. Leigh intends to foster a new kind of mutually beneficial relationships between the people of those countries and Sierra Leoneans.
FAMILY
Ambassador John Ernest Leigh is married and has three adult children. He and his wife live in the United States but he will relocate to Freetown and Bo shortly. Mrs. Leigh will join him latter
MR. LEIGH’S ASPIRATION
Ambassador Leigh aspires to become the next leader of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party in succession to President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. He respectfully asks for your support.
His aspiration is based on the fact that he has done more for the Party and the country than any other known aspirant and that of all the present aspirants, Ambassador Leigh has shown by his consistent conduct that he is and has been the MOST LOYAL SLPP ASPIRANT WHO HAS NEVER ABANDONED THE PARTY FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER. HIS RECORD ALSO SHOWS THAT HE IS A VERY PATIENT INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN GENEROUS TO THE PARTY AND THE COUNTRY AND WHOSE LABORS CONTRIBUTED MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IN RETURNING THE PARTY TO POWER (1) IN 1996, (2) FROM THE EXILE IN GUINEA IN 1998. (3) HE ALSO WORKED DILIGENTLY IN THE PARTY’S VICTORY IN 2002.
Ambassador Leigh’s record further demonstrates that he would do the most good to far more people than any other aspirant and that his leadership skills will strengthen the SLPP and bring respect to our country because he is genuinely democratic, loyal, hardworking, generous, fair-minded, public-spirited and loves this our country very much.
Ambassador Leigh respectfully asks all Convention delegates to cast their votes for Party Leader on the basis of MERIT and not on parochialism or sentiments or any other factor.
Please take and eat the money given you for your vote. BUT VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE.
ELECT AMBASSADOR LEIGH LEADER OF THE SIERRA LEONE PEOPLES PARTY AT THE COMING CONVENTION IN MAKENI. DATED: August 1, 2005 in Freetown
John Leigh for President
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