The new Head of Chancery at the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, Mr. Alhusine Sesay, was last Friday January 11, 2012   formally introduced to the staff of the Mission by the Permanent Representative and Head of Mission, Ambassador Shekou M. Touray.

At a  General Staff meeting attended by both the diplomatic and local staff of the Mission,   Mr.Sesay,  who  arrived early in December to take up his new assignment , had the opportunity to officially meet with  the staff he will be working with  . He replaces the former HOC, Mrs. Margaret Jah-Matturi, who was recalled last year and has been re-assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation .

In introducing Mr.Sesay to the staff , Ambassador Tourayhighly  praised the new HOC  , describing him as an experienced  civil servant and a seasoned diplomat,  who,  apart from serving in Saudi Arabia as Head of Chancery, was also at one time the State Chief of Protocol to President Ernest Koroma at State House and the Head of the International Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Ambassador Touray told the staff that given his vast experience in administration and his impressive work ethic, Mr.Sesay  plans to introduce reforms that will boost the output of the staff.  The ambassador called on the staff to cooperate with Mr. Sesay to help create an amicable and productive work atmosphere.

Ambassador Touray  then took his time to introduce to Mr.Sesay the members of staff of the Mission , carefully stating  their job assignments in the Mission and the UN.

At the end of the introduction of staff  by Ambassador Touray, Mr.Sesay  took the floor. He  first thanked Ambassador Touray for his kind remarks about him and his capabilities  and  he promised to work hand-in-hand with staff members during his term of duty in New York  . The Mission, he went on, was not strange to him because he had been coming there  and interacting with staff during the UN General Assembly when he served as Chief of Protocol at State House.

Mr. Sesay  then disclosed  the  modus operandi he intends to adopt in dealing with the staff to ensure a peaceful , but  progressive work place atmosphere. He told the staff that he believes  in  the principles of transparency and  team work and,  as the staff has observed already, he makes sure that  he  seeks the input of other members of staff in the decision-making process of the Mission. He wants  every staff to be part of the decision-making process  in the Mission  because the work  should be a collective responsibility.   He also believes that this will enhance the working relations between him and members of the staff.

Mr. Sesay  assured the staff that he will make sure that he gives a listening ear to the problems of every staff member and where possible he will ensure that he renders the necessary help but,  being a very frank man, he will also  be honest to indicate to staff where help was not possible. He called on staff to be  open-minded and frank with him in return, not hesitating to politely  bring to his notice  areas that need to be addressed.

In what turned out to be an interactive session , every member of staff took the floor to welcome Mr.Sesay personally and to assure him of their full cooperation and support. Some of the career diplomats said  that they had worked with Mr.Sesay at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation before they were assigned to New York .They described him as an efficient and hard-working man with whom they also had excellent working relations. They expressed confidence that Mr. Sesay will acquit himself of his responsibilities at the Mission.

Apart from the Permanent Representative, Ambassador Shekou Touray, other members of the diplomatic staff present were the Minister Plenipotentary, Mr. Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu, the Financial Attache ,  Mr. Varfomba Barwoh, the Military Adviser, Col. Ronnie Harlston, Counselor Saidu Nallo , Mr. Franklyn Fawundu, Mr.Lamin Khan and Mr. Saifu George  . Local staff who attended the meeting included the Office Manager , Mr.Ahmed Smart, the Special Assistant to the Permanent Representative , Mrs. Iris Max-Macarthy , the receptionist Mrs. Fatmata Jalloh and the drivers.

Before the meeting, muslim prayers were  rendered by Mr. Varfomba Barwoh while Mrs. Sherene Ranasinghe offered the Christian prayers.

Mr.Sesay is the fourth new  Foreign Service official who  arrived in New York at the tail end of last year to take up assignments in the Mission . Other diplomats   posted to New York  last year  were Messrs Franklin Fawundu, Lamin Kahn and Saifu George.

The meeting ended with staff expressing optimism that  a healthy and progressive working relationship was hopefully imminent  between the new HOC and members of staff.