In our report , we said that ” The PBC Boss was also impressed by the fact that Sierra Leone is going through increased investments in mining and other areas. He said that this fact is palpable at the airport where people are entering the country in droves to invest. He stated that the government is doing well with the contracts which are being renegotiated to create transparency and new mineral agencies “and we applaud the fact that Sierra Leone has put together a legal and geological database. “ Ambassador Rishchynski said that Sierra Leone is well on the way to achieving economic growth and the plans to set up mineral agencies will create opportunities for interfacing with the private sector. He commended DFID, the World Bank and the UN for help being rendered in creating opportunities and conditions for extraction of minerals. The PBC Chair said Sierra Leone is deemed a best practice in business for transparency in preparing for prosperity. ” (Read the full report : https://cocorioko.net/?p=24112 ).

Also , this year, the AWARENESS TIMES newspaper reported : “At the prestigious The Times CEO Summit on Africa hosted in London on March 19th 2012, the UK Government Minister responsible for Africa and the United Nations, Henry Bellingham MP , tells the world how highly Ernest Bai Koroma is rated by the British Government. In the words of Henry Bellingham MP, “I don’t believe we (the UK) can have a better person than your President His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma” to ensure Sierra Leone achieves the prosperity it is seeking. The Minister glowingly described Sierra Leone Government, the President and also Finance Minister Samura Kamara. This YouTube video is a 55 seconds segment which contains the main endorsement of the man recognised as “His Excellency” by the British Government.” The Publisher, Sylvia Blyden, who herself was at the Summit , even provided this YOUTUBE video of Mr. Bellingham praising President Koroma ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Z9PENKFdo ). We could go on and on and on.

Speaking to some of the diplomats who made the trip to Sierra Leone, one of the reasons for their good report is that President Koroma has a passion for his country’s development and progress. He has not attained perfection yet. No human system is ever perfect. There are still challenges but when they see the President’s passion for his work and his state of motivation to bring socio-economic and political development to his country, they know that there is hope for Sierra Leone. They see a President gradually making Sierra Leone a better place to live for its citizens and foreigners in their midst.

Another reason the international community is so excited about President Koroma is that he has an impeccable human rights record. Sierra Leone tops other West African nations for respect accorded to fundamental human rights and the adherance to the international standards of the observance the Rule of Law, humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and all vulnerable members of the society. Unlike other countries, there is no plitical prisoner or a prisoner of conscience in Sierra Leone . The press is free with over 50 newspapers, most of them opposition media; Civil society and women’s groups operate freely in the country. There is peace in the four corners of the country. President Koroma is the father of human rights observation and protection in Sierra Leone.

Opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) members wonder why all their lies and propaganda about the President are not holding water and why instead of being chastised by the international community, the President is always commended highly. The reasons are clear. The International Community have their own representatives in Sierra Leone monitoring the situation and the sum -total of their observation is that President Koroma is doing a magnificent job. The International Community has nothing to gain praising President Koroma unduly. They are praising him and working with him because he is the model of the right kind of leader they want to work with–focussed, efficient, effective and he has a passion for his country. Also, under him, Sierra Leone has one of the best human rights records in the world.

NOTA BENE

While interviewing members of the diplomayic corps in the UN for this article,  a  member of the EUROPEAN UNION  ( EU ) has told Minister Plenipotentiary Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu   that no member of the Commission  in Brussels “slammed ” the APC Government for its brutal rule as falsely reported by the opposition SLPP  online newspaper, THE  NEW PEOPLE. He said that the EU  has great respect for President Ernest Koroma, his leadership style and his respect for human rights. Diplomats have protocols they observe and  speak within a context and through recognized channels. They do not conduct off-the-cuff interviews with lone newspaper reporters , especially  providing criticisms  on how another country is being governed. If the EU in Brussels  has concerns, it will be expressed through   the Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Christian Kargbo or his recognized representative but never through a lone reporter.  That is the diplomatic protocol. The opposition newspaper has been caught again in another lie.

COCORIOKO  can authoritatively inform its readers that the story is false and there is no “J.J.Janneh”.