Dear Tech,

You and I know that democracy does not only stop at conducting elections. It is a process that ensures fairness and equality for even the minority groups, even dissenting voices. But, TECH, your country is pathetic. Have you realized the way the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) is monopolizing, manipulating, maneuvering, and mesmerizing state media in your country? Well, to them, it is not state, but government or even ruling party, media. LITTLE WONDER TECH THAT THE APC PARTY HAS BEEN DENIED THE LICENSE TO OPEN ITS OWN RADIO STATION AFTER HAVING SUFFERED NEWS BLACKOUT AT THE COUNTRY'S SOLE STATE RADIO

IS THE IMC REALLY INDEPENDENT?

 The so-called state-owned Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) radio and television are nothing more than propaganda mechanisms controlled by demagogues in the SLPP. You should know that every news item that goes out for broadcast first goes through the Ministry of Information for vetting. You should also not be surprised that virtually every employee of these stations is a loyal SLPP member. And anyone that tries to bring an independent view is immediately axed. I need not tell you about what happened to ace journalist Isaac Massaquoi, who was apparently an SLPP man but wanted to bring some bits of objectivity at SLBS. He was booted out. Obviously, there is a disproportionate coverage and reportage of SLPP activities at the expense of other parties in the race for the elections of July 2007. If the opposition holds a rally, it is hardly reported on state radio and TV, but every activity of Berewa – even if held in faraway lands – takes the headlines. Is this the democracy, TECH?

But as if that is not enough, as if to add insult and salt to injury, the ruling party is going all out to block attempts by the opposition to be heard. Your sister newspaper, the African Champion, has just revealed the surging anger in the opposition All People's Congress (APC) for the refusal of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) to grant it a license to open a radio station. But is the IMC really independent? You know it is not. It is just one of the tools of the SLPP in carrying out a massive suppression of the press. Just look at the excuse that good old Bernadette Cole is giving to prevent the APC radio station from coming into existence. She said there'll be a congestion of frequencies. Can you beat that? Why can't she just say my masters have said no? It was this same Bernadette Cole that told us last year that President Kabbah was going to  repeal the draconian press laws with their attendant 1965 Public Order Act in Sierra Leone. But this was just to fool the gullible. Because, up till now, those laws are firmly entrenched in the country, and the sword of Damocles hangs over the heads of journalists.

Yet, TECH, things will not continue like this forever. There will – and should – certainly be an end. You can fool some people some time, but you can't fool all the people all the time…..

TOESMAN DEFECTS TO CHARLIE BOY

 Well, talking about the devil… Former SLPP Western Area Chairman and ex Minister of Energy and Power, Emmanuel O. Grant, commonly known as Toesman, says he has been fooled for some time but he can't be fooled all the time. And now he has tendered his letter of resignation from the SLPP and defected to the renegade People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) of Charles Margai. Have you read the letter he wrote to the party's Chairman. Well, Tech, I think your readers need to read it. And here it is as it is:

Emmanuel O. Grant: 7 GIBBON LANE - OFF SYKE STREET, FREETOWN
The Chairman: Sierra Leone Peoples Party - 15 Wallace Johnson Street; Freetown
Date: 28th September 2006

Dear Sir,

LETTER OF RESIGNATION FROM THE SIERRA LEONE PEOPLE'S PARTY

This letter is to inform you and the entire leadership of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party that as from today's date the 28th of September I have resigned my membership from your party due to my perception that your party leadership is vindictive, selfish and lack the ability to unify the party.

Secondly, since 2003 your government instead of concentrating on National Development issues has relinquish its objective and decided to focus its attention on forcing a new leader on the citizens of this country forgetting to realise that the days of the one party dictatorship is over and that the citizens of this country are now more enlightened and more focused oriented.

Thirdly, there is no reward for hard work, loyalty, commitment and long association with the party from the leadership. The spoils of the government has been mismanaged by outsiders who have been catapulted to enviable positions by the leader of the party, and these new favourites were the architects that did try to undermine the very existence of the party during the formative years of the second coming of the party in 1996.

My intention of resigning from the party is for it to serve as a deterrent to all future leaders of the party should in case the party is able to regain its glory in the distant future.

Finally let me inform you that I have decided to work with the newly-registered Political Party, PEOPLES MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE headed by the Interim Leader Charles Francis Margai.

Faithfully submitted
EMMANUEL O. GRANT

I need not say more, Tech. The chickens are coming home to roost. You'll hear from me next week.

Have a Techful week….