Sierra Leone in Lonely Planet's '09 best

How encouraging to see Sierra Leone starting to pop up on the tourism radar again. We were also in the Wanderlust guide which I can't find online - yet - but you'll be the first to know when I do.
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Here are Lonely Planet's list of top 10 countries to visit:

1. Algeria
2. Bangladesh
3. Canada
4. Georgia
5. Greenland
6. Kyrgyzstan
7. Oman
8. Peru
9. Rwanda
10. Sierra Leone

http://travel.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20081021-95125.html
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A year later – By Yeniva Sisay

There was a smile planted on my face when I woke up this morning. I woke up with a sense of pride and accomplishment, joy and astonishment. I took in a deep breath of faith, struggle, determination and courage and swallowed wonder, chance, bliss, and uncertainty.

Breakfast was served on the veranda of my brand new apartment that overlooks the hills and vast terrain of Freetown. A view that reminds you what the Portuguese saw when they named Mama Salone “ Serra Leoa” -Lion Mountain. I looked over the table into the eyes of my husband- to- be and thought: how full my life is. Can it get any better than this? I am truly blessed. Last year, I came to Sierra Leone with my hands in the air, feet on a cloud, and now I am standing tall, firmly planted “on the ground.”

The questions never end. What is it like? What do you think of living in Africa? How is Sierra Leone progressing!!!!? If I were to even begin to explore all of the questions fully, I would be publishing a book. What I can do is say a few things (I know for sure). Being in Sierra Leone has its highs and lows, ups and downs, disappointments and triumphs, just like any other place on God’s green earth. I am here for a reason. I am in constant conversations with people about the lack of resources and the attitudes of some of our people, but I refuse to let any of these things bring me down.

Sierra Leone is still in the early stages of national development and we have a ways to go. Great strides have been made for example, the supply of electricity, although inconsistent, is much better. Gasoline has gone down from Le 16,500 Leones to Le 14,000. Efforts toward developing electricity through hydro- power (Bumbuna) are well underway. Through the efforts of Freetown City Council, the streets are the cleanest I have ever seen. I can truly say that people make a conscious effort not to throw trash on the streets. It could be the inferred fine of Le 150,000, but it has established some order which is great to see. The emergence of banks from all across Africa is also giving Freetown a much needed face lift. The collective effort towards CHANGE is on course and felt throughout the community.

Sierra Leone offers you chances to see life through different lenses: as community member, contributor, victim, employer, employee, woman, young person, educated person, and the list goes on. You are forced to open your eyes and see what’s going on because life is happening all around you, all of the time. One is not inundated with the constant monotony of the West: work, TV, designer bags, bills, and alarm clocks. Here your life is intimately intertwined with others so much so that you matter and you are not just a number.

As I look back and reflect on a year, it’s hard to believe how time has power over one’s life. I have lived and learned. I have fallen but I am still standing, and, most of all, I have had a dream come true.

Having a dream come true is like having a piece of the clouds in your pocket. You are ecstatic because you have been reaching and stretching to get it at all costs and so the accomplishment is liberation in itself. I am holding a piece of the clouds in the palm of my hand. Anytime things get rough or I am unsure of my path or my choices, I have a year of Sierra Leone to look back on, and I witness a dream in action.

The opening of The EXCEL Education Program has allowed me to breathe deeply. It makes me want to scream off the rooftops, “I DID IT” and so I will: (my flag flying in the air). I am celebrating my life and the fact that possibility is everything. This time last year, EXCEL was just a concept and now it is an established institution.

On Monday July 21, 2008, 18 students arrived for the EXCEL Summer Institute. The Summer Institute was created to introduce students to the EXCEL Education Center and its programs. It was about enrichment in a variety of areas such as reading, writing, critical thinking and leadership development.

The first day, I had no idea what to feel. I was excited and unsure of how far to take them. Before all of this EXCEL was just on paper. It was all of my ideas taken from my journals, notebooks, yellow sticky notes and crumpled up pieces of paper formed into a plan. Now EXCEL is coming to life.

So I just dove in, and the students and staff ate it up. The first day we created the norms for the center and began with the first word of the week which was EMPOWERMENT.

Students came from all backgrounds, some from middle class families, some from single family homes, and some from very impoverished backgrounds. The tie that binds them all is their brilliance. When you have students who really want to learn, students who have something to say but have never been given the opportunity, students who understand how knowledge can give you a better life, each class is AMAZING! We explored current events, Nelson Mandela’s inauguration speech, Socratic seminars, Cornell Notes, politics and Hip- Hop (you should hear their philosophy on Tupac). Obama vs. Mc Cain. (we are ELATED at the outcome.) Most of all, we explored learning in a way these students never thought possible.

One of the highlight of the summer for students was our “Guest Speakers Series”. This is something I had always wanted to do, to expose students to a range of Sierra Leonean professionals. When you ask our youth “what do you want to be when you grow up?” you get the choral response: doctor, lawyer, and accountant. Not that these are bad professions, it is what they are used to seeing or hearing about. It is just that there are so many others occupations out there. Guests were invited to talk to students abut their education, experiences and their motivation. We had guests from a range of fields like marketing, entertainment, engineering, journalism, fashion, and medicine. Thank you Dr. Sophie –Cole-Foster , Gaivia Lavaly, Abubakkar Jalloh, Adama Kai Kargbo, Aminatta Dumbuya and Shadrock and Ragga Spice for gracing our presence. Students were inspired beyond belief!! We also can not forget the great contribution of Mr. Adrian Labor who spent time helping implement the Digital Village Project. Now this is what I call GIVING BACK!

It feels great to be Ms. Sisay again. In the interim, while building the dream, I got to experience life in a different way. I have been the MC at several events, produced a monthly poetry show called “Play on Words”, worked as a consultant for the International Rescue Committee, and now have my life has expanded to include the roles of wife, mother and Aschobi Designs. For someone who came to Sierra Leone with only EXCEL in the mind, my plate is full. But I love it. I have a great life. I am truly blessed, and it feels amazing to be in command of my own destiny.

The students are amazing. Each one of my classroom combinations has always been an interesting blend of brilliance.

EXCEL is more than just a dream come true: it is setting a standard for excellence in Africa. We are preparing the next leaders of Africa in Sierra Leone. I moved back home because I believe in the potential of Sweet Salone. I have seen so much while being here.

Each day I walk into the center I think to myself, this is where dreams happen. I thank God for the formation of creative expression and writing-- it has been my cradle in this journey. Things have been happening and so blogging has been neglected. You don’t know how bad I have wanted to write, however; I needed something to say and the time to write it.

I know there are a series of breakthroughs around the corner for The EXCEL Education Program. We still have not received full funding but we are very thankful for donations that have kept us pushing forward. I feel much more confident now that we have proven results and we are not just another briefcase organization.

Please stay tuned as the journey continues. www.excelscholars.org

SwitSalone Presents THE 2008 SwitList (a.k.a Travelers Social Guide for Just Comes (JCs), Been Comin (BCs), One time Visitors, and Returnees)

SwitSalone Presents THE 2008 SWITLIST

(psssstttt i'm not dead...been hybernatin from the global)

I know that there are loads of you who will be coming soon to crowd my town, and my streets, and fill my country with your "innits" and "whatsups". Last year i let you take over and i stayed home...this year fat chance....ITS MY TOWN. I understand you may not know better and therefore need advice from the only source that matters on what to expect and how to make sure that your plane ticket is worth every penny. So here is the lowdown, the juice, the word on the street, strictly not from concentrate but through my grapevine.

BEACHES

Number 2: is clearly the #1 beach to visit this year but please bring your own food. Cause the food at the restaurant sucks. Best thing to do is buy your FISH from lumbley beach and take it with u raw and have them grill it in their kitchen....better yet...season it and take it with you. And dont forget to ask for the guy who gives massages...he's old with tooth missing but his hands are strong

Bureh Beach: Nature's best and i still my favorite because its virgin and as ecotourism as u could ever get. You'll have to bring everything, including water with you but its worth the experience of having your own private beach

Sussex (Francos): Tired of Freetown and wanna spend the night on the beach but dont want to give up the luxury of hot water?? Franco's is a romantic couples friendly spot. And if u need to hide out and do the dirty dirty (which might mean just layin on the beach.....wink wink) then this is it. You dont have to take anything but your good attitude

Lumbley Beach: For no other reason than the fact that its soo bloody close and u dont need and SUV to get there. Since they broke down the beach bars on the sand side i think its gotten a bit better. You probably dont want to get in the water cause its filthy but walk or run on the beach, lay in the sun, and watch people...

MONEY

Exchange Rate: seems to have settled back on Le3000-$. You Euro and Pound people sorry cant help u but know that its much higher than that. Also, dont bring 20s or 10s or lower denomination of any currency cause they will change it at a lower rate (it makes no sense to u but thats what they do) Also, Some places dont take $100 bills from 1996 or older than 2003...i dont know why but thats how it is

More money: Bring more money than u think you need, do not underestimate Freetown high prices....and if u sound schwen schwen u better beleive u will end up paying more even if u think u know better...Somebodi go pass am pan u

If you run out of money: You can send yourself money via western union online and pick it up via any of the banks that are affiliated. Also if u have a debit visa card....u can take to to Rokel Commercial bank and they will give you cash. I havent tried it but it does work. Only, if u dont have the right connections at the bank...na for ready for tinap na line for a long long long time

Open a Local Account: It might be late by the time u get here to do this but u should consider opening a local account with one of the banks here and u can wire money to your account all year round so that u always have enough waiting for you when u get here

ATM CARDS: Please dont expect for your credit card or debit card to work here. We're still on paper. Rokel Bank has a point of sale (POS) at different super markets but u need to have an account with them first to use the service. ECOBANK has a functioning ATM at Lumbley Safecon petrol station....and another at Family Kingdom (which is always never working). I hear that UBA, AccessBank and Zenith Bank may have ATMs operational by christmas as well. UBA and AccessBAnk will have ATMs at PAddys but once again u have to have accounts with them to benefit from this.

and If all else fails.....u can sell some of your property to get some cash.........:-)

WATER
Grafton: Like Tutic a lot people us the brand Grafton for the product. Only problem is that means that sometimes u want the brand Grafton they bring u some saudi, or lebanese bottled water (peeuuuwwww). For my taste, Grafton is the best tasting (meaning no taste) and closest to capturing the memory of tap water that i relished as a kid before i learnt about typhoid and all the reasons why i cant drink it now (though i'm sure i have)….owned by a Sierra Leonean

Magram: Owned i think by a Lebanese (so alot of lebanese owned biznesses will carry it instead of grafton) is my water of preference if there is no Grafton

Luvian: owned my Sherkanders and sons is also salone water (its the one with a woman on the label)

Blue Spring: not sure who owns it buts also Salone water

I have made it a habit to not drink any imported water whether it be from london, lebanon or france (i only make an exception for BADIOS, my favorite water ever.....its mineral water from France)

DRINKS

CAN vs. BOTTLE: I know we're all used to getting drinks in cans but please remember that we have no waste recycling for cans...though it can be melted to make pots. Some places dont sell bottle drinks so u may not have a choice but when u buy the bottle u support the FREETOWN COLD STORAGE & SL BREWERY who employ locally and support local communities. Canned soft drinks are usually imports from Lebanon....nothing wrong with that but....gotta drink responsibly....i.e for the environment. So ask for the bottle first and the can after. Or even better ask the restaurant what they do with their empty cans…

FOOD: Where to eat???!!!

1. Mamba Point: Yes, there may not be any ambiance (and if u're from america u might notice all the white people but they're very friendly so dont be afraid....just think OBAMA :-))) This is the only restaurant that never disappoints me on taste or presentation. Mamba Point consistently delivers on good quality food. Besides the lobster i make at my house...its the best i've had so far. Also they have everything from chinese, to pizza, indian food, to japanese. Yes SUSHI!!!! They have a newly opened sushi bar thats pretty good and they freakin have tempura so what else could u ask for?? (Good for Lunch but Best for Dinner)

2. Crown Bakery: Forget the chicken at Crown, sharwama....or any of the other tidbits they have for fastfood takeaway. When you're at Crown there are two things you order for....Jollof Rice& Stew (its the best i've had at a restaurant...so f**k*** delicious.) or u order the SPECIAL....nothing beats the Crown Special. Whatever it is i guarantee that it will be worth every cent and u probably wont even be able to finish it cause the portions are so big. They have this King Prawns they do and oh my GOD...that shit is seafood heaven no lie. Also this is the place u go if you wanna see VIPs: banks MDs, CEOs, and Ministers on a regular day....oh and if u're lucky u might see me too :-) (Best for Lunch)

3. Chinatown Chinese Restaurant (not the one downstairs they have one in the back upstairs to serve the guest house): This is the closest i've come to having what i would consider chinese food. They have good sweet and sour tofu and the rice in bamboo shoot with beef is delicious. Also, no one really goes there so u can have privacy and eat in peace. But its good for weekend eating for family. Also they have good shumai....hmmm hmmm my favorite)

4. Diaspora Bookshop Cafe: Best place to eat on a budget and for a snack if you dont mind possibly sharing seating space on the sofa with people you dont know. Worst place to go if you want privacy cause its small. But if u're new in town and hoping to meet people its the best place to strike a conversation with a stranger. The staff is also quite friendly and they have the best waiter in the country BASHIRU DEEN (i swear he's the best...any u can also catch Bashiru at Indochine , he works there too). I enjoy the guacamole here and they're always open to suggestions and u can basically have anything made anyway you like it if its in their kitchen. (owned by a SL returnee)

5. Paddy's: If you must eat anytime between 1pm and 4am any day of the week and u want Satisfaction Guaranteed...look no further than the grilled barracuda and fried rice or the grilled chicken and fried rice with the hot pepper on the side. It always taste the same and it is da bomb!! A quick tip (keep your reciept from paddy's) their number is on it and u can call ahead so u dont have to wait when u get there. The paddy's fried rice is CRACK....try it once and u're hooked...seriously. Also at paddy's the ever mysterious roastbeef at night....also CRACK...but not for the weak at stomach.....only for true gangsters like myself

6. SOLAR HOTEL RESTAURANT: When you have dinner outside at solar hotel u know that u've finally arrived. The locally made chairs and tables are set up around a pool and the sounds of the night and the stars in the sky make this the most romantic place to have a meal at night. The food though in very small portions is really well seasoned and u will want to lick your plate. Possibly one of the most expensive places to eat in town but once again worth every last cent. Anyway go ahead and lick your plate....no one's watching. This is my vote for the best kept secret (Better than all else for private dinner for a large or small group of 2)

7. BLISS PATISSERIE: You need a good English Breakfast with all its parts?? Go to bliss. You want a birthday cake or pastry?? Go to Bliss. You want warm chocolate croissant aka pain au chocolat go to Bliss. They open early (closed on mondays) if u need breakfast its the place to go

8. ATLANTIC: The award for best tapas has to go to Atlantic. Also they should also get the award for always seeking out creative activities and events to bring people to the spot and keep them entertained. Its a great place to chill out in a group...They've had everything from Barbecue Buffet on Sundays, to live musical performance and a Halloween party for charity. Toofic (or T) if you prefer is really warm and outgoing and he's doing a good job managing the place as well.

9. Roys: I am not a big fan of this place but if you wanna smoke shisha its a good place to do it. And their chicken wings are good. Just dont like the moot moot flyin by and biting me in weird places...like on my finger

10. Karma: The karma burger is possibly the burger with the most flavor i've had since i've been here. Also on this list because its really simple and classy on the inside. The owner Tanya is a fabulous hostess but most importantly they have brownies and american pancakes. Need i say more??

11. COUNTRY LODGE & HOTEL BARMOI: Two hotels with amazing views and breakfast buffets. I would say country lodge for sunday breakfast and brunch and Barmoi for saturday breakfast. Which ever you choose....u wont regret it. Country lodge also has descent apple pie...ask them to warm it and add some vanilla ice cream

12. KANKANKAN @ brookfields across from NP: Everyday starting at 5pm till they run out of beef. HMMMMM HMMMMM GOOD

13. VEEGEES Pepper chicken the last right hand turn before u take congo cross bridge heading to town: hot, spicy and to die for

14. LAC’S VILLA: the food at lac’s villa is pretty good but if you want a quiet place to have lunch, that’s green and clean…this is the place to go….owned by a sierra Leonean….Lac’s villa is also on my list for best kept secret. The service is also pretty good…ask for Mr. Daniel one of the waiters…he’s cool. Go to lac’s on Fridays for their African buffet

Honorable mention: Posseh's Bardorie (been there 3x cause there is so mcuh hype but i've been disappoitn each time....but since everyone always says nice things i think maybe its not me. they're african breakfast is also a killer......but this place is pricey...but i like it cause its owned by a Sierra Leonean. Cafe de la Rose: simply for old time's sake. Balmaya....i like to get the chicken sandwich its fast and fresh but i find balmaya's food mostly to be bland but i think thats another word for healthy??Indochine....food sometimes very good...food other times very bland but always clean and crisp and well decorated in east asian motif.

ON MY DONT EAT HERE LIST: CHEZNOUS...hang out here by all means but their food flip flops in taste and they dont have a descent toilet. SPORTSBAR....very small portions...not especially good....overpriced and cause they have a sign that says they reserve the right to throw anyone out....its a good place to drink and watch a game and not see any locals and anywhere with a nasty bathroom. DELICIOUS on siaka stevens street..and finally I regret to put CHILL & GRILL, a new sl owned restaurant on my don’t eat here list as well. The place is clean and decent but its supposed to serve grilled food. I went there with my friend she ordered grilled fish and I ordered grilled chicken. When the food came out….it wasn’t grilled it was steamed. We asked her why this was so and she finally confessed that “way wi kin grill am sontem in kin bon”. I hear they have good groundnut soup though

INTERNET
Please don’t come to SL looking for T1 and DSL speeds on internet. If you want the internet look for reliability cause any company stressing speed is just FLAT as LYING.

Internet for Home Users
ZAIN: I use zain mobile gprs because it doesn’t need power. I actually think its amazing and simple and I’ve recommended to others. Also its available in the provinces….though the speeds may not be to die for….when you’re in the GPRS EDGE zones in the western area…the signal is strong and it works…even for downloading music

COMIUM: I’ve used the comium internet at other people’s houses and I guess its okay. But I cant recommend

MOBILE PHONE COMPANY
If you end up living here you may need two phones but chances are you’ll only need one.

Comium: most people I know have comium. So most people I know end up getting comium so they can talk to the other people they know. Comium sucks for international calls cause alot of times people tell me they’ve been trying to call me but the calls dont come through. Its gotten better but still needs alot of improvement. They also have frequent dropped calls even when I’ve not run out of credit. I use comium and I think their rates for in network calls are pretty reasonable

Zain: Most people I know who I would consider wealthy in Freetown have Zain (formerly celtel). They have the widest network in the country and they also offer roaming. Perception of Zain is that the tariffs are higher than the other networks but i don’t necessary have proof. Zain also has voicemail and I think its best if you receive international calls and intend to travel up country. I have a zain number as well. You can take your cell phone and have them activate the mobile GPRS internet on it

Tigo: is supposed to be good for making international calls. They’re supposed to have good rates for that and you can also take your phone to them and they’ll configure it for their GPRS mobile internet

Africell: have a lot of customers in Freetown who I would put in the low income bracket, like traders, carpenters, school kids etc. Their rates are supposed to be very reasonable

MUSIC & DANCE
1.Paddys: i have a friend who hates paddys and swears that it is the worst place ever...she wont even get out of the car to enter paddys without being begged and cajoled. For all the kolonkos in the world i believe that paddys is a microcosm of salone. You could see anyone at paddys. All things being equal they have better music than ol skool and lagoonda put together. You can find a corner and sit and just enjoy the sights or actually venture to the dance floor...only thing is the body odors on the dance floor on a crowded night are not for the weak at heart. So when it comes to music and dancing...on the west side, paddys is still the #1 spot. If u wanna experience it on the light side...come on a thursday or sunday...rather than a friday or saturday. The toilet is better than it was but like most toilets in salone running water is an issue sometimes

2.The Lounge @ Ol Skool: The music here is 10X better than the music at the night club. And its more chill and u can dance if u want although there isnt a stage. One of the best parties i went to this year was at the Lounge the DJ was off the hook. They dont have a dj on a regular night but the crowd always tends to be a bit older and mature than those who make it to the club upstairs. The toilet f**k** sucks at this place. They made it a bit better but they never have running water and on a busy night it gets dirty quick

Ol Skool Club: The last time i had a good time at this night club was maybe 6months ago. We had to stop going to the club cause the music is like 3years old and the resident dj plays the exact same songs every friday night which is the only night i ever go to the club. Anyway Sierra Leone is definitely in need of a proper night club as Ol skool has dropped considerably and its a waste of time to drive up there to dance on a friday. I go sporadically now. nasty toilets as well

Soukous Band @ China House in Brookfields: I havent been fortunate enough to make it out to china house on fridays but i hear they have a rather good live african music band on friday nights...though some posh people have complained that the crowd is very very local. Anyway whatever your taste, its good to know u can hear and dance to live music somewhere in this city

Tribes: Reggae and Roast beef all night every night. If you've ever driven on aberdeen road u've more likely than not heard morgan heritage, lucky dube, or buju banton boom blasting as u drove by Tribes. I've been to tribes maybe 2x and its not my cup of tea to hang out at but they keep the roots reggae flavor going and i can appreciate that. You can also stop by tribes to watch your champions and premier league games. Its good for the fellas but not sure a group of ladies will enjoy hangin out at tribes

NP @ Aberdeen Road: Like tribes NP is not place u'd catch me hanging out cause its not my seen but alot of fellas hang out at NP....like a happy hour after work spot...a place to watch football games...and listen to popular music. Its good for the fellas but not sure its lady friendly

Lagoonda: No one i know goes to lagoonda. The music is too 80s. Or maybe its that the crowd is very very lebanese. But some have said that its the only real night club in salone. I dont think so but to each her own.

College Club Parties: for those of you who were fortunate or unfortunate to go to Fouray Bay College or any other college in salone, there is always a college club throwing a party for you to attend. I've never been to any college event but i expect its a great way to reunite with old friends and meet some new clubs members and most importantly....young fresh college girls willin, able, looking for a good time or a jc to take home :-)

SUPERMARKETS
Hmmmm....they are all pretty much the same...over priced, stocked with items from Sri Lanka, or Lebanon...brands u may not recognize or brands u recognize with a different taste cause it not made in the same place as what u usually get.

Monoprix, Atsons, St, Marys, Freetown all pretty much the same to me

Essentials is definitely definitely over priced, i dont ever even think of going there.

Payless has a smaller stock but its a bit more reasonable

Select Supermarket has a lot of French products

Choithrams and Sam King and other supermarkets in town tend to have more competitive prices.

My take on the supermarket is simple if u absolutely gotta have it then bring it with you, if not u get fo go buy am na super market na fo bia ya.....na so

SECOND HAND....OR JUNKS....BUTU BUTIK
Whether you're coming on holidays or coming for a while do not completely knock the junks. Ok so dont buy your panties and other unmentionables from junks but definitely look out for shoes, belts, sunglasses, bags and other accessories. There are alot of brand name designer and good quality accessories that end up in junks. Going to junks is always a cool Saturday activity

AFRICAN FABRIC
The #1 place to look for or buy african fabric is malama thomas street. If you're new to african textiles remember that there are alot of fakes in the market as well. You can find cheap prints from London and China. But if you want good quality african fabric and u want to support the growth of the african textile industry buy African made. How do u know the fabric is african made??? Well if it is african made most fabric will have the name of the country where its made printed on the edge of the fabric itself….fabric made in Sierra Leone doesn’t have that though

FOR THE LADIES
Dont let the want want get to your head. yes you're probably very beautiful and he probably does love u after the first day but know that we like new things in salone....dont forget to use a condom...which you can buy from any supermarket. Emergency Contraception (otherwise known as plan B) is available in town at the pharmacy on Wilberforce street....but USE A CONDOM. if you know u wont be comfortable buying condoms here PLEASE PLEASE BRING IT WITH YOU.....i beg. Tampons if u use them are expensive at the supermarket so u should probably bring them with you

FOR THE GUYS
Dont let all the text messages and i love you after day one get to your head. If its sex you want...its very easy to get it free here.....dont forget to use a condom...u can get condoms from any supermarket.

STDS & HIV(AIDS)
We have those here too so please drive responsibly

MARIJUANA: I dont smoke and i think its illegal. But i hear the weed here is very good and very cheap. Can be purchased on the beach and somewhere between paddys and tribes :-) and alot of other places as well i'm sure

LIQUOUR: Some hardcore liquour lovers might be disappointed at the lack of Moet, Patrone, or grey goose at the bars. Best place to grab a drink??? Plan B or Atlantic

MEDICAL CARE
Choithrams is supposed to be the best local private hospital. But there is also Marie Stopes Clinic for Women's health issues. If you get sick everyone will say its malaria but it may not be.....do take your malaria pills (but stay away from larium it tends to have some side affects). Bring Preparation H or Immodium and any and all run belleh medecine cause it might happen to you.
If you have asthma and u need an inhaler bring them with you...whatever medical needs/pills/prescriptions etc. fill them before you come and make sure u have whatever you need. There is no guarantee that we have the meds available or that what we have is authentic. So please come prepared.

HAIR
Cant help the guys here but LADIES....HEADMASTERS on wilkinson road is managed by two guys Obai and TOS Man....it gets really busy every single day and i'm sure over christmas will be no exception. They do really good weaves and hair cuts, and permed styles. if your hair is natural like mine though, they cant really help you...unless if like me u like braids...then they have a girl there MADOLO....who is really neat.

Also for hair, there is KORNYA (been here maybe twice) and AFROMERIC(used to go there years ago but not anymore)

The best hair do though if you're unsure is if you see it on someone's head u ask them where they got it done and u make them take u to the person or yet still take a picture if u have a camera on your phone. Also when you're getting your hair done be afraid to make them take it out and do it over and make sure u monitor everything they're doing to your head cause otherwise it will come out substandard. I had to learn the hard way.

You can also gat manicure and pedicure's from Headmasters or Nehneh's (next to Houda's supermarket). If you're used to seating in a massage chair for your pedicure....it aint done like that here...but u can still get it done well. Bring your own nail polish!!

RADIO STATION: If you live in SL u MUST listen to the RADIO
FREE RADIO 95.7: If like me you're an R&B and hip hop fan and you like to hear the same stuff you'd hear on the radio in the States....and maybe UK. Then this is the station for you. Mr. B the main dj is funny and quirky and he even had his own hot ass garage single a couple months ago. Mr B is super super cool... we like him ALOT...they also play r&B and hip hop from salone and africa's finest. I heard the Asa (Ahsa) single jailer first on free radio

CAPITOL RADIO 104.9: if you like to hear british or wanna be british accents then this is the station for you. They play whats hot in the UK or what u'd hear on UK radio....and they also only hire people who sound like they're british. No african or salone sounds or songs....but hey if thats your flavor then its your station. they used to have this dj called DJ pineapple and he was really funny but he's now at Kalleone i think

RADIO UNITY 94.9: its always nice to hear SLPP on air....listen here for the sounds of the opposition

KALLEONE RADIO: every now and they play good shiiiit!! kalleone is also #1 for sports info

RADIO UNAMSIL, CTN, RADIO DEMOCRACY.....all also available but i rarely listen to them…coming soon to radio in Salone is VOA-Voice of America

TELEVISION:
Local TV: SLBS TV (govt tv) & privately owned ABC TV (they play good movies in the evenings but u need to get an antenna for your tv to be able to catch the station)

Satellite: GTV (is more stable with reception but only about a handful of channels some of which are not in english), DSTV (ku band reception very poor in bad whether but it has more channels
ArabSat (at alot of lebanese owned spots)

THE GYM
UN GYM ($20/month): but its only for UN staff and NGO staff….(it’s the best value gym, they have Air-conditioning and the trainers are friendly)

Abrasy @ Wilberforce ($35/month): no A/C and the place is fallin apart. They usually only have one or two trainers….Teddy used to be my trainer last year but I had to drop him

Country Lodge Gym ($40)/month): for this much you’re supposed to get access to their gym, and pool. Never been to this gym but I’m sure its there

Gym @ Victoria Street: I think it’s the first that opened after the war but never been there either

Gym @ Campbell Street: A lady I met recently has opened a gym on Campbell street. I need to find her card to get the name right…

CHURCH/MOSQUE/INDIAN TEMPLE
I go to my neighbourhood mosque but if u need to pray we have mosques and churches all over the place. Churches of all denomination from Winners Chapel, to Praise Sanctuary, to Mountain of Fire, Mountain of Miracles, Jesus is Lord Ministries, Evangel….and on and on and on and on….we also have the more conservation Methodist/Catholic/Anglican Churches of you’re not of the Evangelical Holy Ghost Fire persuasion

And there is an Indian temple on Wilkinson Road

People will invite to church for thanksgiving this or that but Sierra Leoeneans in generally are not fussy about religion. We are tolerant. Though people tend to be incredibly weirded out if you say you don’t believe in God altogether. We just don’t understand how someone could not believe in God.

LITTERING
Yes u will sit in taxi or poda poda or even in a private car and someone will throw something out the window. Please advise your driver who may not already be doing this to keep a plastic bag in the car for garbage if you eat in streets like me.
Put please don’t throw trash on the street, its already very filthy so don’t make it worse. You may find it difficult walking in the city to identify trash bins but still don’t throw your trash on the street. More likely than not if you’re on holiday or recently moved back people are going to look up to you so u want to be passing along the best habits…no to so?

TIME
Don’t take it for granted that people will be always late. Even though 99% of the time they will be, you should try to show up on time

RETURNEE/SL OWNED BUSINESSES
There are some who come back and say they will not patronize Lebanese owned businesses like I once did but, if you actually want to live your life to the fullest and enjoy the best this town to offer more likely than not, u will end up at a Lebanese owned establishment. Yet still there are returnee/sl owned biznesses. I think its always interesting to ask staff about the owners of the establishments I visit.

And finally after much has been said the last thing on this list……

THE STATE OF TOILETS IN SIERRA LEONE
My mother always told me that you know how clean a person is by the condition of their toilet. If the toilets in our homes and businesses are to speak to who we are in this country, one word would fully capture us……NASTY!!!!!
Whether it’s a house or a business people treat the toilets as an after thought. It rarely has running water, hand wash, tissue paper…and all the necessary ingredients for a healthy clean toilet experience. HOW CAN YOU OWN A RESTAURANT AND NOT HAVE WATER IN YOUR TOILETS????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I understand some places do not have running water but that is no excuse. Labor is very very very very cheap in sierra leone and it would cost close to nothing to hire someone whose job it was to make sure that the toilets always have water. But it is unacceptable that I should go to a restaurant and have to lift and pour a bucket of water into the bowl to flush.
If you’re planning on headin to the center of town please make sure you have previously designated toilets….an office or establishment that you know u always have access to their toilet and that’s clean with running water. If not, you run the risk of being caught out there with no protection. If you happen to be suffering from run belleh….please please stay home…for God’s sake!!!!


Disclaimer: The SwitSalone 2008 Switlist is compiled by yours truly in consultation with no one though I’ve certainly let others’ impression of things influence this list. It contains my personal views, tastes and preferences. It is neither endorsed, nor affiliated, nor promoted by any of the businesses or establishment mentioned on this list. I compiled this list in two sittings over a period of two days. Use at your own discretion but certainly come back and tell me what you think and prove me wrong if u can…or better yet maybe I missed a lot of other stuff that’s worth mentioning. If you have something to add please feel free.….its my birthday tomorrow Nov 14th, so i'm feelin real gooooddd :-)
Kisssesss and Huggzz


SEE YOU AROUND MY FREETOWN………..dont forget your mosquito repellent, rechargeable batteries & flash light

So what do you think of the beach bars situation?

I’m being asked a lot about this recently.. I’ve also been planning to write about it for a while now. Frankly, I feel it was a bit of a cock up. I’m certain the ministry also feels like this now… No one seems to find real justifiable cause to put so many people out of business in a couple of days.. just before the peak season. Apparently, some of the structures were ‘not up to it’ or something like that… See, if there was communication between The Ministry and various stakeholders in the Tourism Industry – they would have realised that tourists and foreign workers actually liked the raggedy beach bars… they were.. ‘charming’. The way I see it is like.. ok.. well some of the beach bars may not have met standards, especially hygiene/health and safety.. but to tell me you have to knock all the shops in my street down because a couple of business along the route are not pulling their weight, is frankly ridiculous. Establishments like Bunker Bar are widely understood to have followed the right procedures and were of acceptable standard. Should they really have turned up with demolition teams of soldiers and armed police in riot gear wielding axes and machetes?

I think what puzzles a lot of people is how there seems to be no plan put in place to replace these beach bars. I understand that there are plans to plant trees and install street lights. I mean that’s all well and good.. but are the funds there? Are they even connected to the National power grid?

I’d like to see that side of the road given a proper pavement for joggers, cyclists and other pedestrians – with good access for those across the road who wish to cross over to the beach. Maybe in doing this the erosion problem can also be tackled. Oh yeah, zebra crossings and other safety precautions for pedestrians would probably come in handy right about now.

My fear is that this was some sort of desperate attempt by the Tourism Ministry to prove that they were doing some work. Well, destroying is easy and I can’t say I’m impressed. Same way they may end up giving planning permission to certain developments that may not fit into the plan for responsible tourism development. Remember, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions.

For now, I’m afraid folks will have to find other places along to the beach to hang out. A popular choice is Beach Apple which gets properly crowded on Sundays. Plan B, Chez Nous are other options. You could go for a stroll on the beach or just sit in one of the car parks at night and enjoy the reflection of the moon off the water…the beach bars will be missed but there are still lots of reasons to spend your evenings along Lumley Beach.

For more information on this please see this Reuters article:

Beach bars demolished in tourism revamp

Mboka – An opportunity for a second look at The Gambia

Anyone traveling within West Africa can probably tell you how difficult it can turn out to be. Truth is, I was dreading this journey.. and I could have so easily not made it. I forgot my passport at home but luckily enough for me, I realized this with enough time in hand. Passport with me, we set out to get the 11am ferry for a 5pm flight. Meaning I had to leave the house at 9am. The interesting thing about the ferry journey is once you actually get moving it’s quite a nice scenic journey to and from lungi. This journey was pretty uneventful, save the guy trying to sell his music and thought the best way to get people to buy was to play it as loud as possible in the VIP section. We tried to get him to turn it down but he wasn’t best pleased. I did eventually buy a couple of CDs off him though and we parted on good terms.

Seeing as we had enough time at the airport I decided to accompany the General Manager of the Tourist Board to check out a new resort being built in a village called Ureka by Sammy Williams a ‘returnee’ from France.

I’m quite excited by the project and intend to write an article on it and Sammy at some point in the near future.

Lungi Airport is really not as bad as it used to be, a lot of folks still talk about being harassed when they arrive but personally I hardly get this.

From what I’d heard taking Bellview is always an experience. My friend used it to go to Nigeria the week before and they eventually left at 3am for an 8pm flight. In our case the flight did arrive on time  – but someone had mentioned that you had to get on the plane asap as there was no seat allocation. You grab a seat where you can find one. I thought, that’s aight – no problem there. Of course, playing it cool was probably not the best thing to do. As soon as I boarded my fear was that I wasn’t going to get a seat. I quickly evaluated the options available to me. I was either going to stand through out, seat on someone’s lap, left off the flight  or be upgraded to business class. No prizes for which I was hoping to happen. Well, I was eventually given the security personnel’s seat – right next to the toilet. The less said about this the better.. the flight was really smooth though and I even managed a nap which hardly happens on flights.

My entry into the Gambia this time round is a lot more dignified than the last time I was here. Last time, I arrived on a Thursday night, by boat and spent the final night overlooking the coastline as we were not permitted to disembark for security reasons. That time in 1997, I was seeking refuge. Nearly 11 years later, my entrance couldn’t be more different. We had a fellow with a sign up waiting for us and were sped through the formalities.

In fact, so many things about The Gambia seem different. Even those of our delegation who were last here about 3 years ago said things looked different.

We are here for the 1st West Africa Tourism Market – Mboka – the region’s answer to others such as the WTM in London. The whole idea is to bring together local operators (with sustainable tourism projects) and Western operators interested in accessing them. Sierra Leone’s participants were Tacugama Sanctuary, Banana Island Guest House, KTI Tours, Fact finding Tours, Kambia Africana Village, Tiwai Island, Visit Sierra Leone, The Tourist Board and a representative from The Ministry.

When the chance came up to come to this conference, I couldn’t really pass on it for many reasons. Mainly, much talk has gone on about how Sierra Leone has so much more potential for tourism than the Gambia. Apparently, our beaches are nicer. It was also to see how they (The Gambia) are going about running their industry, the standards of those in the industry, the service etc.

Well, the hotel I’m staying (Sunset Beach Hotel) is right on the beach front. If the beach is the best this country can offer, I can categorically state that even Lumley beach (with some clean up) will knock it off the radar… and you know Lumley beach is not one of our top five. This beach is just ok.

 

The land is flat and doesn’t have the same character as Sierra Leone does and I believe we win in the eco-tourism potential as well. For nightlife, I think we definitely have the edge even though we could do with a bit more choice. The night before returning I went to a free concert which included Sierra Leonean artists Emmerson, DJ Lulu and Lady F. It was aight.. we then proceeded to Senegambia (all in the name of research) where we chilled at a restaurant with live music entertainment(another thing in short supply here).

Anyway, in terms of the raw product, we may have more to offer. However, their service industry is not to be compared with ours. The staff are so professional and service oriented. Their tourism industry is ‘well-oiled’. It’s really a joy to watch. One of the first thing I noticed about this hotels is accessibility for disabled people, something I doubt a single hotel in Sierra Leone complies with. In short, their standards – service, accessibility, hygiene and infrastructure is on an different level. They have computer systems set up (I’m a geek I know) and staff are adequately trained in using them. The only two hotels I know use computerised systems for booking and room allocation are the Country Lodge and Hotel Cabenda – these are the ones I’m aware of. I’m not saying that The Gambians have what we should aspire to or that their industry is perfect because it isn’t, but they’re trying.

Nevertheless, I still believe that in 5-7 years we can be competing with others in the region as West Africa is still underdeveloped in terms of taking advantage of the tourism opportunities. That is, if the government pays more than lip service to the tourism industry.

The event Mboka itself was good and hopefully if it there are others in the future it can only go from strength to strength.What surprised me a bit and frankly is starting to irritate me know is how, is the lingering perception of Sierra Leone being war-torn and ‘un-visitworthy’. Even more irritating was because I thought one or two of the TOs there did not seem to have much of an open minded approach which is so often needed in Africa. Well, that’s the vibe I got. Still, it was encouraging and enlightening to learn about what is happening at other parts in the regions.

As for The Gambia, well they haven’t seen a growth in tourist numbers in the last couple of years and are looking at ways to remodel the industry, offers new things and re-energise their industry which has been so important to the growth of their economy.

..and for Sierra Leone? Well, our challenges (mental and physical) will continue to inhibit our growth if we don’t develop strategies to counter this now. Some work is being done but I fear it is uncoordinated, which might result in a mish mash of tourism projects, waste of resources and potential short life span of our tourism industry when we eventually have one.

Seeing more of Sierra Leone - Educational Trip to Gola Forest and Tiwai Island

Every time I head up country, the same thought inevitably occupies my mind for most of the journey. There’s just so much unused land up country but yet it feels like 40% of the population resides in Freetown. There’s something very wrong with our land laws.

Nevertheless, heading up country is always an adventure, especially when you’re heading somewhere for the first time. This would be my first trip to Gola, Bonthe and Turtle Islands. Ok, I’m not going to lie, I was looking forward to the Turtle Islands the most, followed closely by Bonthe. We also visited Tiwai and spent one night in Bo, but these areas I’d seen before. I know what those up country roads will do to a vehicle,  so I said my prayers because breaking down in the middle of the bush is not something I’d particularly consider fun.

Day 1 – Gola Forest Reserve

We decided to head to Gola directly from Freetown. Some had suggested staying the night at Kenema but because of limited time we figured we could probably do it in a day. In total the trip took nearly 12 hours though we did stop at the Gola Rainforest Programme Office in Kenema to pick up a guide, briefing and also lunch at the SLRA canteen in Kenema.  I like Kenema, something about the tow n’s layout appeals to me. It doesn’t feel as compressed as Bo though it’s probably not as much fun either. We picked up our guide and continued on our journey. Kenema to the Gola Rainforest (SLETI/Zimmi end) took longer than I anticipated. We got to Gola Rainforest after dark and the first mission was to go get the dinner of potato leaves prepared by folks from the nearby village. We ate settled into candle-lit dinner washed down with some Heineken, water and vodka depending on your like. The night was passed in the building normally reserved for researchers and the like. You have that ‘middle of nowhere’ feeling at this spot. The night was blessed with all sorts of exotic sounds from the forest while fireflies showed off their lighting abilities, adding beauty to the night.

In the morning you see you’re surrounded by forest but you probably don’t realise the vastness of the forest around you. The three forest reserves, which comprise Gola Forest (Gola North, 45,800 ha; Gola East 22,800 ha; Gola West 6,200 ha), are located in the Eastern and Southern Provinces, about 330km southeast of Freetown. Gola forest covers parts of the Gaura, Tunkia, Nomo, and Koya Chiefdoms in the Kenema District; Barri and Makpele Chiefdoms in the Pujehun District; and Malema Chiefdom in the Kailahun District and also forms part of Sierra Leone's border with the Republic of Liberia. Small areas of forest remain outside the reserves and connect the reserves to each other and to forests in Liberia. It is the largest tract of closed canopy, lowland rain forest in Sierra Leone.

Our mission in the morning was a forest walk. You know, take some nice pictures of wildlife and maybe some birds. Well, it also decided to rain all morning (then again, it is a rainforest right?). The most we got to see were trees. Well, we did hear some birds and our guide from Freetown, Joseph always comes alive at the sound of birds.  Quick to tell us what that was backed up with pointing it out in his ‘birds of West Africa’ book. We always knew this wasn’t the best time of the year to visit but this was when we could do it.  So we walked down to the river and back up, totally drenched. It was back to camp, where I had a shower (yes, they have running water which is just cool!) and time to get ready to head back out. Nevertheless, we enjoyed Gola. The folks on the programme were really serious about their work, our guide Alhaji obviously knew his stuff and it was great to have finally visited.

Day 2 – Gola to Bo

Bo was an overnighter. We were able to do the essentials… have wider choice of food, charge phones etc. Country Side Guesthouse was to be our home for the night. At this point, I heard from the office in town that Equatorial Guinea was coming to play the Leone Stars and require the same sort of service we offered to Bafana Bafana. I was going to miss that bit of fun.

Day 3 – Tiwai Island

Getting from Bo to Tiwai via Potoru was not difficult and the roads didn’t seem as bad. I was last in Tiwai in 2005 as part of that documentary we did for the BBC. The boat ride from Kambama is only 10 minutes before setting foot in the island with dreams of seeing the elusive pygmy hippo. The Tiwai project has come some way since 2005. The biggest improvements are undoubtedly the solar power and also running water. I tell you folks, being able to take a  shower in the middle of nowhere could be the difference between spending the evening on your hammock reading a book… and strangling someone.  Ok, I exaggerate but you know what I mean.

Soon after arrival, we were joined by another group of about a dozen Chinese tourists/workers who had decided to come spend the afternoon probably a team building exercise or so. Apparently, they were the guys responsible for building a stadium around Bo. They seemed to have a great time, even though I couldn’t understand a word they were saying.

The first afternoon was spent was spent during the boat trip up the river. We saw mostly birds (you go Joseph!) but unfortunately no pygmy hippos. I’ve being told that would probably entail spending the night up a tree or something… and you’re still not guaranteed a sighting of this shy, elusive creatures but they do exist on the island!

The island doesn’t have a dedicated restaurant but I understand this is in the plan for the not too distant future. We had dinner of potatoes, rice and stew prepared for us in their outside kitchen by their chef. It was enough to get us through the night before embarking on the forest walk early in the morning.

The walk in the morning was quite similar to the last time I was there (seem to have made it a habit of visiting off peak), we saw monkeys, Red Colobus, Diana Monkeys etc but   I’m starting to think the wildlife in Sierra Leone are quite shy. This may be as a result of the war or hunting but I do think they hide when they see or hear the craziest, wildest animal of them all. Man.

Tiwai is a community conservation programme, managed by the Tiwai Island Administrative Committee (TIAC), which represents both communities, government, Universities & conservation organizations. All funds raised go towards running the project as well as supporting the Community Development Fund, to help finance community initiated programmes.

All People's Congress: One Year and Counting...

It has been one year now since last year’s elections and over the past couple months, I have been trying to assess the differences between this and the old regime. During the colour coded, rally, and manifesto infested campaign period, we were bombarded by promises and catch phrases the likes of “kaka wi noh wan yeri”, “loose u face”, and so forth. And like many others, I was inspired and moved by Sierra Leoneans determination to participate in the electoral process and use it to change the status quo. Despite the Court Barray, rumours that Kabbah was being indicted, and the infamous transitional team report which has yet to make it into the public hands, things went on as usual, nominations and assignments of APC supporters to key government positions.

I have been reluctant to speak of the APC government because I like others believe that change is a process and that results take time to manifest. However, I think that even before you see results we can look at planning and projections get an idea for possible outcomes. I have been asking myself, what is the difference between the APC govt and the SLPP? What can the APC government show us now or have shown that would let us know what kind of results to expect in the short term i.e next 12months and long term in by the end of the 5 year presidential term? So far I am still waiting for the party to formulate its ideology and hence guidelines/steps to develop the nation influenced by the ideology. SHOW ME THE PLAN? SHOW ME THE PLAN? Or are we using the PRSP as a framework for national development?

It is my belief that what we lacked in the SLPP regime we continue to lack in the APC regime as well. But fortunately for the previous government much was handed to it under the post war peace building agenda. Theoretically the SLPP could survive in office without a political ideology and still provide results and claim them as government led initiatives while in actuality, it was the UNDP, UNAMSIL, World Bank etc. So while the SLPP ideology was more “donor tell me what to do and give me money to do it and I will eat di moni and do some fekehfekeh version of what u want me to do because if I do it right the first time I cannot come back and begabega u fo more money to do what u have told me again” the APC is not so lucky. We have consolidated the peace process and have transitioned from the post conflict emergency phase.

When I was in college I tried everything I could to not take a course in political theory. Some how I thought that I wanted to know more practical stuff about case studies and present day questions of statehood and international relations. The thing is though it dawned on me that from political theory come political ideology and state development agenda. Sierra Leonean governments since before independence have neither had an agenda nor ideology. Governments have only been concerned with staying in power and manipulating ethnic and regional primordial ties for their political advancements and we the people uneducated as we are have followed suit. But that has got to end if we have any hopes for actually developing this country. Sierra Leonean school children should know as young as possible whether they live in a socialist, capitalist, Marxist, Pan-Africanist, or communist country. These political ideologies provide guidelines for development. Depending on which u choose to follow it lets you know the “how to develop” the country. Without ideology then u can promise to bring electricity, or build a road or schools, and if u do manage to do all those things there’ll be no synchronicity to their development. Someone looking at what has been done, will not see the correlation between the different accomplishments.

Our political parties do not have ideology, a belief system that guides government actions and decisions. Recently, I have been making more frequent visits to Accra and staying for longer periods of time. Each time I visit I become more and more aware that what they have and probably always had, has been ideology. Ghanaian governments democratic or military have all had a plan and though some deviated from the plan the guidelines for state development from my perspective have always been Africanist. The different political parties in Ghana stand for different things and just as Democrats and Republicans know what to expect with each government so too do they. Through out the months that led to the elections last year I was in limbo for whom to support because neither party had clearly stated what they stood for. Instead they made promises of what they would do when they got elected. What I learned in college and hope to remember for as long as possible is that development can happen in the variety of ways and that state’s especially poor ones need to have a clear concise vision of where they want to be and they must ensure that they have ownership over the development process. Basically, there are various models and we need to know where we want to go and but most importantly, how we gonna get there?

While the government should be focusing on these issues it is instead plagued with news worthy only of gossip columns. For example, did you know that someone in the APC administration tried to get a pay raise for president Koroma and VP Sumana that would have increased their salaries to somewhere close to 9thousand dollars a month? Its not that I disagree with the idea of a pay raise rather it turns out that neither the president nor the VP were aware of the effort to increase their salaries. The whole situation was such a mess that the request which was placed before parliament had to be withdrawn and word on the street is that the Secretary to the President had to resign over the issue. So on the eve of the APC one year anniversary all I can say is, I am not impressed although I still love Earnest Bai like my Daddy and I believe that he’s capable. Yet still, I think that the government lacks direction and vision and the only consistent message that I hear is that the country is ready for and needs foreign investors...last I checked we had loads of foreign investment in Sierra Leone, infact a bit too much. If Basha Bakery is an example, it seems the Lebanese seem to be on an expansion project and very soon they’ll own all of Freetown. How many former peace keepers and ngoers have now started their own business…or better yet you need only visit paddies to know that foreign investment is overwhelming in a certain industry. The government desperately needs to get a clue cause man dem still noh gladi, dem noh day talk am right now but di system way wi all bin day manage don ton global

Maybe where we need to start is a national dialogue with all stakeholders from paramount chiefs to market women…all focused on developing a national plan for development…..or like a friend said the other day…BO Vickie Lef mi…a year is too soon to tell

Wusum Hotel - Makeni - Probably the best hotel in Sierra Leone

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
=====================================

A few weeks after returning to Sierra Leone, someone casually mentioned that a new hotel was being built in Makeni. I made a mental note that I should check it out when I could fit it in. This person neglected to mention that this isn't just a hotel, Makeni was about to benefit from probably the best hotel in Sierra Leone!

Wusum Hotel, located along Teko Road has 51 rooms and 5 chalets (each with 2 rooms). The chalets are fully equipped with a kitchen, dinning area, the living rooms with 50inch plasma TV set and modern Italian furniture. Each chalet is equipped with a 19inch wireless broadband laptop.

The also has a conference centre, wine bar/bar/night club (APEX), 3 swimming pools, business centre (with good Internet speeds) and are planning to do car rentals from within the compound. It will also house Eco-Bank in Makeni. Every room is air-conditioned, comes with a double bed, fridge and safe. It's a beautiful hotel. It isn't officially open until later in the year, but some areas are open for business.

As even more people told me about it and I came to learn that this was the work of Vincent Kanu, former Managing Director of NP. Another Sierra Leonean contributing positively to the tourism industry.

I eventually paid a visit to the hotel a few weeks ago and it lived up to all the hype. The hotel is fantastic, but more than that I was comforted that maybe Sierra Leonean entrepreneurship is not dead. This hotel could comfortably sit in Freetown, that would have been the safe choice but being born and schooled (St. Francis Secondary school) in Makeni, Vincent Kanu thought he'd give back. Make no mistake, he's a businessman who prior to the Wusum Hotel project spent all his career in the oil industry (over 40 years). He also worked for Agip Spa, Italy, BP, before retiring in 2005 as Managing Director of Sierra Leone National Petroleum Company. He is a private sector man through and through. When asked what his inspiration was he replied:

"Several factors - foremost being the moral obligation to pay back. I was one of the few and lucky students who benefited from three scholarships from the district and it is only fair that 'I GIVE BACK TO CAESAR WHAT IS CAESARS'

During construction and for two years 94 people were employed and currently we have a hotel staff strength of 32. The second one is Nationalism. Nobody will develop our country if we don't do it ourselves. Donor countries,will encourage us to wake up, but it is left with us to decide our own future. By such ventures we are enhancing the capacity of the tourist industry, without which real economic growth will not be achieved."

Amen.

When asked why Makeni, he went on:

"Makeni is a hub with a massive tourist potential which had to be unlocked. With no modern hospitality facilities, this potential is unachievable."

Damn, I like this guy! He's on to something here. The North has enormous potential for Eco-Tourism which as yet is largely unexplored. If the Lungi-Rogberi road is constructed (oh no! he's on about the road again!), this would mean that you could go straight to Makeni and comfortably spend the night before heading off on Eco-Tourism adventures. Makeni's a hub alright. It's easily accessible from attractions like Bumbuna Falls, Wara-Wara Mountains, Loma Mountains, Lake Sonfon and Outamba Kilimi National Park. In theory, you could have an eco-tourist holiday without even coming to Freetown. If you do decide to come to Freetown from Makeni, the road is perfect all the way and should take you just over a couple of hours.

Besides tourists (who are still in short supply here), I can see this hotel being very popular with NGOs and travelling business people who cry out for some good quality accommodation in the provinces. It doesn't get much better than this. The hotel has already started taking bookings for the conference centre - and it isn't even complete yet.

Personally, I'd love to be able to just drive out of Freetown and spend a comfortable weekend in some other part of the country. This is now possible with Makeni, I also hear the night club (which started out as a bar) is rocking. "There's nothing to do here" is a complaint I often hear from some folks. Well, jump in a car and go spend a couple of nights in Makeni. Makeni town itself is not exactly rocking like the centre of Bo, but I tip it to be a transformed town in the next few years. Now all the district needs are other individuals to exhibit the same sort of vision and belief displayed by Vincent Kanu - and invest in other activities in the region.

Good luck to Mr. Kanu, as they say - Fortune favours the brave!

You can make your reservations for Wusum Hotel here

The 10th Accused in the Cocaine Scandal: Bo na Lie Bo Ahmed Noh Go Mix Pan dat

I met Ahmed Sesay last year at Cafe De La Rose. We didn’t really meet per se but we both went there everyday for lunch separately until one day we were actually introduced. After the introduction we would exchange hellos and goodbyes whenever we happened to be lunching at the same time.

When I stopped going to Cafe I would bump into Ahmed at Chez Nous in the evenings. He seemed to me more quiet and sensible than the regular Wise Guys. One day I met him sitting at the Bar and i sat next to him while i waited for my spring rolls and sweet and sour soup. Like most conversations during that period we talked about politics. He was an APC supporter and from the way he responded to my skepticism I could tell that he wasn’t just a supporter rather…he was deep in it. I told him that while I was certain that the Sierra Leonean people needed a change, I wasn’t sure the APC was going to take us where we needed to go. Eventually realizing that I wasn’t going to change my position he said that the party is looking forward to changing minds and showing us that they meant well. I ate my food and we changed the topic.

While we were still at the bar 3 buffoon looking ohlangba’s showed up to speak to Ahmed about something that had happened but between their temne and krio I could barely understand what was being said. All I remember is that they were bragging about having taught someone a lesson. Ahmed’s phone which rang non stop kept on ringing. Finally he answered a call…he left me at the bar off to a “strategizing meeting” with Cheri Coco, a lawyer who then was running for MP (he won). As the weeks rolled by Ahmed and I exchanged more hellos whenever we came across each other and I must confess I respected him. He always looked very well put together with his crisp button downs and slacks.

When the APC finally did win the election Ahmed was in the very very inner circles of those very first weeks. He was part of the presidential contingent at the airport on inauguration day that welcomed and ushered presidents into the country. And during that period a wise civil servant referring to Ahmed called him “one of the King makers” in the party. His opinions highly regarded by the power that be. When the president announced his cabinet, Ahmed’s half brother other times referred to as his cousin Kemoh Sesay was appointed as the Minister of Transport & Aviation. Soon after his nomination like several other ministers like him Kemoh was frequently out of the country “trying to bring investors in the country”. Once he went to North Africa and there were speculations in the paper that he had built a brand new house only several months into his appointment as minister. I remember Ahmed mentioning that they were sued the journalist who wrote the article. Kemoh hadn’t built a new house but I presume finishing it was much faster than it otherwise would have been if he hadn’t been minister.

One day in December a friend and I happened to be lunching at Café De La Rose after some weeks of absence. Fortunately Ahmed was there as well and we sat together. It was his birthday he said and we were happy to celebrate with him over lunch. He told us he was soon to head back to the UK to see his family. During the conversation however I had mentioned that my digital camera had broken, the random chit chat of how I need to get out of sierra leone to buy certain things. I didn’t see Ahmed again until after the holiday season. When I did see him, he had a gift for me…a digital camera. A small gesture that went a long way with me because it had all been done so casually. I thought….hmmm…how thoughtful of him, this Ahmed he’s nice oh…

As we became better friends and actually made plans to have lunch on a regular basis, I asked Ahmed what kind of business he was in. One time he said that he was in real estate in the UK, buying and selling property ( a line that I’ve heard several times from many guys in town from the UK) however, that he had formed a company with some investors and they were going to get into mining. He said he was in town doing the surveys and research etc…until they got their license etc. It all made a lot of sense to me then and I did not question his legitimacy.

I saw Ahmed many many times after and when I thought of my close friends in Sierra Leone he was certainly included. He was a confidant, someone I spoke to often, usually over food. We even talked about going on diets together etc. I was invited to his house for dinner with another friend and I was there again another time witnessing the construction of a second property in the compound. Ahmed said he had to expand because his business partners and his family could not share the same house. As you may know, the Sesay’s are a big family.

In April, I invite Ahmed to my grandmother’s 70th birthday celebration. He came and we sat about keeping company for a while until he left and as usual questions are asked and it happens that Ahmed and I are related by marriage.

I was told that my great grandmother married Ahmed’s father so that she could make the pilgrimage to Mecca. She had already passed childbearing age at the time of their marriage but she and Ahmed’s father who my granny described as a dark skinned Imam spent several years together before Ahmed’s dad passes. He was killed by an infection from his pet cat who scratched him one day when he accidentally laid on it. Anyway, I told Ahmed the story and we had a running joke that he was my grandfather

Early in the year FIFA banned the national stadium and I had mentioned that in a previous post. By then Ahmed had been appointed as the manager of the national football team; Leone Stars. When GoSL decided to renovate the stadium, it was Ahmed who got the contract. It seemed like a conflict of interest to me but then that is how political lobbying works, the party in power has to be loyal. Same in the US with campaign financing & contributions same in Salone with party supporters and GoSL contracts.

Ahmed was incredibly stressed during the period of the stadium’s renovation. He confessed that he was afraid they might not meet the deadline for FIFA re-inspection. So I saw less and less of him as he worked hard to implement on time. But by the time FIFA did come to town, the stadium was deemed up to par and opened for international matches.

When I asked Ahmed about being Leone Stars team manager he said that he had promised His Excellency my favorite president Earnest Bai that he would make sure that the team qualified for the World Cup & 2010 Nations Cup in Angola. We talked about the teams limitations with funds. To raise money for the team, Ahmed had a fund raiser at State House with major corporate bodies invited to pledge support for the team. I heard that total pledged was about $200,000 (le 600,000,000). I am not sure if they were able to get all the money but that is what was pledged.

The last time I saw Ahmed before he was arrested and implicated in the Cocaine saga was the finals for the EURO 2008 at Chez Nous. When the game was over a couple of us including Ahmed sat at a table and talked a bit. Ahmed said he was going to London to see his family the next day.

Two weeks later, I’m at the shop and someone tells me that my friend, confidant, lunch buddy, Leone Star team manager, Kemoh Sesay’s brother and among other things personal assistant to Vice President Sam Sumana was being held in relation to the Cocaine bust at Lungi. When I heard I sat down. I was in shock that Ahmed, this dapper extra clean fresh to death friend of mine was actually at Pa Demba Road. But never once did I think “bo na lie bo Ahmed no go mix pan dat” I was not surprised that he was implicated because this is Sierra Leone and wealth is unaccounted for. You declare what u want if u bother to pay income tax. All I knew for sure about Ahmed was the he was a close friend and I respected him. I didn’t know what he did for a living or how he managed to have several very beautiful cars.

I will not get into the details of the cocaine story or what happened or how it happened because there are enough speculations in the local and international press to that effect.
Last week Kemoh Sesay was asked to resign and Ahmed is being held in Murraytown. If you pass by you will see the remaining of the Sesay brothers outside of the prison.

Also implicated in the Cocaine saga was a fellow named GKI who’s building a massive rubbish of a structure that’s supposed to be a hotel across from Bunker at the beach. He had a couple of very expensive cars as well and he’s left the country.

If the government wants to find possible drug traffickers and money launderers in the future two indicators would be OWNERSHIP OF A FLEET BRAND NEW CARS & CONSTRUCTION/PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.

And the government especially my president should be very careful with these young men who tend to have all the answers and an unlimited amount of financial resources to contribute to campaign efforts or connections with potential investors. Because one could easily speculate that if Ahmed Sesay is found guilty, then the President’s campaign to which Ahmed contributed money was partially funded by his drug money. Also if Ahmed is found guilty, that may mean that the potential “investors” that Ahmed introduced to the president and the vice president could also be involved in the same drug trafficking business and they have been given full and complete access to the highest powers in the land. If Ahmed is found guilty then we might also be able to speculate that Drug Lords do not leave 600kgs of cocaine to land in the “poorest” country in the world if they do not feel that they have assurance in very high places. This then might implicate Ahmed’s brother Kemoh the minister of transport and aviation who has since been asked to resign and was taken in for questioning. If Ahmed is found guilt speculations could get worse and implicate those in positions higher than the minister.


Like most things that happen in Sierra Leone, the Cocaine saga has turned into a big joke but we’ve moved on. After all the Global is killin us with high prices and slow cash flow



I wonder if I will be taken in for questioning after this :-)

Visit Sierra Leone plays host to South Africa's Bafana Bafana

After a relatively quiet May, our June schedule was already beginning to look busy even before the month commenced. It's strange how everything just seems to happen at the same time and I was beginning to suspect it was going to be one of those manic months - not complaining though, in these parts you appreciate all the business that comes your way. So when  last week we received a request to handle the South African Football Association's 47 strong delegation due to arrive in Freetown in only a few days, my 'one of those months' assertion was confirmed. Nice!

Visit Sierra Leone was basically responsible for everything outside the remit of SLFA's responsibilities. So we sorted out their hotel, hovercraft charter and vehicles as well as used our valuable contacts to deliver any very short notice requests, such as pulling additional vehicles from our hat.. that kinda thing.

arrival...

Following the arrival of an advance team of two on the Monday before the match, the rest of the delegation arrived by chartered flight on Thursday, 03.30. Seeing as the hovercraft has been chartered this meant crossing over to the airport at 4am to transfer the team and their 5 tons of luggage. Mohamed, our man at the airport facilitated this and by the time we got their they were just waiting to board. What struck me immediately was how much stuff they travel with. Everything! They prepare their own meals which meant they had their own chef, brought their own fruits, pots, spoons.. everything! Cannot fault them on preparation! I guess the life of football teams is not all glamour - especially for the backroom staff. Those guys work their socks off to keep the players 'happy' and focused.

the hotel...

The first day was quite hectic as everyone was understandably tired, plus it seems everyone at Bintumani Hotel was asleep even though they knew of the arrival. Ok, in their defence the original ETA was 06.30 so everything had to be brought forward when we learnt they were arriving 3hrs ahead of time, but they did know of the time change. We also had to insist they made some changes in the meeting room, replace stained table cloths, chair covers and the like. From then on, things mostly flowed.

I could - and maybe should - write an entire blog on the hotel. Spending so much time there let see for myself just how much work needs to be done. I mean it's an ok hotel but in need of maintenance in areas and raising of standards in other areas. For the amount you pay a night, I really don't know if every time the lobby is empty staff should switch off the TV and lights.. or in the business centre where they must switch off all machines and AC. Even if only empty for 5mins?! Common. There's cost saving but for $138 a night? I felt like playing a game with the barman who operated the TV. A game of come and go... he must have switched it off and on so many times in half an hour. Poor guy. As for the communication with the Chinese Management.. well it's a challenge.

the match...

Anyway back to the team and match. Watching them train, a couple of things struck me.. firstly they're a young team which makes me think they're building towards 2010 and secondly I thought they might have a problem if it was really hot on match day.

I had a sneaky feeling Leone Stars might just edge it with the odd goal. I'd seen Bafana play against Nigeria and thought they lacked cutting edge up front. They could do with a Benni Macarthy who isn't in the team at the moment. It proved to be the same against Leone Stars - Especially In the second half when they had their chances. It wasn't particularly a high quality match but we'll take the three points thank you. I must admit, I had felt like part of Bafana's preparation for the match so even though I was elated with the Leone Stars win, there was also a tinge of disappointment for Bafana.  Still, Leone stars hadn't won for so long that you had to be happy for them.

Right after the match it was back on the convoy to plan their hasty exit. It sucks to lose, but hey someone had to. No doubt they're planning their revenge on Saturday. They simply cannot afford to drop points.

the feedback...

“We were extremely happy with the service that you provided. There is no doubt that if we had not used your company, we would have found great difficulty to move around and to know the right facilities to utilise. We were impressed that you were able to help us at such short notice! We were happy with your work and we would have no hesitation to recommend your company to anybody who wanted to visit Sierra Leone in future.”

Safe to say they were happy with the service provided.