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STATEMENT
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OF SIERRA LEONE ON THE OCCASION OF
THE PRESENTATION
OF CREDENTIALS OF
THE AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
MR THOMAS NEIL HULL III
THURSDAY, 19TH AUGUST, 2004
Mr Ambassador:
I am pleased to receive the Letter of Credence
by which His Excellency Mr George W. Bush, President
of the United States of America has accredited
you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the United States of America to the Republic
of Sierra Leone as well as the Letter of Recall
of your predecessor Mr Peter R. Chaveas.
Please
convey to President George W. Bush my very best
wishes for his personal well-being and happiness
and for the continued prosperity of the Government
and people of the United States of America.
Mr Ambassador,
I note your remark that the United States shares
many of the goals of my government particularly
those relating to the promotion of good governance,
including the promotion of democracy, respect
for human rights, promotion of freedom of expression
and press freedom, transparency and accountability
in the management of public resources and the
commitment to the achievement of national prosperity
with equity. As you have rightly observed, since
the assumption of office by my government in 1996
we have been able to register noticeable achievements
in the pursuit of these goals with the strong
support of the American Government and individual
Americans both in their public and private capacities.
Indeed,
it was largely because of the generous financial
contribution and strong support of the United
States of America through the United Nations and
other avenues that we were able to overcome the
greatest threat ever posed to the survival of
our nation during the ten-year long rebel war.
As part of your government's engagement in the
search for a peaceful solution to the conflict,
former Secretary of State, Dr Madeleine Albright
visited Sierra Leone on a peace mission. This
was complemented by frequent telephone calls directly
to me from other senior State Department officials.
We will never forget this demonstration of interest
and solidarity by your government. Along the way,
we became the country with the largest UN peacekeeping
force ever deployed in a single operation.
Mr
Ambassador,
At
this juncture, let me pay tribute to one of your
recent predecessors in the person of Ambassador
Joseph Melrose during whose tenure we fully appreciated
America's role in the world as a benevolent power
sensitive to the peculiar needs, circumstances
and complexities of smaller and weaker nations.
Ambassador Melrose who was here during the worst
period of the conflict never left his station.
He endured all the difficulties of that period
in solidarity with us. He used his presence to
cultivate the confidence and trust of both the
Government and all the other parties to the conflict
and, teaming up with special envoys from Nigeria,
the United Kingdom, the United Nations, the Organization
of African Unity and the Commonwealth, played
a vital role in brokering the Lome peace agreement
that ushered in the peace that we are enjoying
today.
Mr
Ambassador,
You have noted some of the policy initiatives
and programmes that my government has introduced
and observed many of the critical challenges that
face our country as we strive to make Sierra Leone
once again a beacon of hope not only for its citizens
but for the region as a whole. Beyond the government
initiatives that you have highlighted, such as
reintroduction of decentralization, the creation
of an Anti-Corruption Commission, the introduction
of a far-reaching security sector reform designed
to align the institutions of the police and the
military with the development aspirations of the
nation, and the development and implementation
of a comprehensive Mining Policy including strategies
to regulate the diamond industry, we have also
undertaken many more development initiatives that
may be worth noting.
We
have, for example, introduced a National Social
Security Programme which when fully operational,
will provide an effective social safety net for
those members of our society that are less able
to care for themselves. We have introduced programmes
of support for less privileged children in the
educational system. Primary education is virtually
free for every child throughout the country and
girls in the Northern and Eastern Regions of the
country whose educational achievements are lower
than those of their colleagues in the other regions
have been provided with special incentives for
them to catch up.
As
I stated in my address to Parliament after my
re-election as President for a second term, a
major thrust of my government's policy is to ensure
that no Sierra Leonean goes to bed hungry by the
year 2007 when my term of office ends. It will
no doubt interest you to know that our relentless
pursuit of this goal is producing some results,
and we are optimistic that we will meet our target.
We have developed a comprehensive Agricultural
Policy geared towards the maximum utilization
of our extensive agricultural potentials not only
to achieve national food security but also to
take advantage of export opportunities. This policy
also aims at creating decent and rewarding jobs
for our youths in the agricultural sector to guarantee
them the brighter future which we know they deserve
and is within our power to provide.
Very significantly, we have introduced vital reforms
of the public procurement system with the assistance
of the UNDP's Inter-Agency Procurement Services
Office (IAPSO) to eliminate one of the major sources
of corruption.
We are further strengthening the public accountability
mechanism through the establishment of a Public
Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) and the implementation
of a programme of reform of the Auditor-General's
Department to make it more autonomous, better
staffed and to give it greater powers.
Mr
Ambassador,
Throughout our time in office, we have maintained
a stringent economic reform programme with the
international financial institutions reflecting
our commitment to strict financial discipline.
Recognizing the pivotal role of the judiciary
in the maintenance of social stability, the promotion
of democracy and economic development, we have
established a Law Reform Commission to modernize
our laws and help create the appropriate institutional
arrangements that will underpin a robust judiciary
capable of dispensing justice fairly and speedily.
In addition, we have sought the services of expatriate
judges and prosecutors to strengthen those areas
of the judiciary such as the processing of corruption
related cases that need urgent attention, while
we proceed with the medium to long-term reform
and development of this vital institution. We
are right now making plans to fill all vacancies
at all levels in the judiciary to avoid delays
in dealing with cases in the courts.
We have developed a National Youth Policy designed
to greatly increase the capacity of the youth
to effectively participate in all aspects of our
national development efforts.
We have also embarked on an extensive infrastructural
development programme to enhance the effective
implementation of our development initiatives
in the other sectors particularly agriculture
and health. In addition to the development of
a comprehensive National Health Policy, we have
refurbished, built and equipped several hospitals,
clinics and related facilities throughout the
country to improve access to health care by the
great majority of our people.
Mr
Ambassador,
I have gone to such great length in calling attention
to some of the development and related initiatives
that we have undertaken since the end of the war,
to illustrate that we are focused and systematic
in our approach to the solution of our nation's
problems. Like you, I fully appreciate that in
spite of these efforts, a lot more remains to
be done. Therefore, we are encouraged to be more
steadfast by those who are justifiably critical
of our record of achievements in certain areas.
But all too often, criticism is made without due
appreciation of the complexity of the problems
that we face and the severe constraints within
which we have to operate. We welcome criticism
provided it is enlightened, constructive, sincere
and not motivated by vengeance or spite or indeed
borne out of ignorance. Otherwise it becomes difficult
for Government to convince or help donor partners
to help us regain our capacity to be self-reliant.
Mr Ambassador,
I appreciate your pertinent observations about
the promise held out by the effective implementation
of the decentralization programme as well as our
record in promoting press freedom. I have also
noted your offer to assist us in achieving our
objectives in these areas and in the fight against
HIV/AIDS and lassa fever. In particular, your
offer to assist the Sierra Leone print and broadcast
media to attain and maintain high professional
standards is highly welcome, because we recognize
the pivotal role that a free media can and must
play in our efforts to develop sustainable democracy
in our country.
The
determination of your Government to continue to
assist diamond-producing communities to enable
them realize the full benefits of their efforts
is laudable. We, on our part, are committed to
collaborating with your Government in the fight
against such inhuman practices as Trafficking
in Persons and Terrorism. Please be assured that
we shall enact into law, legislation to combat
Trafficking in Persons forthwith and this law
will be enforced vigorously.
Mr Ambassador,
We look forward to the expansion of American investment
in Sierra Leone during your tenure and beyond.
This is why we are committed to the creation of
a conducive investment climate as reflected in
the development of an investment code for Sierra
Leone which has just been enacted into law. We
are also determined to take full advantage of
the opportunities for our export to the United
States of America that are provided by the African
Growth And Opportunities Act (AGOA). In this regard,
we believe that the rehabilitation of cocoa and
coffee plantations which became overgrown during
the war years can lead to an effective and early
utilization by our farmers of export opportunities
offered by this legislation. We hope that we can
obtain the necessary support for the immediate
rehabilitation of these plantations.
Mr Ambassador,
I
cannot end this statement without making recourse
to history which clearly shows that there are
long-standing relationships between the United
States and Sierra Leone. When our African/American
compatriots came back to Africa a few centuries
ago, they chose, inter alia, Sierra Leone and
Liberia as their haven. These early pioneers have
left indelible marks in the early development
of Sierra Leone especially the Freetown area.
It is interesting to note that American missionaries
were responsible for the establishment of one
of the first churches in Freetown and their congregation
was mainly from the Temne ethnic group. The aftermath
of the American war of Independence brought to
our shores Nova Scotians and Maroons who contributed
in no small measure to the early development of
our capital city, Freetown. The epic of the Amistad,
so glowingly captured in film, the Gulas of southern
United States, to name but a few, celebrate the
flames of freedom and culture of our people and
the long traditions of US justice of which our
two countries deserve to be proud. Perhaps it
is in this spirit that you have suggested that
we work together to raise the status of Bunce
Island into a recognised international heritage
site. We welcome your suggestion and commit ourselves
to the development of this important cultural
and historical landmark.
Mr
Ambassador,
Immediately after our independence, it was the
practice for the US embassy here to consult with
our government on matters relating to international
cooperation before the annual UN General Assembly.
During those consultations, US interests in the
international arena were broached and we in turn
indicated our particular national interests. In
this way, we were able to develop synergies that
took cognisance of each other's national interests
within the broad spectrum of international relations.
It is my intention, Mr Ambassador, that during
your tenure, we develop mechanisms to resuscitate
this practice especially now that all of us have
declared an unrelenting war against terrorism
and HIV/AIDS. I am sure it will provide good opportunity
for mutual support while at the same time maintaining
national perspectives in such fora
Mr
Ambassador,
I note, with particular pleasure, and I am sure
all Sierra Leoneans join me in this, especially
those from Gbinti, that you served as a Peace
Corps Volunteer who taught in that part of our
country. Your commitment to our educational development
has no doubt produced Sierra Leoneans that are
today helping the restoration of stability and
development in our country. Your country also
has the proud distinction of having trained some
very eminent Sierra Leoneans that returned to
serve this country in various spheres of life.
May I mention Dr John Karefa-Smart, our first
Foreign Minister, the late Professor Solomon Caulker,
Mr Doyle Sumner, and there are many more in this
category including if I may say, my own dear late
wife. In essence, Mr Ambassador we look forward
to the day when the Peace Corps Programme will
return to Sierra Leone to further contribute to
the noble task of cooperation and excellent human
relations which you and many other young Americans
started in the 1960s.
I am pleased therefore that you are returning
to this land as Ambassador at a time when our
country is on its way to recovery from the ten-year
conflict that led to so much destruction and pain.
I have every reason to expect that your tour of
duty will be marked by a higher level of collaboration
between our two nations for the advancement of
our interests including those that are unique
to our respective countries because of our different
circumstances.
May I now extend a hearty welcome to you!
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