Vice President Solomon Berewa Returns From Rome

Thursday 23rd October 2003: The Honourable Vice President, Mr. Solomon Berewa, returned to Sierra Leone on Thursday 23rd October, 2003 after a short visit to The Vatican. At the invitation of Pope John Paul II Vice President Berewa took part in celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of his ascendancy to the papacy, the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and World Mission Sunday on 19th October 2003.

Outside his religious engagements the Vice President held discussions with officials of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in order to sustain those two organisations' support and collaboration towards agricultural self-sufficiency and food security for Sierra Leone. "President Kabbah's vision of food security for Sierra Leone needs the active support and co-operation of both FAO and WFP. I can say with relief that they share our vision all the way, until our objective is realised," said Vice President Berewa confidently at Lungi International Airport.

Commenting on the value of his travel VP Berewa informed his audience that outstanding matters in connection with the Bumbuna Hydro-electric project were discussed with the Italians and that as soon President Kabbah returns he (VP Berewa) will be travelling to the African Development Bank headquarters in Tunis to put finishing touches to the Bumbuna project.

Vice President Berewa disclosed that meeting the Pope was a privileged encounter and that as a Catholic he felt spiritually refreshed. Pope John Paul II has been one out of four Popes to serve for up to twenty-five years as Pope in the last four hundred years. He described the beatification ceremony of Mother Teresa as solemn and summed up by saying that 'any leader who does not acknowledge God is like chaff'.

At Lungi International airport to welcome the Vice President were Acting President, Honourable Justice Edmond Cowan, (who automatically reverted to his substantive position of speaker of the House of Parliament upon the return of the Vice President as provided under sections 52 (i) and (ii) and 54(6) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone), Cabinet Ministers and other high-ranking officials of government.

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