SUFFERING FROM MASSIVE DEFORESTATION
Under the greenwood tree who loves to lie with me
And tune his merry note
Unto the sweet bird’s throat – SHAKESPEARE
Sierra Leone has in the past not been marked absent when the roll is called for countries with the worst negative syndromes of development.
World Forest Day on the 21st instant brought to the fore once more our rampant deforestation. More was the lament when Morning Coffee disclosed that carefully planted trees were uprooted by government officials. It was too dastardly to be true. Where were the Forest Guards if any? The fact of the matter is that a deceptive government enacts laws and regulations as a façade to the voting populace only for they themselves to flout them.
As a result of reckless tree felling we are not only going to suffer from a dearth of forest cover but also from the extinction of animals used for food and the regeneration of the ecosystem. The need for charcoal is not an excuse because we have learnt that acres are to be reserved for the planting of trees meant for coal production. If we continue with our present attitude we shall soon be forced to be importing live bush animals from sober countries.
FOOTBALL INDISCIPLINE
It is all very well to come out on top in any competition or game. It is just natural. But losers should not resort to their animal instincts. This brings us to the resumption of our Premier League after a lapse of over a decade. It was expected that games would go on as usual under civilized conditions but no. Children used by the R.U.F. during our war have taken centre stage and have become untamable even on the football pitches.
City Peep can simply not easily take it in on hearing that a football player can kick a referee and the referee is suspended and not the kicker. Is it that the officials of SLPA have lost their reasoning? They had better find it! It cannot be true.
Gone are the days when football was played by sons of the Athens of West Africa. Regrettably it is now played by the sons of the scum of West Africa. Elder citizens would recall the golden days when football was played at the Recreation Grounds at Kingtom by the likes of Kama Dumbuya, Gbateh, Weah Sawyer, Sylvanus Pratt and Attuga, etc. There was decency and decorum. Not only that. There were victories of our national teams over Ghana and Nigeria. Victories were due to discipline most of all. With our drugged fans now rushing into the fields whenever they feel that they know better than the referee defeats are going to be the results. The key to victory is discipline and severe penalties.
FIFA is watching.
MEANING OF PASTOR
It is a pity that many citizens even among those who pretend to be educated do not know the meaning of the word PASTOR. In the first place they should know that due to penury there are imposters for almost every career or profession.
A pastor is a minister in charge of a church or congregation. So next time a person calls himself or herself a pastor committing all sorts of crimes check the background of that person properly before you believe. Genuine pastors are being maligned.
THAT LE1BN WINDFALL FOR KENEMA
The reasoning public have every reason to be puzzled on the relations between the government and Bollore. First there was an allegation that Bollore was involved in bribing State House officials in the sum of $5 million. Later City Peep has learnt that there has been a duty waiver of Le1 billion to the government by Bollore. What is not clear is who does the duty waiving? Is Bollore now in charge of that function?
City Peep has been wondering about the new job description of Bollore and they are hereby congratulated for rising from grass to grace.
DISASTER IN MOZAMBIQUE
Cold shivers ran through the spine of City Peep on hearing about massive natural disasters in countries like Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This is because of the forecast of scientists that Sierra Leone is one of the most vulnerable countries for climate change in the world of about 193 countries.
Our officials of ONS should be bracing themselves instead of wishing that the forecast of the scientists would not come true.
BREXIT OR BREAK IT
The coinage of the word Brexit was appropriate in the early days after the referendum but it now appears that the new name of BREAK IT is more appropriate. Why the Britons like to be isolationist is anybody’s guess. This is how they quit the gold standard in 1931.
Now the man who contrived the whole disgusting scheme, David Cameron has been playing the part of a mute since he resigned from the post of Prime Minister. It should however be noted that he had said that the referendum would be the last hopefully.
The lesson here is “Don’t trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.” Cameron seemed to have stirred a hornet’s rest.