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WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE PRESS SECRETARY AND PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMEN AT THE MEDIA COCKTAIL WITH HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT JULIUS MAADA BIO AT THE RADISSON BLU GARDEN ON WEDNESDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2018

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Your Excellency Mr President

Honorable Vice President

Madam First Lady and Hands of our Girls Campaigner

Honorable Chief Minister

The Minister of  Finance

Deputy  Minister  of Information

The Chairman of IMC

The  President  of SLAJ

Editors,  Station Managers and Publishers

Members  of  the Press

Distinguished Ladies and  Gentlemen

 

Welcome Speeches can sometimes be  very  tricky as it  has the effect  of  either  enticing  the  audience to take  interest  in the  event  or  not  want  to participate at all.

So I have been advised to make it long enough to address everyone properly but short enough not to bore everyone.

So let me start by welcoming each and everyone of you to this inaugural cocktail with His Excellency the President.

I Want to particularly welcome journalists from the provinces and the  international  media who  are  here  with  us  this evening  as  we  strengthen  the  bond  between  the presidency and  the  media. I  also  want  to  welcome not  just  the  journalists but  also  recognize  some  of  the  media entities and  institutions they  represent  starting  with  the Independent  Media Commission, SierraLeone  Association of  Journalists, The  Guild  of  Editors ,  Women  in the  media-SierraLeone, SierraLeone Reporters  Union,  Media Reform Coordinating Group,  Sport Writers Association of  Sierra Leone and  the  Veteran Journalists Union.

 

Your Excellency about eights months ago,  your Presidency started here  at  the  Radisson  Blu where  you  took  an  oath to  serve  our  country  so  faithfully . And  over  the  past  months you  have  done  so  with  grace ,  compassion ,  strong  leadership  and  an  abiding  commitment  to  the  efficient  management  of  the state .  Since  this  journey  started  your  Excellency ,  the  media has  been  a  vibrant  and  constructive  partner.  Therefore ,  this  in augural  cocktail  is  a platform  for

Renewal  of  the  friendship ,  Partnership  and  engagement   between  the presidency  and the  media .

As I welcome  you  all  to  this  cocktail ,  the  question  I want  us  to reflect  on  is  this        ; how  do  we  seek  to  further  this  collaboration  and  partnership  between  the Presidency  and  the media?  I am  by  no  means  asking  for  a  patronizing  media  because  that  will be  a tragedy for  our  great  country .

This  is  also  because ,  the  president  firmly  believes  and  appreciates  that  the role  of the  media  is  the  watchdog  of  society  and  the  conscience  of the nation.

 

Your Excellency, I know probably as you start your

Interaction after the speeches  one  concern  some  journalists will raise  with  you  is  about  accessibility . Understandably,  with  your workload  and  daily  engagements  sir , accessing  you  especially  for  media  interviews  would  always  be  challenging . However,  having  direct  access to  me , members of  my  team  or  the  office  is  very  critical  not  only  for  the  public  to know  what  is  going  on  and  in  a timely  manner  but

most  important  to  provide  relevant  information  about  the  presidency .

Therefore ,  I want  to  sincerely  apologise  to  all  those who  have  found  it  difficult  to  reach  me  directly  especially through  the phone. My Principal  job  is to  interface  between  the  presidency  and  the  media  and  part  of my  new  year’s resolution is to  make  that  inter face   more  effective . I also  wish  to  confirm  that  this  media  cocktail  will be  an  annual  event  to  nurture  this  great  bond  between  the  presidency  and  the  media .

As a president  who  is  committed  to  a  transparency , let  me  also  assure  the  media that  you  can  expect  press statements  on any  issue  of  national  concern  bordering  on the  presidency  without  having  to  rely  on  speculation  or  rumour.

This  is  because  it is  the  right  of  the  public  to  know  and  my  job  is  guided  by  that  fact . No wonder  a friend of  mine  recently referred to me  as  minister  of  press  releases. It is  hope  that  the  strategy  of  transparency  will  lay  to  rest  the sad culture  of  a  section  of  the  media  publishing  speculation that  eventually turn  out  to  be  false.

Distinguished  ladies  and  gentleman , as  I  conclude  my  welcome  I  Will  also  be  remiss  if  I  fail  to  particularly  commend  someone  who  has  volunteered over   the past  weeks  and  months  putting  all  of  this  cocktail  together. She  is  Betty  Jessica  Milton and  may  I kindly  ask  that  we  give  her  a round  of  applause .  Thank you Betty for such a fantastic  job.

Finally,  Let me  also  use  this  opportunity  to introduce  my  team  to  the media ;

  1. Mr. Tanu Jalloh- Communications Manager
  2. Mr. Sulaiman Stephens (commonly known as foolish nor dae yah) – Head of Audiovisual
  3. Mrs. Hawa Moseray – Senior State House Correspondent
  4. Ms Betty Milton – Voluneer
  5. Mr. Mohamed Lamin Massaquoi-Media Officer
  6. Mr. Lamin Sheriff- Media Monitor

7Mr Muctarr T. Kamara- Photograph

  1. Mr Patrick Sama- Videographer
  2. Mr Emmanuel Gbassa- Photographer

Once again I welcome you all to this inaugural cocktail.

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