Sierra Leone Remains United –Says Amb. Jilo Barnette

The Informer (Monrovia)

2 May 2011

The Sierra Leonean Ambassador accredited to Liberia Her Excellency Rev. Dr. Marie Jilo Barnett has warned her kinsmen as they celebrate their country’s 50th anniversary that they should not only focus on the victory over colonial domination and official supremacy of the various historical events that have occurred during the last fifty years of what she described as nationhood.

During these years, Ambassador Barnett said Sierra Leone’s result remain to be united as a country that has aided them to confront and surmount great challenges that other countries are still struggling to address.

She revealed that one of the most notable of such challenges is the decade long civil crisis that took the lives of several thousands and made others displaced as in Liberia. The effect of the crisis she said depleted the country’s resources and left Sierra Leone with a huge and burdensome legacy that will continue to haunt them.

She spoke at the Monrovia City Hall on Wednesday during programs marking the jubilee celebrations of that West African state which was attended by an array of dignitaries including Vice president Joseph Nyumah Boakai, and the USA Ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas Greenfield.

She cited the April 27 1961 issue of that country’s Daily Mail newspaper that the bill conferring independence on Sierra Leone became law on March 28 and as such granted independence through the royal commission.

She said the bill was passed through both houses of parliament and then later endorsed by the queen of England.

The Sierra Leonean Ambassador further disclosed that to show solidarity to the government and people of Sierra Leone, the late President of Liberia, William V. S. Tubman simultaneously declared a national holiday on that day in Liberia with the addition of a 21- gun salute.

Meanwhile, the President of Sierra Leone His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma on BBC radio in commemorating the day, told his kinsmen throughout the world that the jubilee signifies that Sierra Leone is ready to stand still among nations. To him it’s time for reflection, joy to set new priorities, focus on building the country and directing all resources towards what he termed as meaningful utilization for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans.

In his remarks on behalf of the government of Liberia, Vice president Joseph Nyuma Boakai extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to the Government and people of that sister country. He prayed that the progress that Sierra Leone embarked on should continue to yield fruitful results for the benefit of Sierra Leone and the Mano River Union (MRU) sub region in general. Fifty years of independence the V P said is a significant achievement as Liberia and Sierra Leone live side by side and share similar cultural and historical experiences including inter marriages.

One of Liberia’s developmental pillars, the Vice President said is to improve cultural ties with its sister states especially Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Guinea. The bi-lateral relationship between the two states he added has been moving in the right direction and that he is of the hope that it will continue.

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