Sierra Leone News: Use your God-given talents to promote our country -Deputy Youth Minister Appeals

June 11, 2019

Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and a few musicians at the Legal Aid Board Office

Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Lusine Kallon, on the 11^th June 2019 at the Legal Aid Board Secretariat on Wilberforce Street, Freetown called on all Sierra Leonean musicians to be united and put politics aside.

“I am calling on you all to use your God-given talents to promote our country and continue to be more united for the growth of the music industry,” the Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs admonished.

He called on T. Man Wahid and Arkman to summon all musicians to a meeting that would focus on the development of the music industry, adding that President Julius Maada Bio is a unifier and believes in a talented youth population.

The Minister noted that the forthcoming national Human Rights and Peace Festival is a novelty and commended the work of all members including the Executive Director of Legal Aid Board, Madam Fatmata Claire Carlton Hanciles.

He said, “let us put aside our ugly past. Some of those mistakes were not deliberate and we must not allow them to haunt us.”

He appealed that all Sierra Leoneans must come together to support the New Direction administration.

Executive Director of Legal Aid Board, Madam Fatmata Claire Carlton Hanciles, observed that there will be no peace without justice and therefore encouraged all sectors to support the forthcoming festival at the National Stadium.

She said all secondary schools, tertiary institutions, traders and youth groups will be adequately represented to strengthen the national peace and cohesion.

T-Man Wahid assured that Sierra Leone Association of Musicians, All Stars, East End Artists Union, Sierra Leone Female Artistes Union, Reggae Artiste Union, Artistes for Peace and Union of Gospel Music Ministers will be invited to discuss the growth of the industry and the forthcoming festival.

Sierra Leone News: Bonthe Residents Urged to Support Measles Campaign

June 11, 2019

Chairman, Bonthe District Council Moses Probyn Making a Statement at the MR Campaign Launch

The District Council Chairman for Bonthe District, Moses Probyn has urged residents and stakeholders of his district to not only support but to also own the Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign, as it is geared to the health of their children; thereby saving lives.

Chairman Probyn made the plea at the District Launch of the Integrated Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign on Monday 10^th June at the Bonthe District Council Hall Mattru Jonge.

While making his statement at the launch, Mr. Probyn reiterated that if their district was to actualize their target of reaching every children with the lifesaving interventions in the district, adding that the Ministry of Health and Sanitation would not succeed without their support for which he called on all stakeholders to fully support the campaign for the district to emerge as the best district in the entire campaign.

He further noted that the campaign is not only about the usual Measles, Polio, Vitamin A & Albendazole but it is also about a new disease known as Rubella for which their children were going to be vaccinated against.

He continued that if all their children were to be reached it counts on all their efforts and support, as 1 case of Measles or Rubella is a concern thus puts other children at high risk of contracting the diseases as it is caused by sneeze or cough in the air by an affected person.

He admonished stakeholders not to associate the campaign to any rumours, misconceptions that would otherwise hamper the success of the campaign and that they were now in the correct position to address issues of rumours, misconceptions and myths in their communities.

Mr. Probyn ended by thanking the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Government and health partners for their efforts in ensuring that their children are prevented against these childhood diseases, which would otherwise claim their lives if they are not prevented.

Sierra Leone News: NRA Collects Trillions… as Reforms Take Firm Root

June 11, 2019

Commissioner General for National Revenue Authority (NRA), Dr. Samuel Jibao on 6 June, 2019 clocked one year in office. He believes that during this period several changes have been made in the way and manner revenue collection is being carried out that has led to huge success, despite there are still a few challenges.

He added that he met NRA in a state that he can describe as very challenging. Challenging in terms of even the financial position was not good. In the handing over which he got, it came out clearly that NRA even owed suppliers over eight billion Leones (Le8B) and the other one has to do with staffing. We had a lot of vacant positions at the senior management level; there was no Deputy Commissioner General and in terms of even the morale of the staff, it was so low when he came onboard. So that’s the state in which he actually inherited this organization.

In terms of integrity, he said he really met a situation where the perception about the organization in terms of integrity was really very low. That’s the kind of NRA he actually inherited.
According to Dr. Jibao, the first thing is that the Board was constituted, headed by a very eloquent and hardworking Chair in the person of Madam Tuma Adama Jabbie.

He went on to state that when he took over they had the discussion on how to fill the vacant positions and they were able to fill all the senior management positions including that of the Deputy Commissioner General who incidentally is also a very hardworking and very strong lady.

‘So I can say in terms of the governance we’ve now got almost the full complement when it comes to the senior management and we are almost close to getting the full complement for our middle management level. We have also hired more technical staff. So we are on track on that. And in terms of revenue; it is now relatively predictable. We can relatively predict our weekly revenue, that’s one thing we have achieved,’ he said.

He went on to state that in terms of the numbers – revenue has really jumped. ‘If we compare 2019 first quarter to 2018 first quarter, all categories – revenue overall increased by 51% and so far from January to May 2019, we have actually generated about Le2.20 trillion which is quite high when you compare to the whole of the first half of last year 2018 when we collected less than that – about two hundred and sixteen billion Leones less. We still have one month to go but yet we have collected more than the whole of 2018 first half. So that shows how in fact, the revenue is doing well. In terms of growth, I can say in 2018 when we came, revenue grew by 35% that is higher than inflation because some people say prices are going up but that has nothing to do with that. Inflation was about 17% now we are talking about revenue growth about 35%. So even if you take the inflation out, the revenue is still growing. Even in terms of the GDP, revenue grew by 1.5% which is really very impressive performance by any international standard. So far in terms of revenue generation it is now predictable like I said. We predict on weekly basis and if I tell you that next week I will get over hundred billion, I know I will get it. Why – because we have been able to at least seal blocks of leakages and we have gotten to understand our taxpayer base more realistically,’ the NRA CG boasted.
He added that with the help of the Board they are now having a more robust governance structure and by not only filling the vacant positions, but filling the positions with competent people and very determined people.

In addition to that he said the Board approved the issue of motivating the staff and that in terms of mindset of the staff, they are relatively there now – they pay salaries on time – on the 22 of every month, compared to previously when salary payment sometimes even rolled into another month – all that de-motivates staff.

Dr. Jibao spoke also on other administrative measures that have to do with intensifying NRA’s enforcement drive in its audit and they have also introduced a couple of reforms; ASYCUDA will move from the old ASYCUDA to ASYCUDA World which is actually helping with a lot of declarations, creating sanity within the Custom system and on the policy front, the Ministry of Finance is doing well to reduce exemptions.

Sierra Leone News: Fatima Bio Speaks to BBC on Women Empowerment

June 11, 2019

First Lady Fatima Bio was interviewed by the BBC on her unique and very direct approach to women empowerment. She was interviewed on both TV and Radio.

Her Excellency made it clear that the problems she decides to solve in her country are based on what the people need. She is on ground, interacting with the people, understanding their needs and designing result-based programmes.

Her HandsOffOurGirls campaign has been perceived as confrontational in some quarters, but she has always known that advocating for women empowerment was never going to be easy, but she is determined with a very supportive President.
Since the controversial interview on circumcision in The Gambia, the issue was raised. She made it clear, that she is fully in support of the government’s position; that girls should have the right to choose if they will be circumcised or not once they are 18. There are issues like rape and early marriage, her office has prioritized.

In Sierra Leone rape is a clear and present danger. The seriousness of the rape scourge, made the Office of the First Lady, working with the Ministry of Gender, submit a position note to the Attorney General , and they staged a peaceful protest march through the city of Freetown with First Lady’s from different African countries supporting on ground.

This led to the President of Sierra Leone declaring a state of emergency on rape in Feb 2019. She invited all the Paramount Chiefs and their wives to the HandsOffOurGirls campaign, because they are in a better position to put a stop to early marriage, than mere legislation.

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Continuing with the issue of circumcision, she says some activists have issues with her stating she is a circumcised woman, and some of these activists are more agitated when she says she has not experienced the negative complications associated with being circumcised.

Unfortunately she stated she cannot be “uncircumcised” to give a more objective analysis. She went on to say, both her daughters are not circumcised.

She concluded, some anti-circumcision activist should present more holistic, non-biased studies. In Sierra Leone they should engage more with the new administration in the Ministry of Gender.

First Lady Bio said Africa is making positive strides in women empowerment. It is also great to see women taking responsibility for the development of their community. The new government in Sierra Leone is fully in support of equality. This is reflected in the choice of cabinet ministers, and Sierra Leone also appointed the first female Attorney General in the person of Dr. Priscilla Schwartz, also Hon. Nabeela F. Tunis the Foreign Affairs Minister is also female.

Sierra Leone News: Fatima Bio Wows Vancouver Women Delivery Conference

June 11, 2019

Women’s empowerment has always been the passion of First Lady, Fatima Bio since she was a teenager. She was a key speaker on the topic “Keeping Girls in School and Learning … Longer” at the Women Delivery Conference 2019 in Vancouver Canada.

Her Excellency said that the Sierra Leone government is championing Human Capital development in Africa and that the free Quality Education for Primary & Secondary school is impacting the lives of approximately 1.5 million children ibn the country. The holistic approach to education made the government include free school lunch & text books in the free quality education package.

This is the first time in the history of Sierra Leone where a political administration has declared free, quality education, with the highest budget allocation which was increased from 11% to 21%. The government is implementing policies that will make it more conducive for children Learn in every area, both formal and informal. “Sierra Leone is working towards building a great foundation because our most important resource is our human resource”. Mrs. Bio stated

First Lady Bio said she had discussions with other First Ladies and meetings with both Government and non-governmental organizations, to domesticate the issues, and get appropriate solutions. The discourse, led First Lady Bio to launch the home grown ‘hands off our girls campaign’ with very strong support from Sister First Ladies.

In addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy and the policy of excluding pregnant girls from school, First Lady Bio made it clear, that it is an issue for the Ministry of Education. She believes education is fundamental human rights, but every country faces its unique challenges, and it is the job of the Ministry to work out solutions based on their studies.

The issue of Female Circumcision was raised, this was not part of the topic for discussion, but in line with her stance, she said personally

“I have no issue with circumcision, I am a circumcised woman, and I have not experienced any of the negative impact some anti FGM proponents claim”. She has always maintained and she said she will not campaign against what she does not believe in.

She however said there is an MOU with the government of Sierra Leone, stating Female circumcision should only be done at the age of consent, which in Sierra Leone is 18. She agrees with this policy because it offers the freedom to choose, instead of a blanket ban being imposed which criminalizes its citizenry. She postulated, that the rite of passage ceremony continues, because of its cultural significance and advantage, but the “cutting” excluded for under-aged girls.

The issue of circumcision is being extensively studied at the grass-root level by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs and the new administration is improving on previous government by having high level discussions with the real stakeholders in Sierra Leone: the Paramount Chiefs, religious leaders and the “Soweis” are the leaders of an All-female Society that perform the rite-of-passage ceremonies that signify a girl’s transition to adulthood. They have operated in present day Sierra Leone for centuries. Together they will come up with a workable program as opposed to imposing sensitization programs imported from other countries that are grossly ineffective.

Sierra Leone News: NATCOM Initiates ‘One Area Network’ in Kambia & Kabala

June 11, 2019

Officials of the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), on Saturday, 8^th June, 2019, took sensitization drive to Kambia and Kabala on the ‘One Area Network.’

Kambia and Kabala in the Koinadugu District, which are in the northwest and north-eastern regions of Sierra Leone respectively, share border with Sierra Leone’s neighbor – Guinea, which is also one of the beneficiary countries of the ‘One Area Network’.

Dubbed ‘free international roaming’, the ‘One Area Network’ seeks to enhance regional integration among beneficiary countries.

Sierra Leoneans who travel to these countries will make and receive calls at the same cost of the tariff they use in Sierra Leone.

NATCOM’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Sahr Sewa, said in December 2017, that ministers in charge of telecommunications met and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to have the free international roaming.

He said the objectives of free international roaming are to promote regional integration, enhance socio-economic development among member countries, among others.

“Telecommunication companies are key players to achieving these objectives. This free international roaming is not applicable to the telecommunications services provided by the military, police, and fire force. It comprises voice calls, text messages, and data services for social media,” he said.

He noted that the benefits include – no need to change SIM cards in the beneficiary countries, your contact numbers that people know will be reached if they call you from outside Sierra Leone, among other benefits.

However, he said the service will only last for 300 minutes or 30 days, adding that only callers will pay for services and not the receivers.

He said the free international roaming will come into effect in 90 days’ time, noting that that was why NATCOM has started to sensitize towns that are closer to neighboring countries because the people there travel very often than those that are far away.

“We have requested mobile network operators (MNOs) to present the tariff that they charge per minute to consumers. Francophone West Africa countries had already started the free international roaming and we are now bringing such service to Anglophone ones,” he noted.

Dr. Abdul Kamara, Manager of Regulatory Affairs, said the government has a responsibility to protect consumers and NATCOM has been very pivotal in that direction.

“NATCOM is encouraging all of you to register your SIM cards by 15^th July, 2019 or else we can deactivate you. This is to ensure that we are able to minimize cybercrime. It will also help those who are travelling overseas to get visas from embassies that are requesting for call logs from the people they are going to meet in foreign countries. Many times, foreign embassies request call logs and the consumers always come to NATCOM for them,” he said.

He said they have a program called ‘know-your-customer’ so as to ensure that MNOs know who are carrying their sim cards.

Commissioner Madiana Samba of NATCOM, who doubles as chairperson of the program, said President Bio wants every Sierra Leonean to benefit from telecommunications services at a reduced cost.

Government put NATCOM in charge to issue licenses to all telecommunications companies, radio stations, etc., regulate them so as to ensure there are checks and balances, and to also generate revenue for government.

“Consumer protection is part of our mandates as well. In order to achieve this, we do lots of sensitization so as to ensure that consumers are not cheated,” he said.

Paramount Chief, Alimamy Lahai V of Masumgbala Chiefdom in Kambia district, who also doubles as the Deputy Chairman District Council of Paramount Chiefs, said there are some areas within Kambia District where they experience poor network services.

The traditional leader further noted that people have to climb trees to access good network, thereby urging NATCOM to salvage the problem for them.

Chairman, Kambia District Council, Mohamed Y. Bangura, said the free international roaming was an improvement in the area of communication in Sierra Leone.

“This will help us to come together with other West African nations. We always find it difficult to communicate with our relatives in those countries because of high tariff but this has given us a sigh of relief. It will also reduce crime and enhance national security,” he stated.

Member of Parliament of Constituency 060, Mohamed A. Sesay, said Orange is a bit better than Africell in Kambia District, noting that Bamoi Luma, the biggest international market center, has poor network services and there is no Africell network there.

NATCOM’s Quality of Service’s Spectrum Monitoring Technician, Magdalene Williams, said NATCOM will not implement the free international roaming with poor quality network, adding that they will ensure that poor quality network will be solved before the ‘One Area Network’ commences.

Sierra Leone News: Unabated War against Corruption -Pres. Bio Reaffirms

June 11, 2019

Expressing his dogged commitment to combat graft, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has reiterated his Government’s resolve to fight corruption in order to make this country more attractive to foreign investment.

“We inherited an economy burdened with debt in which corruption was rife,” he said at the UK-Sierra Leone Trade and Investment Forum in London last week.

“The IMF and the World Bank, among others, had abandoned the country.

“The pace of new investments stalled and the iron ore mines especially ceased production as murky deals unravelled.

“So, before and when we acceded to power, we asked ourselves questions about what business and investors would like us to get right,” President Bio added.

He won last year’s presidential election for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) against the All Peoples Congress (APC).

A Government Transition Team discovered widespread corruption and cronyism under the APC.

The new government asked the African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions to help carry out a forensic audit of the financial activities of the APC government.

A team of 43 auditors from Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, working with the Sierra Leone Audit Service, spent a month scrutinising the national social security agency and the energy, telecoms and civil works sector, covering the period – January 2016 to July 2018.

The auditors reported that US$1 billion could not be accounted for.

President Bio told the London investment forum that his government was now clamping down on corruption.

“But it’s a continuous fight because corruption has a way of fighting back.”

His government started off with getting the macroeconomics right.

“We clamped down on out-of-control spending; closed off leakages for fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds; and we have clamped down on corruption.

“In the ratings on corruption by the Millennium Corporation Challenge, we moved from 47 points to 71 points on the scorecard for the control of corruption,” President Bio said.

“We believe that clamping down on corruption is good for governance, good for the economy, and especially good for business.

“It cuts out unnecessary red tape, corruption, and unpredictability about registering and doing business and there is less likelihood of predatory businesses thriving in the same economic space.

“The IMF and World Bank have re-established working relationships with Sierra Leone and their assessment indicates that we continue getting the macroeconomic fundamentals right. “To us, fiscal discipline, controlling corruption, and a responsible management of our economy are good for business,” he added.

In a country that sees 100,000 young people enter the jobs market each year, President Bio said there was an urgent need to expand and diversify the economy “in order to make it more resilient”.

“We believe it takes private capital to do that and lots of it too,” he added.

“We have developed a medium-term national development plan that is pro-growth and encourages private capital investment in key priority areas in agribusiness and fisheries, tourism, infrastructure, and renewable energy.”

President Bio said that his government had introduced reforms that were now making registering a business corruption-free and less cumbersome.

“No more endless forms, bribes to dodgy middle men and facilitators, and tortuous process that often end in frustration,” he said.

As a result, he said, the number of businesses registered in the last year had doubled and “we have seen an upward tick in Sierra Leone’s Starting a Business Indicator and that of Protecting Minority Investors under the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report 2019”.

Apart from these indicators, the country now has its first National Corporate Governance code to improve transparency and accountability.

It has adopted global best practices and trends that improve the investment climate in countries around the world.

President Bio said that in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, which calls for effective participation of women in leadership, all boards in Sierra Leone must now have a minimum of 30 per cent female representation.

“We are listening to business and we will continue acting to make business easy for business,” President Bio told the forum.

“We are eager to cultivate a culture of trust and confidence around investing in Sierra Leone.

“We want our potential investors to know that we are looking for credible partners who are interested in a sustainable, long-term, win-win relationship where they know that their investments are protected by a government that truly cares about business and they are able to make good returns on their investments,” he added.

Held at the offices of international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), the forum was oversubscribed, according to the organisers, Development Markets Associates.

Since 2010, HSF’s Fair Deal Sierra Leone has provided £7 million of pro bono advice to the government of Sierra Leone on matters relating to foreign direct investment.

Sierra Leone News: SLCS Clears the Air

June 11, 2019

Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Director General, Joseph Lamboi

The Sierra Leone Correctional Services (SLCS) has frowned on a publication done by one of the country’s local tabloids the ‘Independent Observer’ on Tuesday 11th June 2019, highlighting Prison Officers’ strike. According to the Regional Commander Western Area- Mr. Mustapha Sherrif Conteh the thrust of the said publication is false and inaccurate,
He clarified that inmates were escorted to the Pademba Road Court, Siaka Stevens Street Court and Ross Road Court in the early hours of Monday.

However, the said newspaper stated clearly that there was no court seating on Monday the 10th June 2019, Mr. Conteh observed, adding that it is far from the truth.

“When we got to court past Monday, we were informed that the Judiciary had a workshop in which some court officials were to be part. That’s why cases were looked into quickly, so we had to return with inmates before the usual time. But there’s nothing to worry about. I am sure the journalist who wrote that story was under the impression that we were on strike because we left court earlier than usual.”

He said probably the report could likely be a ploy to paint the institution negatively adding how for the past three months positive reforms were rolled out, under the competent leadership of Mr. Joseph Lamboi and Mr. Dennis Harman.

Sierra Leone News: ‘Sufficient Fuel Available’ –Trade Minister Confirms

June 11, 2019

Edward Hinga Sandy, Minister of Trade and Industry

Amidst a lot of rumours making the rounds that there is acute shortage of fuel it has been clarified by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Edward Hinga Sandy that fuel, especially petrol, is available for the foreseeable future despite appearances of a shortage.

A press release from the Ministry stated that it had noticed that there appears to be a shortage in the volume of fuel and accessibility in obtaining it at certain points in the country especially the capital, Freetown.

It added that whilst this tension has caused an understandable crisis, ‘we will like to assure the public that this is just not the case. Fuel is available across the country.’

The release added that however, one of the nation’s leading oil marketing company (OMC) underwent some difficulty to sufficiently supply fuel at their outlets due to some internal issues. It went on to state that this created an unwanted burden on other OMCs to assuage the additional demand, leading to queues and exploitation by unscrupulous citizens, resulting in additional difficulties.

‘As a proactive Government, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has however intervened and provided the additional support needed to the specific OMC and the matter has been resolved. Fuel especially petrol is now available across the country,’ the release maintained.

It went on to advise against granting attention to social media journalists who capitalize on situations like these to spread unsubstantiated assumptions and presuppositions.

It went on to commend citizens for their patience and understanding during the short difficulty.

Sierra Leone News: Media Probe Unearths Challenges Facing Vibrant, Indigenous Petroleum Companies

June 11, 2019

During in-depth and sustained investigations mounted by this medium, a lot was unearthed in relation to some of the country’s petroleum marketers including the National Petroleum Limited.

It was first learnt that NP -SL Limited recorded a massive loss from January to April 2019 to the tune of over 96bn Leones as a result of the huge difference between the actual price PLATTS and average purchase price of USD $ to the Leone when matched against that of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency Pricing Formula.

It was further understood that presently some of the teething challenges NP is daunted or encumbered with range from variations in the actual price quoted on PLATTS and the PRA Pricing Formula, variation in the actual market price of USD and PRA pricing Formula, variation in the actual market price of USD and PRA pricing formula. Currently, the company is paying an average of Le9, 000/1USD as compared to Le8, 600/1USD to effect transactions. What this situation has put the company into is that it owes its suppliers over $42m which they are very much challenged to honor.

It could be recalled that in the past when the Petroleum industry in the country had been rocked by challenges and to avert public indignation that have the propensity into degenerating to crisis, Governments stepped up to subsidize the prices of petroleum products. Such a move ensured that pump prices are at affordable prices which the populace will settle with.

However, what now obtains is that Government has increased the pricing regimes to reflect the real market prices of petroleum products in our market place. As it is of now it is the oil marketing companies that are subsidizing virtually all sectors in the industry to the detriment to their very survival of these companies. “This situation must be seriously reversed,” an expert in Petroleum issues admonished.

What again shed light on this is the nature of the petroleum business in this country which is such that importation of the product is in US Dollars but on the flipside sold locally in Leones. Interestingly, NP continues its buy and sell processes all over again even at its own detriment.

Regrettably, the company is finding it extremely difficult to procure dollars in the market although they have been receiving tacit support from the Bank of Sierra Leone but even at that the amounts received are not adequate.

Though, indeed it is not the business of Government to provide foreign currency for businesses yet it could be prudent on the part of the Central Bank to develop a mechanism where foreign exchange is provided for oil marketing companies to enable them to pay for badly needed petroleum products in our market place considering its fluidity.

It is understood that NP strongly believes in the digital revolution which is why they welcomed the ASYCUDA software in their operations. Lamentably, however, its implementation is impacting negatively on their speed to market initiatives. Therefore it is recommended that the relevant authorities should build solid capacity amongst their team to ensure seamless flow of products that are free of interruption due to the implementation of the ASSYCUDA system.

Another thing that was unraveled during the conduct of investigations was that NP’s working capital and cash flow are affected by what the Ministry of Energy presently owes them.

The Ministry needs to liquidate that amount owed because its negative impact hinders the company’s ability to purchase much needed petroleum products and that cannot be over emphasized. It was understood that if this is done immediately it will put the company in better stead to continue its operations.

Besides, the company pays Toll Gate fees, ASSYCUDA processing fees, Environmental Protection Agency fees, storage fees and other fees imposed by the Petroleum Regulatory Agency…and all these are having a toll on the company’s spending power.

However, despite the fact that the company has been facing all these challenges it is determinedly weathering the storm.

Other companies also interviewed outlined similar militating challenges and called for workable solutions to overcome these challenges.

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