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CSOs Call for Use of Zipper System & Lower Threshold of Votes

By Amin Kef Sesay

Some Civil Society Organizations including the 50/50 Group, CARL, Christian Aid, Purposeful, IGR, SDI, CGG, Women’s Forum and NMJD have stated that they welcome the open dialogue on November 1, 2022, initiated by the Select Parliamentary Committee on Political and Public Affairs on Sierra Leone’s electoral system and the call for greater engagement with citizens on the electoral system.

According to the CSOs they appreciate the strong political will demonstrated by both the governing and opposition parties in passing the 2022 Public Election Act which could increase women’s representation to minimum 30% in parliament and local councils.

They also appreciated the current review in Parliament of the GEWE Bill and hope that it will be passed. Both pieces of legislation hold great promise for women of Sierra Leone and so the CSOs believe that with more effort, Sierra Leone could join other progressive countries around the world to achieve 50% representation of women in Parliament and Local Councils by 2023 and make the country’s politics truly inclusive.

They said as they await the discussion on the regulations for implementation of the PR system, they presented two recommendations for the attention of Parliament and other stakeholders.

They recommended that Parliament and the Electoral Commission should adopt a zipper system in the placement of candidates on the party list in the PR system.

The zipper system requires that in developing a list for every district, parties alternate between women and men on their candidate lists, meaning that 50% of the candidates are women and 50% are men.

According to the CSOs, they believe that given the deep societal divisions in Sierra Leone, and that women make up more than 50% of the electorate, achieving gender parity in the legislature and local councils is an essential condition for democratic representation and inclusive development.

It will also ensure the country meets its domestic and international commitments on promotion of women’s representation.

The CSOs also strongly urged Parliament to adopt an 8% threshold for winning an MP seat, as opposed to the 12% utilized in the 2002 election. They called for a lower threshold for two reasons one is which is to make the country’s election as inclusive as possible by ensuring that smaller parties and independent candidates have the chance to win seats.

Secondly, to increase the chances for every Sierra Leonean vote cast to translate into seats won. These CSOs state that a lower threshold will minimize the waste of votes and increase citizens’ confidence and trust in the electoral process as every vote will make a difference to the election outcome, however small.

They reiterated their commitment to continue to work with stakeholders in ensuring a free, fair, credible, and acceptable elections as well as increased citizens’ involvement with the process.

Report On the Devastating Effect Of Kush In The Country

By: Farid Kefel, for The Calabash Newspaper

News about a ‘new’ addictive and crippling pseudo-cannabis product that is in use is beyond popular now. While you can say some details about it are opaque and hazy they are as well as graphic. When I say “hazy”, it is referring to the fact that there is no information regarding the actual substances (or chemicals being mixed with Kush) in this new illegal product that has been provided by the media.

“Smoking Kush is an escape from this life. It’s a vicious circle. ” – Sierra Leonean filmmaker Tyson Conteh;

Also, it’s unclear whether the synthetic cannabinoid in any country is locally manufactured or imported.

Whatever it is, keep in mind that Kush is a cheap, illegal psychoactive drug that is sending people into a tailspin.

Experts agree that the physiological effects of Kush are not limited to agitation, insomnia, irritability, dizziness, depression, paranoia, delusions, suicidal thoughts, seizures, panic attacks, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure; in fact, its full effect on humans are not fully known. It is also agreed that it can result in violent behavior and death.

Footages of its users show them to slur, stop at a certain level in action/activity, sleep while standing, etc. People who abuse this substance do so in varied ways such as smoking (joints or pipes) or simply making it into tea.

Often called “K2”, “spice”, “incense”, or “fake weed”, Kush is usually composed of flammable plant material that has been sprayed with a synthetic substance that is chemically related to THC, the primary element in marijuana.

The problem with Kush, according to authorities, is that it’s completely synthetic; so anyone can add whatever they want to it and alter the formula. The only similarity it has with Marijuana is the way it is ingested, perhaps.

The chemical compounds in Kush affect the brain differently than THC, the chemical in marijuana that gives users a high, does. It is thus assumed that it is extremely dangerous compared to the effects received from marijuana.

Many people including professionals refuse to regard Kush as Marijuana, hence “fake weed”. This is because Kush is a dry leaf sprayed with drugs – which you don’t have to do in the case of Marijuana.

Kush is a specific strain of marijuana that originated in the Hindu Kush Mountains, one of the few geographical areas where the cannabis plant naturally grows in this mountain range, which runs along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Dense buds are produced by Kush cannabis. Deep green colas are typical for this variety of cannabis, and the leaves may occasionally have a faint purple tinge. Pistils, which are tiny hairs on the cannabis plant, can be rust or orange in hue. Kush has a very potent aroma, but because it can smell anything from natural and earthy to sweet and floral, it can be challenging to identify by smell alone.

A simple search of “Kush” will yield hundreds of strains, but the most popular are Kosher Kush, Bubba Kush, Critical Kush, Afghan Kush, Platinum Kush, Hindu Kush, Super Kush, Sin City Kush, Alien Kush, Purple Kush, Purple OG Kush, and Master Kush; the most popular hybrid Kush strains include OG Kush, Pink Kush, Lemon OG Kush, Cali Kush, Royal Kush, Mango Kush, Pineapple Kush, Holy Grail Kush, and Big Kush; and the most popular Sativa-dominant Kush strains include Mickey Kush, Silver Kush, Quantum Kush, and Heisenberg Kush.

Altitude Dispensary’s submission can sum up as Kush’s potent high is one of the factors that make cannabis users adore it so much. What can you anticipate if you smoke kush marijuana? Kush strains are mostly indica or hybrids, which means they could leave you feeling quite sleepy and calm. Kush strains are popular among medical marijuana users because of their capacity to relieve pain.

You might also experience a slight sense of euphoria and focus from some kush strains. Before selecting a strain, be sure to speak with a bud tender at the dispensary so you know what kind of high to anticipate.

Nobody can say with certainty how Kush gets into society, for instance, it is narrated that OG Kush first appeared in California during the 1990s, right around the time Dr. Dre dropped his The Chronic album, which took the cannabis community by storm.

Speaking about Kush in Texas, www.houstoniamag.com writes “The Texas Legislature tried to ban the chemicals used in Kush in 2011, but scientists just tweaked their formulas so that the new stuff, slapped with a “not for human consumption” label, was technically legal. Houston passed a ban on synthetic marijuana in 2014, so no version of the drug is legal here anymore; today it carries a fine of $2,000 per package. Nevertheless, Kush is still on offer in some local head shops, not to mention just a click away on the internet, where it’s available in huge quantities for cheap.

“After the recent slate of Hermann Park overdoses, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced an initiative to increase police and park rangers’ presence in the four areas around town where the use of kush is most prevalent—Hermann Park, Tranquility Park, Main Street Square, and Peggy’s Point, the little park on the corner of Main Street and Richmond Avenue.”

Earlier this year – February 7, 2022 – BBC Africa did a documentary video titled “Kush: Sierra Leone’s new illegal drug” on Kush in Sierra Leone. It featured Sierra Leonean filmmaker Tyson Conteh.

(Voice of Salone (VOS), an online TV registered in America and Canada also aired a documentary called Kush Illegal Drug: Destroying Sierra Leone’s Youths” on the 5th of November, 2022. Mr. Mohammed Tairu Tarawally expunged issues surrounding Kush.)

“Something bad is happening in my country,” Conteh relates in the new video. “Recently I’ve noticed on social media a lot of very, very young people dying untimely deaths, running mad, harming themselves. I hear these horrors are being caused by a cheap new illegal high called ‘Kush’… Kush has become king, overtaking more expensive street drugs like Tramadol.”

According to the documentary, Kush use is spreading quickly, with ever-younger users being exposed to it. A woman (identified as Isha) confesses that the drug has reduced her to selling her body for sex on the street just to be able to afford it.

Isha mentioned a friend who died due to Kush’s use.

There are also those who Conteh describes as “desperate young Kush addicts searching through raw sewage, hoping to find something they can sell to survive.”

But there is no ambiguity in the assertion that Kush causes violent behavior. One user admits that “you go into a mad world” and “commit crimes.”

While talking about the new drug in South Africa, issafrica.org in its article titled “New Wiz Drug Targets South Africa’s Youth” wrote “it remains unclear whether the synthetic cannabinoid found in South Africa is locally manufactured or imported. These drugs are usually shipped from China to manufacturers who prepare the blends using acetone solvents.

“It’s unclear whether the synthetic cannabinoid in South Africa is locally manufactured or imported. A manufacturer would for example purchase a synthetic cannabinoid compound such as JWH-018 or 5-Fluoro-ADB online. The compound – in powder form – is dissolved in an acetone solvent and then sprayed onto a plant host, or the host is soaked in the mixture. Once dried, the plant is crushed into a fine powder and packaged for sale…

“Little is known about the extent and scope of new psychoactive substances in South Africa. But the problem must be addressed sooner rather than later, given the growing trends of new psychoactive drugs worldwide.”

https://www.iol.co.za/ published the article below on February 26, 2022:

“New ‘Wiz’ drug hits Durban schools

“Durban – Parents are being warned of a new, synthetic drug, that has made its way into schools in the Durban south area. The drug, known as Wiz can be bought legally over the counter at most shops that sell tobacco, however, according to the warning on the packet, it is not fit for human consumption.

“Despite this, pupils are allegedly smoking Wiz and there have been reports of youngsters becoming ill.

“Sam Pillay of the Anti-Drug Forum based in Chatsworth said he received a call from a principal at a high school in Mere bank after a pupil collapsed.

“Pillay described Wiz as an Amphetamine which is a central nervous system stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and obesity.

“He said while Wiz was not entirely new, it was concerning as it was unclear what the teens were adding to it to get the “high” or “goofed”.

“These drugs are extremely harmful to the youth and drug dealers are finding new ways of selling their products to youngsters. Someone said Wiz is used for horses but we aren’t sure of how true that is,” he said.

“Pillay said new drugs on the market have different effects on different people. He added that he believed Wiz was mixed with Methamphetamine or Crystal Meth.

“We had people collapsing and some need serious medical attention. Some even died from consuming drugs! It did not affect some people too,” Pillay said.

“Text on the packaging states, “This product contains a unique blend of all-natural, organic extracts and concentrates. It emits a pleasant, very relaxing smoke when burned.”

“The writing on the packaging clearly states that Wiz is not for human consumption.

“While Wiz bears the herb ology logo, a spokesperson from herb ology SA has distanced the company from the drug. According to Marc Stephens, they have been inundated with calls about Wiz; however, it was not their product.”

Kush is cheap, very cheap. It is said to be the cheapest hard drug presently. You won’t wonder why it is so common on the street for anyone who just wants to experience ‘highness’.

 

 

 

 

GTBank Announces Final Winners of “Kip Fo D Bambai” Promotion  

By Abubakarr Harding

Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) also known as Guaranty Trust Bank Sierra Leone (GTBank) has successfully announced the winners in the final draw of the “Kip Fo D Bambai” Promotion.

A transparent electronic raffle draw was conducted on the 10th November, 2022 at GTBank Wilberforce Street Headquarters in Freetown in the presence of journalists.

GTBank Head of Corporate Affairs, Arthur B. Kallon said the aforementioned promotion was launched in August 2022 for three months as part of the bank’s strides to put smiles on the faces of their valid customers. Prizes for August and September 2022 winners have been presented and October prizes will be presented after the announcement of the winners.

Kallon said all what they asked for was for their customers to take advantage of the offer as the promotion has three (3) different qualifying categories which are the Silver, Gold and Platinum. For the Silver, a fresh deposit of account balance must be Three Thousand Leones (Le3000) which is Three Million Leones (Le3, 000,000) in the Old Leones, the sum of Five Thousand Leones (Le5000) which is Five Million Leones (Le5, 000,000) in the Old Leones for the Gold and Ten Thousand Leones (Le10, 000) which is Ten Million Leones (Le10, 000,000) in the Old Leones for the Platinum.

He ,however, said that during the period of the promotion, customers who qualified in the various categories stood the chance of winning attractive prizes which they have announced.

He disclosed that prizes such as air conditioners, microwaves, blender, electric iron, rice cookers in the silver category; Smartphones, gas cooker or refrigerator in the gold category and musical set, deep freezer and smartphone in the platinum category are among the winning prizes.

He described the winning as a good mixture as winners came from the provinces and both sexes won. “Your Santa have come very early, it is good that you have trust and believe in the bank,” he said.

Winners in the SILVER Category were:

Saidu M. Bangura with phone number 088 769031 winning a Microwave, Richard Kenneh (077 710640) – Freezer, Musukulah Sankoh  in Mile 91 (076262168) – a  Television  set, Michael Thullah from Makeni (030602319) – Water dispenser, Ibrahim Cherinor Barrie of Leister Road ( 079041072) – Gas Cooker  and Rosaline Koroma from Freetown ( 030316284 )-Sound Bar/home

Winners in the GOLD Category were:

Bockarie Mamson Musa from Freetown (077838833) – TV, Abdulrahman M Kargbo from Freetown (076585009) – Freezer and Lamin Bangura (030254517 ) from Freetown – Deep Freezer.

Winners in the PLATINUM Category were:

Nathaniel Sankoh from Freetown ( 077544804)  won a Giant Plasma TV,

 

 

 

Freetown Waste Transformers Build Capacities of Waste Collectors

By Abubakarr Harding

Waste collectors in Freetown completed a one day Capacity Building Workshop organized by the Freetown Waste Transformers (FWT) – in collaboration with the Freetown City Council (FCC) which was held on the 10th November 2022 at the FCC Conference Room,

Among the objectives of organizing the workshop was to assess the capacity of the Waste Collection Management Association (WCMA), with a view to restructure and introduce strategic reforms that would allow the Association to operate a functioning secretariat with a common objective of collectively advocating for the sustainability of the waste management sector.

Another key objective of the workshop was to understand the functions and purpose of industry associations and how these associations leverage on the opportunities made available to them.

During the deliberations, it came out that the waste management infrastructure is fraught with challenges occasioned by an inefficient waste collection system, especially within the Freetown Municipality. To that end, participants took part in a brainstorming session on what could be done to improve on waste collection and management in Freetown.

Participants also described the workshop as an ‘eye opener’ as they pledged to fully cooperate with the FWT, FCC and other sector players in ensuring a better waste collection and management regime in Sierra Leone.

About Freetown Waste Transformers:

Freetown Waste Transformers is an Organic Waste -to- Energy Solutions Provider in Sierra Leone. We take all your food waste and turn it into electricity, heat and fertilizer right at your location and cut costs on your energy and waste management bills.

 

 

GIC Gives Insurance Claims of NLe 61, 200 to Three Families

By Abubakarr Harding

One of the leading insurance companies in the country, Global risk Insurance Company (GIC) – SL Ltd recently presented Le 61.2 Million (NLe 61, 200) claims to the rightful claimants of three families comprising deceased Police Officers and a teacher respectively.

Support officer, Superintendent Alieu Sillah Kamara of Sierra Leone Police Divisional Headquarters in Lungi commended the insurance company for the move stating that it was his first time of witnessing an insurance company paying benefits to claimants of late customers of an insurance company.

The Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of GIC, Paul Oparah, assured customers to do more to enhance their lives so that they can improve their full potentials and achieve their dreams to live comfortable lives with their families, as such is almost impossible to achieve in their daily lives considering the worldwide negative economic trends. He said that especially for the need for civil servants to be part of the scheme.

Paul Oparah disclosed that the company has branches in Makeni, Bo and Kenema with its headquarters on 2 Wellington Street in Freetown and started operations since 2020.

Paul Oparah disclosed that the late Private Constable (PC) Aminata Koroma, Private Constable (PC) Fayia Brima and Senior Teacher Idrissa C. Kamara joined the GIC eight months ago and were contributing regularly.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, several customers have benefitted from the loan scheme and claims, as the procedures were consistent in line with their policies and the deceased customers’ families, have received their benefits of over Three Hundred Thousand New Leones (Old Le 300,000,000) nationwide in public view.

He stated that the company’s loan scheme is in full operations and that they have started granting loans over a year ago to customers since 2021 as well as disbursing over Nine Hundred Thousand New Leones (Old Le 900, 000,000) to its customers nationwide.

He said that insurance has to do with human life as the company’s plan is to support families without requesting for collaterals as other institutions are doing, adding, “no one knows when death will come, life insurance contributions help us to show that we really love our families as the insurance company pays individual contributions with interest and it is the benefits GIC is paying the deceased families.”

He admonished all to join insurance schemes that give back great benefits for the future underscoring that people must utilize such services available around as the Government alone cannot provide them.

He encouraged the private sector to design services that will uplift the standards of living of the citizens, noting, “GIC as an institution is bent to improving the lives of all Sierra Leoneans that are eligible to make use of any of their policies”.

GIC Assistant Manager – Life Department, Ibrahim Sorie Sesay revealed that the Globalrisk Insurance Company has life insurance products such as: ‘Gentri’ Assurance Plan, Guaranteed Education Assurance Plan among others. He said the primary objective of the ‘Gentri’ Assurance Plan is to ensure that the policyholder lives a good life by making available loan facilities to  customers to acquire basic household assets, save for the future, as well as providing benefits for dependants in the event of death of the customer.

As for the Guaranteed Education Assurance Plan, he said, it helps customers save toward the future education of their children, as well as provide yearly financial support to the child up to 18 years in the event that the customer dies before then.

Ibrahim  Sesay stated that the Managing Director is a specialist in life insurance as he has several years of expertise in insurance schemes.

Saidu Kamara, husband of the Late Private Constable Aminata Koroma commended the company for its adherence to its obligations and agreement with its customers as the claims paid to them will go a long way to enhance and encouraged civil servants among others to join Globalrisk Insurance Company scheme with a minimum of NLE 100 (Le 100,000) monthly contribution.

The Late Fayia Brima’s daughter, Victoria Madie Brima, also lauded  the company for its compliance with  its policies and called on others to join the company.

Presentation of cheques climaxed the ceremony as the company’s officials  assured those present of the great benefits to be derived in joining the Globalrisk Insurance Company-SL Limited assuring that it is a true insurance company that adhere to its policies and displays in reality its obligations to the doorsteps of its customers.

 

 

APC Stakeholders to Intervene to Bring ITGC Together & Engage in Further Consultations

By Abubakarr Harding

A proposed meeting that was scheduled to take place between the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and the elders, as well as key stakeholders of the APC Party, materialized on the 15th November 2022 to discuss the current impasse among members of the Interim Transitional Governance Committee ( ITGC).

The PPRC Chairman, Lawyer Abdulai Masiambay Bangurah informed the meeting that there is a deep division in the ITGC and that if necessary steps are not taken will not augur well for the progress of the Party.

After a closed-door meeting by the stakeholders, it was resolved among the stakeholders and elders that they will intervene in bringing the ITGC together and engage in further consultations for the good of the party.

Finance Minister Assures of No Increase in Tax Rate

By Abubakarr Harding

A Bill entitled “The Appropriation Act, 2023” was presented by the  Minister of Finance, Dr. Dennis K. Vandy,  on Friday 11th November 2022  to  Parliament, on the theme,” Addressing The Needs of The Vulnerable in The Context of Multiple Crises”,  with the view of authorizing expenditure for the services of Sierra Leone.

The event attracted several important personalities including Ministers of Government, international partners, professional Heads of Government institutions, the media, members of the Civil Society Groups amongst others.

The bill seeks to authorize expenditure from the consolidated fund for the services of Sierra Leone for the year 2023 and other related matters.

Presenting the Bill to Members of Parliament, the Minister of Finance Dr. Dennis K. Vandy said since 2020, Sierra Leone, like the rest of the world, has been experiencing multiple crises brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war. He also said it had disrupted supply chains negatively on the world and it had affected the Sierra Leone’s economy negatively. The Minister said the war in Ukraine has exacerbated the shortages of key essential commodities, causing a sharp rise in the prices of food, fuel, and fertilizer to unprecedented levels.

He said in order to mitigate the shortages of food, the Government had maintained zero import duty on GST, on imported rice and went to highlight the number of subsidies put in place by the State on commodities imported into Sierra Leone.

On the social safety nets mechanism, the Minister said Government had provided billions of Leones to the poor through the NaCSA safety nets. He said Government had secured grant finances for over thirty million US dollars to address issues on vulnerable youth groups across the country.

The Minister in his presentation also, highlighted the achievements so far in the areas of education, agriculture, security, energy, water sector, and more.

He spoke intensively on the following areas:  the ongoing crises mitigation measures, microeconomic and budgetary performance in 2022, macroeconomic performance, budgetary performance, medium-term economic outlook (2023-2025), policy priorities and strategies for 2023, addressing food insecurity, improving education, health, and social protection services, sustaining the free quality school education program, strengthening the quality of higher, technical and vocational education, expanding social safety nets, monetary policy, exchange rate policy, debt management policy, domestic revenue mobilization, tax policy and more.

The Minister said following the resumption of the mining industries Government has realized improvement in revenue mobilization through its export activities.

He also said in light of the difficulties of the economy, Government would continue to expand and support vulnerable groups and also improve the socioeconomic development of the State, and went on to  underscore that, Government would continue to support and improve the human capital Index by improving the student loan scheme and upgrading Universities.

On exchange rate policy, the Minister said the Government would continue to work on the banking system to ameliorate inflation  and went on to note that, the 2023  budget would not increase any tax rate for the following year, but said it would strengthen the tax revenue base for already existing tax legislation.

On salary and harmonization, he said the government would present a bill to Parliament to address the latter, and also went further to state that, strong policy would be put in place to address financial and fiscal management. The Minister said the 2023 budget would address additional recruitments of police officers and health workers.

In concluding, the Minister said the projected increase in economic activities, and domestic revenue for the financial year 2023 is NLe. 9.35 billion.

The Minister commended the President and his team for continuing to demonstrate leadership in planning and implementing development programs for improving the welfare of the people, and also went further to commend international partners in supporting Sierra Leone, relative to financial and human capital development.

 

 

 

NP-SL Gains Wider Recognition for Efficient Service Delivery

National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd)

By Amin Kef-Ranger

The most outstanding and widely recognized petroleum entity that is doing well within the business landscape of this country is indisputably NP-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd). The company has gained both internal and international recognition for its efficient service delivery to its many esteemed customers. It is therefore no big surprise for the well-established company to be bagging commendations, accolades and awards from reputable institutions in and out of the country.

One thing which has made NP-SL Ltd to stand tall among other entities hinges on putting premium on effective customer care delivery. The company is highly respected for being 1st for Customer Care, as it strives to give optimal satisfaction to its esteemed customers right across the country.

In all its petroleum transactions the company does so transparently as it has modern calibrated machines at all its Filling Stations which are highly capable of pumping and displaying the exact quantity of fuel demanded for, be it petrol or diesel, as well as the price. This gives buyers the feeling that they are not cheated when purchasing fuel.

In the same direction, the company has good, up and running tanker vehicles which transport fuel from the fuel depot to the various Filling Stations everywhere in the country. Maintenance is always done on these vehicles to ensure that they are road worthy; something which the Management of the company takes very serious. The importance of regularly doing so is to really ensure that petroleum products are timely delivered to various parts of the country in order to prevent the occurrence of any form of shortage that may affect daily activities and lives.

A company that was established by thirty-five (35) Sierra Leoneans years back, it was made a laid down policy by the Shareholders and Management of the company that special preference must be given to indigenes who have the requisite qualifications in terms of job opportunities. Interestingly, this decision is in tandem with the country’s Local Content Policy which aims at making use of our local resources, both human and material, instead of depending on external resources. This has made it possible for indigenes, who were hitherto unemployed, to now be gainfully employed and be at vantage positions to take care of individual responsibilities. With all amount of justification it could be said that NP-SL is a very caring business entity.

The company has set the pace of expanding its operations in the West African sub-region by establishing branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Gambia where they are effectively marketing petroleum products. By doing so it is providing job opportunities for locals in those countries and by extension regularly paying taxes to the Governments of those countries which are used to fund different development projects.

This bold step undertaken by the company is a mark of a serious entity that is taking business to a higher pedestal.

NP-SL is very notable for making available NP Smart Card and introducing NP Gas. In this modern age when efforts are being made to operate cashless societies and going digital there is no other moment than this when transactions in petroleum products should not follow suit. With the NP Smart Card, a particular customer could purchase fuel via using the card, just stating the quantity required which is debited from the amount in the card.

The customer can credit it again in order to make future purchases. The biggest advantage is that a customer can properly schedule or budget for the amount of fuel he or she will need over time, meaning that he or she has saved the headache of having to raise cash for the sole purpose of fuelling his or her vehicle. Using the card makes it less time consuming to buy fuel and prevents the movement of physical cash which maybe a customer could use for another emerging need or the cash could be stolen. NP Smart Card is now trending and many are now going for it.

With NP Gas, the cooking needs of individuals are easily solved as it is quick in terms of performance as a cooker. Environmentalists have validated its safety in terms of less emission of dangerous gases and it is manufactured in different cylinder sizes, very portable and easily refilled by purchasing gas at the company’s Filling Stations or its authorized dealers.

With all amount of justification, NP-SL is a thriving company among the myriad challenges it is surmounting. The company is indeed a true development partner that is positively contributing to the socio-economic development of individuals, entities and the country as a whole.

 

President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Joe Biden in Bali

On the afternoon of 14 November local time, President Xi Jinping had a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Bali, Indonesia. The two presidents had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional issues.

President Xi pointed out the current state of China-U.S. relations is not in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and is not what the international community expects. China and the United States need to have a sense of responsibility for history, for the world and for the people, explore the right way to get along with each other in the new era, put the relationship on the right course, and bring it back to the track of healthy and stable growth to the benefit of the two countries and the world as a whole.

President Xi expounded on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its key outcomes. He pointed out that the domestic and foreign policies of the CPC and the Chinese Government are open and transparent, with clearly stated and transparent strategic intentions and great continuity and stability. We are advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, basing our efforts on the goal of meeting people’s aspirations for a better life, unswervingly pursuing reform and opening-up, and promoting the building of an open global economy. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, always decides its position and attitude based on the merits of issues, and advocates resolving disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation. China is committed to deepening and expanding global partnerships, safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and building a community with a shared future for mankind. China will stay committed to peaceful development, open development and win-win development, participate in and contribute to global development, and pursue common development with countries across the world.

President Xi pointed out that the world is at a major inflection point in history. Countries need to both tackle unprecedented challenges and seize unprecedented opportunities. This is the larger context in which we should view and handle China-U.S. relations. China-U.S. relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side out-competes or thrives at the expense of the other. The successes of China and the United States are opportunities, not challenges, for each other. The world is big enough for the two countries to develop themselves and prosper together. The two sides should form a correct perception of each other’s domestic and foreign policies and strategic intentions. China-U.S. interactions should be defined by dialogue and win-win cooperation, not confrontation and zero-sum competition. President Xi said that he takes very seriously President Biden’s “five-noes” statement. China does not seek to change the existing international order or interfere in the internal affairs of the United States, and has no intention to challenge or displace the United States. The two sides should respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and work together to ensure that China-U.S. relations move forward on the right course without losing direction or speed, still less having a collision. Observing the basic norms of international relations and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués is vitally important for the two sides to manage differences and disagreements and prevent confrontation and conflict; indeed, it is the most important guardrail and safety net for China-U.S. relations.

President Xi gave a full account of the origin of the Taiwan question and China’s principled position. He stressed that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese and China’s internal affair. It is the common aspiration of the Chinese people and nation to realize national reunification and safeguard territorial integrity. Anyone that seeks to split Taiwan from China will be violating the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation; the Chinese people will absolutely not let that happen! We hope to see, and are all along committed to, peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but cross-Strait peace and stability and “Taiwan independence” are as irreconcilable as water and fire. We hope that the U.S. side will match its words with action and abide by the one-China policy and the three joint communiqués. President Biden has said on many occasions that the United States does not support “Taiwan independence” and has no intention to use Taiwan as a tool to seek advantages in competition with China or to contain China. We hope that the U.S. side will act on this assurance to real effect.

President Xi noted that freedom, democracy and human rights are the common pursuit of humanity and also the unwavering pursuit of the CPC. Just as the United States has American-style democracy, China has Chinese-style democracy; both fit their respective national conditions. The whole-process people’s democracy practiced in China is based on the country’s reality, history and culture, and it reflects people’s will. We take great pride in it. No country has a perfect democratic system, and there is always a need for development and improvement. The specific differences between the two sides can be worked out through discussion, but only on the precondition of equality. The so-called “democracy versus authoritarianism” narrative is not the defining feature of today’s world, still less does it represent the trend of the times.

President Xi pointed out that the two countries take different paths; while the United States practices capitalism, China practices socialism. Such difference is nothing new and will continue to exist. Leadership of the CPC and China’s socialist system have the support of 1.4 billion people. They are the fundamental guarantee for China’s development and stability. For China and the United States to get along, it is vital to recognize and respect such difference. Neither side should try to remold the other in one’s own image, or seek to change or even subvert the other’s system. Instead of talking in one way and acting in another, the United States needs to honor its commitments with concrete action.

President Xi underscored that China and the United States are two major countries with different histories, cultures, social systems and development paths. There have been and will continue to be differences between the two countries. Such differences should not become an obstacle to growing China-U.S. relations. There is always competition in the world, but competition should be about learning from each other to become one’s better self and make progress together, not about taking others down in a zero-sum game. The Chinese nation has the proud tradition of standing up for itself. Suppression and containment will only strengthen the will and boost the morale of the Chinese people. Starting a trade war or a technology war, building walls and barriers, and pushing for decoupling and severing supply chains run counter to the principles of market economy and undermine international trade rules. Such attempts serve no one’s interests. We oppose politicizing and weaponizing economic and trade ties as well as exchanges in science and technology. Under the current circumstances, China and the United States share more, not less, common interests. It is in our mutual and fundamental interest to prevent conflict and confrontation and achieve peaceful coexistence. The two economies are deeply integrated, and both face new tasks in development. It is in our mutual interest to benefit from each other’s development. It is also in our mutual interest to promote post-COVID global recovery, tackle climate change and resolve regional issues through China-U.S. coordination and cooperation. The two sides need to respect each other, pursue mutual benefit, focus on the larger picture, and nurture a sound atmosphere and stable relations for cooperation.

President Biden noted that he has known President Xi for many years and maintained regular communication, but nothing could substitute for the kind of face-to-face meeting today. President Biden congratulated President Xi on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. As two major countries, the United States and China have a responsibility to keep a constructive relationship. The U.S. side is committed to keeping the channels of communication open between the two presidents and at all levels of government, so as to allow candid conversations on issues where the two sides disagree, and to strengthen necessary cooperation and play a key role in addressing climate change, food security and other important global challenges. This is vitally important to the two countries and peoples, and also very important to the whole world. President Biden reaffirmed that a stable and prosperous China is good for the United States and the world. The United States respects China’s system, and does not seek to change it. The United States does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to revitalize alliances against China, does not support “Taiwan independence”, does not support “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”, and has no intention to have a conflict with China. The U.S. side has no intention to seek “de-coupling” from China, to halt China’s economic development, or to contain China.

President Biden said that how the U.S-China relationship develops is of crucial importance to the future of the world. The United States and China have a shared responsibility to show the world that they can manage their differences, and avoid and prevent misunderstandings and misperceptions or fierce competition from veering into confrontation or conflict. The U.S. side shares the view that it is necessary to work out the principles guiding U.S.-China relations. The two teams may continue discussions on the basis of the common understandings already in place, and strive for early agreement. The U.S. government is committed to the one-China policy. It does not seek to use the Taiwan question as a tool to contain China, and hopes to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The two presidents agreed that their respective diplomatic teams should maintain strategic communication and conduct regular consultations; their financial teams will continue dialogue and coordination on macroeconomic policies, economic ties and trade; and the two countries will jointly work for the success of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The two sides reached common understandings on conducting dialogue and cooperation in public health, agriculture and food security. They agreed to make good use of the China-U.S. joint working group to promote the resolution of more issues. They also agreed that people-to-people exchange is very important, and agreed to encourage the expansion of such exchange in all sectors.

The two presidents also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and other issues. President Xi pointed out that China is highly concerned about the current situation in Ukraine. He noted the four points about what must be done he had proposed soon after the outbreak of the crisis and the four things the international community must do together he had suggested recently. Facing a global, composite crisis like the one in Ukraine, it is important to give serious thought to the following: first, conflicts and wars produce no winner; second, there is no simple solution to a complex issue; and third, confrontation between major countries must be avoided. China has all along stood on the side of peace and will continue to encourage peace talks. We support and look forward to a resumption of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, we hope that the United States, NATO and the EU will conduct comprehensive dialogues with Russia.

Both presidents viewed the meeting as in-depth, candid and constructive. They instructed their teams to promptly follow up and implement the important common understandings reached between them, and take concrete actions to put China-U.S. relations back on the track of steady development. The two presidents agreed to maintain regular contact.

Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi and He Lifeng, among others, were present at the meeting.

 

 

 

High Cost of Operations are Adversely Impinging Telecommunications Companies

By Amin Kef-Ranger

The primary purpose for the establishment of businesses by individuals in various parts of the world is to maximize profits, though in actual terms, business owners cannot just determine the prices of certain goods and services as such are really determined according to the market forces of demand and supply.

Maximization of profits must not give private business entities the liberty to lord it over unassuming consumers which is why it is highly significant for Government to intervene from time to time to ensure that fairness and equity prevail.

It is very important to maintain at this juncture that the costs incurred in doing business also affect the prices of essential goods and services because simply put if much is expended, in terms of costs that are incurred in running a business, then definitely it is expected that the prices of the finished products or services will go up with the reverse also being true.

Globally, Governments depend on taxes to generate much needed revenue to fund certain projects or development programmes and business entities are the main sources from which the Government derives revenue.

However, the imposition of taxes must be judiciously done otherwise if taxes are simply imposed just for the sake of generating funds when in actual fact they are really killing business enterprises then obviously at the end of the day the populace including the citizenry will have to bear the brunt.

When things become economically difficult for the vast majority the blame is squarely placed on the Government and in a true democratic setting it is left with the citizens to either maintain that Government in power through the ballot box or kick it out of power.

It is against such a backdrop that it seems that from the look of things telecommunications companies operating in this country have decided that the huge costs they are currently expending to operationalize their services ,which subscribers could easily access in the country, must be reflected in the prices of data that are bought.

Fairly, it is right to say that telecommunications companies are finding themselves in a very tight corner as they are spending so much just to provide telecommunications services used by the vast majority.

To put it in the right context, it is clear that the country is going through an inflationary phase as is evident in the everyday escalation in the prices of basic goods and services. What at times seem incomprehensible is that even locally manufactured or produced goods and services are so costly which understandably could be linked to the costs that are incurred in bringing those goods and services to the market.

As the situation now stands, there seems to be no ending in the increase in Foreign Exchange rate against the Leones. The present day value of the UD Dollar is at Le. 18,000 (Old Leones) to $1.  This record an increase of 148% since the last GSM tariff adjustment was done in 2017 when the exchange rate was Le. 7,258 (Old Leones) to $1. Obviously, with these new increases, telecommunications companies are forced to make adjustments in data prices just to ensure that they are not losing.

Telecommunications companies are also presently contending with an

increase in fuel cost. Presently the queues have started resurfacing again at Filling Stations. It must be noted that Fuel price is at Le. 25,000 (Old Leones) against Le. 6,000 per litre 5 years ago when the telecommunications sector tariff was last reviewed. This records a colossal increase of 317% for a product that account for a major part of the total operations of telecommunications companies in this country.

As if to add salt to injury, the cost of Electricity Tariff has also gone up

Even electricity tariff which is a similar utility service and a cost driver for telecommunication services has witnessed a significant increase of 78% from Le. 1,890 (old Leones) to Le. 3,364 (New Leones) as at July, 2022.

Presently, the use of the internet has become very trending as many are using it for various purpose, other than, to conduct academic research. Since Zoodlabs took over the control of the internet from SALCAB the connectivity cost has increased. It is worthy of note that at the beginning of 2022, the cost of 1 Gbps data from Zoodlabs was Le 156 Million (Old Leones). Today, it is Le234 Million per Gbps recording 53% increase in the direct cost of the internet.

There are companies that are using the Terrestrial Fiber for internet connections. As at present, the cost per Mbps that was $0.4 has also increased to $10 recording a 2,400% increase. Telecommunications companies have no alternative but to comply.

In the midst of all the costs that telecommunications companies are currently incurring, a recent move by these business entities, to increase data prices was stiffly resisted against by the Government only because the vast majority of subscribers were widely grumbling.

Among those that expressed dissatisfaction were not just mere phone users but others that sell telecommunications credits to subscribers. As the volume of the grumbling started becoming deafening the Government responded by insisting that the prices be reverted to their old state to which they were.

Though telecommunications companies are willing to continue with their operations, however, the constraints they are presently going through are really affecting their operations. For them the situation cannot continue this way as mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that these companies derive benefits in terms of profits for the services they are providing.

There is the need for telecommunications companies and the Government to reach a middle of the road agreement which could end up to be a win-win situation otherwise it will reach a point when an impasse will set in and the brunt of the effects of poor telecommunications companies will be badly felt by the vast majority of subscribers and credit dealers.

Already, some are expressing fear that the telecommunications companies will reduce the rate of implementation of projects as part of their Social Corporate Responsibility if the situation remains the same.

 

 

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