Dr. Turad Senesie, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning
By Amin Kef Sesay
Dr. Turad Senesie, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, on the 23rd March 2021 revisited the Mount Sugar Loaf to engage community stakeholders in a dialogue on the need to preserve and protect State land and forest reserves.
The Lands Minister was accompanied by his colleague Minister in the Ministry of Environment and senior management staff of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministries of Environment, Lands, Housing and Country Planning.
During the community meeting, it was exposed that certain community members are conniving with strangers to encroach on State Lands and engage in forest degradation activities.
Minister Turad Senesie sounded a stern warning for perpetrators to desist from such illegal and disastrous ventures, as according to him, defaulters will be subjected to the full force of the law.
According to the Minister, consultations and negotiations will always be the first approach ahead of the implementation of the tough laws that protect State land, the environment, lives and properties.
“No one should take advantage of the human face governance approach of the new direction Government as the law will fall heavily on anyone who engages on illegal activities,” he cautioned.
He called on the community youths to take charge and protect their community from encroachers, noting that they should not allow illegal human activities to endanger their lives and properties.
The Minister of the Environment, Prof. Foday Moriba Jaward reminded the community people that the Government is concerned about the rise in negative human activities that are threatening the lives and properties of citizens.
It is as a result of the seriousness the Government attaches to human and environmental safety that an inter-ministerial committee was set up to preserve and protect the environment, the Minister disclosed.
The Committee comprises the Ministries of Environment, Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Water Resources, Internal Affairs, Tourism, Defence and Local Government.
According to the Environment Minister, the Government will ensure the use of every legal authority to safeguard the environment.
At the meeting chaired by the Director of Lands and Survey, statements were made by the Director of Housing and Deputy Director of Lands and Survey.
The community people expressed appreciation to the Ministers and team, while assuring that they will collaborate with the Government to ensure illegal activities in that part of the country will become a thing of the past.
During a Press Conference that was convened on the 18th March 2021 by Afrimoney held at its headquarters Moses Kholifa Kamara was unveiled as the company’s new Brand Ambassador.
M.K as he is popularly called emerged as the 2nd winner in African Young Voices (AYV) and Africell Sierra Leone’s record-smashing reality TV show, Housemates Salone 2.
A dynamic individual who is always armed with a charming smile and a superb personality should not be left in the cold, according to Africell.
Maasa Mayson-Dennis, the Director of Afrimoney stated that the growth of mobile money is inevitable and that in a fast-paced world with a very youthful population, it is vital that partnering with a face that is a beacon of the future like M.K is a must. She reiterated Afrimoney’s commitment to pushing for a cashless economy that makes financial transactions and services move more efficiently.
The Media Manager of Africell, John Konteh stated that M.K embodies most of the values that Afrimoney reveres in any individual and that his image aligns perfectly with the brand. He further announced that the new YA! Special Offer and YA! Remix features have been included in the Afrimoney interactive menu.
Moses Kamara, with a radiant smile ,extended thanks to Afrimoney and Africell for making his dreams become a reality, and stated that the Housemate Salone 2 show doors has opened for him.
He committed himself to fully embrace this designation and the responsibilities that come with it. He admonished his fans of “Team Looks” to get their Africell sim and hop on the secure, efficient, and easily accessible Afrimoney e-money train.
“It is a complete misnomer on the part of certain sections of the media, as investigations have revealed, to present the fact that there is an attempt to hood-wink the public over the obvious indication of a conspiracy to deprive SKM of its right to justice and fair treatment,” a senior citizen averred.
Findings have pointed in the direction that indeed it could be best described as a calculated blunder and a misrepresentation of the truism to state that NP-SL “has again lied to the public, through posts seen on social media over the transaction between Jaffer, Total and their company, and has deliberately confused it with the transaction with Leonoil for which the proprietor of SKM has sued Leonoil for in the High Court,”
Based on an intensive investigation mounted by this medium into allegations that there is an existing conspiracy between Leonoil and NP-SL Ltd to deprive the Chief Executive Officer of SKM, Jaffer Zegnir, of some quantity of fuel which the latter said it purchased , that the Chief Executive Officer, Kobi Walker, was part of a meeting held at his office to blacklist SKM, that the Board Chairman of NP-SL Ltd, mistakenly or erroneously said to be Tunde Cole, when the current Board Chairman is Mike Caroll, is bent on bullying SKM, that the son of Tunde Cole is the Managing Director of Leonopi have all been proven to be not only puerile but completely unfounded and baseless to the core laced with an ulterior motive to drag the name of a reputable company, the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited, to the mud. This ulterior motive, on the part of certain unscrupulous individuals, has indeed backfired.
As a matter of fact the thrust of this write-up is to establish the undiluted truism that there was and is no existing business transaction between Jaffer Zegnir, of SKM and the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) which should warrant the petroleum marketing company (NP-SL Ltd) to honour an invoice purportedly issued by Leonoil for the supply of two consignments of petroleum products; PMS, 23,000 Litres and AGO, 20,000 Litres.
What should be registered at this particular juncture is the fact that the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited is an independent and credible indigenous company that conducts its petroleum transactions in a transparent manner and is not obliged to succumb to the dictates of any other petroleum marketing company operating within the country. If as it is being alleged that other companies were issued invoices at NP-Ltd terminal and they were honoured that does not mean it is obligatory on the part of NP-SL Ltd to honour that of Jagger’s if indeed it is questionable. It is simply discretionary on the part of NP-SL Ltd to enter into any business transaction or relationship with any other individual or institution and could not be coerced otherwise.
What this medium clearly understood was that allegedly SKM got a cue from certain PRA officials that prices will be increased on 4th March. As a result of that SKM deposited over 1.2 Billion Leones into Leonoil account hoping to make profit when the price change is effected.
However, it was stated that unfortunately he was unable to collect some of the products before the price change.
What this medium learnt was that based on the fact that NP-SL operates a bonded warehouse, regardless when the payment was made, as long as it was not uplifted before any price adjustment, a buyer or dealer will automatically uplift his or her product at the prevailing rate at the time of uplift.
Again it was understood that the difference is clearly Government taxes not profit to Leonoil.
What further was learnt was that invoices were issued to Jaffer to pick up products at NP.
However a close business partner of Jaffer stated that: “His uncertain ways of conducting business transactions may have influenced NP-SL to stay clear from him”.
It must be emphasized that NP-SL is under no obligation whatsoever to sell to either SKM or any other reseller if it chooses to do so.
Jaffa, it was understood, is angry because he was unable to make the profit he wanted as he is completely ignorant of the law.
A senior businessman opined that NP and Leonoil, being very decent corporate citizens, will not collude with anyone to steal the taxpayers’ money.
Again worthy of note is that it is indeed understandable that there must be a symbiotic relationship among petroleum marketing companies in this country but that does not mean that they do not have their institutional independence and principles as to how they conduct businesses.
Against such a backdrop, it is completely false as it is alleged by certain unscrupulous individuals that there exists a conspiracy between Leonoil and NP-SL Ltd to defraud or deprive the Chief Executive Officer of SKM, Jaffer Zeghir, the said quantity of petroleum products said to have been purchased from Total.
What must be understood at this material time is the fact that the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited and Leonoil are two different companies that are competing, operating differently and there is no known arrangement which dictates that NP-SL Ltd must supply on behalf of another company, which in this context is Total -SL.
In other words, there is no laid down policy that in the case of any anomaly in the transactions between Total, as a marketing oil company, and any of its client it is the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited that should bear the liability or take up the responsibility of correcting that anomaly or impasse.
The crux of the whole matter is that Jaffer, said to be a regular customer of Leonoil purchased two consignments of petroleum products; PMS, 23,000 Litres and AGO, 20,000 Litres.
It was narrated that the invoices for the collection of the said products were then given to him and he was instructed by the Leonoil Commercial Manager to take the invoices to NP’s Kissy terminal for supply said to be a normal arrangement between both companies.
According to the allegation on presentation of the invoices at the NP Terminal at Kissy, the drivers of the tankers who presented them were told that Leonoil has been blacklisted and therefore will not be supplied any fuel.
What probably could have been plausible was that if Leonoil was not in possession of that quantity of petroleum products, which is seemingly likely, they should have bought same from NP-SL Ltd. The 1 million dollar question is: how could NP-SL Ltd comply when it is not certain that at the end of the day they will be paid by Total?
According to our investigation, the Chief Executive Officer of NP-SL, Kobi Walker, has reiterated that all the allegations are baseless.
What is clear is that SKM did business with Leonoil and there is no way it is incumbent on NP-SL to honour the client of another oil marketing company, whenever it present its own invoices for the supply of petroleum products.
It was later learnt that, Jaffer Zegnir, of SKM bought fuel from Leonoil but there was a delay in collecting and transporting the said quantity of fuel due to COVID-19 restrictions on travelling to the provinces.
However, when the situation relaxed somehow, he wanted to collect the fuel that he bought but was informed that market forces have changed, there has been an increase in the price of petroleum products and therefore he should pay additionally before the fuel could be released.
Confronted with this new situation he refused to succumb and Leonoil was obdurate to rescind its stance and the matter landed in a court of law for arbitration.
It is worthy of note that NP-SL Ltd is a very credible petroleum marketing company that has been in existence for quite a good number of years now, conducting its business transactions transparently and according to the business laws of the country.
The company’s shareholders and Management highly believe and operate in fair competition and to conduct its transactions transparently with the main objective of giving utmost satisfaction to its numerous and esteemed customers not only in this country but also in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia where it has a presence.
Not being a flight by night business entity it had and still continues to be held in high esteem and has been recognized as a true partner to national development as evident in the huge chunk of taxes it pays to Government, exclusively offering job opportunities to indigenes, thereby deepening the country’s Local Content Policy, rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility to the fullest among other positive contributions it continues to contribute to human existence. The company plays according to the rules and has no ulterior motive of conducting businesses clandestinely.
The company is known as 1st for Customer Care and is doing everything within its purview to ensure that petroleum products are timely imported and marketed widely.
There is no iota of truth that NP-SL and Leonoil have teamed up to deprive Jaffer of SKM from getting the petroleum products said to have been paid for but not supplied.
Saying that the Ministry of Trade is siding one of the alleged conspirators against Jaffer is a serious indictment for which evidence must be adduced to justify.
But let it be reiterated that NP-SL is under no obligation to supply the aforementioned quantity of fuel to Jaffer of SKM; a simple plain fact that should not make certain individuals think that they have something clandestine and sinister to expose.
Investigations continue and more on this issue in future publications.
WHH Head of Project-Thomas Okara (In T-shirt) and Mayor of Koidu City- Mathew Komba Sam (wearing blue Africana dress) in warm handshake as the Klin Koidu Waste Collection Service is officially launchedin the municipality
German International Non-Governmental Organisation, Welthungerhilfe in collaboration with the Koidu New Sembehun City Council (KNSCC) has on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 launched the Klin Koidu Waste Collection Services in the Koidu Municipality.
The official launch fulfils a major package under the Improved Waste Management Activities in Cities Project funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Administrator of the KNSCC, Francis Mishek Tiffa acknowledged the significant impact of the project in effectively managing Koidu’s waste in addition to building the capacities and providing employment for youth who would be undertaking door-to-ddor waste collection in the municipality.
“We are very proud of WHH and thankful for the project and all that has been achieved during this period of implementation by WHH,” Tiffa stated; adding “it would have been very difficult for the Council alone to undertake waste collection,disposal and management in Koidu.”
He urged the Youth to be diligent and committed as they undertake a challenging task of collecting waste from households within Koidu City; assuring that the Council would ensure the tremendous achievements of the project is sustainable by putting mechanisms in place to raise additional funds in keeping all components of the waste management ongoing “to make Koidu one of the cleanest cities in Sierra Leone.”
Environment and Social Officer of KNSCC, Nanah Jalloh-Conteh admonished the management of Klin Koidu Waste Collection Services not to disappoint their customers by ensuring their waste is collected on time.
“The people of Koidu are depending on you to provide an effective efficient waste collection service,” Nanah stated; stressing that she would be very vigilant in monitoring the work of the youth to ensure a very high standard is maintained in waste collection and disposal.
She emphasized that the waste collection trucks must not be misused to fetch sand but only domestic waste.
Thomas Okara, who heads the Improved Waste Management Activities in Cities Project in Koidu City in his statement, gave a detailed background to the project while also highlighting the achievements.
“This project first works with the Councils and employs the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in addition to policies at the Governmental level. On waste collection, we have set up youth groups that would be door-to-door waste collection in the East and West of Koidu City,” Okara explained.
He advised the youth to ensure the Hino trucks are well maintained to last them much longer to undertake the business of waste collection for the “benefit of the people of Koidu.”
Sahr Gando, Chiefdom Speaker of Tankoro Chiefdom expressed appreciation to WHH for launching the waste collection scheme; disclosing that he had already registered for the service.
He urged the youth to be diligent in their task and take good care of the trucks as the chiefdom is in full support of their work.
Acting District Manager of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), IbrahimTuray pledges his Agency’s support towards effective management of waste in the Koidu municipality.
“EPA sees WHH waste management as an environmentalprotection mitigation project and we are ready to work with you in accordance with laid down regulations,” Turay said.
The Mayor of Koidu City- Mathew Komba Sam in delivering the keynote address to officially launch the Klin Koidu Waste Collection Services, thanked WHH for supporting his Council and the people of Koidu in integrated waste management and job creation for youth who have also acquired life skills.
Mayor Komba Sam recalled how he attracted WHH to operate in Kono District even before he was inaugurated as Mayor of the city.
He noted that the entire process of selecting youth to undertake the waste collection was fair, transparent, and devoid of politics “because these youth would be serving the people of Koidu City and not a political party.”
He added that this is a “litmus test for the youth of Kono District to prove that they can succeed in whatever venture they chose to undertake.”
The Koidu Mayor reminded the youth to ensure the Hino trucks are well kept and used only for waste collection in the municipality.
“We would be watching you everything you do to make sure this project is sustainable,” he maintained.
Aruna Bundu, Chairperson of Klin Koidu East assured the people of the Koidu municipality that “we would not fail you but would ensure you get the best service from the comfort of your homes in terms of domestic waste collection.”
A Road Show led by the Koidu Mayoraimed at further promoting thisnovel domestic waste collection service formed a significant highlight after the official launch.
The Improved Waste Management Activities in Cities project has also been successfully implemented by Welthungerhilfe in Bo, Makeni and Kenema Cities also with funding from the British people through the Department for International Development (DFID) now Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Sierra Leone under its Wash Self-Supply (SLE 1072), Linking Agriculture, Natural Resources Management and Nutrition (LANN SLE 1084) and Covid-19 Fair Trade Emergency Initiative (SLE 1087) projects has on Monday 22nd March 2021 celebrated World Water Day.
The event was held at Blama Town, Small Bo Chiefdom in the Kenema District. The three projects funded by European Union, Irish Aid and GIZ respectively are engaged in various sectors in communities around Kailahun, Kenema and Kono Districts ranging from agriculture, water and sanitation, nutrition, and effective natural resource management.
Representing the Paramount Chief of Small Bo Chiefdom, Councillor Ishmael Gobba noted that the celebration is significant and timely while also thanking Welthungerhilfe and the Government of Sierra Leone for brining development to their communities especially those involved in the water and sanitation sector.
He stressed that “water is life” hence the urgent need for the people to benefit from clean, pure, and safe water supply.
Augustine Songa Amara from the Water Directorate in Kenema District stated that “everything we do in life depends on water which is life.”
World Water Day came about during a United Nations Assembly meeting in 1992 from the realization that without pure and safe water, human beings would die in unprecedented numbers.
“This Day is celebrated to create awareness around the world on the need to value water as a sour e of life,” Amara maintained.
Human behaviour like timber logging and deforestation he noted has adversely affected sources of water in communities in Sierra Leone and other parts of the world. He warned that parents must not send their young children to fetch water from the hand operated pumps, so they will not spoil them. Councillor Amara acknowledged the support of development partners for ensuring that eighty percent of communities in the chiefdom have access to clean and safe drinking water.
The Deputy District Council Chairman, Yayah Emmanuel Kajue, also emphasized that water is life and invaluable to man. He stressed that parents should advise their children to properly handle the hand-dug wells “a without water we would not exist.”Kajue urged the community and local stakeholders to take the message to the people that “water is key to daily human existence.”
Prince P. Mansaray representing Civil Society Organizations in Kenema District stated that managing water sources and catchments in our communities is very crucial to the wellbeing of all.He warned that people should stop cutting down trees in our forests to protect our water sources. Patrick Raymond Musa, Programme Manager of Water Aid Sierra Leone noted that water management comes along with huge challenges because of human behaviour that adversely affects the environment leading to climate change.
“Several years ago, the River Wanje never dried up but as a result of deforestation, it now dries up,” Musa recalled.
The Day’s celebration he maintained is to remind Government about its role in effective water management in the country; adding that the value of water outweighs the cost.
“Water is more valuable than our relationships,” Musa further noted; appealing with the Government to increase its 1.55 budgetary allocation to the water sector.
“We spend too much on curative approaches instead of preventive ones… community people must be part of all water-related projects in our communities in order not to undermine the management of water facilities,” the Water Aid Sierra Leone Programme Manager stated while referencing similar past situation in Bangladesh.
He urged all to come together and ensure the value of water is not lost.
Eric Moosa WASH Focal and Principal Public Health Superintendent from the District Health Medical Team (DHMT) Kenema District in a frank mood blamed the mismanagement of water facilities on community people as they are the ones who send their young children to the pumps.
He also singled out human negative behaviour as the main reason for destruction of water sources in communities and forests.
“We done value water in our communities,” Moosa retorted
Emmanuel C. Mbayoh, WASH Manager of SEND Sierra Leone, an implementing partner of Welthungerhilfe acknowledged “if we value our lives, we should also know that water is very valuable too.”
He disclosed that 2.2 million people worldwide live without access to safe drinking water which according to him is a precious treasure; adding that many illnesses contracted are because of dirty water.
Mbayoh urged that people should be willing to pay for water in order appreciate its value.
Philip James Kamanda of Development Initiative Partners said the event serves as a platform to inspire change of attitude and behaviour towards effective ways of handling and managing water in our communities.
“People have to take responsibility and ownership of water facilities in their communities… Let us value water which must be clean and drinkable,” Kamanda stated; adding that water is important to all human beings.
Welthungerhilfe Head of Project, Wash Self-Supply Project in Kenema District- Frederick Fabba disclosed that his organization is involved in various sectors not only limited to water and sanitation but agriculture, nutrition, energy etc.
“Access to water is a right of every individual and must be valued because most of our traditional rites and ceremonies are dependent on water,” Fabba stated. He maintained that the mismanagement of water in our communities is the fault of everyone.
As an effective approach to providing water for communities and ensuring they value it, Fabba informed that WHH ensures the people in local remote communities make financial contributions towards the effort.
He noted that WHH attaches immense value to providing clean and safe drinking water to communities it operates for the wellbeing of the people.
Aminata Deen, Field Officer of SLE 1087 appealed to farmers to take water issues seriously and not tamper with its sources in the bushes and forest where they undertake farming activities. “Clean and safe water prevents us and our children from getting sick,” she stated, reminding all to always stick to the stipulated Covid-19 prevention methods to lead a healthy life in their communities.
Livelihood Officer of SEND Sierra Leone – Mariama Kowa demonstrated and spoke about acceptable ways of handwashing for at least two minutes to prevent germs contamination.Lansana Ndawa, Community Mobiliser of MOPADA, another implementing partner of Welthungerhilfe delivered the vote of thanks.
“Valuing Water” being this year’s theme, World Water Day is set aside by the United Nations to celebrate water and raise awareness of the global water crisis. A core focus of the observance is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The Movie ‘China Salesman’ depicts foreign entities bidding for access to telecommunication rights in an African nation. Mike Tyson’s character, Kabbah, is a commander in one of military factions in the country. His ‘African accent’ was at times quite hilarious, considering that he speaks with a lisp. I mimicked his speech pattern and spoke with a lisp. I was afraid he would knock me out with one of his trademark uppercuts.
Steven Seagal, as Lauder, is a foreign mercenary operating in the nation. The lead actor, Li Dong Xue, as Yan Jian, heads the Chinese bidding team. French actor, EriqEbouaney, plays a local sheik, Sheik Asaid. He starred in the movie ‘Patrice Lumumba’, released in 2000 and also acted alongside Jason Statham in Transporter 3. He has worked with Hollywood stars like Orlando Bloom, Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen.
I learnt a lot from these experienced thespians and became friends with most of them, including Norwegian model and actorJanickeAskevold. I have also established a life-long brotherhood with Bryan Byrne, Steven Seagal’s former personal bodyguard, who also played a cameo role in the project. Bryan isa badass former Special Forces dude with a menacing look and a heart of gold.
THE KID FROM CIRCULAR ROAD FIGHTS HIS CHILDHOOD ICON SEAGAL
On my first day of shooting, I was thrown into the deep end fighting and scrapping with a guy I grew up idolizing. The Jackie Chan stunt team had designed an elaborate fight scene between Mike Tyson and Steven Seagal. Steven is a martial artist and Mike is a boxer, so they had to come up with a style that worked for both.
Seagal would often observe myrehearsals with his stunt double. He analyzed everything we did through a microscopic lens. He studiedthe moves carefully and made tweaks along the way. In fairness, some of the maneuvers were overambitious for a man in his mid-60s.
He was also particular about camera lenses and angles, much to the chagrin of the film crew, who muttered a few Chinese insults under their breaths. I did not translate these utterances because I did not want him breaking necks. I sensed angles and lens mattered to him because he had put on some weight, especially in the abdomen region, and he didn’t want his fans to see him in such unflattering light as.He is a demanding man, so I understand why some people have had difficulties working with him.
In general, he was pretty nice to me, except the one time during shooting when he yelled “slow down motherfucker”, as I clipped him with a hard punch. These things happen during a fightsequence proceeding at a thousand miles an hour. During breaks, I bombarded him with questions, and more often than not, he was willing to respond. He taught me how to break necks and put people to sleep, all while speaking in a deliberately concocted baritone voice. It makes the art of breaking necks spookier when you speak in that tone.
Our most intriguing conversation was about his trips to Nigeria, under the late leader, General SaniAbacha. I was surprised that he had such an extensive knowledge of the African continent. He knew tribes, capital cities, heads of states, etc. He befriended the late GeneralAbacha and they had a lot of fun on his Abuja and Lagos escapades.
Those fight scenes took a lot out of me both physically and mentally. I lost over 10kilograms in a matter of days. I was paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes and screwing up. Chinese directors don’t babysit actors. If you make a mistake, they have no qualms yelling at you at the top of their lungs. There were days when Seagal’s gorgeous wife joined us on set and I wondered if she would take me out with a kung fu move if I had mistakenly hit her husband, who was not as agile as he once was due to his age.
I was the one that got injured after all. I needed treatment from a physiotherapist because Seagal kicked me in the groin during filming. They also provided acupuncture treatment for me after I pulled my hamstring. We were crashing into tables, breaking bottles over our heads, and doing all the crazy stunts you see in a Chinese kungfu flick. We shot a scene in Mongolia where I barely escaped severe injury and burns. There was supposed to be an explosion after a helicopter gunship fired a missile at me. I was never told how heavy the blast or intense the fireball would be. It wasn’t until after I had shot the scene and watched the replay, that I realized how truly dangerous it was.
After a few torrid days, I got better, and my confidence improved. It wasn’t all plain sailing, but I learnt an awful lot from the experience. One day I will tell my kids that that I dueled with Seagal for almost a fortnight and held my own.
DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVE
Growing up, we knew Iron Mike as the ‘baddest man on the planet’. He had a fearsome reputation in and out of the ring. I had also read his autobiography in which he detailed his journey into the abyss of crack houses, sleeping in brothels, the death of his daughter, his acrimonious divorces, his incarceration for rape, etc.
In the book, he takes full responsibility for things he could have done better, and I could tell he was on a personal crusade to be a better person. However, there is a huge difference between reading things in a book and witnessing them first hand. I was quite elated when Iron Mike eventually joined us on set. Itwas quite apparent that the ‘baddest man on the planet’ was a thing of the past.
My dad often said, little things mean a lot. I observed Mike’s interaction with people on set. From the extras, to the cleaning ladies, he was humble and polite to everyone. He was accommodative and patient. He was inundated by all and sundry, clamoring to get a picture with him. He commended me on the scenes I had shot and gave me other words of encouragement. He even took time to help me fix my right hook, which I consider my most deadly and effective punch now.
NIGGA OR NA GE(那个) ?
When Mike was on set, I relaxed and let my body recover from the rigorous weeks of shooting. As his stunt double, my role was to go over the scenes we had shot before he arrived. He reshot the same scenes again, but this time, it was mostly close-ups. It was fascinating to see the master at work.
Mike was about 50 years old when we shot the film. I was expecting him to be slow and old. I was wrong. He arrived in pristine shape and could still move and box with amazing ferocity. I was stunned. I witnessed the raw power of a Tyson punch when he broke several bottles with one swipe. I felt for all the heavyweights that were at the receiving end of a Tyson punch, when he was in his prime–simply frightening.
Mike and I were chatting during a break one day when he heard somebody on set say “那个(nage), 那个(nage)” and I could see Mike’s demeanor change drastically . He said to me, “Lloyd, did you hear that? You heard that? She said Nigga?” I gave the champ a reassuring smile and told him that it’s an often-used expression in Chinese that means ‘that’. ‘The baddest man on the planet’ was about to emerge, but thankfully, I was able to explain to Mike before he went on a devastating rampage.
I remember when I lectured at the university and told my students that if they intend to study abroad, they would need to be extremely careful with that expression. There might not be sufficient time for an explanation before somebody gets very agitated or possibly lash out. That expression is quite common and ubiquitous in the Chinese language.
A professor was recently suspending at an American University after studentscomplained about the manner in which he used the expression. He was discussing the culture shock he experienced in China with some students in a zoom class.
BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET IS A B2K FAN?
Mike made me feel quite comfortable, and we discussed a plethora of topics. I was like a sponge, soaking up as much information as I could. There are few people who have enjoyed a more ostentatious lifestyle than Iron Mike. I had read the autobiography several times, and there were stories I wanted him to further elucidate upon.
All topics were fair game, with the exception of one. So, I avoided raising the sensitive issue that led to his incarceration. I asked about his tiger pets and his crazy rant before the Lennox Lewis fight. He ended that rant with one of the most bizarre quotes in the history of boxing. “I want to eat his heart. I want to eat his children; praise be to Allah”, Mike said bullishly before storming off. He laughed when I quoted that rant verbatim. He also recounted how he met young Brad Pitt at his ex-wife, Robyn Givens’ driveway when they were going through an acrimonious separation. He was like, “Lloyd, Brad was scared man, he was scared”, in that Brooklyn accent and lisp.
We spoke at length about women and dating. I was glued to every word. This is the man that once had girlfriends in every continent and area code. It is alleged he had a file of the names of hundredsof women he had slept with.He’s also the guy that allegedly had sex with beauty icon Naomi Campbell during a party in New York, while his manager waited outside. Ironically, the manager’s job was to keep women away from Mike.
He told me how he lost the fight against Buster Douglas in Japan because he didn’t train hard enough. He was too busy having sex with all the Japanese maids that cleaned his room. He couldn’t fly in other women because his management forbade it. “I was bored, man. Itwas a mess, brother. Some of those women weren’t pretty, Lloyd”, he said, with a wry smile. He is brutally honest about his past and not afraid to be self-deprecating.
But the thing that surprised me the most was when our conversation turned to music. He spoke about how sad he felt when he lost his friend, rapper Tupac Shakur, who was gunned down after he went to see him fight, in Las Vegas, in 1996. Mike and Tupac were very close.
He asked what kind of music I was into, so I showed him my playlist. He knew most of the artistson a personal level. I then asked him about his music preference. He mentioned some renowned names, and then to my surprise, he added B2K. My response was,“What? The baddest man on the planet listens to B2K?” I said, taunting him and calling him soft. “ Shut up Lloyd. You don’t know anything about music, “ he fired back with a smile.
SEAGAL QUITS
As shooting continued, it became quite apparent that the production was dealing with a lot of management issues. These issues culminated in Steven Seagal ultimately walking out before the completion of the project. I do not know what the final straw that broke the camel’s back was, but there was always some simmering tension between him and management. There was also a constant change in the shooting crew, including the sudden replacement of the director in charge of fight-choreography. He was firm, vociferous and extremely demanding, but he was the man for the job.
I am convinced that Seagal walking out had a major impact on how the film eventually turned out. As I had alluded to in part one, Steven and Mike were never on set together.
One of the most memorable parts of the film is the fight scene between the two stars. By the time Mike arrived in Beijing, Seagal had left. So it was basically my fight scenes with Seagal, Tyson’s scenes with Seagal’s stunt double, and CGI that made things possible. I am going to be a bit braggadocios and say, had it not been for those scenes I did, the film might not have been completed. It is amazing what you can do with a green screen and CGI. I should have renegotiated my contract and asked for a pay raise.
I was really looking forward to seeing Seagal and Mike go toe-to-toe, but that never materialized. Seagal walking out also meant that other scenes had to be altered drastically.
YOU CAN’T TAKE THE BROOKLYN OUT OF HIM
As the management woes worsened, we all felt the impact. I remember one day we shot a scene where we launched an armed assault on a conference hall with a tank. It was a crazy experience. All the guns we used during filming were real, but with blank bullets. In the chaos of deafening rapid machine gunfire, a massive explosion went off. The blast was immense and shook the building. This led to an actress becoming very agitated and livid. She was bleeding from the ear. She was told to expect an explosion but she never anticipated the magnitude of the blast. There was utter bedlam. I could see the consternation and concern on some actors’ faces.
There was a concerted effort to make the action scenes as raw and riveting as possible. There were a lot of bold and risky maneuvers deployed to enhance the entertainment value. Mike was a joy to work with and quite easy to get along with. But as his contract was about to expire, he threatened to walk out unless he was offered a new and improved deal. He was also becoming weary of the long shooting hours that went way beyond what he had initially agreed to. There were days we filmed for almost 16 hours. It was tedious and mentally draining. It was against this backdrop that I saw ‘The baddest man on the planet’ demeanor emerge for the first time.
Mike and another actor were shooting a scene when he lost his patience. Mike felt the guy was intentionally trying to hurt him. In a menacing tone and as audible as he could, he said, “I have noticed some of you here think you are tough. If you truly believe you are a tough guy, prove it”. He surveyed the set as he laid down the gauntlet. Silence permeated the set, and you could tell he wasn’t messing around.I thought to myself, “There he is! The guy that even elite fighters feared before a punch was thrown.”
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END
I spent months on that project. It is an experience that I would cherish forever. I learnt so many things and gained a wealth of experience. I worked with some really nice people like JoaquimTivoukou, a French actor and many others. I remember when we got to Mongolia and the director asked me, “Can you ride a horse because you have a horse riding scene in four days”. I had never ridden a horse, so I was given a two-day crash course. When you grew up in adversity like I did, you are going to do whatever it takes to get things done. I was able to pull it off. It was just another tool that I added to my skillset. I learnt how to handle rifles, dodge missiles from helicopters, rope work, and even attempted a high-speed car chase.
Tyson and Seagal were both impressed with my fluent Chinese, and I taught both of them some useful words and expressions. I gave Tyson a ‘Useful Chinese Expressions’ book as a gift, and he gave me a signed copy of his autobiography, ‘Undisputed Truth’. His parting words were, “ Lloyd, you are a smart guy and you have a bright future. Thanks for all the translations and other assistance. Be careful with women and good luck”.
QNET’s flagship annual convention is back with an immersive virtual experience
International e-commerce direct selling company QNET’s flagship annual event, the V-Convention, is back with a renewed vigor in the new decade. Originally a bi-annual convention that would take place on the island of Penang, Malaysia, the convention took on the monikerV-Convention Connect (VCC) as it was adapted into a virtual format last yearin the face of COVID-19. The event that spanned over 3 days attracted a record-breaking viewership of nearly 350,000 people from over 50 countries.
Aptly themed:“Renew, Revive, Reborn”, this year’s convention was planned with a singular goal: to bring together QNET’s community of distributors and customers to rise against all odds and achieve their dreams.
The V-Convention Connect was designed to create an immersive and enjoyable experience that rivalled an in-person convention.Prior to commencement of the event, the official V-Convention website featured a virtual space where one could freely “visit” the various booths and browse QNET’s host of lifestyle, wellness, and luxury products.
The virtual 3-day event featured training programmes by top distributors and leadership professionals, information sessions about the direct selling industry, virtual product training sessions, new product launches anda showcase of QNET’s history, partnerships and sponsorships.
Some of the highlights included:
A virtual celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Bernhard H. Mayer brand, the supplier of QNET’s luxury watches and jewellery. This included an announcement about the upcoming limited edition 150th anniversary collection featuring two stunning Swiss-Made timepieces in Stainless Steel and Rose Gold.
The introduction of Banago, an online marketplace featuring products from QNET and a variety of vendors set to go live in the second quarter of 2021 in the Middle East.
The launch of the next generation of QNET’s iconic wellness product, the Amezcua Chi Pendant 4.
A segment dedicated to showcasing QNET’s social impact in communities worldwide through RYTHM Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer of QNET, Ms Malou Caluza, remarks upon the success of this year’s convention, “This is the new normal! After the success of last year’s virtual convention, we were a lot more confident this year about the impact we can make. We realised that even after the world opens up and physical events can be held safely, we must continue to arrange virtual events such as this as it allows us to reach a much broader audience from so many more countries. For participants with limited resources who want to be part of such events to learn and be inspired, the VCC is a real blessing as they do not have to worry about travel arrangements, visas, hotel costs, and other logistics.
2020 was a tough year for everyone and we wanted this year’s V-Convention Connect to reignite dreams and fuel the passion of our community. Seeing the positive reactions and stories our distributors shared on social media throughout the event made all the hard work and preparation worth it.”
QNET won an Honorable Mention at the 2020 MarCom Awards in the Digital Media (Instagram) Category for last year’sVCC official hashtag, #VCC2020. The success of the lastVCC was also featured in numerous online and print publications, such as Yahoo! News andDirect Selling News.
About QNET
QNET is one of Asia’s leading e-commerce based direct selling companies offering a wide range of health, wellness and lifestyle products that enable people to lead better lives. QNET’s grass-roots business model fueled by the power of e-commerce has helped empower millions of entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries worldwide.
QNET is headquartered in Hong Kong and has a presence in more than 25 countries around the world through subsidiaries, branch offices, agency partnerships, and franchisees.
QNET is a member of the Direct Selling Association in several countries and is also a part of the Hong Kong Health Food Association and the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore among others.
QNET is also active in sports sponsorships around the world. Some of the more prominent partnerships include being the Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City Football Club and the African Club League Championships of CAF.
For more information, please visit QNET’s website at www.qnet.net
The ECOWAS Parliament has on Tuesday 23rd March commenced its 5th Legislature of Parliamentary Seminar (2021) on the theme “Involvement of Members of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monitoring the Implementation of the Protocol Relating to the Community Levy”. The auspicious opening session took place at the Bintumani Conference Center in Freetown on the 23rd March 2021 and will last till the 25th of March 2021 followed by the 1st Parliamentary Session 2021 scheduled to start on the 29th March 2021 and will end on the 2nd April, 2021.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, President of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis, noted that this is the very first activity that brings together in person all Members of the ECOWAS Parliament, a year after the installation of the Fifth Legislature in March 2020, adding that this situation is clearly attributable to the emergence of the unexpected insidious COVID-19 Pandemic.
He extended his cordial greetings to all and welcomed every one of them to Freetown underscoring how Sierra Leone is pleased to welcome all to its territory on the occasion of this Parliamentary Seminar which precedes the holding of the ECOWAS Parliament’s First Extraordinary Session for the year 2021.
Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis noted that the theme of the Seminar borders on the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy.
In that regard, he highlighted that the Community Levy is a mechanism set up by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government and has been operational since 2003 and that it is meant to mobilize the funds required for the accomplishment of the missions of the common organization.
Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis added that this 0.5% levy, imposed on goods from non-ECOWAS Member States, is intended to cater for around 80% of the Community’s budget revenue, furthering that sadly they are witnessing a low mobilization of the said resources which has been around 30% of forecasts over the past three years.
The ECOWAS President revealed that the Seminar therefore forms part of the continuation of Parliament’s efforts to make a significant contribution to the resolution of that priority challenge.
He said it, therefore, offers all of them the opportunity to make relevant and innovative proposals and thus provide the full complement of the effectiveness of parliamentary action.
Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament, Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu, said he is equally captivated by the theme of the Seminar, namely the “Involvement of Members of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monitoring the Application of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy”, adding that he was also at the center of the process of galvanizing support, both intellectual and political, for introducing a Community Levy as the only enduring solution to addressing the acute and perpetual challenges the Community then faced about financing its activities; challenges that had become perennial since the very inception of the Community in 1975.
He also stated that the Levy was a percentage of the total value of import duty derivable from goods imported into the Community from third countries but the actual level of the Community Levy was left to be determined by the Council of Ministers.
Commissioner for Finance of ECOWAS, Halima Ahmed, said on the issue of community levy, she is overjoyed by such a move as it touches on one of the most important preoccupations of their department.
She continued that the Commission is grateful to the members of the ECOWAS Parliament for the positive disposition towards their involvement in the mobilization of the community levy.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nabeela Tunis, expressed profound appreciation for choosing Freetown as the venue for this 1st Seminar, adding that though they tend to muse over the debilitating effects of COVID-19 on economies and livelihoods, the fact that this ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar is convened, in-person, in Freetown, is a testament to the tremendous strides that they have made as a regional bloc towards a strong recovery.
Nabeela Tunis informed the gathering that the Government of Sierra Leone provided 17 acres of land for the establishment of a Peace Support Operations Logistics Depot at Lungi which is still in progress and is at an advanced stage in establishing the early warning center, signed a joint aid memoire for the construction of the University of Science and Technology in Kono among others.
“More importantly, Sierra Leone has consistently complied with the Community Levy Protocol including the payment of arrears since 2019,” she stated.
The Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone, Jacob Jusu Saffa, noted that the ECOWAS Community Levy was established under Article (2) of the Revised Treaty to replace the contribution system that had been in place for ECOWAS Member States, adding that since the start of the effective implementation of the Community Levy, Member States were no longer obliged to pay annual membership subscriptions.
The Minister stated that accordingly ECOWAS Member States agreed to levy a tax of 0.5 percent on imported goods emanating from Non-ECOWAS Member countries to raise the additional finance for the implementation of projects and programmes as well as funding for the ECOWAS Commission and community institutions.
In commemorating World Water Day in the country, the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) has called on Government to take action against those who violate water catchment areas and perpetrate many other crimes. This disclosure was made during a Press Conference held on Monday 22nd March, 2021 at their Head Office on Kingharman Road in Freetown.
In his address, President of the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL), Rev. Henry Samuels, noted that March 22 every year marks World Water Day, a day set aside to focus on the importance of water in every community in the world, adding that the day was set aside by the United Nations in 1993.
He said the Churches in Sierra Leone, through the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL), joined faith communities all over the world, under the auspice of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network in celebrating the day on the theme: “Valuing Water.” of which he said the value of water cannot be measured in monetary terms and that Water indeed is life and it is not merely a slogan but a reality.
Rev. Henry Samuels noted that the provision of safe and affordable water is a Human Right issue recognized in International Law, through Human Rights Treaties and Declarations Sierra Leone subscribed to saying it is incumbent on any Government to see to it that clean, safe, accessible and affordable water is available for personal and domestic uses of the people it governs, furthering that for any Government to negate that responsibility is to violate the God-given right of God’s people.
“We express our strong concern that, estimated, over two thirds of our population are without adequate supply of portable clean and affordable water,” he lamented.
The President noted that they recognize the various challenges and constraints of the companies that are entrusted with the supply of this essential commodity to the population of Sierra Leone, but these challenges have remained for far too long and no serious attempts are made towards solving them, pointing out that the provision of water for the vulnerable population of our nation must be a priority.
Rev. Henry Samuels noted that as a Council they have called for decisive actions towards solving the problems as they are tired of global reports that tell us that only 13 % of Sierra Leone’s population has access to water and sanitation further expressing the strong concern that pipe-borne water in Freetown, the capital of our nation, is obtained in the most unhygienic ways with pipes running through gutters and drainages and people having to put their containers in the filthy gutters to obtain water.
He said they are also greatly concerned with the present pollution of our rivers, particularly the Taia River of which he said they went on a fact finding mission and did an assessment of the polluted river, from Matotoka and Magburaka (Pampana), Taiama (Taia) and Mattru Jong (Jong) and they were appalled by the level of pollution, adding that the Taia river used to be a source of livelihood ( for fishing and mining) for many but that it no longer serves that purpose as a result of pollution. Fishes are infected and sand deteriorates in quality, he highlighted.
“We call for argent action by the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Water Resources; the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Mining Agency (NMA) to take urgent action to stop the pollution of our rivers, (River Taia in particular) and save the lives of our citizens. The protection of citizens is a right and not a favour,” he concluded.
The Vice President, Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh, on the 22 March 2021 commended the formal handover of 10 water kiosks, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation threshold program, to the Guma Valley Water Company at a ceremony which was held in Kingtom.
VP Juldeh Jalloh, along with the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, the Deputy Minister of Water Resources, the Mayor of Freetown, and other dignitaries also toured the Kingtom water kiosk, which provides a safe and reliable collection point for families to access clean water.
He welcomed the water kiosks and the benefits they provide for communities like Kingtom: “I want to use the opportunity to thank the United States Government,” he stated. “Through the threshold program we have been able to demonstrate practically that we can deliver safe drinking and affordable water to our people, and more importantly showcase what you can do when you strengthen the institutions of essential service delivery outlets.”
The U.S. Government, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program, invested $44.4 million dollars to strengthen the energy and water sectors in the greater Freetown area.
“These critical investments drive progress across many development areas,” stated U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Elaine French.
“Reliable water and electricity are essential not just for economic growth but also the provision of education and healthcare. They fuel a robust, healthy and productive society.”
“Water is life, and is so fundamental to the success of businesses, to livelihoods, to the wellbeing of children, to health and sanitation,” noted Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the Mayor of Freetown. This project “has been described as a pilot, as a demonstration. And that is precisely what it has done for us at Freetown City Council. It has demonstrated what is possible…. We are inspired at City Council. We want to see many more of these and we are ready to work with stakeholders to ensure that we roll more of them out.”
Following the handover ceremony, Vice President Jalloh, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr, DCM French and other dignitaries toured the kiosk facility which will be managed by the Guma Valley Water Company through a public-private partnership operator. In addition to the 10 community water collection kiosks, 1,103 households and 143 businesses were supplied with direct water hookups through the program.
The MCC Sierra Leone Threshold Program, which is due to end on March 31, made significant improvements in both the water and energy sectors during its five- year lifecycle.
In December 2020, Sierra Leone was selected to develop a full MCC compact program—a multimillion dollar grant agreement which represents the next stage of collaboration with the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation.
