UNITED NATIONS — Countries all over the world are being asked to raise domestic resources, reform policies, and find ways to fund their Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
St. Vincent and the Grenadines has chosen a rather unorthodox approach to help it fulfill its SDG obligations by legalizing medicinal marijuana and working to make it an export crop.
“Everyone is not developing at the same pace. Everyone doesn’t have the same needs, and the mix of financing for development can’t be imposed from above in a one-size-fits-all manner. We have to tailor it to everyone’s specificities,” said Camillo Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister of Finance, Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, and Information Technology.
“Everyone doesn’t have the same needs, and the mix of financing for development can’t be imposed from above in a one-size-fits-all manner.”
Like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone in West Africa that is also struggling to meet its SDGs could consider taking the same steps and moving its parliament to enact a law which would ensure that much is realized from the legal export and use for medicinal purposes of marijuana.
Like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has taken steps toward meeting the SDGs. Like St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone too could consider setting up a Zero Hunger Trust Fund that is funded by a tax on mobile telephone calls and data usage. The fund supports school lunches, school books, vision tests for children, food support for vulnerable elderly people, job training, and job placement programs. The government also can set up a national contingencies fund, supported by an extra 1% tax on consumption, which will serve as a response mechanism to natural disasters. If unneeded for several years, the fund could be spent on resilience building.
But now, if we are to look up to marijuana — a crop that has long been cultivated illegally in many parts around the world, it could help solve some of the SDG problems this country and others like it are suffering.
After reviewing public opinion and treaty obligations, St. Vincent and the Grenadines decided to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. Given the small population, the government knew there wouldn’t be much of a domestic market, so it focused on exporting the crop.
Over the past year, the government has created an administrative framework that governs the licensing, regulation, and cultivation of cannabis and is currently selecting entities that will receive licenses to grow the crop. The country has put a cap on the amount of land that can be under cultivation for medical cannabis and will require all licensee companies to contribute annually to the national Zero Hunger Trust Fund.
“The theory is if you’re planting something that’s not food, you’re going to make a contribution to the food security of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, so there is a specific set aside again to the goal two target of the Sustainable Development Goals,” Gonsalves said, adding that Sierra Leone too can follow these steps and save itself a lot of misery.

Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Friday 26th April, 2019 motivated the youths of Port Loko District by donating ten million Leones for them to organize an inter-town athletic sports meeting. He told the organizers that, of the ten million Leones, five million Leones is for the organizers and the other Le5M for transport fare for the athletes.
Vice President Jalloh commended the organizers for the initiative to bring together youths from across the district to participate in such an event. He noted that the Sports Meeting was a positive move that added value to the April 27th 58th Independence celebration in Port Loko City.
The Vice President assured the sport organizers of his continued support. “I will continue to support you by doubling, if not tripling my contributions, and making sure I participate in any program from now onwards,” Dr. Jalloh promised.
The Vice President assured young people of Port Loko of prioritizing youth affairs in terms of employment. He promised to engage the Youth Ministry and other institutions to prioritize young people whenever employment opportunities are available. He thanked and encouraged the youths for the fantastic initiative to organize the Sports Meeting.

With a single deep-sea patrol boat, Sierra Leone was hard put to stop vessels looting its waters despite a month-long ban on industrial fishing.
Dozens of large foreign trawlers are licensed to fish in Sierra Leonean waters and the aim of the ban, which expired Tuesday, was to help replenish species damaged by overfishing.
But those arrested were local people charged with using illegal nets or trying to export fish.
“We have one offshore patrol vessel, two operational inflatable boats, and five inshore patrol craft,” said Abdul Karim Dumbuya, operations chief for the Sierra Leone’s Joint Maritime Commission (JMC) linking eight government agencies.
About 100 visiting trawlers have fishing permits. More than half of them are Chinese boats, beyond the reach of inspection teams.
“If we had more than one offshore patrol vessel, then we would have the flexibility of tasking one vessel down south, and the other one up north, and one even on standby. But now we are talking about just one offshore patrol vessel. “One, that is a challenge in itself,” Dumbaya said.
However, the JMC has introduced daily patrols, making a big difference from one outing per week.
During the ban, JMC agents apprehended three artisanal fishermen using illegal nets in Tombo, a fishing village east of the capital Freetown.
They picked up three others at Bonthe in the southwest, “trying to sell fish to exporters”, Dumbuya said.
The ban exclusively covered industrial fishing, but all fish exports have been forbidden while in place.
It also obliged industrial fishing firms to store fish of different species in cold rooms to prevent shortages and price increases.
Fish accounts for 80 percent of the animal protein intake in the diet of Sierra Leoneans, according to official statistics. The fisheries sector employs 500,000 people, mainly working on traditional boats, out of a population of 7.5 million.
It represents between 12 and 15 percent of gross domestic product.
But the fish caught by locals are becoming ever rarer and ever smaller, according to Andrew Baio, a lecturer at the Institute of Marine Biology and Oceanography.
“There is evidence that the stocks are getting depleted and the situation is getting worse and worse,” Baio said, basing his assessment “on the size and quantities of the fish per unit of effort”.
Local fishing families blame the trawlers offshore for wreaking havoc on fish supplies in Atlantic waters and believe the month-long ban has been far too short.
“These trawlers don’t give us a chance. They bankrupted my business. They destroyed my properties,” said Manfereh Suma, a fisherwoman at the Goderich market in Freetown. “I’m left with nothing. Zero.”
Senior Harbor Master Momoh Bangura, a fisherman for 50 years, says the depletion of fish stocks has reached critical levels.
“When the trawlers began arriving in large numbers in this country in 1980, the quantity of fish began dropping,” he said.
He spoke of zones where fish used to be abundance, but today “there is nothing left”. “Where we fish now, only God can help us, because there are so many rocks,” he added.
Deputy Commander Philip Juana, a naval officer, told journalists that the April ban had served as a “test” that could be followed by more, longer measures.
“We need more capacity for our presence to be felt at sea,” he concluded.
Paul Jackson, a fisherman for more than 25 years, said the doors of the ministry of fisheries were shut to him when he tried to denounce Chinese trawlers defying the ban.
China is a big investor in the country. The ministry meanwhile did not respond to requests for an interview.
Ian Ralby, a maritime expert with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said the lack of means to monitor maritime activity went hand in hand with corruption and weak fines.

Widespread use of Caustic Soda to produce homemade soap (soda soap) in communities has led to hundreds of children to mistakenly take-in/ingest caustic soda confusing it with water, sugar or salt, which often resulted in serious health complications and in most cases death.
This was revealed at a 2 day regional review meeting in Bo and Makeni with Radio Station Managers, District Health Education/ Social Mobilization Officers and Health for All Coalition District Coordinators in the Southeast, North & North West Regions including Western Area, last week.
Nurse, Maryrose Bindi and Hannah Gibateh from the Emergency Hospital referenced that since the inception of the Caustic Soda Programme in 2005, they have had more than 3,000 admissions for the treatment of oesophageal burns as a result of caustic soda ingestion by children, mostly under five years, adding that just in the beginning of 2018 they registered 74 new cases and 10 new cases per month in 2019. “From 2015 – March 2019, we have also recorded 244 new cases, which is unacceptable,” she disclosed.
They continued that there is no specific treatment/medication for patients who have ingested caustic soda, but however stated that they treat the oesophageal burns/injuries periodically to maintain the potency of the oesophagus. “Caustic Soda has a powerful solvent reaction causing serious injuries when ingested especially by children, this is evident as 73% affected children go through an unusual feeding tube called gastrostomy” Mary Rose and Hannah explained.
They continued that many injuries do occur with one-fifth of patients still require a continuous dilatation programme in which gastrostomy is initiated to feed patients and to keep them alive, as they are at risk of serious nutritional conditions – Malnutrition, due to the inability of families of affected children to provide proper nourishing foods/supplements to maintain the nutritional status of affected children.
Nurse, Mary Rose Bindi further added that mothers/caregivers of caustic soda patients are trained in basic feeding technics to properly feed their children at home upon discharge from the hospital, as they are usually supplied with sufficient food to upkeep the children. She however, added that long-term dilatation programmes are very challenging which may result to loss of work for patients and neglects of other children at home which she noted may be frustrating for the mothers causing serious socioeconomic and psychological setbacks to the mothers thereby resulting to abandonment of affected children. “It kills them even quicker” She Added.
Responding on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Chief Health Education Officer & Programme Manager, Lansana Conteh, Health Education Division, noted that they have developed key messages pinpointing on prevention measures and the role of caregivers/communities in the even there is caustic soda ingestion in communities. Mr. Conteh continued that they have already done some media engagements together with the Emergency Hospital and Communication Unit of the Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies to raise awareness in communities on the harmful effects of caustic soda and the dos and don’ts, adding that beside the utilization of the UNICEF supported Nationwide Interactive Radio Discussion Programme to raise awareness on caustic soda both at National and District levels, they have also done some radio talk shows on Star Radio and Education Radio which is 2 of Division’s partner radio stations. He continued that they were also planning to do community engagements in the affected communities, backed with a professional TV coverage on the effects of caustic soda capturing the accounts of caustic soda victims. Mr. ended by calling for more support to embark on robust public education, as the number of affected children is not only scaring but a call to action by every stakeholder.

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), dated 30th April, 2019, and signed by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Segepoh S. Thomas; the Parliament of Sierra Leone has granted ACC the unfettered clearance to further investigate and, if need be, prosecute relevant officials in connection with the Auditor General’s Report of the Technical Audit on Social Security, Telecommunications, Civil Works and Energy sectors.

The Commissioner had earlier informed Parliament that it will work with them to investigate alleged acts of grand corruption as contained in the findings of the Technical Audit Report. This clearance removes any technical issues between the two institutions and allows for impunity to be removed from public service going forward.

It was in this vein that, on 16th April 2019, the ACC convened a Press conference to inform the public on the Commission’s position on the Technical Audit Report, stating that the Commission was only waiting on the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to conduct initial inquiry into the activities of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Parastatals.

The Commission wishes to reaffirm its unwavering determination in the fight against corruption, with the view of ensuring that stolen public funds are recovered, and justice delivered to the people of Sierra Leone.

Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has cautioned citizens to respect law and obey. The Vice President stated that if citizens operate within the confines of the law, they need not worry. He explained that the responsibility of government is to ensure that citizens are provided with the requisite socio-economic and health provisions as required by law for the benefit of all law-abiding citizens.
He maintained that Government is determined to instil discipline into public life. Vice President Juldeh Jalloh made the statement in response to the statement made by President of Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Jennings Wright, saying: ‘Sierra Leone is presently in turmoil.’
“There is no turmoil in Sierra Leone. I totally disagree. The fact is that the SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) won the election and is ruling, and Government is implementing policies” he said.

He informed the gathering about the huge strides made by the Bio administration since it assumed office, citing achievements like approving new schools and teachers, among others.

He articulated the recruitment process of nurses and the prioritization of pin codes for nurses in the government health sector. Dr. Jalloh clarified the government’s decision to disengage and not interfere into the affairs of the Labour Union and university administrations. He made it clear that Government will continue to oversee institutions in the country despite the progressive disengagement. He stated that the responsibility for institutions to function well in the country lies in the hands of Government.
Vice President Jalloh assured labour workers of Government’s willingness to give liberty to the Labour Union and other institutions to operate at liberty as well as provide the necessary support required for institutions to work better, and admonished the Labour Union and other institutions to be law-abiding.

Dr. Jalloh said that the International Workers Day is designed to celebrate the hard work of the labour force in the world. The day, the Vice President stated is celebrated to remember with equal pride and reverence, the selfless labour and indefatigable contributions of compatriot workers in the country and across the world. He referred to the labour force as a critical force to nation building, stating that a modern state cannot function adequately without a viable workforce. He maintained that it is incumbent on government to provide the environment that favours the emergence and sustenance of a viable labour force.

Dr. Jalloh informed the listeners about the Government respond to the needs of the work force over the last one year by increasing salaries of junior workers and the public sector from 5% in July from the revised 2018 budget to 10% in November from the 2019 budget which have taken effect. He encouraged the Labour Union and the labour force to form a viable partnership with Government, and work in unity for the purpose of moving the country forward. The International Labour Day celebration was organized at the forecourt of Miatta Conference Centre, Brookfields in Freetown on May 1, 2019 on the theme “Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Empowerment.”

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has joined family members and loved ones to mourn the Late Major-General Mohamed Sheku Tarawallie during a laying out ceremony at the House of Parliament in Freetown on Tuesday 30 April 2019.

The retired military leader, who passed away on Wednesday 10 April 2019 in London, United Kingdom, was born in 1941 in Dankawali, Falaba District. He was a retired officer in the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, RSLAF, and rose to the rank of Major General and Military Commander.

Various tributes and well wishes for the Late Major Tarawalli were delivered by representatives of the RSLAF, Political Parties, his family among others. The Late Major Tarawalli would be remembered as a patriotic and gallant officer who was devoted to duty, persevered, and selfless in serving his country.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has received Sierra Leonean descendants living in the United States of America during a courtesy call at State House in Freetown.

In his presentation, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, William Robinson, said that President Bio was willing to welcome back home Sierra Leoneans living in the diaspora and who had long been searching for their heritage.

He said since their arrival, the delegation had visited some districts in the country, where they were well received and given local Sierra Leonean names.

Head of the delegation, Chavonna Frazer, said they had started planning the visit since they established their Sierra Leonean origin through a DNA test. She said they were thrilled to be back home and to receive such a warm reception from the President. She assured State House that they would be working with the administration, in the years to come, adding that they would bring home other Sierra Leoneans living abroad.

On his part, President Bio said he is happy that the visiting team had rediscovered the connection that they had lost for years. He said they were divided by history but that it was about time they made a conscious effort to reconnect with their origin.

While officially recognizing their new statuses, by handing over their Sierra Leonean passports to members of the visiting team, the President also assured them that Sierra Leone was headed in a new direction and with a determined leadership that was also ready to rebrand a country working hard to catch up with the rest of the world.

“We are touched and moved by your move because we want everyone to come back home. We want you all to come back with your knowledge and expertise and everything to make our country great. Let us use this moment as the beginning to make the future better for us and our kids. The past has happened and it is now history, but let that history serve as something to inspire us to know that we can do better things,” he said.

As a way of complementing the government’s free quality education under the New Direction, Africell – Sierra Leone has started providing necessary school materials to class six pupils in the southern and eastern regions of the country, ahead of the National Primary School Examination (NPSE).
According to the company’s Head of Event and Sponsorship, Abdul Aziz Kamara, the reason for their support is because of the objectives of the New Direction government to provide free, quality education to vulnerable and school going children, to help them gain better education.

Mr. Kamara went on to state that during the official launch of the free, quality pre-primary, primary and secondary education for government and government-assisted schools, President Bio used the opportunity to call on all Sierra Leoneans to support the initiative, noting that the introduction of the government’s flagship programme marked the beginning of free quality education in Sierra Leone and one that is centered on developing human resource.
He said Africell therefore thought it fit to give their support because educating a child is an important investment for national development, and is the foundation of moral regeneration, as well as a strong pillar for industrial development. He added that without quality education no nation can get the requisite manpower for socio-economic development.

He maintained that the company is well-known for its support to the grassroots and needy Sierra Leoneans, adding: “We feel elated over the chance to once again make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children who the company believes have potentials irrespective of their situation and backgrounds.”
Abdul Aziz Kamara reiterated that Africell is the dominant supporter of developmental activities in the country, including education, and sporting activities by helping the government in its nation-building drives.