The News Review:

- Sierra Leone: Prosecution Seeks Up to 60 Years for RUF Leaders
- SIERRA LENE: From soap-makers to electricians
- Divisive Politics Hindering Progress in Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone: Exporters Elect New Executive
- Sierra Leone: The Media And Political Calamity
- Sierra Leone: Gov’t Intensifies Campaign Against TB
- Sierra Leone: Expired Drugs Cartel Uncovered

Sierra Leone: Prosecution Seeks Up to 60 Years for RUF Leaders
AllAfrica.com
Prosecution has asked for sentences of 60 years for Issa Sesay and Morris Kallon and 40 years for Augustine Gbao. First accused Sesay and second accused Kallon were found guilty in February on 16 of 18 counts. Third accused Gbao was found guilty on 14 of 18 counts. GA_googleFillSlot( “AllAfrica_Story_Inset” );The three were charged with acts of terrorism and collective punishments unlawful killings sexual violence physical violence the use of child soldiers abductions and forced labour looting and burning houses and attacks on UNAMSIL personnel.

SIERRA LENE: From soap-makers to electricians
IRINnews.org
?Now everyone comes to us when they want a shower. We are not rich yet but water is life and we want to bring it to the people. ? Youth unemployment programmes must move beyond post-conflict skills-training such as tie-dying tailoring and soap-making to identify market opportunities in emerging industries in order to lower the 1. 2 million-strong youth unemployment statistics say youth employment experts in Sierra Leone. ?We need electricians mobile phone repairers air conditioning cleaners — and this requires us to research emerging markets to attract private sector investment and get more support for apprenticeship schemes? said Helga Gibbons International Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor at the government?s newly formed Youth Employment Secretariat (YES). With 60 percent of the country?s youth population unemployed and many fearful that unemployment compounded by chronic poverty.

Divisive Politics Hindering Progress in Sierra Leone
World Press Review
James a disabled victim of Sierra Leone’s civil war lives in a village for amputees near Freetown. However some ill-bred elements mostly unemployed youths are striving just as hard to make the soiled image permanent. The Awareness Times newspaper published an article on March 13 headlined “Sierra Leone’s pposition Party HQ Attacked by Ruling Party. ” It described a political event that started out as a celebration then later turned dark and bloody in an appalling barbaric and unacceptable manner. It must be condemned in the strongest terms.

Sierra Leone: Exporters Elect New Executive
AllAfrica.com
Executive Secretary of SLIBA Victoria Williams who conducted the exercise as well as chairing the meeting said any business firm or association always faces challenges adding that much has been done to create a level playing field for business people in the country. GA_googleFillSlot( “AllAfrica_Story_Inset” );Henry Fofanah a representative from SLIEPA said SLIBA was established to help develop trade in the country noting that there used to be an export association which became dormant due to financial constraints. “As a government we will take all possible measures to see that the association succeeds” he said. Fofanah expressed that the possibility exists for the association to move to a greater height noting that the opportunity of getting an association that is seeking the interest of exporters should not neglected.

Sierra Leone: The Media And Political Calamity
AllAfrica.com
‘In Sierra Leone the media has over the years demonstrated its ability to help bring peace and development. The efforts undertaken by the media to force the AFRC out of power is an example. However the media has also often found itself in the middle of trouble with practitioners killed or brutalized especially in times of troubles. The RUF did not spare media practitioners in their brutal killing of innocent people. Just recently there was a ‘palava’ between the two oldest political entities in Sierra Leone- that is the APC and SLPP which erupted immediately after the official commissioning of the Clock Tower after it was refurbished by the Freetown City Council.

Sierra Leone: Gov’t Intensifies Campaign Against TB
AllAfrica.com
But the increase – from 5863 in 2004 to 11021 last year – isn’t necessarily a bad thing said Dr. Foday Dafae manager of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation’s National Leprosy and TB Control Programme. “It’s not necessarily an increase in the number of cases but an increase in the number coming in for treatment” he said. This he hopes is an indication that efforts to educate people about TB and encourage them to seek treatment are working.

Sierra Leone: Expired Drugs Cartel Uncovered
AllAfrica.com
ne Abubakarr Kamara a business tycoon was said to have been in the centre of the current operations of the cartel. n Friday sources close to the Pharmacy Board operatives reported the activities of a cartel that was altering expiry dates from drug supplies with the intention of sending them back into the market. GA_googleFillSlot( “AllAfrica_Story_Inset” );Upon receipt of the information chief of inspection at the Pharmacy Board James Komeh said “a team of Pharmacy Board inspectors and police officers from the criminal investigation department CID went into action conducted a search into the suspected premise where drugs alteration and date fixing machines were discovered and confiscated. The raid according to John Zorokong one of the inspectors was done at an illegal premise at Brima Lane Wellington and that huge quantity of various expensive drugs like injectables capsules tablets and ointments in stack of cartoons were found in the said premise.
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