Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Sierra Leone: wide open to South Africa?

1987; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 14; Issue: 38 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/03056248708703718

1740-1720

Trevor W. Parfitt,

Local Economic Development and Planning

After less than a year of General Momoh's rule and only a few months since the May 1986 elections a pall of discontent with the trumpeted 'New Order' settled over Freetown.Rumours are circulating to the effect that in reality ex-President Siaka Stevens is still controlling things behind the scenes and that Momoh lacks the political skill to combat the Pa's (Stevens') manipulations effectively.However, well informed sources point out that Stevens is currently out of the country and hint that relations between the ex-president and his successor are decidedly cool.Notwithstanding this it is becoming increasingly clear that the New Order bears a disturbingly close resemblance to the old one.Numerous allegations of corruption and mismanagement are beginning to surface.There have been reports that highly placed officials in the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning have consistently misappropriated USPL480 (food) aid by presenting vouchers to obtain rice for bogus projects so that they could make money on the black market.There are widespread suspicions about the new marketing arrangements for sugar.Until recently sugar marketing was controlled by the Sierra Leone Sugar Marketing Company and its subsidiary James International.They marketed sugar throughout the country at a cost of about Le.200 per bag.However, in April 1986, the Ministry of Agriculture and National Resources took over marketing and Minister Kargbo insisted that all sugar be sent to Freetown to his own representatives.Subsequently the cost rose to Le.800 per bag.It has also been noted that when the Ministry took over the Magbass Sugar Complex the records stated that there were 17,000 bags in the stores, whereas Minister Kargbo told Cabinet there were only 10,000 bags.