…POLITICO NEWSPAPER
Today the Salon Tok forum dealing with contemporary issues has decided to closely examine the sizes of the administrations of Sir.Milton Margai,Sir.Albert Margai,and the military administration led by Brigadier Andrew Terrence Juxon Smith shortly after constitutional rule was terminated in March 1967.
The reason for this exercise is being informed by the fact this platform is of the firm conviction the out of control cabinet government put in place by president Julius Maada Bio simply does not jive with reality of the day which is the existential quagmire of bread and butter issues facing the struggling citizens.Even so is the fact the nation depends on financial handouts from without which comes with strings attached which accounts for why any claim to being a sovereign entity is mere platitude.For the purposes of brevity and clarity of precision,this program has decided to crystallize for readers the makeup of the three administrations by way of comparative analysis.
The First cabinet that emerged in Sierra Leone with Sir.Maurice Dorman then Governor General and Sir.Milton Margai as Prime Minister ,had the following Ministries.
1.Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance
2.Ministry of External Affairs
3.Ministry of Education
4.Ministry of information and Broadcasting
5.Ministry of Works
6.Ministry of Trade and Industry
7.Ministry of Lands,Mines,and Labor
8.Resident Ministry North
9.Resident Ministry South
10.Resident Ministry East
11.Agriculture and Natural Resources
12.Ministry of Social Welfare
13.Ministry of Housing and Country Planning
Ministry with no portfolio
14.Ministry of Transport and Communications.
THE ALBERT MARGAI ADMINISTRATION.
APRIL 29,1964,-MARCH 21ST,1967.
When Sir.Albert took over as Prime Minister,he retained the cabinet inherited from his predecessor and as a mater of fact,he brought the Defense,Health,and Social Welfare ministries under his control.
There were only two deputies A H Kabia assigned to the Foreign Ministry,and A H Kandeh assigned to the Prime Minister’s office.
THE NRC MILITARY ADMINISTRATION FROM MARCH 23RD 1967-APRIL 18,1968.
The Brigadier Juxon Smith military/police NRC administration further trimmed the cabinet to reduce the financial burden on the citizens.
These were the following officers in the administration that emerged.
Lt.Col./Brigadier A T Juxon Smith
Police Commissioner L W Leigh
Major/Col.A.C.Blake
Major/Col.S.B .Jumu
Major/Col.B.I.KaiSamba
Major.A R.Turay later replaced by Major M.M.Koroma
Assistant Commissioner of Police Alpha Kamara.
Captain.S.J.Foyer later replaced by Captain .J. M.Sam Boma,and Captain.D.D.K. Vandi the last of junior officers posted to the NRC secretariat before they were overthrown in April 1968 which paved way for the r appointment of Siaka Stevens to the office of Prime Minister by Sir.Banja Tejan-Sie.
Now Salon Tok Forum dealing with issues, comments, and analysis has seen fit to seriously question the rationale for such an overblown administration assembled by President Bio at a very difficult time like this in the lives of citizens struggling with the harsh realities.
What is even troublesome to say the least is the fact we are a heavily donor dependent economy driven nation and taking into consideration the absence of basic necessities which affordability remains as elusive as ever should President Bio not have thought of the negative impacts on the citizens?
Cabinet jobs should not be treated or seen as reward for party loyalists but simply a service for the improvements of the living conditions of citizens.
We have seen even Dr.Prince Harding has been given cabinet status that only adds to redundancy but huge financial costs to the citizens at their expense starvation and detriment. Photo of President Bio above.