By Sorie Sudan Sesay, Freetown.
Sierra Leone Journalists Association is bringing
together aspirants vying for the Presidency and their
running mates in a political debate ahead of the
August 11, 2007, Presidential and Parliamentary
elections.
SLAJ President, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, who is also
Managing Editor of the New Citizen newspaper, while
making the disclosure at a press conference at the
Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA), on Wallace Johnson
Street, last Wednesday, said the two respective
debates will be held in July, less than a month to the
elections and that the debate is to make political
parties answerable to the people of Sierra Leone.
According to Kargbo, this is going to be the first
elections after the United Nations Mission in Sierra
Leone’s departure and that the international
community is using these elections as a yard stick to
know if the country is really peaceful.
“SLAJ is not anti-government but journalists can hold
government responsible,” Kargbo said.
SLAJ Vice President and Chairman of the Debate
Committee, Phillip Neville, who is also Managing
Editor of the Standard Times newspaper, said his
committee has already prepared a programme for those
taking part in the debate.
He said his committee has held fruitful meetings with
the Police, Military, Political Parties Registration
Commission (PPRC) and in the following weeks, they
will be meeting the National Electoral Commission
(NEC), diplomatic missions and Non-Governmental
Organisations for possible collaboration.
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