PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UK AND IRELAND BRANCH

RE: THE STATE OF THE BRANCH PARTY

The Executive Committee of the SLPP UK and Ireland Branch met on Saturday 11 October 2008 to discuss the direction of the branch.

Acting pursuant to Clause 6, Articles 6.3.5 and 6.3.6, the Executive committee has agreed that the business and management of the branch party cannot be held ransom to any other consideration. In this regard, the Executive Committee wishes the general Membership of the branch to know the following:

1. That acting in response to a request from the National Secretary General for this branch to make its contributions to the Draft National party Constitution, has agreed amongst others to convene a general meeting for that purpose, as well as on other specific Constitutional matters affecting this branch;

2. That in furtherance of these objectives, and pursuant to Clause 4, Article 4.2.1(d) of the branch Constitution, the Secretary General has been directed by the Executive Committee to make the draft National party Constitution available to all registered and paid up members for them to have the opportunity to make an informed contribution to said document;

3. That acting pursuant to Clause 6, Articles 6.3.5 and 6.3.6, the Executive Committee will formally request the Electoral Committee to make available to the Secretary General a comprehensive list of all fully paid up members of this branch to facilitate the communication of this decision to enable them to contribute to reviewing of the Draft national Constitution;

4. That the Executive Committee has directed the Secretary-General to inform all fully paid up members who have changed addresses, or any in the process of doing so, to forward their new addresses to the Secretary-General within seven (7) days to facilitate their receipt of, and contribution to the Draft  National Constitution.

Signed

London October 11, 2008

BIG MANIFESTO NIGHT AS UK BRANCH GEARS UP FOR ELECTION.

A carnival-like atmosphere characterized the launching of the Manifesto night involving the candidates contesting the UK Branch elections.
Hundreds of party supporters converged on the Africa Hall in East London on Sunday to hear and grill the various candidates aspiring to lead the UK Branch.
With election date set for Sunday October 15 2008 all candidates are now gearing up for the much-awaited event.

Despite some hick-ups the Chairman of the Electoral Commission Mr. John Sorbah-Green confirmed that the elections will go ahead as scheduled in a close-door meeting with all the aspirants on Friday September 26 2008.

At the Manifesto night the various candidates laid out their programmes if elected.
This year’s election has been seen as a land mark in the history of the branch not only in light of the fact that it has aroused an unprecedented interest, but also that it has seen a crop new and dynamic people wanting to lead the party.

1st August, 2008

Dear Member,

Re: SLPP UK and Ireland Branch Election

First of all I would like to thank you all for electing us to this very important position of the electoral committee (EC). We promise you that the responsibility and confidence that you have entrusted on us will not be betrayed. We will do our best to conduct ourselves impartially and conduct the elections in a free, fair and equitable manner.

Following the General Meeting held on Sunday 20th July, and the consequent election of the electoral commission, an initial meeting held by the committee agreed the following preliminary guidelines for the conduct of the pending election.

1. the date for the election
• 5th October, 2008

2. the qualification for voting in the election:
a. you must be a registered and fully paid-up member of the party with an official receipt to show for it;
• registration fee is £25
• annual subscription £24
b. all nominated candidates for election must have attained the age of 21 against the 5 October;
c. the voting age will be the legal minimum age of 18  years
d. all candidacy fee is as follows:
• Chair £150
• Vice Chair 150
• Secretary £150
• FS/Treasurer £150
• All other position £50

3.  The commission also decided that an accurate and proper list of those eligible to vote will be compiled by the commission with the assistance of the Secretary-General and Financial Secretary. In order to accord all potential candidates a fair and equitable opportunity to canvas eligible voting members, the commission will endeavour to make the compiled list available to every candidate for election as soon as they fulfil all the eligibility criteria.
4. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every member, to ensure that their correct details and contacts are accurately recorded and that they obtain an official receipt for any payments made.

5. After the 4th of August, new members and members updating their membership for the year 2008/2009 will have to pay all fees directly into the bank and post or mail their receipt attached to the membership form directly to the EC Secretariat.

6. The cut-off date for receipt of the all membership forms and evidence of payment will be 30th September.

7. All fully completed and endorsed candidate application form and receipt payment must be delivered either by post or in person to the EC Secretariat not later than  Friday 19th September, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. the latest. It is important to note though, that no  member of the EC will accept candidate nomination form and fees; Mr Sorbah-Green will not be available after 8:00 p.m. on that day.

8. Voting will be for the following offices:
a. Chair
b. Vice Chair
c. Secretary General
d. Assistant Secretary General
e. Financial Secretary/Treasurer
f. Organising Secretary
g. Assistant Organising Secretary
h. Internal Auditor
i. Publicity and Propaganda Secretary
j. Legal Adviser
k. Secretary, Women’s Affairs
l. Secretary, Young Generation

We hope that this initial correspondence will set the stage for a free, fair and exciting electioneering process.  

You will appreciate that we will adhere strictly to these guidelines in order to maintain the integrity of the party in the UK and Ireland so please do you best to comply to deadlines as much as you possibly can.

We will keep you informed of developments as and when they are discussed and ratified; in the mean time please do not hesitate to communicate with the commission through any of the means stated above.

On behalf of the committee I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

My kind regards

Claude B Gray

Claude Gray
Secretary
Electoral Committee 2008

Letter to the British Government

Rt. Honourable David Milliband MP
Secretary of State,
Foreign and Common Wealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH

11th May 2008.

Dear Foreign Secretary,

Threat to democracy in Sierra Leone

I wish to draw your attention to worrying signals pointing to a threat to the nascent democratic gains made in Sierra Leone, gains that have been possible thanks to a very large measure to the support by the British government.

You will recall that a general election took place in Sierra Leone last year that saw the governing party, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) losing power to the Opposition All Peoples Congress (APC). Whilst the SLPP had great reservations regarding the conduct of those elections especially the role played by the Chief Electoral Commissioner, the SLPP nevertheless acquiesced to the results principally because we wanted to maintain our hard-won peace and stability.

It is a matter of regret that since the APC’s assumption of power in Sierra Leone there has been systematic and calculated harassment and intimidation of supporters/sympathizers of the Opposition SLPP. There have been numerous instances of arbitrary dismissal from jobs, physical attacks on Opposition sympathizers, and the wilful destruction of the SLPP party Head Offices in Freetown and the southern provincial city of Bo. Despite these acts of provocation, the SLPP has continued to appeal to its members for restraint and to remain law abiding.

The APC government has now decided to take its political intolerance further by closing down the SLPP radio station.

We view this with the utmost seriousness as it is a calculated attempt to muzzle the Opposition and render it ineffectual. During their years in Opposition the APC operated their radio station which they used to great effect to propagate their messages to their supporters without hindrance; the SLPP deserves no less.

The SLPP has been very scrupulous in satisfying all regulations laid down by the Independent Media Commission of Sierra Leone. As such, the APC government has no justifiable reason for ordering the closure of the SLPP radio station.

Information is the oxygen for democracy, and by depriving the Opposition of a means to operate our radio station, the APC is embarking on a dangerous path that will undermine democracy and undo whatever gains have been achieved in Sierra Leone.

We wish therefore to appeal to your government to use whatever leverage you may bring to bear on the APC government to cease and desist from the harassment of Opposition supporters to operate freely within their rights as provided for in the Constitution of Sierra Leone.  

I should end this by underscoring the abiding gratitude of the people of Sierra Leone for your continued support for our Country, and look forward to your continued help in building and maintaining the institutions of democracy in our Country.

Please be assured of our highest consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Harold B. Saffa
Chairman
SLPP, UK and Ireland Branch.

Cc. Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, Leader of HM Opposition,

     His Excellency Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General UN.

     His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma, the Secretary – General of the Commonwealth

     His Excellency Sassou-Nguesso, Chairman, African Union

    
   The Chairman, Independent Media Commission, Sierra Leone.