In with the new

I just realised the other day that it’s been quite a year for Sierra Leone. I documented the year’s biggest news events in my post for The New Internationalist and am now wondering what the big stories in the New Year will be.

Undoubtedly, the most anticipated is the Independence Day celebrations. Sierra Leone turns 50 and is surely drawing inspiration from neighbouring Nigeria that celebrated their own 50^th in style. It’s reported that Sierra Leone will spend about $ 25 million on infrastructure and development projects. One can only hope that they manage their funds better than my people did. Read, disastrous Commonwealth Games.

Actually my life has already been touched by one such development initiative. The main road running through the western part of Freetown, Wilkinson Road, is getting a facelift. The cosmetics began in October last year and are expected to continue for at least another six months. For me this has meant that life proceeds intermittently. Every time a bulldozer pokes its nose around the block, I lose water and electricity for a week. This is quite a blow to all the progress made over the last year to regularise water and electricity. But that’s the price of progress I guess.

Just realised that it’s a big year for me too, the big 30. Hopefully it’ll be a good one for both of us.