Is Sierra Leone open for business?

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 2 October 2016

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When Brussels Airlines last week informed the Koroma government of Sierra Leone that it may have to stop flying to Freetown if the government fails to address its concerns, there was a strong sense of foreboding that things are going to get worse for the country’s economy.

Other major airline carriers such as Gambian Bird and British Airways are yet to return to Sierra Leone, since they stopped flying to the West African country over a year ago, as a result of the Ebola crisis.

Last year a new airline – Fly Salone, established to mop up demand and fill the gap left behind after the departure of both British Airways and Gambian Bird collapsed, due to financial difficulties.

Since coming to power in 2007, president Koroma has been knocking hard on the doors of international investors to convince them that under his leadership, Sierra Leone is open for business. But not many have taken notice.

The reality is that confidence in the country’s economy as well as in the ability of the Koroma government to implement sound policies, establish the conditions upon which business can invest and thrive, and ensure good governance and law and order prevail, has remained weak.

This task has not been made any easier in a country where basic services and infrastructures, such as electricity, water supply, healthcare, education, waste management and sanitation, good road networks, management of the international airport, continue to be starved of much needed funds.

Diamond mining Sierra LeoneThe government of Sierra Leone needs to attract and encourage massive private sector investments – at least $500 million a year for the next five years, if it is to diversify the country’s economy away from its sole reliance on mining, in the manner recommended by the IMF to grow the economy, create sustainable jobs, broaden its taxation base and produce wealth.

Although foreign investors need an educated and skilled workforce, reliable supply of water and electricity for their businesses to function, they must first of all be able to get into the country fairly easily and as conveniently as possible.

And this is what the government of Sierra Leone is failing to offer investors and tourists. Building a new airport, costing over $400 million, is not a viable economic option either.

But building a bridge across the Lungi to Freetown estuary, does not only make economic sense, it will bring much prosperity to surrounding communities and ease the safety and security risks for airline travellers.

Putting aside the shambolic manner with which the country’s international airport is being run, few airlines are willing to risk their investments in Sierra Leone because of the lack of passenger capacity.

The few that are currently plying the skies into Freetown, such as Air Maroc and Brussels Airlines, are experiencing tremendous difficulties transporting their passengers from the Airport at Lungi across to the capital Freetown.

freetown-ferryA ferry service that should take no more than thirty minutes across a relatively shallow and short estuary, takes more than an hour, if it arrives at all.

At the worst of times, the unseaworthy ferry will either go aground or adrift almost into the Atlantic Ocean before being recovered.

The government says that it is desperate to attract investors and build its tourism industry.

But with a poorly managed international airport, a ferry service served by two old and unfit for purpose vessels, Sierra Leone’s tourism potential is systematically being destroyed by the very people elected to develop the industry and create wealth in one of the poorest nations of the world.

A recently constructed road leading from the airport at Lungi across Port Loko in the north of the country, then down into the capital Freetown, has become a magnet for highway robbers.

Tens of Thousands of Dollars in cash and property are stolen every month from travellers along the highway. The road itself has been described as a death trap, with rising fatal accidents.

brussels-airlines-1According to Mr. Herman Carpentier of Brussels Airlines, speaking last Wednesday, 28th September 2016 to the Sierra Leone Embassy in Brussels – ‘the lack of an efficient and reliable ferry service from Lungi to Freetown is critical to the airline’s operations’.

He said the alternative road network from Lungi to Freetown via Port Loko is too cumbersome for overseas passengers to endure, after a long and exhaustive flight.

While the cost of doing business in Sierra Leone may not be the cheapest in the region, the government of Sierra Leone will need to do more to ensure that corruption and red tape do not kill the chicken that lays the golden eggs, such as Brussels Airlines.

The company has rejected directives from Sierra Leone officials demanding to travel to Brussels, to inspect the air safety of their aircraft – all costs fully paid by the Airline itself.

brussels-airlines-2According to Sierra Leone embassy staff in Brussels, Mr. Carpentier, said that a letter dated 29 April, 2016 and signed by the Head of Flight Safety Standard, Joseph B. K. Fombo at the country’s civil aviation authority (SLCAA), has requested Brussels Airlines to “undergo a comprehensive surveillance review in accordance with ICAO DOC 8335 and SLCAA Part 10, and the State National Surveillance Programme.”

The letter further states that two Inspectors from SLCAA will conduct the inspection at the operational base of Brussels Airlines in Belgium from 13-14 June, 2016. Furthermore, Brussels Airlines should provide the air tickets, accommodation and per diem for the two SLCAA Inspectors at a total cost of Le 33,120,000 (Thirty Three Million One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Leones).

Mr. Carpentier said, the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) had already replied to the SLCAA’s correspondence, out-rightly rejecting the government of Sierra Leone’s inspection proposal.

But Mr. Carpentier disclosed that because of the refusal of Brussels Airlines to honour the SLCAA inspection request, the Authority’s management has refused to approve Brussels Airlines Winter flight schedules to Freetown.

He informed that Brussels Airlines is not the only airline that has objected to Sierra Leone government’s inspection proposal, but even Air France and other Airlines flying to Sierra Leone.

“I am not here to tell the Government of Sierra Leone what to do on these concerns that I have raised, because the government knows better. But if the government fails to address these issues, we have no alternative but to stop our operations, and Air France might also stop. We want to continue serving the people of Sierra Leone as we did during the difficult times of the Ebola crisis, and we hope we will reach out an amicable solution,” Mr. Carpentier concluded.

The government of Sierra Leone has so far failed to convince both British Airways and Gambian Airlines to return to Freetown, since they left in 2014. It will be a fatal blow to Sierra Leone’s economy, should the Koroma government fail to find a sensible compromise with Brussels Airlines.

9 Comments

  1. While we all have the right to our opinion, we should remember that SLCAA is our own organisation responsible for all aviation matters in our country. We should credit them with wisdom until proven otherwise. Probably the issue of inspection might be an international compliance SLCAA are trying to oblige.

    My brothers and sisters, sierra Leone is the only country we mostly proud of and call home. In any case allegation involving our entities should be investigated thoroughly before we start complaining. For you and me it has to be the Lungi International Airport. It cannot be Mutala Airport, Heathrow or JFK.

    SLCAA will not just come up with ridiculous demands, especially to an airline that has stood by them in time of trouble. We are very grateful to SN Brussels airline for being there for us. So the question which any sensible person will ask is why will SLCAA impose such demands to this airline? So let us find out first why SLCAA is making such request.

    • Foday, are you proud of Sierra Leone? I am not. Home it is, but I am not proud of it.

      If you are proud of the state of Sierra Leone as it is, then you do not have the country at heart.

      This is why Sierra Leone will not go forward. Laybelleism and calling a spade a bucket.

      Making a complaint, being critical and whistleblowing makes people sit up and take note and realise that things have to change.

  2. The issue is who needs who? Brussels Airline can do without the Sierra Leone leg. The route is most probably not consistently profitable. Can Sierra Leone do without Brussels Airline? It is not as if other airlines are flocking to Lungi.

  3. This APC government is a total failure by all accounts. One would have never imagined our governors making such blunders. The request to Brussels Airlines by Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority to inspect the company’s air craft on Belgian soil is out of tune and disproportionate.

    Furthermore, demanding the company to finance the trip of the Authorities from Freetown is rather embarrassing and belittles the Sierra Leone Government.

    With the myriad of information at our disposal in these modern times the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority cannot reach the information they needed on the state of Brussels Airlines aircraft flying to Freetown?

    In the first place, before an Airline Company in the European Economic Area (EEA) commences commercial air operation it must have secured an Air Operator Certificate – this is only granted to operators that demonstrate conformity to all set of requirements, and together with an Operating License which is also required.

    This information can be obtained from the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority or The Commission for Aviation Regulation of the European Union.

    Sierra Leone may have experts to carry out the inspection, but isn’t it a waste of time and money to go that far for information that is within reach and at no cost?

    The people are just hoping that the government comes to terms with Brussels Airlines and settle the matter amicably as soon as possible.

  4. May be the other nations should also request to come and inspect how our cocoa and coffee beans are harvested and preserved before they are exported to their countries. They should do so to make sure we are following all the required sanitary procedures.

    You know, I wonder where were the inspectors, when FLY SALONE went down immediately after it’s maiden flight. I understand it has been grounded since. Air Belgium has never had any recent technical troubles in Europe or Africa to send our inspector any worries.

    Drop the inspection request. Air Belgium has been the only airline that stood by us during our most difficult times. We should do our house cleaning first, but taking care of and replacing the old and outdated ferries. We are pointing fingers at Belgium when three of our fingers are pointing back at us.

    We have lots of money flowing around in Sierra Leone, so let one patriotic citizen and or the government buy four new ferries that should ply Lungi every hour, instead of the disgraceful two times or three times a day.

  5. THIS IS TRULY SHOCKING. I will repeat what a contributor has said above “it would be a laughable matter if it was not so serious”. Peoples’ lives are being put at risk and Sierra Leone does not operate an insurance system for people to fall on if things go wrong.

    Does the government of Sierra Leone know that newspapers from Sierra Leone are read on the internet? How is Sierra Leone meant to progress when there are so many things wrong with it. No water, no electricity, poor sanitation, bad infrastructure, need I go on? Oh my God, how bad does it have to get? At times words fail me and this is one such time.

    We are approaching the Christmas period, who is going to read this article and feel safe to get on a plane and ferry in Sierra Leone. God we need a miracle, I feel so depressed.

    Yvonne Williams

  6. This would be funny if is was not so serious.

    Why does the SLCAA want to go all the way to Brussels to inspect Brussels aircraft?

    Why not do the inspection when the planes are on the ground in Freetown?

    Brussels airlines is inspected , I am sure, by the European Aviation Agency.

    All SLCAA should do is get a copy of that report and it should tell them all they need to know.

    Alternatively, the officials should pay their own fare, accommodation and per diem and go to Brussels.

    We could not maintain our own airline Fly Salone, so we have to allow competent and trustworthy airlines into our skies.

    The ferries are death traps. The ferries sometimes drift, full of people, into the high seas and have to be tugged back into Freetown after several hours at sea. What a life threatening situation to be in.

    The journey via Port Loko is too long and tedious and uncertain, with armed robbers and bandits waiting for travellers.

    The government had better get its act together and solve this problem as soon as possible to allow visitors travel in and out of the country safely and also to have a good Christmas.

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